Zombie Summer, Resurrection, Stitched Up

There are several active calls for submissions you should be aware of. Let’s get to it!

ZOMBIE SUMMER

Last year, xTx hosted Elephant Summer over at Nothing To Say. Participants were encouraged to scribe all things elephant. You can download the PDF here. This year, submissions will be accepted for Zombie Summer. The announcement reads, “Anything goes as long as it has a zombie innit!! Zombie Haikus or zombie interviews or zombie drawings, anything you want to send me. 10 words to 2,000! It’s up to you!” Learn more here. Use those brains before they’re eaten.

FLASHES IN THE DARK: RESURRECTION CONTEST

Yep, Lori Titus and Robert Eccles are hosting another exciting contest at their daily fiction site. Submissions are being accepted until June 25, 2010. They are asking for stories “about things that are dead–or undead—that come back. Ghosts, zombies, demons, vampires, or anything that you can dream of that isn’t supposed to be on this side of the ground. We love old monsters with new twists, new monsters with old sensibilities, and anything in between.” Read all submission guidelines here.

HOUSE OF HORROR: STITCHED UP

Editor, S.E. Cox has announced open submissions for a brand new anthology, Stitched Up. She states, “This time round we are lending our eyes towards the Zombie/Frankenstein theme. It doesn’t just have to stay with these monsters – this is an anthology of stitched up flesh, so think about that when writing your story.” All submission guidelines can be found here.

Blackberry Lady

This week, I received an e-mail from a concerned writer requesting verification of my continued existence. Indeed I write, therefore I live. It may seem I don’t get around much anymore, but I am still active in the writing community. I do read many of your works you’ve posted on blogs and/or provided links for, but I haven’t been able to consistently leave feedback. Alas, a positional change at my place of employment has left a significant strain.

Somehow I’ve managed to complete several pieces of poetry. I share one with you.


Blackberry Lady

The moon breaks like a mirror.
The Blackberry Lady flashes her teeth
and a sundial turns its nose up toward the sky.
It is an art of light to cut yourself in two.

She is oil and vulnerable,
paint on the nails of canvas, parchment.
Her crimson dress is torn at the hem,
Cimmerian legs push through as stalactites.

I perch below the cavern of her expression.
She smiles like a river dries,
slips off bittersweet sandals.
Toes wiggle frantic as earthworms.

This is the Blackberry Lady, the bramble of youth.
I take her by her narrow waist and squeeze.
She drinks the sun from a muddy skull,
points a finger in my direction.

It is not love, but I crave this dark fruit.
She offers me a rose to knead.
Thorns are nipples on her breasts.
Our blouse stains with indignation.

The moon breaks like a mirror.
I catch our reflection in a shard of glass.
Her eyes drip sugar without the aid of light,
yet fail to sweeten mine.


Copyright 2010, Angel Zapata, all rights reserved.