Newsletter
Vol 6, Issue 2 - June 2003
CONTENTS
Dear Friends,
Change is sometimes a hard thing to go through, for anyone. But it's a necessary bump in an unfolding growth process - a prelude to greater things. And so I welcome this opportunity to connect with all of you one final time as I say goodbye to my position as Publisher and Managing Editor of The Rose & Thorn. You've been great, all of you. Many of you have been with me since my first growing pains as publisher, witnessing my errors, cheering any successes. You've seen our staff grow, and what a mighty staff it has become!
Because of my confidence in them and a deep trust in our shared vision, I'm passing the reins of ownership to the staff. It's belonged to them anyway for a long time now. I'm just making it official. Talented, creative and resourceful, they are already carrying The Rose & Thorn forward to a bright future for our readership and subscribers.
Like all good things, The Rose & Thorn is evolving in order to remain a beacon in a constantly changing community. I hope you'll join me in welcoming the changes that are taking place so that the e-zine can continue to be a spot for exchanging challenging ideas, sparking imagination and promoting good writing. Barb will describe the progress The Rose & Thorn is currently undergoing.As for me, I'll never be too far away. Five years ago, I created The Rose & Thorn, never imagining just how important it would become to me. It's a place I love dearly, with people -- all of you included -- whom I've come to respect through emails and regular correspondence. Although I'm no longer able to be involved because of personal obligations, my heart will remain true to the readers and writers who have made The Rose & Thorn the literary haven I always envisioned it would be.
So with hope and an eye to the future, I take my leave.
Until We Meet Again,
Jasmin
Dear Readers:
Please note that we've moved! We can now be found at: theroseandthornezine.com. Yes, after all these years we finally have a URL that isn't a mouthful.
Unfortunately, the impetus for this change is that our inspirational and fearless leader, Jasmin Randick, has decided to leave the zine for a bit. Jas is going to devote herself to her writing and family. Needless to say, she will be sorely missed, and we hope she finds time soon to come back to us. We've all been shell-shocked over this unthinkable development.
The Rose & Thorn exists because of Jas. She formed it and molded it into what it is today. She wrote the copy on the newsletters, found the graphics to go with the stories, found poets and prose writers to contribute, found all of us to help out and much much more. With Jas at the helm we garnered dozens of awards. This past year, we nominated our first Pushcart Prize nominees.
When Jas decided to leave she graciously asked if we wanted to keep publishing. The staff talked it over and decided to continue with the zine. We hope to bring you the same quality publication that we've brought to you in the past.
Please join me in thanking Jas for setting us on this course over eight years ago, for without her none of us would have this special spot. We hope our efforts make her proud.
Barbara
HELP WANTED - POETRY & PROSE EDITORS
Would you like to be a part of an award-winning literary ezine? The Rose & Thorn is in need of some help. We're an all volunteer site of prose and poetry writers. If you'd like to be part of the effort, please send an email to: B. A. Quinn detailing your writing experience. The Rose & Thorn needs YOU!
SUBMISSIONS OPEN
The Rose & Thorn is now open to submissions in all categories. We publish literary, mainstream and genre fiction of up to 2,000 words. We're also seeking creative essays, poetry, opinion, and author interviews for our next issue. We're open to literary and mainstream fiction submissions but we could still use some quality genre submissions in the categories of: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Horror and Humor as well as poetry of all types (limit 3 per submission please).
We urge anyone planning to submit to please visit the website and read the content in both our current issue and past issues. You'll get a better feel for the kind of stories our editors seek and accept.
The listings here are a service provided to, and for, subscribers. Always check sources carefully and ask for references when appropriate. The Rose & Thorn cannot assume responsibility for the sites and services mentioned below.
HOLLY LISLE'S VISION: A RESOURCE FOR WRITERS
Holly Lisle's Vision is a joint project conceived, created and produced by the writers of the HollyLisle.com Forward Motion Writers' Community. Each bi-monthly issue contains information on how to write within various genres, general writing information and exercises targeted to all writers. In addition, each issue includes a writing workshop that lets you try out professional techniques on one writing task, first-person experiences, book reviews and recommendations. Because this is an e-zine, there are live links to a multitude of wonderful writing resources.
STORYGLOSSIA
Storyglossia is a word coined by Steven J. McDemott who writes the Storyglossia weblog and edits the Storyglossia online literary magazine. He believes that stories matter. Short stories are preferred. Short-shorts are fine, as long as they're not prose poems masquerading as stories. No payment.
MORBID OUTLOOK
Morbid Outlook is an online community focusing on the darker genres, such as horror and fantasy, and featuring essays, short stories, poems, and articles on art, music, fashion, and contests with prize giveaways. They are open to new writers, but are not a paying market.
WRITER'S CROSSING
Writer's Crossing is a website for writers that deals with all aspects of doing the one thing that you love -- writing. We require articles on the business of writing, how to break into a market, writing for particular genres, etc.
Looking for:
How-to Articles
Book Review
Market Columns
Interviews
Writing
Humor
While no payment will be forthcoming you will receive: a big fat bio, your photo, and author page and publicity for your books. Just ask!
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WRITER'S DIGEST SEEKS BEST
SITES! Writer's Digest is looking for the best site created and maintained by a writer. Sites will be judged on presentation, ease of use and marketing effectiveness. Simply send your nominations to wd-tools@fwpubs.com with Best Site as the subject line. |
A WRITER WRITES
by Jason Fryer
Time is one of a writer’s worst enemies. There never seems to be enough of it. And yet, even when we manage to grab a few precious moments to write, we regularly find every excuse not to do it. A key reason for this tendency is fear. Nothing can bring out night chills like a blank piece of paper or an empty computer screen. And when those manic minutes run out and nothing has been completed, we suffer from incredible guilt and self-loathing.
For example, before writing this column I sorted through piles of notes, properly filed old stories and articles, and researched the Italian City States on the Internet. After all that “work,” I rewarded myself by spending (pronounced wasting) an hour with The Sims. In the end, I hadn’t written a single word of text.
Sound familiar? At its heart, writing is a solitary experience. Just you, a blank piece of paper, a pen, and if you’re lucky, an idea. So, unlike most professions, an author becomes his or her own supervisor. While this freedom prompts creativity, it isn’t always great for productivity. After all, we’re not going to fire ourselves for not reaching our thousand-word quota that particular day. Sometimes we’ll trick ourselves into thinking that we’re working by doing research or reading. Although such activities are part of the writing process, they still aren’t actual composition. So, how do we get to the task at hand? Well, the answer is both a simple and complex one. An author writes by writing.
I can hear you all now. “Well DUH!” However, if it were that simple, we’d all be cranking out national bestsellers by the dozen. In truth, the concept of writing is a formidable one. Producing those first few words can be like a bout of Do-It-Your-Self dental surgery. That frustration, in turn, can easily produce procrastination (a reason why many writers are so frighteningly good at Minesweeper).
But I say again, a writer WRITES! The trick is this: First, designate a set amount of time to write. Then sit down at your computer or get out your writing pad and start working. Don’t think or hesitate. Write whatever comes to mind, even if it doesn’t make sense. Write a character’s grocery list, the acceptance speech for your next Pulitzer, or an endless stream of consciousness (or profanity, for that matter). Make setting notes, rant about your day, or describe that weirdo on the street. Anything at all. Even if you are repeating a single word over and over, continue writing and don’t stop. Soon enough, you’ll discover yourself drifting toward what you planned to write originally. Like athletes stretching their muscles before a competition, writers need to get their minds ready for the work. If you don’t “stretch,” you’re likely to “cramp up,” i.e., get writer’s block. By going through the motions, we put ourselves in the writing mindset. We can clear our heads of the garbage muddling our thoughts. We can push through the fear of that blank page. We can move forward rather than standing still. A writer writes - nothing more, nothing less. You can be an editor or a researcher later on, but when it’s time to write, WRITE! Eventually, you’ll discover your inclination for procrastinating fade away. Most importantly, you’ll find yourself moving on to the real work quicker and more easily. All it takes is getting into the habit. You’ll slip occasionally, but don’t beat yourself up over it. Just do the best you can. That’s all you can ask of yourself.
In the end, always remember that you’re a writer. Just do what comes naturally and the rest will follow.
Jason Fryer is the Content Producer and Senior Editor
for The Rose & Thorn Newsletter. He
can be reached by email.
.
Submit an article on reading, writing or media related issues for the newsletter. E-mail: Sandra Merz Articles should be no longer than 600 words, although longer articles, if well written and informative, will be considered.
Sandra Merz and Meredith Morgenstern
Read new books, but re-read the old...one is silver and the other is gold!
CURRENT BOOK REVIEW
"The God of Small Things"
by Arundati Roy
Reviewed by Sandra Merz
This book is a reader's pleasure and a writer's dream. You want to absorb each sentence in this story which transports you on a magic carpet to India, where young Rahel and her twin brother Estha are separated after their parents' divorce. Estha goes to live with his father. Later in life, he returns to where Rahel lives and become a mysterious nomadic figure, going for long daily walks and communicating with no one. Rahel is a rebel and is blacklisted for putting flowers on fresh cow dung at age eleven. Even the minor characters are fascinating. The old lady who appears next to the corpses at funerals of people she doesn't know and performs a little ritual is memorable.
Writers would do well to study the structure and character development of Roy's novel. Her writing style draws you in and takes you on a journey to a strange and wonderful place. The only time you stop reading is to go back and re-read sentences that are so beautifully constructed.
CLASSIC BOOK REVIEW
"To Kill a Mockingbird"
by Harper Lee
Reviewed by Meredith Morgenstern
This is a classic story told from the point of view of an eight year-old girl. It takes place in a sleepy, southern Alabama town in the 1930's. For Scout Finch and her brother Jem, childhood is made up of simple pleasures, such as daring each other to touch the scary house on the corner, enacting scenes from their favorite books, and inventing new legends around their reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley. One fateful summer, Scout and Jem watch surreptitiously from the balcony of the county courthouse as their lawyer father defends a black man on trial for his life for a crime he did not commit. Besides weaving a haunting tale of the value of human dignity and the true meaning of a person's worth, Lee's writing style stays descriptive, and her tight narrative makes for a deceptively easy read.
SANDRA MERZ is an Editor at The Rose & Thorn, and a Staff Editor at The Rose & Thorn Newsletter.
MEREDITH MORGENSTERN is a Prose Editor at The Rose & Thorn, and a Senior Editor at The Rose & Thorn Newsletter.
Readers should make sure to check sources carefully and inquire about references when appropriate. The Rose & Thorn cannot assume responsibility for the sites and services mentioned below.
ANOTHER REALM
Another Realm is a monthly e-zine featuring two new full-length stories on the first and fifteenth of each month. We are looking for SF/F/H stories with a strong plot and good characters. Payment for full-length stories is US $10. Submissions are accepted year-round, however there is a reading period. See site for more information and submission details.
THE CAFÉ IRREAL
The Café Irreal is a semiannual webzine that presents a kind of fantastic fiction infrequently published in English. This fiction, which we would describe as "irreal," resembles the work of writers such as Franz Kafka, Kobo Abe, Luisa Valenzuela and Jorge Luis Borges. We're interested in stories by writers who write about what they don't know, take us places we couldn't possibly go, and don't try to make us care about the characters. The Café Irreal publishes two issues a year and accepts unsolicited fiction up to 2,000 words in length. Translations are welcome. There is no minimum length, and we accept excerpts from longer works. We pay an honorarium of 1 cent U.S. per word ($2 minimum) to buy first-time electronic rights. The deadline for submissions for Issue #10 (August 2003) is July 1, 2003.
CEMETERY DANCE
Cemetery Dance is the World Fantasy Award-winning bi-monthly magazine of horror, dark mystery, and suspense. Currently looking for short stories up to 5,000 words. Response time averages 2-4 months. Pays Pro rates of 3 to 5 cent per word (up to $150).
Send manuscript and SASE to:
Cemetery Dance Magazine
Richard Chizmar, Editor-in-Chief
P.O. Box 623
Forest Hill, MD 21050
no electronic submissions
CEMETERY
DANCE
GUIDELINES
HULLABALOO MAGAZINE
New Children's magazine. Payment upon publication. Fiction and nonfiction pay l5 - 20 cents per word, based on editing. Color cover receives $300 and up. Color interior illustrations pay $75 per page and up. Black and white is $25 and up per page. Individual photos are $500 per photo.
NEEDS: Fiction and non-fiction. A new country is highlighted each month and needs storytelling, fun facts, children's interviews and more from a child's perspective.
HULLABALOO
MAGAZINE
GUIDELINES
MARCH
March publishes gripping original nonfiction on the macrocosms and microcosms of our postmodern cultural jungle. Creative nonfiction, literary journalism, and cultural analysis are all encouraged. To be published in March, nonfiction must feature relevance of topic, originality of thought, poignancy of analysis, cohesiveness of tone and thorough narrative development.
THE TEN TEN FICTION COMPETITION
Write a short story that requires exactly 1,010 words. Make us laugh or make us weep. Above all, pay rigorous attention to the word count. It's why we
call it The TenTen.
DEADLINE: July 1, 2003. Submissions of on-line manuscripts beginning May 31, until the deadline of July 1, 2003.
READING FEE: $15.00
The annual 1010 Fiction Award provides a grant in the amount of $1010.00 to be awarded in August 2003.
THE READER'S MAIL BAG
Your feedback is welcome! Letters to the editor should be sent to any of the following email addresses: B. A. Quinn, or Jason McCarty
Keep up-to-date on the writing profession with announcements, tips, news, and everything else.
GUDRUN'S TAPESTRY by Joan Schweighardt
Gudrun’s Tapestry by critically acclaimed author Joan Schweighardt, is a powerful, enchanting and vivid tale of one woman’s quest to eliminate Attila the Hun to preserve her people, the Burgundians. Along the way Gudrun unexpectedly discovers the capacity to love a man who may be a mortal enemy. In finally confronting her true self, she finds that she must embark on an inner journey to cope with adversity in the outer world. Grounded in history and loosely based on the Poetic Edda, Gudrun’s Tapestry takes the reader on a quest of self-discovery in a tale of magic and courage that resonates through the centuries to touch the reader’s heart and soul.
"Schweighardt's got a lyrical, graceful voice and good psychological sense, so that Gudrun's tragedy, healing, and eventual quest never slip into the realm of soap opera.... a genuine can't-put-it-down page-turner."- The Chronogram
When the staff at The Rose & Thorn aren't busy hunched over a corner desk gleefully searching and editing through piles of prose and poetry, you'll sometimes encounter them having their merry way with words. Check out the following:
CESAR GARZA, poetry editor, graduated from Yale in May, moved to New York City, and is postponing the job hunt for a few more months to attend the Columbia Publishing Course at Columbia's School of Journalism.
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THE BEST FREE POETRY CONTESTS: FREE ONLINE GUIDE
Winning Writers finds and creates today's best resources for poets and writers. Now you can get access to our online mini-guide, The Best Free Poetry Contests, at no charge. We've found over 40 quality poetry contests that are free to enter. Just go to WinningWriters.com and sign up for our free email list. We'll send you 1-2 emails per month with award-winning poems, news about excellent resources, and news about our own two poetry contests and guides. We'll keep your email address private, and you may leave our list at any time.
If you like the e-zine and its contents, feel free to forward the link to your associates and friends who might enjoy the same.
As always, thanks!
Comments or questions? Email us! We love to hear your feedback so drop us a line.
Until next time! Happy Reading!
The Staff Of The Rose & Thorn
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Comments or suggestions? Email: B. A. Quinn
STAFF
B. A. Quinn -- Managing Editor and Publisher
Jason Fryer -- Content Producer and Newsletter Senior Editor
Meredith Morgenstern -- Editor and Newsletter Senior Editor
Sandra Merz -- Editor and Newsletter Editor
J. M. Cornwell -- Chief Webmistress and Prose Editor
S. Schafer -- Editor and Board Coordinator
L. Longstreet -- Editor and Webmistress
C. Garza -- Senior Editor - Poetry
W. Hough -- Editor and Newsletter Coordinator
Dianna Heinz -- Webmistress
Jerry McCarty -- Editor
Tell a friend about The Rose & Thorn Newsletter! It's FREE to all readers, writers and media professionals. You're encouraged to re-circulate the newsletter in its entirety. E-mail B. A. Quinn for related questions.
SPONSOR/ADVERTISING INFORMATION
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SUBMISSIONS
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