Happy 1st Anniversary!

I’d like to take a moment to wish Emerge Literary Journal a Happy 1st Anniversary.

With that in mind, I have decided to make some changes going forward into the 2nd year. Beginning with this reading period, I will only produce two print issues (Summer and Winter) a year with a weekly featured poem/story on the website. My reading periods will remain December 1st-April 1st and June 1st to October 1st. Because of the elimination of online issues, the print issues will continue to feature the best material received during the preceding reading window. Those writers featured weekly on the website would have, under the old publishing platform, been featured via Issuu. All artwork received will be considered for coverart of the print issues only.

In addition, I will hold a chapbook competition with a reading period from April 1st-April 30th. The winner will be published in the Fall. More details on the chapbook competition to follow later.

Finally, I’ve selected a new guest reader for the upcoming reading period, Stephen Byrne. Stephen Byrne is originally from Dublin and now lives in Galway west Ireland and is a chef for his sins. His work has been published in various places in Ireland and recently in The Galway Review, The Dead Beats, Emerge Literary Journal, Crack the Spine and forthcoming in The Rusty Nail. He has participated in a master class with Simon Armitage, was a featured reader at the ‘Over the Edge’ readings Galway and was shortlisted for last year’s ‘Over the Edge’ Poetry competition 2011. His first book, a collaboration of poets called ‘Wayword Tuesdays’ was published in November. Please give Stephen a warm welcome.