If you've moved recently, please send us your mailing address, as we will (finally) be mailing out the third issue of Quillbillies this week. Especially all you writers who have contributed to this issue, please inform us of any changes so we can make sure all you writers get your issues in the first mailing.
We have been locked out of our Quilbillies account for weeks now,and have not been able to get a hold of any of you. So sorry! Yes, the latest issue is awaiting final editing and fingers crossed, should be out by Thanksgiving. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
I just ran across a book I haven't read in a few years that I think goes along well with the theme of Issue 3. The book is called "Touched with Fire." It's written by the best selling author of "An Unquiet Mind." It deals with manic-depressive illness and the artistic temperament. It explores the life of artists and writers such as Vincent Van Gogh, Virginia Woolf, Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath. It seeks to make a connection between the artistic flame and the unfortunate self-destruction of some of history's greatest talents. Insightful and haunting, it is a good read for anyone whose questioned and wondered about the source of creativity.
A reminder about submissions....
Current mood: determined
Category: Writing and Poetry
Dearest Quillbillies,
This is a reminder about the intended theme for Quillbillies Issue 4. In this issue I'd like to focus on acts of kindness, compassion and humanity. The main feature in this issue will be an interview with a musician/songwriter/composer who served in the Red Cross in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. What I'd like to see in this issue is empathy. As writers/artists/emo's we can get pretty whiny and self-absorbed. C'mon, you know it's true. This is about looking at what is going on around us, affecting the lives of others. This is about finding humanity in the rubble of selfishness and apathy. In other words, show me the love people. Show me the love...
That having been said, I also want to remind writers of prose; creative non-fiction, essays, drama pieces, monologues that we would LOVE to hear from you. While we feature a great deal of poetry, we want diversity in Quillbillies.
Artists and photographers: please send us your work! Unfortunately, we can only accept black and white work. We welcome evocative, strange, and unusual pieces to feature in Quillbillies.
As most of you know, issue 3 will be out at the end of August. Issue 4 will most likely be out in late November, or early December. We thank all of you who have contributed to our little zine.
Our top 8 features just some of the writers whose works will be featured in issue 3.
Keep on writing and creating. (And no more whining! )
Quillbillies Issue 3 is ready to go, but there will be a delay in the printing/mailing. I apologize for the delay. I will be sure to mail out copies to all the contributors in the first week of printing. More than likely, because of the cost of production, the magazine will be out in late August.
Quillbillies #3 will not be coming out until the end of June. You still have time to submit your work to us, either here or at our e-mail address: quillbillies@yahoo.com.
Also, I have some ideas for Quillbillies #4, which will most likely come out in late August. Issue #4 will focus on compassion, humanity, and random acts of kindness. There is plenty of cynicism to fill everyone's cup, and after an issue on family, madness and drama, I thought it might be a good idea to bring back a little bit of hope.
For example, I plan to interview a friend of mine who is a musician, poet and songwriter who joined the Red Cross during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
The goal I'm shooting for in this issue is a theme of transcendence. Poetry is more than welcome, but I do not intend Quillbillies to be a purely poetry magazine. I would also like to invite you writers of personal essay, creative non-fiction, and short fiction to submit works that are examples of hope and humanity in the midst of worst circumstances.
Sometimes these stories cannot be told with words. For that, I encourage you to submit BLACK AND WHITE artwork and photography. The same theme applies to visual artwork.
Spoken word artist, Saul Williams.
Current mood: calm
"List of Demands" video by spoken word poet Saul Williams. Very powerful lyrics and emotion.
Someone left the following observation/interpretation of the next video (Black Stacey) on youtube. I found it interesting:
"His second step in his personal development is to embrace and accept his blackness, but not in an honest manner. He becomes militant about his blackness and covers up his hurt and vulnerability with a shell of aggression. In the final section of the song, Saul addresses how this militancy was also destructive, and how one must honestly embrace all of one's own humanity along with its vulnerabilities and insecurities to realize one's full potential."
accomplished
determined
)
sympathetic
calm