Spelling the Hours: open call
During the Kickstarter campaign and editorial work for An Alphabet of Embers, I have also been editing a poetry anthology, Spelling the Hours. Taking Sofia Samatar’s
“Girl Hours” as a cornerstone, this anthology focuses on underrepresented and forgotten figures of science and technology. The anthology is a part of An Alphabet of Embers rewards, but it is very much its own thing, and will have its own life and distribution.
I have accepted some wonderful pieces for StH from solicited poets, but I have more space in this anthology. Therefore, I am opening Spelling the Hours to all submitters.
I am looking for poems focusing on forgotten figures of science and technology, broadly construed. I am interested in seeing work that focuses on PoC, women, queer people, trans people, disabled people, and members of other underrepresented groups. I prefer seeing work focusing on specific individuals. However, I will also consider thematically connected pieces that do not focus on a single individual. I will be paying on publication: 5$ and a copy of the chapbook. There is no minimum or maximum length; I welcome poems of epic length.
I REALLY want to see more PoC science and technology poems, both focusing on scientists of color working within Western-style academic paradigms (in the West and elsewhere), and historical non-Western science. There is a very rich and fascinating history of non-Western science and technology, and I would love to have more of this material in the anthology. As always, I welcome and support diverse creators and want to consider material from a variety of voices and perspectives. My latest editorial work includes An Alphabet of Embers and Stone Telling magazine (co-edited with Shweta Narayan).
If you are writing about a specific individual, I prefer to receive, together with your poem, also a paragraph of context/biographic information about the featured person. I am asking the accepted poets to provide a paragraph of context to their poems, and while this is not a requirement upon submission, it would nevertheless be a good thing to include.
You can send up to THREE poems for consideration during the submission period (in one email, or in separate emails). Submissions are open beginning now (January 9, 2015), and will close on March 15, 2015 OR when filled. I do have slots in this anthology, but it’s better to send things earlier rather than later.
Please send your unpublished poems to stonebirdpress@gmail.com; put “STH SUBMISSION: Your Last Name” in the title. Please do send a short cover letter. If you have credits, list up to 3-4 best credits; if you are unpublished, this is not an issue at all for me.
NO simultaneous submissions.
I will respond to all submissions within 60 days of receipt and/or by April 15, 2015, whichever comes first.
Originally published at RoseLemberg.net. You can comment here or there.