Deadline: 15 October 2012
Her Saturn Returns Anthology, a series in Queer Women of Color Life Transitions is seeking non-fiction essays, memoir, interviews, and other forms of documentary writing. Pieces are by or about women who are experiencing their 1st Saturn Return -turning 30, or their 2nd Saturn Return -turning 60. All women who identify as queer, lesbian, or bisexual, and of color with a story about their transitional life events may submit.
Perhaps after turning 26 you realized life moved at a different pace. As you approached 30, you may have…
- gained weight,
- fell in or out of love,
- landed into a surprising career,
- had a nervous breakdown,
- moved thousands of miles away from home,
- fought with a loved one,
- became newly diagnosed,
- purchased property,
- changed your gender-presentation,
- joined a degree program, or other cult-like entity like a coven or collective,
- started a business,
- lost a parent or grandparent,
- connected with your spiritual center,
- realized you were worthy, and beautiful, and sane.
When our Saturn returns, we experience major life transitions. Except as queer women of color, we push against the lines of normalcy. Unlike our heterosexual counterparts of the same age and gender, we are unlikely to experience childbirth or the monotony of marriage. Yet, how can we prepare for this unpredictable life that we must transition into? How will we know what to expect unless we share our stories?
Over the past year, Shawn(ta) Smith has collected stories of queer women of color, who in sharing their stories, realized that they have experienced (or were currently experiencing) the most tumultuous times of their lives. The interviews were featured on hersaturnreturns.com and inspired the continued collection of Her Saturn Return narratives for this current call for submissions.
Submission Guidelines: Email submissions in Times New Roman 12 point black font Word document (.doc) with pages numbered of 2,500 words or less to hersaturnreturns@gmail.com. Please include a cover page with your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable), a short 100 word or less bio in the third person, mailing address, email, title of the piece. For astrological classification, include your date of birth (to substitute your date of birth, please include your Sun Sign, Saturn Sign, and age).
Editor: Shawn(ta) Smith
Payment: A copy of the Anthology
CONTACT INFORMATION:
For inquiries/ submissions: hersaturnreturns@gmail.com
Website: http://hersaturnreturns.com