There are months when the creative-nonfiction selections I choose shape themselves into a theme, and months when the writers I’m publishing appear determined to demonstrate the great variety of approaches, structures, and ideas that the genre can represent. This is one of those months of variety.“Our Last Five Goodbyes,” by Clarissa Rangel, is a mourning piece about the loss of her great grandmother. It touchingly relates the author’s last five days with her, and the “last five goodbyes” her great grandmother blessed her with.
“Another Fourth of July,” by Sara Henning, is a series of vignettes, images, feelings, moods, and visceral details that mass together to give a total impression. Writing is the only art form that can do this, invoking all of the senses toward a single statement.
“Orange Dress” by Carolina Martinez uses the straight-ahead narrative of fiction, combined with the metaphorical image of the title, to tell a true story. I’m sure that you’ll find it harrowing, suspenseful, and inspiring.
“Visual Euphemisms,” by John Wenke, analyzes pharmacological television ads in terms of culture and rhetoric, focusing on ethics, deception, and the euphemistic visuals of the ads, and the politics of public discourse. It’s just as different from the first three selections as they are from each other!
Finally, I’m always interested in reading new work. I invite you to submit nonfiction on a topic of your choice. I’m looking for creative nonfiction, narrative nonfiction, memoirs, and personal essays—with the understanding that these categories often overlap—up to 10,000 words. Please submit work directly to me at [email protected]. I look forward to enjoying your work!