Thirty West Newsletter - July 2024
Opening for submissions, our Wavelengths winner, and big events.
Hello. It is now July and we’ve made it to the halfway point of 2024. We get a chance to rest on publishing books. Now, we pivot to host a slew of events (both in-person and online) and more niceties as we get closer to our 9th year in business. A few images/ads will be in this email, so I recommend making TW a whitelisted contact to avoid filters. Let’s get into it.
Our open call for manuscript submissions is opening in just a few days. There’s been hundreds of likes and shares all across our platforms, so we’re expecting a huge turnout. One of our interns wishes to say hi to you and provide some insight on her manuscript wish list.
Hello! My name is Nicole Kowalewski and I joined the Thirty West team earlier this month as a summer intern with an editorial focus. I'm a senior at Roger Williams University in Rhode Island & work as an assistant editor on the Mount Hope literary magazine there. I'm so excited to start sorting through new submissions—I love pieces with a strong sense of verisimilitude & voice. Sometimes it's not what you say so much as how you say it; why are you the one who tells this story? I can't wait to dive into the minds of the writers who submit.
You can find the submission window on Submittable open as early as midnight on July 5.
Second, please welcome our newest author:
We’re thrilled to welcome Kristin Tenor and her hybrid-fiction chapbook, THIS IS HOW THEY MOURN, to the TW roster. The chapbook is scheduled for release this fall. Below is her bio.
Kristin Tenor finds inspiration in life's quiet details and believes in their power to illuminate the extraordinary. Her stories and prose poems have appeared in Best Microfiction (2024), Wigleaf, Bending Genres, 100 Word Story, Unbroken Journal, and elsewhere. Her work has also been nominated for Best of the Net, Best Small Fictions, and the Pushcart Prize as well as longlisted for the Wigleaf Top 50. She is a contributing editor at Story. Read more at www.kristintenor.com
Next, a preview of our July Afterimages schedule:
If you’re subscribed, you already know that Afterimages is picking up steam. You’ll be seeing 5 writing articles this month, leaning heavily into creative nonfiction. Do you know venues that publish this many of the genre a year? Hope it’s us. Submissions for Afterimages, regardless of genre, are open all year and will be booking for August.
Following that, a special in-person launch for our grand project:
The Ternion, which is a collection of 3 novels by 3 different authors, is getting a special night of celebration. There is a strong Philadelphia presence in these books, and Philly Small Works is a lovely gallery that we’ve befriended this year. Click or tap to view ticketing information and be on the lookout for features. The first print run is very low, but you can find all 3 on any online retailer. May we suggest our distributor, Asterism Books?
And finally…our highly-anticipated Thirty West Day.
Thirty West Day is the first of its kind for the press. Bastioned in the Lehigh Valley’s best Barnes & Noble, we will have a full afternoon of workshops, readings, signings, publishing tips, and our first attempt at a pitch fest. We’re honored for this opportunity and hope our efforts behind the scenes give you all a unique and enjoyable experience. Mark your calendars for this free, public event, and get ready for details on all of the above.
A special shoutout to Ethan, Nicole, and Maddy for creating so many of these graphics. I’m in the process of rebranding the press, mostly on aesthetics and the website. I remember so long ago in July, I launched the TW website at Temple University right before an 8 AM summer elective. A typical humid day. So much has changed since that singular mouse click. No one could’ve guessed I’d be reflecting on this with so much promise and excitement. I’m grateful for you all, even if this is your first interaction with TW.
Stay cool, stay hydrated, and enjoy the upcoming holiday if you celebrate. Talk soon!
The Extra Bits
More TW events are happening. Just waiting on ads and information from organizers.
Be on the lookout for a summer sale that will be happening soon. No codes. Just more books on your shelves.
TW will be on vacation from 7/3-7/7 for Independence Day & Josh’s birthday. We are thrilled to reconnect with you and fulfill outstanding orders afterward.