As a literary review, we at BMR feel that we're here to bring the best possible talents to light, to provide an online forum for writers to present their works internationally, and to usher literature into the digital age. We all read books--we just believe that this medium presents an unprecedented opportunity for writers of all stripes to interact and celebrate each others' work. We hope to to provide good writers tremendous exposure using the very best of the technologies currently available.
In Specific:
Fiction: Put simply, we're seeking brilliant writers writing at the best of their abilities, about what interests them most, who are willing to make the leap into the digital realm. We do not publish one specific tradition or form; literature is not narrow or necessarily mainstream.Ideally, we'd like stories to be somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 words, but that's not set in stone. We're open to shorter and some longer works, but I believe a very long story may be more appropriate for a printed magazine. Kindly submit only one story at a time.
At present we're generally not considering fiction that has been previously published--we're receiving a great deal of stellar pieces that have not been seen elsewhere, and we give those priority.
Contact Doug Lawson, at dlawson@ebbs.english.vt.edu.
Forum:We're seeking opinionated essays of various sorts, up to 3,000 words (again, we're flexible, though) that are related in some way to writing, literature, books, and the writing life. You don't need to be an expert to get your voice heard here--you should, however, be coherent and have something to say.
Contact Doug Lawson.
Spokenword:We have a great need for audio and video materials! Audio or video recordings of works or performance pieces of writers performing their work either solo or in company with other artists can be sent on CD, VHS tape, or audio casette. See the regular mail address below, or contact Doug Lawson if you'd like to submit electronically.
Poetry:We've got a choice of two poetry editors for you to choose from.
David Graham writes: "I believe I am open to just about any kind of poetry--metered and free, projective and neatly stanzaed, humorous and not, traditionally formed and not, narrative, dramatic, and lyric. My taste runs toward thickly textured poems, by which I mean those that give both mind and mouth something substantial to chew on. I'm fond of meaty image, understatement, surprise; suspicious of bardic posturing, light verse, and poems that take place no-place in particular. For what it's worth, some of my favorite contemporary poets are Heaney, Stafford, Rich, Hugo, Brooks, Levine, Van Duyn, Ammons, Levertov, Matthews, and Voigt."
You can reach him at GrahamD@mac.ripon.edu.
Browning Porter writes: "I'll publish anything that makes me glad I took the time to read it, but I'll also let it slip that I'm partial to irony (if it's served WARM) and music. If a poem feels good in the mouth, in the ear, in the chest -- I'm halfway there. I've never liked it when editors list things they do NOT want to see. No matter how much I might agree with their aesthetics, I think such negativity gets things off on the wrong foot. So send me any kind of poem you love to write -- I ask only that you not hold out on me. No skimping. Send me me your top shelf stuff." You can reach him at bporter1@chv.mindspring.com.
The New River was created and is edited by Edward Falco. Guidelines for submissions are different from BMR's, and they can be accessed directly at http://ebbs.english.vt.edu/olp/newriver/1/coverpage/subguidelines.html.
In General: Simultaneous submissions are welcome. We expect, however, that if we confirm acceptance of the manuscript with you, it will not be withdrawn in favor of another publication at a later date. Publication counts as use of First North American Serial Rights, and one-time use of electronic rights to your work. All rights revert to you. If you publish the piece elsewhere, we do ask that you site BMR as the first place of publication.
Don't query for submissions except in the case of interviews. Just send 'em on in.
Submissions via regular mail are accepted at:
The Blue Moon Review,
PO Box 48
Ivy, VA 22945.Don't forget the SASE if you want your work back--manuscripts without these or an email address for response are discarded. Disposable manuscripts are fine, but you should include a self-adressed, stamped envelope.
