Assaracus
ASSARACUS (ISSN 2159-0478). Our gay-themed print journal, Assaracus, (pronounced ASS-uh-RACK-US) continues in the tradition of Ganymede – but with an underground feel – similar to Mouth of the Dragon and other influential publications of the 70′s and 80′s. Named for Ganymede’s earth-bound brother, the journal provides a grand stage for gay contemporary poetry. We want for you to have a new favorite poet at the end of each issue. We want, decades from now, people to look back and see how we lived through how we wrote. Each issue of Assaracus, a quarterly publication, features a substantial collection of work by a small number of gay poets. Says Matthew Hittinger (who was included in our first issue), “The fun thing about Assaracus (aside from its, ahem, “cheeky” name…) is that rather than feature fewer poems by a multitude of people in one issue, it focuses on a smaller number of poets and devotes more pages to their work, creating mini-portfolios.”
SUBSCRIBE TO ASSARACUS:
Receive four issues of Assaracus by clicking here!
SUBSCRIBE TO ASSARACUS: Readers worldwide can subscribe to receive a year of Assaracus. Unless you specify otherwise, your subscription begins with our current issue. Subscription price is $50.00 for US readers and $80.0o for international readers (including shipping), which buys you four book-length (120+ pages), perfect-bound issues of our grand stage for gay contemporary poetry. To subscribe to Assaracus, click here.
LIBRARIES AND BOOKSTORES
Libraries: Subscribe or purchase individual issues of Assaracus through our online store.
Bookstores: Email us at info@siblingrivalrypress.com for wholesale rates. All titles are returnable.
DUOTROPE RATES ASSARACUS among the most approachable poetry markets, the most personable poetry markets, and the swiftest poetry markets. Thanks for spreading the word!
LADY BUSINESS. Watch for a special issue of Assaracus in August of 2012 featuring the work of our Sapphic Sisters!
Assaracus is published in January, April, July, and October. It is available from the SRP Bookshop, online retailers such as Amazon, several independent bookstores (like Giovanni’s Room in Philadelphia and Proud in Rehoboth Beach), and the coolest of libraries, colleges, and universities.
SUBMIT TO ASSARACUS
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES: Submissions to Assaracus are accepted during the months of January, May, and September through Submittable (formerly Submishmash). There may, from time to time, be special calls for submissions outside of these months. Watch our Facebook page for these special calls.
Submit to Assaracus: A Journal of Gay Poetry
In order to be considered for publication in Assaracus, click on the above link to submit 7 – 12 poems (or the equivalent thereof if some of your pieces are longer). Again, submissions are open in January, May, or September. Work need not be gay themed. The definition of “gay poet” is also subjective. We don’t vet people on their sexuality. Work that has been previously posted on a personal website is welcome. Previously published work is also acceptable so long as you retain the rights to republish.
Each issue will be built around the selected poets and will showcase the variety within the queer poetry community. We’re not looking for any one style or form. In fact, we want each issue to represent multiple poetic forms. The chosen poets will retain all rights to their work, will receive a free print copy of the issue, and will be endlessly promoted throughout the literary universe.
Due to the small number of poets featured in each issue, we cannot accept every submission. Do not let this deter you. Because we’re always working on future issues, submissions that were declined once might be accepted at a later date depending on the “feel” of the issue we’re currently designing.
Please note that poems with lengthy lines may, as is the case in every publication, require editing to fit our page dimensions. As a general rule, however, we will not attempt to edit your work to fit our standards. The purpose of Assaracus is to offer that grand stage for gay poets – not to morph your work into the kind of poetry our editor enjoys. We’ll give you the microphone. You do the singing.
We welcome submissions from gay poets with various publishing experience, from old masters to spring chickens. We want everyone from Dennis Cooper to the freshman at the University of Ohio who scribbles love poems in Biology 101.
SPECIAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS: None at this time. Watch this space!
ADVERTISE IN ASSARACUS
Whole-page ads (6 x 9) are available for purchase in Assaracus. For more information, email us.
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
Philip F. Clark, on our first issue:
If the first issue celebrates anything, it is complete spirit and joy of QUEER. Queer sex, queer love, queer bodies, queer minds — it’s all here. I can’t begin to express myself: this is just so beautiful and strong, and filled with spirit and perspective. What an extraordinary debut this will be.
We also recently received this sweet note from Jim Cory:
I picked up Assaracus at Giovanni’s Room here in Philadelphia. Compliments all around. GREAT cover. Sexy, funny & crazy. Naturally I wondered if the work within could live up to that cover, if it could make an ass ruckus of its own. It does. I plan to read it a few more times & pass it on to friends. My favorite page was 60, i.e., “Cowboy’s Lament.” The last line was worth the cost of the book. Also marveled at “The Mop-Haired Boy,” which says something many have tried to say, only gets to the essence by taking some chances. “Nights of fireflies puncture the haze of his vision.” Jay Burodny’s poems also had an edgy, wild-left-turn aspect, & an unusual voice. Striking. An original talent, be sure. It’s great reading Gavin Dillard, whose work I have always thought unjustly slighted, weighing in with wise & as always uncompromising visions. And James Kangas’ “Mining Town,” – classic! Assaracus deserves an attentive & respectful readership. Congratulations & thanks for putting it together.
ASSARACUS GETS SOME LOVE IN THE ARKANSAS TIMES!
THE MASTHEAD
Bryan Borland, Editor
Brent Calderwood, Associate Editor
Philip F. Clark, Art Editor
THE POETS
Shane Allison
Jay Burodny
Gavin Dillard
Christopher Hennessy
Matthew Hittinger
Raymond Luczak
James Kangas
Frank J Miles
Stephen Scott Mills
Eric Norris
Philip F. Clark
Collin Kelley
Michael Klein
Ron Mohring
Evan J. Peterson
Steven Riel
Sam Sax
Robert Siek
Christopher Soden
Wonder Dave
Antler
Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán
Bryan Borland
Steven Cordova
Carl Miller Daniels
Jeremy Halinen
Terry Jaensch
Scott Wiggerman
Chuck Willman
Nicholas YB Wong
10 Poets on James Franco
(Intro by Frank J Miles; Poems by Shane Allison,
Bradley Bentz, Perry Brass,
Philip Clark, Alex Dimitrov,
Jory Mickelson, Stephen Mills,
Ed Rose, Sam Sanders, and Luke Shearfrond.)
Jeffery Beam
Joseph Harker
Walter Holland
Rob Jacques
George Klawitter
Ed Madden
Telly McGaha
D. Antwan Stewart
Daniel Nathan Terry
Isaiah Vianese
Emanuel Xavier
Perry Brass
Guillermo Filice Castro
Vicente M. Foix (Translated from the Spanish by Lawrence Schimel)
Christopher Gaskins
Michael Hathaway
Matthew R. Loney
Jeff Mann
Jory M. Mickelson
Erik Schuckers
Kat Smalley
David-Glen Smith
Dustin Brookshire
James Cihlar
Nicolas Destino
D. Gilson
Charles Jensen
Raymond Luczak
Glenn Allen Philips
Andy Quan
Jack Veasey
Jeff Walt
Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé
A Poem for Ian Young by Gavin Geoffrey Dillard
