Silver Boomers

Prose and Poetry By and About Baby Boomers

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Freckles to Wrinkles: A Silver Boomer Book

Call for Submissions:

Submissions are closed for Freckles to Wrinkles. We got GREAT material and are working on two anthologies from all the work received. Thanks, authors!

From Freckles to Wrinkles: A Silver Boomer Book continues the moments and memories of Silver Boomers. Remember the freckled, frolicing freedom of your childhood? Whether you galloped through glades with goats or explored in an armchair with Heidi and Peter's herd, the child who was you remains, disguised with graying curls and double chins perhaps, freckles tucked safely inside wrinkles. What truths does your youth need to proclaim? What wisdom could you impart to that nearly forgotten imp you were?

We're looking for stories of lives lived large or of simple, significant sagas spanning from the Great Depression to September 11. Fiction or memoirs, essays or scenes, poetry, prose, or something in between, send us stories of ordinary lives in extraordinary times, values and philosophies fashioned from Volkswagen vans and discothéques, ideas, views, discernment, and perspicacity. What do you know now you wish you'd known then?

Beyond those somewhat vague guidelines, please surprise us. It has been said that for writers, their most productive period is age 60 to 80. We suspect that is true for a good many of life's ventures.

Format? Genre? Again, surprise us. The two general categories are prose and poetry. Prose can include but is not limited to short stories, essays, memoirs, character sketches, and articles. Poetry can be rhymed or unrhymed, a structured format or free as a walk across the outback. We’ll consider your work, but we’re not likely to choose gratuitous sex, diatribes, sermons, or rants. We do want good solid writing, the best you can send us.

How We Want It:

Electronic submission is preferred, with the manuscript or poem pasted into the body of the email. We are giving first preference to poetry of less than 50 lines, and prose not exceeding 1500 words. Poetry shorter than 12 lines tickles the editor in charge of formatting and stands a good chance of being used if the quality's there.

We ask for one time rights. If the submission has been previously published, cite each prior publication. If prior publication history is not included (including "This piece has not been published") the piece will not be considered.

We require that a 50-100 word biographical sketch, written in third person, be included with the submission. See the authors page for sample bios. Entries not meeting this requirement will not be considered.

Electronic submissions:
  • Email us at SilverBoomerBooks@gmail.com.
  • In the subject line type "Submission -- Prose: Name of Entry" Substitute your title for "name of entry" and for poetry substitute "poetry" for "prose."
  • In the body of the email type this information:
    • Your name
    • Your pen name if you desire to use a different name
    • Your mailing address
    • Your email address
    • Your telephone number
    • Previous publication history of your submission
    • Word count for prose, line count for poetry. In counting lines for poetry, start with the first line and count each line to the last including blank lines.
    • A 50 to 100 word biographical sketch of yourself written in 3rd person. See the Silver Boomers authors' page for style.
  • Cut and paste your entry into the body of the email.
  • Multiple submissions are welcome but must be in separate emails with all information listed above in the email with each entry.
  • In submitting your entry, you represent:
    • The work you are submitting is your work.
    • You have the rights to the work and have not previously conveyed exclusive rights to any other publisher.
    • You agree to the terms and conditions set out on this page.
Postal Mail Submissions:
  • Use good standard formatting rules and send the same materials required for electronic submission.
  • You may include a self-addressed stamped postcard for notice of whether or not your manuscript has been accepted. If you prefer to be notified by email a postcard need not be sent. If you include a second self-addressed stamped postcard, we will use that to inform you we have received the manuscript. This is optional. Manuscripts will not be returned to the author, and will be shredded after publication of the book.

Mail to: Silver Boomer Books, 4925 South 5th, Abilene TX 79605. Do not decorate your manuscript or envelopes with happy faces, lip prints, perfume, cookies or other gimmicks.

When We Want It:

Submissions were accepted postmarked or emailed by April 15, 2008. We anticipate publication in 2008.

What You Get:

Payment is $5 for poetry and $10 for prose plus a contributor’s copy. If you label it prose but we think it's poetry, we'll pay the poetry rate. In addition, contributors will be allowed to purchase copies of the work at an author’s price for two years following the initial release. All payments are upon publication. Your name and story/poem title will be listed on the website for two years. You will be allowed to post to the authors' blog on the Silver Boomers website so you can publicize signings and speaking engagements as well as comment on the experience.