The cover of "Nothing Follows," by Lan P. Duong.

Lan P. Duong’s Nothing Follows


In Nothing Follows, published by Texas Tech University Press, Lan P. Duong explores the girlhood of Vietnamese refugees through government documents, memoir, and poetry. Their sanctuary in the US, however, is questionable in the aftermath of the Vietnam War, and they face racism, objectification, and violence.

Lan P. Duong is Associate Professor in Cinema & Media Studies at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Her research areas include Feminist Film Theory, Postcolonial Literature, Asian American Cinema, and Genre Studies. She is the author of Treacherous Subjects: Gender, Culture, and Trans-Vietnamese Feminism (Temple University Press, 2012). Duong’s creative works have appeared in Watermark: Vietnamese American Poetry and ProseBold Words: Asian American Writing to Span the CenturiesTilting the Continent: Southeast Asian American WritingFrontiers: A Journal of Women’s Studies, and Crab Orchard Review. She lives in Pasadena, California. To learn more, visit her website.

Lan P. Duong’s debut collection is forthcoming April, 2023, but you can pre-order it here.

Nothing Follows is part of the Diasporic Vietnamese Artists Network Series, an on-going project to “foster dialogue and understanding by supporting contemporary Vietnamese and Southeast Asian authors whose rich and complex stories need to be championed and heard. It supports a range of works including novels, memoirs, poetry, anthologies, and graphic novels.” DVAN‘s first book in the series is Abbigail Rosewood’s Constellations of Eve.

DVAN is also open to manuscript submissions until March 31st.

A photo of Yuri Herrera.

Yuri Herrera’s Ten Planets: Stories


Congratulations to Yuri Herrera for his new collection Ten Plants: Stories, published by Graywolf Press and translated from Spanish by Lisa Dillman. Although often set in the future or on distant planets, each story deals poignantly (and sometimes hilariously) with the present. In “The Conspirators,” Herrera comments on both language and colonization. When describing the depth of what was stolen from them, one character reveals, “‘They made our language theirs, said it was theirs and always had been, and then imposed it on us so we’d forget that it had been ours, turned it into a broad brush to paint us in whatever way they pleased.'”

Many are filled with strange, compelling contradictions and other haunting lines. In “The Obituarist,” the protagonist observes that “this empty street, just like every empty street in every other city, is teeming with people.” Each of Herrera’s stories bewilders, but always in a way that generates connections between seemingly disparate ideas. This collection is powerful and imaginative.

Utterly brilliant, hilarious, and original, these strange jewels. Anyone whose hand alights on this book and does not open it is missing out on the best work of our time.

Deb olin unferth

Born in Actopan, Mexico, Yuri Herrera is the author of three novels, including Signs Preceding the End of the World, which was one of the Guardian’s “100 Best Books of the 21st Century” and won the Best Translated Book Award. He teaches at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Brilliant, ecstatic, and playful, Ten Planets is the work of one of the most original and prodigiously gifted writers at work today. . . . The infinite worlds of Ten Planets are further proof that Herrera is a writer of boundless talent.

Katie Kitamura, author of Intimacies

To preorder Ten Planets: Stories, go here.

A poster for the "HomeLands" Romanian Film Festival Event. The text reads, "Film Essay Contest. So you thought it was enough to sit through several Romanian arthouse movies? Now we dare you to also write about them! If you are between the ages 18 and 25 and are passionate about cinema, we are looking for you! We challenge you to write about one of the films screened @Majestic Tempe 7 during the Romanian Film Festival, Nov. 19-20."

Romanian Film Festival: Essay Contest


HomeLands, the title of this year’s Romanian film festival, is showcasing three new movies from Romanian and European directors: Metronom, The Island, and Things Worth Weeping For. This event takes place Nov. 19 and 20 at Majestic Tempe 7. Thirty free tickets will be available to students on a first-come, first-serve basis.

People ages 18-25 who watch these movies are eligible to enter the film festival’s essay contest. Between 800-1,000 words, these essays are personal responses to one of the movies (not reviews). Submitters are encouraged to “explore what you think the film is about, using clear references from the film to illustrate your personal point of view. Refer to specific scenes, lines, shots, as well as creative choices in acting, sound design, writing, directing, cinematography.”

The winner of the contest will receive $250, and the runner-up will receive $150. Both will be featured on ARCS Arizona’s website and social media. The essay must be submitted by Nov. 30th.

To learn more about the contest and submit your essay, go here.

A picture of Amsterdam University College.

Amsterdam University College Interviews SR’s Poetry Editors

Pictures of Amsterdam University College’s creative writing students


Amsterdam University College’s two creative writing classes are hoping for hands-on experience with literary magazines by reading through Superstition Review’s poetry submissions. They’ve interviewed SR’s poetry editors—Madison Latham and Au’jae Mitchell—to better understand what SR looks for in a poem, how they balance reading submissions between them, and to get to know them. Some responses have been edited for clarity.

Amsterdam University College: What are your criteria for choosing poems?

Au’jae Mitchell: My main criteria for choosing poems is rooted in three questions: Does it incite feelings inside me? Does it feel like the poem has something important to say? And is it unique? A poem or collection of poems that has a positive answer to all three of these questions is one that I contend for and am passionate about. Poetry is an artistic form of expression that ranges in structure and execution, but every poem, despite this diversity, can accomplish absolutely powerful things.

AUC: Do you discuss with one another what you choose or do you split work between the two of you? How long does it take for the two of you to agree? What’s the collaboration aspect between you?

Madison Latham: We use a platform called Submittable. Our founding editor, Patricia Murphy, assigns us poems to read through and vote on. We vote on the same poems and meet with each other—as well as Patricia at the end of September—and discuss the poems we voted yes on.

AUC: Do you consider the poets’ experience or amount they’ve published?

ML: We publish both emerging and established authors. This could range between one and a hundred previously published poems, to someone who is a part of an MFA program.

AUC: Is there a limited number of pieces you can publish in a given issue?

ML: There is no cap for how many authors we will take. In previous issues, it has ranged from 10-15, but we decide based on the poet and the collection of poems they have submitted. We may publish one of their poems, or all of their poems. It can vary, but there is no set number during a reading period.

AUC: To what extent do you edit the poems before publishing them?

ML: We do not. There are no revisions accepted for poetry submissions. If a poem needs revising, we vote against it. We get so many submissions that we always have enough polished poems to publish.

AUC: Is there any content that you refuse to publish?

AM: We do not publish harmful, disparaging, or discriminatory content.

AUC: How do you decide on the order in which the poems are published? 

ML: Poetry is published in the issue alphabetically by the author’s first name. Each author receives a page that includes their bio, headshot, selected poems, and an audio recording of those poems. Issue 29 demonstrates how the poetry section is organized.

AUC: How many submissions do you get in a submission window?

AM: This semester we received more than 422 submissions in poetry. These were narrowed down to 55 submissions to consider for Issue 30 of Superstition Review.

AUC: Do you write poetry? 

ML: I do! I finished my capstone in poetry at ASU last semester (Spring 2022). I still write poetry in my free time, but I also enjoy reading work by other poets—which is why I wanted this position.  

AM: I do write poetry! I write poetry in my free time between research for my Master’s program and my narrative writing. It is very hard for me to sit down and write poetry, so most of the poetry I write I jot down in my notes at spontaneous times during any given day and build upon that initial thought.

AUC: Is there anything you’d like to add?

ML: Thank you for your interest in SR and our work! We accept submissions from any creative writer that is not an ASU undergraduate. Our submission period for Issue 30 has closed, but we will begin accepting submissions for Issue 31 in January 2023. 

AM: To any aspiring poets, writers, or artists, I encourage you to consider submitting to Superstition Review. And to all creative minds out there considering putting themselves and their work “out there” for consideration, I believe in you and what you can do!


AUC’s creative writing classes consist of 25 students, each with different majors and many from international backgrounds. Later, they will be selecting poetry from Superstition Review‘s submissions, which will appear on our blog!

Equatorial: Seeking Undergraduate Poetry

Equatorial: Seeking Undergraduate Poetry

The cover of "Equatorial" Issue One. It shows a desert landscape; there is a road to the left and a rainbow to the right.
Cover Image for Equatorial Issue One

Equatorial is a literary magazine dedicated to publishing talented undergraduate poets. Its founding editor, Benjamin Faro, is pursuing his MFA in Poetry at Queens University of Charlotte.

Issue One of Equatorial featured five outstanding students and focused on themes of exploration. Submissions for Issue Two of Equatorial will be open until November 30, 2022. Read Equatorial‘s guidelines and submit here!

Submissions Open: Dear Mother Earth

Narrative Storytelling Initiative Submissions: Dear Mother Earth

The Narrative Storytelling Initiative‘s goal is to enhance access and public engagement with narrators and narratives. They are currently looking for messages written to Mother Earth in the future, with a maximum of 100 words. These messages will be included in a special exhibition piece at the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory during the last two weeks of October.

Learn more and submit your message here!

Four Palaces Publishing

Four Palaces Publishing is Open for Anthology Submissions

The Four Palaces Publishing Logo
Four Palaces Publishing

Four Palaces Publishing is currently open to submissions for their fiction anthology contest. They are searching for short stories between 2,000 and 6,000 words long. They will also accept up to three flash fiction pieces. The theme of their anthology is “Desire to Escape.” The author of the winning story will receive $1,000 and a mentorship from guest judge Ivelisse Rodriguez, whose short story collection Love War Stories was a 2019 PEN/Faulkner finalist and a 2018 Foreword Reviews INDIES finalist.

Founded in 2021, Four Palaces’ goal is to promote and publish works by previously unpublished writers from underrepresented communities.

Frederick Tran is the executive director and publisher of Four Palaces. Emily Townsend is the managing editor, and her nonfiction piece “Consider the Honeybee” appeared in Issue 19 of Superstition Review.

Submissions close August 31, 2022! Go here to submit your story.

Undergraduate Submissions Needed for Equatorial Literary Magazine

Undergraduate Submissions Needed for Equatorial Literary Magazine

Equatorial Literary Magazine is launching its inaugural issue and is seeking poetry, art, and fiction submissions from undergraduates around the world. This magazine values artistic self-expression and appreciates the many different approaches to storytelling and the unique ways people see the world. If you want an opportunity to raise your voice and express yourself in ways you never have before, go ahead and submit!

The submission period for this Spring issue is from April 1st to May 31st.

To see the specific guidelines for each category, check out their submissions page. For fiction, submit short stories between five to fifteen pages; for poetry, submit up to five poems; and for art, submit up to five images. Once everything is good to go, simply send your submission to equatorial.mag@gmail.com.

Happy submitting!

Manifest/o Accepting Submissions Now

Manifest/o Accepting Submissions Now

Manifest/o, a new journal for Arizona artists, is accepting art submissions to publish in its prototype issue that will launch May 2022.

All Arizona-based artists are encouraged to submit creative nonfiction, digital media, drawing, fiction, paintings, photography, poetry, prose, and any other art that can be displayed in a digital format to capture the theme “Arizona Art in the Moment.”

Visit the Manifest/o website for more information on literary and visual submission requirements.

The submission period ends on Thursday, March 31. Send all submissions and questions to manifestoartaz@gmail.com.

Call for Writers and Teaching Artists

Call for Writers and Teaching Artists

Calling all local writers! The Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture is looking for a practicing writer to develop creative writing lesson plans, activities, and other resources for sixth-grade students at Title I schools in Deer Valley Unified School District. The focus is on narrative writing. The stipend is $3,500 to $4,000. The commitment is 8 hours a week from March 1 to May 15, 2022, with at least one day of in-person instruction. While some teaching or educational experience is required, writers of all backgrounds and experience levels are encouraged to apply. The deadline to apply is February 20, 2022. To learn more, you can read the full guidelinesdownload the call, and submit your application at http://bit.ly/POACLAPS.