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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Just a reminder:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Happy New Year. Once again, it’s time to start thinking about your submissions for the Spring/Summer edition of "Magnets and Ladders." <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have a special, one-time contest for the Spring/Summer edition of “Magnets and Ladders. Read all of the details following our submission guidelines and standard contest information.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please read our submission guidelines below. They can also be found on our website at:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.magnetsandladders.org">http://www.magnetsandladders.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The deadline for submissions is February 15. Be sure to read the guidelines carefully, and read our contest information at the end of this message.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Submission Guidelines<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Writers with disabilities may submit up to three selections per issue. Deadlines are February 15 for the Spring/Summer issue, and August 15 for the Fall/winter issue. Writers must disclose their disability in their biography or in their work. Biographies may be up to 100 words in length, and should be written in third-person.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Do not submit until your piece is ready to be considered for publication. Rewrites, additions, deletions, or corrections are part of the editorial process, and will be suggested or initiated by the editor.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Poetry maximum length is 50 lines. Memoir, fiction, and nonfiction maximum length is 2500 words. In all instances, our preference is for shorter lengths than the maximum allowed. Please single-space all submissions, and use a blank line to separate paragraphs and stanzas. It is important to spell check and proofread all entries. Previously published material and simultaneous submissions are permitted provided you own the copyright to the work. Please<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>cite previous publisher and/or notify if work is accepted elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We do not feature advocacy, activist, "how-to," or "what's new" articles regarding disabilities. Innovative techniques for better writing as well as publication success stories are welcome. Content will include many genres, with limited attention to the disability theme. Announcements of writing contests with deadlines beyond April 1 and October 1 respectively are welcome.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Have You Published a book? If you would like to have an excerpt of your book published in an issue of "Magnets and Ladders," please submit a chapter or section of your book to <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:submissions@magnetsandladders.org">submissions@magnetsandladders.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The word count for fiction and nonfiction book excerpt submissions should not exceed twenty-five hundred words. Poetry book excerpts should be limited to five poems. Please include information about where your book is available in an accessible format. We will publish up to one book excerpt per issue.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Authors under age 18: Please include a statement from a parent or guardian that indicates awareness of your submission of literary work to “Magnets and Ladders.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Do you have a skill, service, or product valued by writers? For a minimum contribution of $25.00 we will announce it in the next two issues of "Magnets<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>and Ladders". All verifications of products or services provided are the responsibility of our readers. Book cover design? Copyediting? Critiques? Formatting for publication? Internet access or web design? Marketing assistance? Special equipment? Make your donation through PayPal (see magnetsandladders.org) or by check by March/September 1. 100-word promotional information is due by February/August 15. Not sure about something? Email <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:submissions@magnetsandladders.org">submissions@magnetsandladders.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>All donations support “Magnets and Ladders.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please email all submissions to <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:submissions@magnetsandladders.org">submissions@magnetsandladders.org</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Paste your submission and bio into the body of your email or attach in Microsoft Word format. If submitting Word documents, please put your name and the name of your piece at or near the top of the document. Submissions will be acknowledged within two weeks. You will be notified if your piece is selected for publication.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Final author approval and review is necessary if changes are needed beyond punctuation, grammar, and sentence or paragraph structure. We will not change titles, beginnings, endings, dialog, poetic lines, the writer's voice, or the general tone without writer collaboration. If your work is selected for inclusion in a future "Behind Our Eyes" project, you will be notified; your approval and final review will be required. To insure we can contact you regarding future projects, please keep us updated if your Email address changes.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We will be holding contests in the areas of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for the Spring/Summer edition of "Magnets and Ladders." All submissions will be entered into the contest. Cash prizes of $30 and $20 will be awarded to the first and second place winners.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please note: Funds for contest prizes are provided by Behind Our Eyes. Checks for prize winning entries not cashed within 6 months of the issue date are void and considered a donation back to Behind Our Eyes. No additional payments will be made to replace the uncashed check. If you intend your prize winnings to be a donation, please let us know upon winning so we can send you a donation receipt letter.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Do you write book reviews? Have you read a book that has made a lasting impression? After reading, has your perspective on an issue changed or do you see some aspect of the world in a new way? Do characters and plots stay with you after you finish a book? If so, this one-time contest is for you.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Magnets and Ladders” is having a one-time, special contest for the Spring/Summer 2022 edition. The Bonnie Blose Memorial Book Review Contest is open for submissions of book reviews of fiction and nonfiction books. Behind Our Eyes president, Alice Massa has generously donated funds allowing us to award prizes of $50 to the author of one book review of a fiction and one review of a nonfiction book.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please note the following:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Book reviews must not exceed one thousand words.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• You may submit one book review in each category.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• One prize of $50 will be awarded for one book review of a fiction book.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• One prize of $50 will be awarded for a book review of a nonfiction book.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• Book review submissions do not count toward the three-submission maximum for “Magnets and Ladders” submissions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>• This contest is only for the Spring/Summer edition of *Magnets and Ladders*.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The deadline for book review submissions is February 15.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Remember, the deadline for submissions is February 15, so be sure to get your entries in on time.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Have a happy and safe new year.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Mary-Jo Lord<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="mailto:mjfingerprints@comcast.net">mjfingerprints@comcast.net</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>