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In Bloom (PA) is a new literary zine featuring micropoetry by emerging writers. Currently accepting short poetry submissions for the debut issue. Deadline: April 26, 2016.

Biannual independent arts & lit journal The Quilliad (Toronto) seeks submissions for the next issue. Publishes poetry, flash fiction (500 words or less), and short stories (generally 1000-2000 words). Send 5 poems, 5 flash fiction pieces, or 2 short stories max. Payment: $12 honorarium, contributor’s copy, and free admission to the launch party for your issue. Deadline: April 30, 2016.

Submissions are invited for the Sequestrum Editor’s Reprint Award. Open to reprints of fiction and creative nonfiction in any original format (electronic or print). One $200 prize plus publication. Minimum one runner-up prize including publication and payment. Fee: $15. Deadline: April 30, 2016.

The Papermachine, an online multi-genre arts and literature publication, is seeking short fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction entries for its inaugural issue. Particularly interested in work that explores themes of place, “home,” and displacement. Word length: up to 3000 words per entry. No fees for submission. Deadline: April 16, 2016.

New print/online independent magazine Chroma (UK) is accepting submissions of poetry, short stories, and articles. Length (prose): 500-1500 words. Theme: Red. Interested in writing that focuses upon love, lust, passion, sex, anger, meat, blood, communism, capitalism and any other red object you can think of. Deadline: April 30, 2016.

3Elements Review is accepting submissions for Issue 11. Theme: reflex, trace, labyrinth. All three words must be used in each submission of poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. Also accepting art and photography submissions. Deadline: April 30, 2016.

Pulp Literature (Vancouver) invites entries for the Magpie Award for Poetry. Prize $500. Prefers poems like liquor: “strong, neat, and we don’t mind if it makes our eyes water.” Looking for a fusion of musicality, imagery, feeling, and thought. Entry fee: $25 (includes digital subscription) for first poem. Deadline: April 15, 2016.

After a dozen years working in publishing in New York City, Kate moved to Colorado and formed kt literary in early 2008, where she concentrates on middle grade and young adult fiction. Bringing to bear the experience of being part of a large agency, she enjoys all aspects of working with her authors, offering hands-on experience, personal service, and a surfeit of optimism. Her clients include Maureen Johnson, Ellen Booraem, Stephanie Perkins, Carrie Harris, Trish Doller, and Matthew Cody, among other exciting and acclaimed authors. Kate is a graduate of the University of Delaware’s Honors Program, a former cast member of the New York Renaissance Faire, and an avid collector of shoes, bags, children, and dogs. Her interests cover a broad range including contemporary drama, urban fantasy and magical realism, adventure stories, and romantic comedies. She is an active member of the SCBWI and AAR.

There’s so much talk about the best way to query an agent. What gets your attention when a query pops up in your inbox? What makes one query stand out more than another? In that vein, what does it take for you to request a partial or full manuscript?

For the most part, I'm looking for something ineffable. I want a strong hook, or a story that I haven't seen before, or a character concept that catches my attention, or a voice that screams "read me!" And despite the fact that there is so much information about how to hook an agent, you'd be surprised the number of queries that reach me that get it wrong—wrong genre, wrong pitch, wrong material—at least for me. So when you get that right, when an author has done their research and can show me that they're querying me for a reason, that stands out. As my awesome stepdaughter's math teacher would say, "Show your work." You can get points for it.

When a query has that special something, and the pages included show a strong writing ability, then I'll ask for a partial—the first five chapters, usually—and a full synopsis. I know that many of my agent colleagues are switching over to asking for a full manuscript right away, but I like keeping that second step in there. I like checking in with an author five chapters in to a manuscript to say "I love this, can you send me the whole thing?" It also keeps it fresh for me—if I don't feel like I'm waiting on pins and needles to get that full manuscript after requesting it, if I can't wait to dive back into it, maybe it's not for me after all, no matter how good the first five chapters are.

Do you share queries if something isn’t quite right for you but might be right for the agency?

Not exactly, but we do share and discuss material at the partial or full stage. Sometimes it's to ask for a second opinion on something we're not sure is right, sometimes it's to seek corroboration of a gut feeling that yes, it really is that special. Though we all represent YA and MG, manuscripts may speak to us all differently, and I feel like handing over a query to Renee or Sara with a "This isn't for me, but maybe you would like it?" doesn't start an author off on the best footing. We advise authors to research the three of us, pick the agent you think would be best for your project, and if we say no, please feel free to resubmit to another, one at a time.

When you take on an author, what is your process? (Do you give editorial notes? Work with them on a submission list?)

I consider myself a sort of "big picture" editorial agent. I'm more concerned with the story beats and characters—does this work as written, could it be better if you cut this or moved that—than I am with themes and line edits. So the notes that I may give are things that I can cover in a couple of pages of an editorial letter, or a long phone conversation riffing with the author on ideas. Once we have a revised manuscript that we're happy with, I'll put together a submission list and share it with the author for their feedback—is there someone they met at a conference that asked about it, an author they love whose editor they'd like to send it to— and we'll revise accordingly. Then I call the editors, pitch the manuscript and follow up with an email with the submission and a covering letter. As we get responses, I can either share them with the author entirely, or just pass on a "yes" or "no", as they prefer. 

Can you describe the auction process? What are the pros and cons of submitting to publishers in this manner?

I don't consider an auction part of the submission process. Not exactly. 90% of the time, I submit material multiply, as we advise authors to do when they're querying. An auction happens when multiple editors from that submission pool come back to me with interest in making an offer. Then we may set a date for opening bids, or notify the other interested publishers once the first bid comes in, and continue until we have an offer that the author and I are happy to accept, from the partner we feel would be the best one to guide the book to publication. It's not always about money. I've cut off auctions when I had publishers still interested in going higher, because we knew we'd already received the offer we liked from the editor we wanted to work with.

With multiple editors reading, we might also accept a pre-empt, if that first offer comes in and it's a strong enough combination of money, marketing, package, and editorial connection to tell the other editors, "No thanks, we already got what we were looking for."

And then there's that other 10% (maybe less), when I might feel like a certain editor would just be the perfect one for the project, and I send it to only them. In which case, I'll ask for a response within a certain time frame (usually two or three weeks), after which, if we don't come to terms, I'd go out wide. The thing is, you never know if the editor you might not think of in the first blush of a submission list wouldn't be the perfect partner unless you try.

What are the most important "gets" for you during the negotiation process? Are there deal killers? 

The most important "get", I think, is that the editor "gets" the project. That they understand the story the author is trying to tell, and wants to help them polish the manuscript into the jewel they both know it can be. World rights, World English, North American—I can make an argument for or against all of them. I'm always going to reserve dramatic and commercial rights for the author in an initial negotiation, but if a publisher can make a strong argument why they should get them, they might change my mind. Maybe. For the most part though, since I came to agenting from foreign rights, I want to hold onto translation, and I want my partners in Hollywood to shop the material for film and tv.

Nowadays, the trickiest part of a contract negotiation may be the competing works clause, especially as many authors are becoming hybrids, publishing both traditionally and on their own. It's also very important to clarify when you're dealing with an author with multiple traditional publishers, maybe in different age ranges or genres. While a conversation about these clauses may not kill a deal, they can certainly delay it.

Ideally, what hooks you in when you’re reading a manuscript and makes you say, “I have to represent this author”?

It changes, but right now, I'm looking in my query pile for a diverse voice telling the story only they can tell. I never knew I wanted a lyrical middle grade novel in verse about a Chinese girl born with a deformity, hiding with her adoptive mother (Red Butterfly by A.L. Sonnichsen) until I read it. Same with a multicultural, kick-ass, feminist sci-fi space adventure novel like Salvage or Sound by Alexandra Duncan. I want something that's so good, I have to stop reading it to tell others about the awesome thing I'm reading. Send me that!

By Bonnie Bader

Ah, summer vacation is almost upon us. For some that means sweltering subway rides, baking in the hot sun, and pumping up the AC. For others summer it is a time to travel. And for those with children, summer is time to take the kids to beaches, parks, and pools, where they can zip down the slides with nary a care—no more school, no more homework for a few months!

            But wait—there is another slide that parents and caregivers have to be wary of—the summer slide in reading achievement. It is estimated that the average student will lose up to one month of reading instruction over summer break. According to researchers at Johns Hopkins University, learning gaps of two-thirds of 9^th grade students studied in Baltimore can be traced back to those days in elementary school when summer vacation meant all play and never cracking open a book.

            Enter the summer reading list. Summer reading programs actually date back to the 1890s, and began as a way to encourage school children (especially those who lived in urban areas and not needed to work on the farm) to visit the library and read during their summer breaks. Today, over 95% of libraries have summer reading programs to help prevent the summer reading slide.

            Teachers, too, give students summer reading lists, however, much of this “required” reading is dreaded by students. Why? Because this reading is forced—the student does not get much choice on what to read. These books are assigned. These books are homework. And after all, it is summer!

            On the other hand, many librarians cull lists that have more book choices. Kids are more drawn to the libraries’ lists, because the kids are in control—they can pick what they want to read. And research has shown that kids who enrolled in library-run summer reading programs return to school not only having not lost any reading skills, but as more interested and engaged readers.

            Taking a cue from librarians, SCBWI is developing the first ever Summer Reading lists. These lists will be assembled by region (the same regions as used for the Crystal Kites), and organized by grade level – K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12 and genre. Only books by PAL members (books whose publishers are on SCBWI’s list of approved publishers) will be included on the lists. Not only will these lists offer lots of choice, but the kids will be reading books by local authors – all books will denote the author and/or illustrator’s place of residence. The lists will be marketed to national associations, such as ALA and ILA, local libraries and independent bookstores, teachers, parents, and more!

            The SCBWI reading lists will include diverse choices from diverse authors, giving the idea of summer reading a whole new look and feel. The ultimate goal of this program is not only to give our PAL members more exposure, but to instill the love of books and reading in children, so they become life-long readers.

Entries are open for The Novella Award 2016 (UK). Prize: £1000 and publication with Sandstone Press. Length: 20,000-40,000 words. Entry fee: £17. Prize is co-produced by Manchester Metropolitan University and Liverpool John Moore’s University. Deadline: April 29, 2016.

ArtAscent seeks submissions on the theme of “green.” Entries may include fiction, poetry, short stories and other written explorations (up to 900 words). Selected entries published in ArtAscent Art & Literature Journal. Open to international writers. Entry fee: $10. Deadline: April 30, 2016.

River & South Review, a semi-annual, student-run, online literary journal, seeks submissions for their next issue. Accepts fiction, nonfiction, and poetry from writers of any age who have not earned a graduate writing degree. Deadline: April 10, 2016.

The Elora Writers Festival invites entries for the 2016 EWF Short Story Contest. First prizes: Adult = $200, Teen = $200, Youth (14-under) = $150. Entry fee: $15 for writers age 20+. Adult category open to Canadian residents; teen/youth entrants must be residents of Wellington, Waterloo, Dufferin, Halton or Hamilton-Wentworth counties/regions. Deadline: April 6, 2016.

The Royal City Literary Arts Society (BC) is accepting entries for the RCLAS Write on! Contest. Three genres: fiction (1500 words max.), non-fiction (1500 words max.) and poetry. First prize in each genre: $100. Entry fee: $20 ($10 for members). Selected entrants published in RCLAS’ e-zine, Wordplay at Work. Deadline: April 1, 2016.

Short fiction and poetry entries are open for Grain Magazine’s 28th Annual Short Grain Writing Contest. First prize in each category: $1,000 ($4,500 in total prizes). Submit poetry (including prose poetry) up to 100 lines or short fiction (including postcard fiction) 2500 words max. Entry fee: $40-$60 (includes subscription). Deadline: April 1, 2016.

Literary and arts publication the Minetta Review (New York University) is open to submissions from “poets, writers, vagabonds, wanderers, artists, receptionists, mail men, professors, and sentient house cats” for their Spring 2016 issue. Publishes poetry, prose, and visual art from international writers/artists.
Deadline: April 1, 2016.

Entries are invited for the Craigleigh Press Poetry Contest. Three categories: Free verse, traditional verse, haiku. First prize in each category: $50. Entry fees: $5-$15. Deadline: April 30, 2016.

JONAHmagazine (Canada) seeks stories of life challenges, successes, and failures: Transitions, beginnings, endings, and bends in the road. Accepts poetry, prose, fiction, creative nonfiction, essay, memoir, and translation. Like stories that “come from the soul, or that steal it.” Submit one prose piece (2500 words or less) and/or 3 poems. Deadline: April 15, 2016.

Publication name: Shirley Magazine seeks stories for Issue 4. Theme is The Four Humors: Blood, Yellow Bile, Black Bile, Phlegm. Open to interpretation. Length: 3000 words max. Likes the sublimely strange and the eerie, the weird, the beautiful. Interested in the body and its grotesqueries, the brain and its tricks. Deadline: April 1, 2016.

The 2016 Bristol Short Story Prize is open to all writers worldwide. First prize: £1000; 19 additional prizes available. Theme and subject open. Length: 4000 words max. Entry fee: £8 per story. Shortlisted writers published in the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology Volume 9. Deadline: April 30, 2016.

New podcast No Resemblance (Canada) is looking for stories of lives lived and paths taken that in no way bear any resemblance to everyday life. Seeks authors who want to hear their pieces read aloud in some combination of audiobook and podcast form. Short fiction (max 4,000 words) should be gripping and adventurous, with a taut plotline and compelling, active characters. Any genres welcome. Open to international subs. Deadline: April 30, 2016.