Welcome
By Shantha Laura Susman, Editor-in-Chief
To say that it's springtime would be obviously incorrect, but no one can refute that I have two new plants on my windowsills. There's a palpable feeling of change in the air. For those of us in academia, it's the spring of a new school year. For those of us on Dislocate staff, we're anticipating the imminent birth of the 2008 issue. For those of us anywhere in the United States, these next few months will bring political change in our school boards, city councils, in congress, and in the white house. Of one thing I'm sure: things are going to be different around here.
As the new Editor-in-Chief of Dislocate, I want to welcome our new staff members and say, on behalf of all of us, we're excited to read your work! Our 2008 issue is set to launch on September 25th at the Loft Literary Center, and the reading period is open on our 2009 issue. Send us your amazing short story, creative nonfiction essay, or a few poems that rearrange the world, and we'll consider your work for publication. This will get you a peachy publishing credit, the admiration of our readers and staff, and a couple of contributor copies as a thank you.
To reflect the changes in our world – new staff, new issues, new politicians, new plants! – this issue's theme is Transitions. Evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould, who was born on a back-to-school September day in 1941 and died on the first day of spring, 1960, wrote that transition doesn't happen gradually, but in spurts of action after long periods of stasis; punctuated equilibrium. How fitting that we have a number of excellent short form authors visiting the University of Minnesota campus this semester, prose poets like Nin Andrews and Peter Johnson whose stories flash on the page, sudden and whole.
To honor our visiting authors, we're holding a flash fiction contest. We're scouring the writing world for the best flash fiction we can find. And we plan to publish the top three entries in the 2009 Transitions issue of Dislocate!
Whoa! Tell me more about the Dislocate Flash Fiction Contest!
$10 per entry. One entry per person. Entry should be under 1,000 words.
Sounds great! What do I get?
First Prize: $400, publication, 5 contributor copies.
Second Prize: $150, publication, 4 contributor copies.
Third Prize: $50, publication, 4 contributor copies.
When do you need it?
Deadline for contest (and for regular submissions): December 1, 2008.
Can I send you a flash fiction contest entry AND a regular submission?
Why, sure!
What are you looking for, Dislocate?
We want excellent writing that rearranges the world. To dislocate is to put out of order. Change the way we think about creative writing, and change the way we see the world.
Where do I send my flash fiction entry?
Send your manuscript, cover letter (name, mailing address, email address, phone number, title of piece, and brief bio), and check for $10 payable to Dislocate Magazine to:
Dislocate—Attn: Dislocate Flash Fiction Contest
Department of English
222 Lind Hall
207
Church Street SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455-0134
What about my regular submission?
Same as above, but without the check.
Simultaneous submissions are accepted; previously published work or e-submissions are not. Please include a SASE for reply; if you would like your manuscript returned, make sure you include adequate postage. We will get back to you within 2-4 months; if you haven't heard from us in 4 months, feel free to query about the status of your manuscript, but please don't before then.
For more information email us at dislocate.magazine@gmail.com.