Pushcart Prizes!

Well, nominations at least. I’m not a magician, after all, or (and this might be even cooler) a publishing heavy. It’s the first time we’ve done this in our 3+ years, and while it was hard to decide who to nominate, I think I picked some of the best stuff we’ve published in the past year.

By the way, the Pushcart Prize, for those not in the know (according to Wikipedia):

“The Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize by Pushcart Press that honors the best “poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot” published in the small presses over the previous year.”

Wikipedia does not mention that it’s kind of a big deal, and about the best thing a poem published by a small press like ours can be awarded with. Of course, small press includes places like the Kenyon Review, who on average pull down about nine wins a year, but whatever.

So, without further ado, here are the nominated writers, along with links so you can purchase a copy and read them yourself:

Jeanann Verlee – Issue 9 – Impermanence

E.H. Brogan – Issue 10 – My Loneliness Keeps Me Company

Rachna Kulshrestha – Issue 12 – hair

Anna Weaver – Issue 13 – avocado

Jackson Burgess – Issue 13 – Poultry Plant

(Issue 12’s sold out, so you don’t get to reach Rachna’s story until she wins the whole damn thing and a real, big time publisher puts her story into a collection. Maybe be faster with your three dollars next time, you lousy bum?)

Congratulations to all of the writers and best of luck to them. Feel free to pressure Bill Henderson (nicely, no violence, I know how you people are) to make one or two or all of the above writers winners.

Issue 14 will now take your poems, stories, and art!

It’s that time again, folks. You know this works by now: two months open, one month closed. The submissions guidelines are here. You’ve got roughly two months to get them in, but I’m bored now, so give me something to read today.

As for our usual contest, we’ve got ourselves a fine theme: belief. Do with that what you will; write about a 9/11 truther, your belief in your dancing abilities (or lack thereof), send me a hymn for all I care, just make it good. The details are here, but the general gist is that the deadline is January 1, and the best poem and best story win $20 each, or if we can’t find one or the other, the sole winner takes all (like Anna Weaver did in Issue 13, and hey, did you know we sell that here?)

I hope to be reading your work sometime soon.

-Kevin