My Mind Words Paper:
usa literature

Deadline: 30 October 2012

TU BOOKS, the fantasy, science fiction, and mystery imprint of LEE & LOW BOOKS, award-winning publisher of children’s books, is pleased to announce the first annual NEW VISIONS AWARD. The NEW VISIONS AWARD will be given for a middle grade or young adult fantasy, science fiction, or mystery novel by a writer of color. The Award winner receives a cash grant of $1000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash grant of $500.

TU BOOKS was launched in 2010, dedicated to diversity in the beloved genre fiction market for young people. Titles include Wolf Mark, Tankborn, and Cat Girl’s Day Off. Fall 2012 will bring the publication of Morris Award nominee and Pura Belpré Award winner Guadalupe Garcia McCall’s Summer of the Mariposas.

ELIGIBILITY

1. The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a middle grade or young adult novel published.

2. Writers who have published work in other venues such as children’s magazines or picture books, or adult fiction or nonfiction, are eligible. Only unagented submissions will be accepted.

3. Work that has been published in its entirety in any format (including online and self publishing) is not eligible. Manuscripts previously submitted to TU BOOKS will not be considered.

SUBMISSIONS

1. Manuscripts should address the needs of children of color by providing stories with which they can identify and relate, and which promote a greater understanding of one another.

2. Submissions may be FANTASY, SCIENCE FICTION, or MYSTERY novels for children ages 8 to 12 or young adults ages 12 to 18. Realistic stories without a mystery or speculative component will not be considered.

3. Submissions should include a synopsis of the story plus the first three (3) chapters accompanied by a cover letter that includes the author’s name, address, phone number, email address, brief biographical note, relevant cultural and ethnic information, how the author heard about the award, and publication history, if any. Do not send the entire manuscript.

4. Manuscripts should be printed in a clear 12-point font, double-spaced, on 8½” x 11” paper. Submissions will not be returned, so do not submit your only copy.

5. Up to two submissions per entrant. Each submission should be submitted separately.

6. Submissions should be clearly addressed to:

TU BOOKS
95 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
ATTN: NEW VISIONS AWARD

7. Manuscripts may not be submitted to other publishers or to TU BOOKS general submissions while under consideration for this award. TU BOOKS is not responsible for late, lost, or incorrectly addressed or delivered submissions.

DATES FOR SUBMISSION

Manuscripts will be accepted from June 1, 2012, through October 30, 2012 and must be postmarked within that period.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF FINALIST AND WINNERS

1. Finalists will be announced and full manuscripts requested no later than January 15, 2013. If your full manuscript is requested, it must be received by TU BOOKS by January 31, 2013.

2. Submissions will not be returned. Be sure to retain a copy of your submission.

3. Judges are the editors of TU BOOKS and LEE & LOW BOOKS. The decision of the judges is final.

4. The Award and Honor winners will be selected from among the full manuscripts requested and will be announced no later than March 31, 2013. At least one Honor winner will be chosen each year, but TU BOOKS reserves the right not to choose an Award winner.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: general@leeandlow.com

For submissions: TU BOOKS, 95 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, ATTN: NEW VISIONS AWARD

Website: http://www.leeandlow.com/

Deadline: 30 June 2012

It is with great pleasure that we announce the open call for submissions for this year's Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize.

The Aidoo-Snyder book prize is awarded by the Women’s Caucus of the African Studies Association for an outstanding book published by a woman that prioritizes African women’s experiences. Named in honor of Ama Ata Aidoo, the celebrated Ghanaian novelist and short-story writer, and Margaret Snyder the founding Director of UNIFEM, this $500 prize seeks to acknowledge the excellence of contemporary scholarship being produced by women about African women. In alternate years, the prize is awarded for the best scholarly book, or for the best creative work.

This year the we are considering the SOCIAL SCIENCES - any book published in 2009, 2010 and 2011 on African women can be nominated and submitted. Edited collections will be considered.

Final submission date is June 30th. The finalist will be notified on September 10, 2012 and included in the program for the African Studies Association Annual conference in November 2012.

If you have book(s) that fulfill the above criteria, please send a copy of each text to the 3 committee members:

Dr. Natasha Gordon-Chipembere
Aidoo-Snyder Book Prize Chair, 2012
4 Miami Court
Brooklyn, NY 11225

Dr. Maria Cattell
486 Walnut Hill Rd
Millersville, PA 17551

Dr. Claire Robertson
3502 William Court
Bloomington, IN 47401

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: contact Natasha Gordon-Chipembere (Chair) at 347 971-1648 and indisunflower@yahoo.com

For submissions: see list of committee members above

Website: http://www.albany.edu/~dlafonde/Global/asawomenscaucus.htm

Deadline: 1 September 2012

Inspired by Simon Ortiz’s “Towards a National Indian Literature: Cultural Authenticity in Nationalism” and Jace Weaver, Craig Womack, and Robert Allen Warrior’s American Indian Literary Nationalism, this collection will be a site for emerging as well as well-known ethnic critics and theorists to illustrate where they see their respective fields heading and construct perspectives outside of western ideologies. This collection will include 5 key areas: African American, Asian American, Latin American, Native American, and Arabic American literature and criticism. The first four areas represent the larger areas of ethnic studies in the academy today and will provide a necessary counter-point to the predominantly western (i.e. white) critical perspectives that populate much of the criticism available to scholars today. And given the rise in anti-Arab racism and attitudes in the popular media in the wake of 9/11, the final area will provide readers with a necessary rebuttal to a popular media that seeks to dehumanize and silence contemporary Arabic voices.

We invite article-length submissions in the following areas:

· The state of ethnic theory/theories--present and future
· Commentary on important moments/critics from the past
· Comparison of theory between ethnic literatures
· Application of theory to ethnic texts (literature, art, music, pop-culture, etc.)
· Application of ethnic theory to non-ethnic texts

Please send submissions and queries regarding specific categories to:

· J. Stephen Pearson stpears11@gmail.com (African American, Asian American, & Latin American)
· Carrie Louise Sheffield carrielouisesheffield@gmail.com (Native American, & Arabic American)
All submissions must be submitted in .docx or .rtf format by 1 September 2012.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: stpears11@gmail.com or carrielouisesheffield@gmail.com

Submissions for American Athenaeum are now open and rolling. We are a print journal, committed to publishing four times a year. The first issue, Colossus, is scheduled for July. The following is the type of work we're seeking. Our finished collections are submitted to literary agents, Best American, PEN American, and the Pushcart Prize.

We are currently seeking fiction, non-fiction, and poetry in the following categories:

• Stories that pay tribute to Japan or other places in the world that have suffered extensive calamities.
• Stories with African-American or Native American, GLBTQ, themes welcome.

MORE INFORMATION ON SUBMITTING

• We accept fiction from authors worldwide. We accept reprints (the world is a big place and we want to help spread your name.) In your query, go ahead and tell us a little about yourself, why the piece is important to you.
• Grant of Rights: Author grants first or reprint rights to American Atheneum to publish in "Issue Name" and only that issue, in print and electronically, worldwide.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For submissions: via submishmash

Website: http://www.swordandsagapress.com

Date: 8 - 10 June 2012

The National Black Book Festival
Doubletree Hotel - 400 Dallas St. -
Downtown Houston, Texas

The National Black Book Festival (NBBF) is an annual event, sponsored by Cushcity.com, the world's largest African-American retailer online. The event attracts a wide array of authors, publishers, book clubs, libraries and individual readers from the Southwest U.S. and nationwide. NBBF 2012, the 5th anniversary event, will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in Downtown Houston.

The event features a pavilion of authors, including those who are notable and new. Book signing and discussion sessions with featured authors, workshops and seminars, a spoken word poetry slam and door prizes are just a few of the exciting featured activities at NBBF. Authors will be grouped according to genre and there are 19 genres that will be represented.

The Festival is open to the public and admission is $5.00 per day for adults and teens. Admission is FREE for children under the age of 12.

All events will be held at the Doubletree Hotel in Downtown Houston. The Festival schedule includes the following events (items with asterisk [*] are ticketed events which require ticket purchase in advance):

Friday, June 8, 2012 @ 7:00 p.m.
"Welcome to Houston" Reception*

Friday, June 8, 2012 - 10:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Private Slumber Party (Authors TBA)*
Ladies only - Must be 18 years of age

Saturday, June 9, 2012 @ 8:00 to 9:30 a.m.
"Get Acquainted" Breakfast*

Sunday, June 10, 2012 @ 9:00 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service

Sunday, June 10, 2012 @ 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Sunday Jazz Brunch*

Sunday, June 10, 2012 - 4:00 p.m.
Spoken Word Poetry Slam

Tickets for the above events may be purchased online here:

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: info@nationalblackbookfestival.com

Website: http://www.nationalblackbookfestival.com

A Black women's website is looking for writers with a critical eye and a humorous bent to pen slideshows and essays. Slideshows require finding photos and writing 6-8 paragraphs. Pay is $35 per slideshow. You should be familiar with popular culture and especially African American popular culture.

All interested candidates should email a resume, cover-letter and two writing samples to the above email address. Make sure to include WRITER in the subject line.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: dtxqb-3049708505@job.craigslist.org

BLACKBERRY: a magazine aims to be a premier literary magazine featuring African-American women writers and artists*. Its goal is to expose readers to the diversity of the black woman's experience and strengthen the black female voice in both the mainstream and independent markets.

BLACKBERRY: a magazine is seeking all forms of poetry, short fiction, non-fiction, artwork and photography. However, we are not interested in science fiction, fantasy, or derivative fiction. We are open to spiritual pieces regardless of faith, sect or denomination.

We are interested in work that goes beneath the surface and touches the spirit. Your work should explore the universal truths of life while showing the diversity of our experiences.

With all submissions please send a 50 word bio with a website you would like promoted should we accept your work.

You may submit up to 3 poems not exceeding 1500 words.

All other forms: no more than 2 pieces not exceeding 4000 words.

Artwork must be 2-dimensional, in color or black-and-white, 300 dpi or higher. If applicable, include captions.

All submissions should be inspired by the issue's theme, usually a key word or phrase, that is open to interpretation by the artist.

Compensation is in the form of a contributor's copy.

Please send all submissions using Submishmash.

Everything will be read, and the most compelling selected. We look forward to reading your work!

*While Blackberry's main focus is on black female writers and artists, we will not automatically dismiss work based on ethnic or racial identity. If the magazine and its themes speak to you, please submit!

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For submissions: via submishmash

Website: http://blackberrylitmag.tumblr.com

Date: 5 June 2012

Join Kat Williamd from Sippin on Ink and feed your literary appetite as she talks with some of our best LGBTQ Authors on writing and how to get published. Guests will have the opportunity to chat with the authors and purchase books for signing before listening to author presentations over brunch.

Tickets for the event can be purchased at www.orlandoblackpride.eventbrite.com or www.orlandoblackpride.com. Please purchase in advance as space is limited.

Brunch items - Mimosa, Scrambled Eggs, Bacon, Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs, Home Fries, Texas Rice, Caesar Salad, Rolls, and Coffee

BOOKS AND BRUNCH
Sunday, June 5 · 11:00am - 2:00pm
Orlando Vista Hotel
12490 Apopka Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL
$20 Entry & Brunch
$10 Entry only

Once you purchase a ticket you are automatically entered in a raffle for a chance to win a gift basket containing a copy of all the authors involved in Books & Brunch latest release!

Featuring authors: Fiona Zedde, Cheril N Clarke, Spoken, Sherry Michelle, Otis Randolph, G. Winston James, Skyy and of course Anondra "Kat" Williams of Sippin' on Ink.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: http://www.orlandoblackpride.com/

Deadline: 16 July 2012

Mizna continuously seeks original writing for upcoming publications. The deadline for submitting work to be considered for the next issue is July 16, 2012. We welcome submissions on Arab-American themes that reflect the diversity of our community, and we are interested in work that surprises and challenges the reader. Contributors do not have to be of Arab descent provided their work is of relevance to the Arab-American community.

We prefer electronic submissions. If you would like your work to be considered for publication, please send your submission and a short biography (maximum 50 words) via e-mail as attachments (not in the body of the message) to mizna@mizna.org, and include the word "submission" in the subject line. Please include your name, mailing address, e-mail address, and phone number. The attachments should be standard word-processing program files.

Prose should be double-spaced and limited to 2500 words. Kindly limit poetry submissions to four poems per submission. Verses exceeding our page width will be treated with a runover indent. Proofs can be made available for author approval before publication.

Writers whose work is published in Mizna will receive a stipend and complimentary copies of the journal.

Due to the volume of submissions received, those not conforming to the above guidelines, as well as material previously published in any other English-language forum, will not be considered.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: mizna@mizna.org

Website: http://mizna.org

Deadline: 1 August 2012

Aquarius Press is accepting submissions until August 1 for the 2012 annual issue of Reverie. There will be no particular theme for this issue, but a special section will be dedicated to the works of Aquarius Press Legacy Award winners Samiya Bashir and Parneshia Jones.

Reverie is a literary journal devoted to featuring the best in literature by African Americans with “ties” to the American Midwest. Reverie appears in digital and print editions. We accept poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, critical essays and book reviews.

Contributors selected for inclusion will receive one contributor’s copy and a feature on our website. Simultaneous submissions accepted with credits. If selected, contributors will be asked for a brief bio.

Artists are encouraged to submit artwork for the cover—if the artwork is selected, payment will be two copies.

WRITER’S GUIDELINES FOR REVERIE (EMAIL SUBMISSIONS ONLY)

1) Include a 50-word bio including contributor’s Midwestern connection, mailing address and email at top of document and save the entire submission in Microsoft Word or Rich-text format (rtf) as an attachment. Use “Reverie” for the email subject line.

2) Text should be Times New Roman or Calibri 11 pt. font. Word count should not exceed 50 lines (poetry) and/or 3,000 words (prose). No page numbering/footers, no borders. Once accepted for publication, no changes to the manuscript will be allowed except for typographical errors; contributors will get one online proof before publication.

3) Tabs/indents at .3” and single space after punctuation.

4) Submit no more than three poems. No urban crime fiction or erotica. Critical essays should be in MLA or Chicago style.

5) Publisher reserves the right to make light edits as necessary and reserves the right to reject submissions. Email reverie.journal@gmail.com and Reverie only accepts submissions by email. If you have any questions please email the editors at reverie.journal@gmail.com.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries/ submissions: reverie.journal@gmail.com

Website: http://www.aquariuspressbookseller.net/reveriemidwestafricanamericanliterature.html

Deadline: 1 June 2012

(Note: Possible topics may include but are not limited to Gender and queer sexuality, Gendered experiences of people of color, Transgender studies, and Women of color feminisms.)

The National Women's Studies Association and the University of Illinois Press are pleased to announce a competition for the best dissertation or first book manuscript by a single author in the field of women's and gender studies. Applicants must be National Women's Studies Association members.

If a winner of the competition is selected, he or she will receive a publication contract with the University of Illinois Press. Runners up may also be considered for publication with the University of Illinois Press. Submitted dissertations must have been completed and defended after June 1, 2008. All submissions must be postmarked by June 1, 2012, and should include the following materials:

• Cover letter
• C.V.
• Proposal, including a 4-5 page overview of the scope of the project and analysis of competing titles
• Complete unbound manuscript, at least 150 double spaced pages, 12 pt. Times New Roman font

All submissions must be exclusive submissions to the University of Illinois Press for the duration of the contest, and finalists will be notified by mid-August.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/ submissions: direct all questions and submissions to Larin McLaughlin, Senior Acquisitions Editor, University of Illinois Press at larinmc@uillinois.edu

Website: http://www.nwsa.org/