Winter Splinter
Call for Submissions
We've received an overwhelming response from people all over the world. If you want to submit, please do so soon.
In particular, we'd love to see edgy short fiction or poetry. Also, we want original art and photography. Video is also welcome. Please read all the requirements.
Winter Splinter is open for submissions. It is open to anyone, anywhere in the world. This web-based anthology will feature poems and stories about winter. There are numerous cultural and religious holidays during winter. These include Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanza. We welcome human stories and poems set against the background of ANY tradition.
We also welcome stories about the weather: cold in the northern hemisphere and hot in the southern hemisphere. A short story about going to beach in Sydney, Australia on Christmas Day would be interesting.
Additionally, we welcome stories that have nothing to do with weather or holidays but occur during winter.
Length
We want short pieces from 1 - 7 pages in length.
Web-based
This is a web-based anthology. The works will appear on MaysPublishing.com starting on or about Thanksgiving. If we receive enough submissions, we will compile some or all of them in a book. Contributors to the book will receive a complimentary e-book copy.
Art and Video
We welcome original art and photography that fits with the theme. At this moment, we are looking for winter cityscapes, but are open to suggestions. We welcome writers recording videos of themselves reading.
How to Submit
Email your submission as an attached Word document to books@mayspublishing.com
Put Winter Splinter in the subject line.
Submission Deadline
The submission deadline is December 31. However, we've had requests that the book be available by mid-December. So, if we have enough material for a book by December 15, we may publish it at that time. If you submit after December 15, your work is still eligible to be on MaysPublishing.com.
Speculative Fiction "Event"
"Event"
The Speculative Fiction "Event," THE BOOK, is now available. It includes writers from Shanghai, Australia, and Scotland as well as from around the USA. Who's in the book?
Lou Ella Hickman
Jimmy Willden
Cary Tucker
Daniel Muniz
Juan Perez
Michael Latella
David Carpenter
Mandy Ashcraft
H.L. Dowless
Kristopher Cisneros
Gale Acuff
John Grey
Alisa Hope Wagner
William Mays
Carol Mays
Ricky Ginsburg
R.A. Daunton
Joel Ortiz
Kenneth Moore
Philip Hsu
Miguel Rodriguez
Charles Etheridge
Jeffrey Janko
John Adcock
Vaughn Westheimer
Annie Huckabee
The Speculative Fiction "Event" is (was) a web-based event. New writing (poetry and prose) was posted every day during the month of October on MaysPublishing.com.
On October 17, there was an OPEN MIC at the Art Museum of South Texas.
The e-book version contains bonus content, including links to videos.
Partial list of contributors:
Event Day 1 Philip Hsu
Event Day 2 Annie Huckabee
Event Day 3 Juan Perez
Event Day 5 Sister Lou Ella Hickman
Event Day 6 John Grey
Event Day 7 Jon Adcock
Event Day 8 Carol Mays
Event Day 9 William Mays
Event Day 10 Vaughn Westheimer
Event Day 11 Miguel Rodriguez
Event Dy 12 Cary Tucker
Event Day 13 Jimmy Willden
Event Day 14 H.L. Dowless
Event Day 15 Charles Etheridge
Event Day 16 Joel Ortiz
Event Day 17 Mandy Ashcraft
Event Day 18 David Carpenter
Event Day 19 Kristopher Cisneros
Event Day 20 Gale Acuff
Event Day 21 R. A. Daunton
Event Day 22 Kenneth Moore
Event Day 23 Matthew Spence
Event Day 24 Ricky Ginsburg
Event Day 25 Alisa Hope Wagner
Event Day 26 D, Weiss
Event Day 27 Abrar Ahmad
Event Day 28 William Mays
Event Day 29 Video excerpts
Event Day 30 Creepy
Event Day 31 Cameron Hoormann
See the Videos
We received submissions from people around the world. While they couldn't attend the "Event," many of them sent videos. Here they are (including those from Corpus Christi):
R.A. Daunton from Scotland
Philip Hsu from Shangai
John Grey from Australia
Michael Latella from Ohio
Juan Perez
Mandy Ashcraft
Carol Mays
William Mays
Chris Ambriz
More on the "Event"
The "Event" WAS OPEN for submissions until September 30. We received submissions from all over the world. Email inquiries to books@mayspublishing.com.
Chris Ambriz
We were excited to screen "Nosebleed" by local filmmaker, Chris Ambriz, at the Art Museum of South Texas on October 17. He directs horror movies. While "Nosebleed" is not a horror movie, it's about the horrors that sometimes await us at the movie theater.
Corpus Christi Writers 2023
Corpus Christi Writers 2023 is now available on Amazon in paperback, hardback, and Kindle. It is available at Barnes and Noble in hardback and Nook. It is available in all e-formats. This collection includes the works of sixty-five local and area writers as well as photography and art. Poetry, prose, fiction, and non-fiction are included.
Many writers from previous anthologies return to this sixth book in the series, and many new writers join them. Youthful exuberance coexists with polished style. The themes vary and express the unique viewpoints of the writers. Cursive writing makes a comeback in this volume, and a 1952 Royal Quiet Deluxe Typewriter makes a guest appearance. Submissions about ranching, fishing, and the roaring waters of the Gulf of Mexico provide a strong sense of place. Compelling female voices speak out about spousal abuse, violence directed at women, and a desire for identity outside traditional male-defined roles. As part of our goal to develop unique expression, we feature the work of local artists and photographers who view familiar landscapes from a slightly different perspective. While the print version is black and white, e-book versions support color images. Biographies tend to be shortened in the book. For full bios and more information on the writers, see our comprehensive list of writers.
The contributors to CCW2023 are:
Alamgir Hashmi
Alan Berecka
Alice Marks
Alisa Hope Wagner
Alyanna Mena
Alyson Greene
Alyssa Outhwaite
Carol Mays
Claire Taylor
Clara Isabel Tamez
Cynthia Breeding
Charles Etheridge
Christian Garduno
Dennis Denman
Devorah Fox
Donna Huddleston
Dragon Bodhing
Dylan Lopez
D. Weiss
Ellissa Brewster
Elizabeth N. Flores
Esther Bonilla Read
F.E.I.
Gerald Beckman
Jacob R. Benavides
Jacqueline Gonzalez
J. L. Wright
JoAnn Sanderson
Joel Ortiz
Joseph Wilson
John Meza
John Morris
Michelle Zudrell
John Pettigrove
Juan Manuel Perez
Judy Bloomquist
Judy Mastenbrook
Julieta Corpus
Karen Cline-Tardiff
Sister Lou Ella Hickman
Lizbette Ocasio-Russe
Louise Knolle Pettigrove
Lucas Jasso
Mason Graves
Matthew Rosas
Michael Quintana
Michelle Eccellente Stevenson
Mike Mercer
Mona Schroeder
Neina Chapa
Neesy Tompkins
Octavio Quintanilla
Pete Adler
Pete Lutz
Roberta Dohse
Robin Carstensen
Roy Gomez
Sarah K. Lenz
Scott Wayland Griffin
Sophia Chapa
Stephen Gambill
Susan Daubenspeck
Tito Perez
Tom Murphy
Tonāntzin Rodríguez
Wayne Hankins
William Mays
William Walton
Albert Morales
Cynthia Giery
Jeff Janko
Jen Deselms
Jill Scott
Kerstin Berger
Kimberly Ward
LuAnn Kingsbury
Mandy Ashcraft
Margaret Cleaves
Nicole Serrao
Ricardo Ruiz
PAST INFORMATION:
TONIGHT. Join us for an exciting FREE event: the launch of Corpus Christi Writers 2023 at The Art Museum of South Texas. That's right, tonight, September 21 at 7:00 PM. A FREE video screening of many of the writers will begin at 5:00. The FREE live readings begin at 7:00. Many of the 65 writers in the book will be present. There are other simultaneous activities in the museum that evening. These include a pop-up market, a DJ, a cash bar, and FREE access to all museum exhibits. If you are a contributor, you can pick up your complimentary paperback copy between 5 - 9 PM. Copies of the book will be on sale starting at 5:00 for $10, a price much lower than the Amazon price. The FREE readings start at 7:00. If you are a contributor and you can't make it to the launch, we'll send you a complimentary Kindle version. The contributors are listed below. Names are not necessarily in alphabetical order. See you SEPTEMBER 21 at The Art Museum of South Texas.
Submission Guidelines
Corpus Christi Writers 2023 WAS open for submissions until MARCH 31, 2023. The deadline has passed. Join us for the launch on September 21.
Priority will be given to writers from the Corpus Christi metropolitan area, including outlying areas such as Beeville and Kingsville. We want submissions from established writers and from new writers. All styles, genres, and topics are welcome. Poetry and prose are welcome. Fiction and non-fiction are welcome.
In an attempt to build a wider audience, we will consider writing from anyone, anywhere. We are particularly interested in what generally might be referred to as "post-modern" with a focus on unreliable narrators, self-reflexivity, irony, and other themes, or as "experimental" with a seemingly off-handed nature and an interest in form over content. We'd love to see visual poetry, erasure poetry, or writing using the cut-up method. Visual panels like graphic novels are welcome.
We want to include visual content, which can be drawings or photographs. Visuals related to writing or reading are welcome. Examples are a photo of someone curled up a couch reading a book, a close-up of someone writing with a pen, a close-up of fingers on a keyboard.
We'd like to see submissions from 1 - 3 pages in length, but will consider longer pieces.
We have shifted the date of the launch. The launch will be at The Art Museum of South Texas on September 21 at 6:30 PM.
We have brisk traffic on our website, MaysPublishing.com. We link from our site to yours, so a potential buyer who reads your work on our site is only a click away from your site. We may run anthology submissions on the website in advance of the print publication. We will promote your work through our social media accounts, which will in turn link to our website. If you allow tagging on your social media accounts, it can facilitate the promotion process.
The anthology will be available on September 21, 2023. It will be available in hardback, paperback, and Kindle format. The Kindle may include bonus content and color visuals.
We won't publish anything that is overtly political. No racist, sexist, or homophobic submissions will be published.
Submit to williammays21@gmail.com.
Excerpts from your submission, along with your bio, will appear on MaysPublishing.com and on our social media accounts. These excerpts will be used to promote the anthology. You may submit more than 1 work. Please include all your submissions in one Word document. Send your submission in an attached Word document to books@MaysPublishing.com with YOUR NAME and CCW2023 SUBMISSION in the subject line. Alternately, you can send it to williammays21@gmail.com.
The first page of your submission must include a cover page with title of your work, the author’s name as you wish it to appear in publication, and contact information (email address and city where you live)
There is no submission fee. You will retain all rights to your works. You may be asked to revise sections of your work. Communication is via email. Make sure you provide an email address that will be valid throughout 2023. If you have to change email addresses, please let us know. If we can't reach you, we may have to drop your selection from the anthology.
Please include a short biography. Also include a photo if possible.
As compensation, you will receive a free copy of the anthology. You must pick up your print copy at the launch party on September 21, 2023 at the Art Museum of South Texas. If you can't attend, we will email you a Kindle version of the anthology. Kindle books can be viewed on any computer, tablet, or phone.
As additional compensation, you also receive free promotion of your work via our website and social media accounts. In addition, you have an allotted time to read at the launch party. You must read material only from the current anthology.
Your promotion on MaysPublishing.com includes a section on the website, which can accommodate links to your website. This section functions like a website.
During the launch party, you can buy additional anthology copies at a discounted rate while supplies last. This rate is only available at the launch party. Notifications of acceptance will start to go out in April and May. However, you should receive notification that your submission has been received within a few days of you sending it. If you haven't received notification of receipt of submission, please let me know.
CCW2023 E-Books
Multiple Platforms
CCW 2023 is available in all e-formats. See on Amazon. See on Barnes & Noble
Bonus Content
E-books contain color images and images not included in the print version. They also contain links to author websites and YouTube videos of authors reading their submissions.
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Corpus Christi Writers 2022
Introduction
The Corpus Christi Writers series strives to present diverse views and perspectives that, taken as a whole, reflect what people in this community are thinking. Many writers from previous anthologies return to this fifth book in the series, and many new writers join them. Youthful exuberance coexists with polished style. The themes vary and express the unique viewpoints of the writers.Chupacabras and talking animals take a hiatus this year, while Port Aransas figures prominently. Teeth make a strong appearance, and one story is told from the perspective of a can of paint.
In previous anthologies, we included photos and art that illustrated or amplified the selections or the writing process. Here, we are showcasing the rich and diverse work of visual artists from South Texas because they are a vital part of the creative environment. The images range from traditional to abstract. While the print version of the anthology prints in black and white, the Kindle version provides full-color images. The Kindle version also features bonus images and bonus writing.
Much of the content from each of the anthologies migrates to MaysPublishing.com. This website now has rich content that rotates daily and draws an average of a thousand visitors a month. It links directly to the websites of the authors and artists. We invite anyone anywhere in the world to join the community. In addition to showcasing outstanding work, we strive to become a trusted source for people looking for quality writing, particularly flash fiction, poetry, and works that combine words and images.
For full bios and more information on the writers in CCW2022, please go to MaysPublishing.com
CCW 2022 Contributors
Writing:
Alan Berecka
Alisa Hope Wagner
Alyanna Mena
Alyssa Outwaithe
Azrael Montoya
Blu Chapa
Carol Mays
Charles Etheridge
Christian Garduno
Clara Isabel Tamez
Cynthia Roepke
David Carpenter
Devorah Fox
Donna Huddleston
Donna Lea Anderson
Dylan Lopez
Elizabeth Flores
D Weiss
Emma Helene Guerra
Gerald Beckman
Herb Canales
Javier Villarreal
Jason Bond
Jen Deselms
Jimmy Willden
Jo Ann Sanderson
Joel Ortiz
John Kemmerly
John Meza
John Morris
Jon Gregory
Joseph Wilson
Joshua Bridgwater Hamilton
Juan Michael Perez
Kenneth Bennight
Kristi Sprinkle
Sister Lou Ella Hickman
Mandy Ashcraft
Manuel Ruiz
Mariah Massengill
Matt Rosas
Mulberry-34
Michelle Eccellente Stevenson
Mike Mercer
Mona Schroeder
Nolan Read
Neesy Tompkins
Norman Delaney
Patricia Alaniz
Pete Adler
Paul Aster Cohen
Roberta Dohse
Robin Carstensen
Sarah K Lenz
S Matt Read
Shannon Dougherty
S. P. Wilkins
Susan Daubenspeck
Theresa Kuhl-Babcock
Tom Murphy
Wayne Hankins
William Mays
William Walton
Images
Albert Morales
Belinda Aguilar
Cynthia Alvarez
Cynthia Giery
Daniel Solis
Jeffrey Janko
Jimmy Pena
John Morris
Justin Quintanilla
Philip Perez
Ricardo Ruiz
William Mays
Available On OCTOBER 20
Please, join us for the launch party for CCW2022 at the Art Museum of South Texas TODAY, October 20. The books will be available for sale at 5:00 PM. Readings start at 6:30. Please try to pick up your books between 5 and 6 as it gets hectic when the readings start. There is a restaurant in the museum, so you can eat there, if you wish. All are welcome. The event is free and open to the public. Copies of the paperback book will be available for $10. You can buy as many copies as you want. If you are a contributor, you can pick up your complimentary copy and buy additional copies if you wish. The Amazon price will be be $19.99 plus tax and shipping. The Kindle version has bonus content, including poetry by John Meza and Wayne Hankins. All contributors, whether in print or e-book, are welcome to read from their submission. Please join us at this exciting literary event. If you are a contributor and are unable to attend the launch, you can receive a free Kinde-version of the anthology.
Corpus Christi Writers 2022
Launch Party
Mark your calendars for the launch of Corpus Christi Writers 2022 at The Art Museum of South Texas on OCTOBER 20. If you are a contributor, you can pick up your complimentary copy starting at 5:00 PM. Readings start at 6:30. This event is free and open to the public. Please join us at this exciting literary event.
Who's In the book?
Writing:
Alan Berecka
Alisa Hope Wagner
Alyanna Mena
Alyssa Outwaithe
Azrael Montoya
Blu Chapa
Carol Mays
Charles Etheridge
Christian Garduno
Clara Isabel Tamez
Cynthia Roepke
David Carpenter
Devorah Fox
Donna Huddleston
Donna Lea Anderson
Dylan Lopez
Elizabeth Flores
D Weiss
Emma Helene Guerra
Gerald Beckman
Herb Canales
Javier Villarreal
Jason Bond
Jen Deselms
Jimmy Willden
Jo Ann Sanderson
Joel Ortiz
John Kemmerly
John Morris
Jon Gregory
Joseph Wilson
Joshua Bridgwater Hamilton
Juan Michael Perez
Kenneth Bennight
Kristi Sprinkle
Sister Lou Ella Hickman
Mandy Ashcraft
Manuel Ruiz
Mariah Massengill
Matt Rosas
Mulberry-34
Michelle Eccellente Stevenson
Mike Mercer
Mona Schroeder
Nolan Read
Neesy Tompkins
Norman Delaney
Patricia Alaniz
Pete Adler
Paul Aster Cohen
Roberta Dohse
Robin Carstensen
Sarah K Lenz
S Matt Read
Shannon Dougherty
S. P. Wilkins
Susan Daubenspeck
Theresa Kuhl-Babcock
Tom Murphy
William Mays
William Walton
Images
Albert Morales
Belinda Aguilar
Cynthia Alvarez
Cynthia Giery
Daniel Solis
Jeffrey Janko
Jimmy Pena
John Morris
Justin Quintanilla
Philip Perez
Ricardo Ruiz
William Mays
CCW 2022 Kindle
Available October 20
This year's Kindle version of Corpus Christi Writers 2022 contains bonus content. It includes additional writing and additional images. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can download the free Kindle reading app for your phone, tablet, or computer. If your device displays color images, all the images will be in color. The Kindle version will feature poetry and color photography by John Meza and Wayne Hankins. It will include color photos by Cynthia Giery, John Morris, Justin Quntanilla, and others. It will even include some of my nature photography which goes along with one of the submissions.
Corpus Christi Writers 2022
Details (Please read carefully as there are changes)
The deadline for submission has passed. No more submissions will be accepted. I will email you a formal acceptance. You must respond to the acceptance email in order to be included. Please read your email carefully and respond within two weeks of mailing. You will be dropped from the anthology if you don't respond and agree to the terms
The launch party will be October 20 at 6:30 PM at the Art Museum of South Texas. If you are a contributor, you MUST pick up your complimentary copy of the book at that time, or have someone pick it up for you. More details are available in the Submission guidelines.
This Series showcases the diverse and talented authors and artists of the Coastal Bend. Each year, we invite our community to submit work in our open call for submissions. We publish writers who are established, and we also love to see submissions by people who've never been published. We also love to see submissions by those who don't even think of themselves as writers, but who have an interesting idea. The launch for Corpus Christi Writers 2022 will be at The Art Museum of South Texas on Thursday, October 20.
Be sure to visit our BOOKS page to view the 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 editions.
Submission Guidelines
Corpus Christi Writers 2022 is open for submissions from December 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022. If you submit multiple pieces, we will let you know which ones are included within a few days after the submission deadline.
The anthology will be available in the fall of 2022. It will be available in hardback, paperback, and e-book formats. Any resident or native of Corpus Christi, Texas or the surrounding areas may submit. Submissions up to 3000 words are eligible. We prefer prose submissions in the 1000-word range, but are open to longer works. We prefer poetry submissions in the 2-3 page range, but are open to longer works.
Any style or genre is acceptable. Poetry, prose, fiction, memoirs, essays, and creative non-fiction are acceptable. Excerpts from longer works are considered. Diverse viewpoints are encouraged. Experimental work is encouraged. Interesting social media posts are acceptable. Submissions that appear to be social media posts are encouraged. No racist, sexist, or homophobic submissions will be published. Material too overtly political may be rejected.
Submit to williammays21@gmail.com.
Anthology is open to natives and/or residents of the the six county Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice combined statistical area. This includes towns such as Rockport, Port Aransas, and Refugio.
Mays Publishing may consider writing from outside the metropolitan area if the writing fits with the theme of the anthology.
Excerpts from your submission, along with your bio, will appear on MaysPublishing.com. These excerpts may be used in social media to promote the anthology. Several months after the anthology is published, the full text of your submission may be available on MaysPublishing.com. You can withdraw your work from MaysPublishing.com at any time.
WORD COUNT/PAGE COUNT. Prose submissions must be shorter than 3000 words. Poetry must be shorter than 10 pages.
Prose or poetry is accepted.
Excerpts from longer works are acceptable
Fiction or non-fiction is accepted.
Black and white images that go along with the selection will be considered.
A blend of words and images will be considered
Diverse viewpoints are encouraged.
You may submit more than 1 work. If you submit a "longer" work (2000 words or 7 pages), you might consider submitting a shorter work too. We like works that are between 1 - 3 pages, but will certainly include longer works
There is no submission fee. You will retain all rights to your works. You may be asked to revise sections of your work
Send your submission in a Word document to books@MaysPublishing.com with YOUR NAME and CCW2022 SUBMISSION in the subject line. Alternately, you can send it to williammays21@gmail.com
1st Page of your submission must include a cover page with title of your work, the author’s name as you wish it to appear in publication, author’s name (if different than publication name), contact information (email address)
Communication is via email. Make sure you provide an email address that will be valid throughout 2021. If you have to change email addresses, please let us know. If we can't reach you, we may have to drop your selection from the anthology.
Please include a short biography. Also include a photo if possible. The selection can be published in CCW2021 without a photo, but a photo is required if you are to be featured in social media promotions and if you are to be headlined on MaysPublishing.com
The anthology will be available on Amazon, both in trade paperback and Kindle. It may also be available in other formats.
As compensation, you will receive a free copy of the anthology. You MUST pick up your copy at the launch party on October 20 at the Art Museum of South Texas. If you are unable to attend, please make prior arrangements to have someone pick it up for you at the launch party.
As additional compensation, you also receive free promotion of your work via our website and social media account. In addition, you have an allotted time to read at the launch party. You must read material only from the current anthology.
Your promotion on MaysPublishing.com includes a section on the website, which can accommodate links to your website or Amazon buy page. This section functions like a website.
During the launch party, you can buy additional anthology copies at a discounted rate while supplies last. This rate is only available at the launch party. After that, you must purchase via Amazon and pay Amazon rates.
Notifications of acceptance will start to go out in April and May. However, you should receive notification that your submission has been received within a few days of you sending it. If you haven't received notification of receipt of submission, please let me know.
Corpus Christi Writers 2021
Available Now
Corpus Christi Writers 2021 is available in hardback, paperback, and Kindle. If you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, it is available to you there. You don't have to own a Kindle to read a Kindle book. You can download the free Kindle reading app on desktop, tablet, or phone. BUY NOW
Introduction
The series, Corpus Christi Writers, strives to present diverse views and perspectives that, taken as a whole, reflect what people in this community are thinking. Many writers from previous anthologies return to this fourth book in the series, and many new writers join them. Youthful exuberance coexists with polished style. Chupacabras reappear. Talking animals take a hiatus, but the chatty squirrel will not be denied. People who live on the edge share time and space with those who support traditional values. Surprisingly, there are no stories of a dystopian future, but the search for love and meaning remains universal—and elusive. Some strive for sexual identity; others find passion in unexpected places; a few accept isolation and self-reliance. Sometimes, a harsh physical environment tests one’s mettle and underscores internal conflict.
Visuals play an essential role in this book, sometimes as annotations to the writing, sometimes integrated into the works. Standalone images illustrate the writing process.
This anthology features a group project. While seemingly silly, it touches on serious topics such as fake news and the spoofing of websites.
You can find more information about the writers at MaysPublishing.com. You will also find many other stories and poems from writers from around the world. We urge you to submit your work. MaysPublishing.com also features galleries of the artists and photographers who contribute to our projects.
Thanks to all who participated. We feel there is great talent here, and we appreciate the opportunity to showcase it BUY NOW
Read the Review
Texana Reads
TEXANA READS: Collection of works from 50 Corpus Christi writers is a treasure trove
Dr. Manuel FloresTexana Reads
There is a line in the recently released “2021 Corpus Christi Writers Anthology” that speaks volumes about the work of a writer, any writer from the seasoned novelist to the café scribbler and the nighttime dreamer.
The line asks, “What makes good writing?” It’s in a poem by Theresa Garcia-Ruiz, one of 50 Corpus Christi area writers who have pieces in this year’s anthology edited by Bill Mays from the Del Mar College White Library. Ruiz ponders, “Does it turn from green to red when its ready – like an apple?” Or, she continues, “Does it have to reach a certain temperature – like steel?”
Whatever good writing is, its meaning and can be found in Mays' latest edition of “Corpus Christi Writers Anthology.” Poetry, essays, short stories and countless narratives from novice and established writers grace the pages of the unassuming book that is really a treasure-trove of thoughts, ideas and a myriad of feelings. The writers wax poetic about life experiences, visions of sadness and glory and dreams of what is and what should be.
A plus in the book is eclectic art and illustrations the design of which is relevant to some stories but really tells the vision of the editor and his quest to show the talent in Corpus Christi. From the start, you will be searching for your favorite piece (the cover displaying a briallian pen is mine) of art and of course, writing.
Garcia-Ruiz’s selections were among my favorites. She also had a poem titled “Coahuila y Tejas” which peers into her Spanish and indigenous roots and mesmerizes readers with her imagery. Here’s a sample (the translation is in English underneath the verse in parentheses in this review):
“Yo soy carne y hueso
(I am meat and bone)
Sangre y luz
(Blood and light)
Soy de aquí
(I am from here)
Y allá
(and there)
Mismos”
(the same).
Coahuilla y Texas was a state of Mexico after its independence from Spain and before the Battle of San Jacinto. The Spanish words add clarity to the verses as the writer struggles with identity to try to define her existence. Another verse clears up the confusion and perhaps points to the ambiguity of her writing.
“I don’t dream in Spanish
I’m not quite there, yet. But, I can see
In Spanish . . . “
This and many other offerings by talented local writers make Mays’ latest anthology one for the books. It will keep readers enticed and interested as they meander through a sea of stories, art and poetry that offers surprises page-by-page.
The offerings are listed in alphabetical order, but that’s the only thing that is normal in the book. You will find it thrilling, exciting, melancholy, and poignant.
The writers are too numerous to single out one-by-one, but I will point some who caught my attention with their work.
Alan Becerra’s cryptic poetry is the first offering in the book. Becerra has three poems which seem dark and mysterious but are just visions of life. Allyson Larkin offers a story titled “Chupacabra.” I swear I know where it happened. The reportorial style of her writing makes it read more like a news item on “20/20” or another TV news show. Brenda Elaine Riojas wrote “Broken” after her fellow students and professor at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi encouraged her to tell the story. It is touching and relevant.
Your stories live here.Fuel your hometown passion and plug into the stories that define it.Create Account
Christopher Ashworth wrote an ironic “reverse poem” titled “I am not broken (a reverse poem)" that’ll have you wondering if he is referring to you -- the reader. Charles Etheridge has one of the most pertinent poems in book titled “Porch Prom.” It’s about how the recent pandemic impacts the life of high school students. Visualize it. I did, it was moving and, may I say, beautiful. It made me tear up.
Some writers like Cinthia Giery take everyday occurrences in their lives and bring them to life. Giery writes about her walks over Corpus Christi’s Harbor Bridge. In her narrative are words that make you feel solitude, happiness, and relaxation. Most of us in the Corpus Christi area have driven over the bridge, but have you taken a walk and then visited the marina to experience nature in its most pristine stage?
I think I’ll do it now. . . .
Donna Lee Anderson featured excepts from her book “Saving Hummie” and serves well as a prelude to her writing. Patricia Alaniz, Robert Dohse. Robin Carstensen, and Sarah Lenz have some of the most beautiful poetry in the book. Their writing is full of words and imagery that will linger in your mind.
S. Matt Read writes about his hiking experiences. His offering involves a “perimeter hiker” who has to pick up some packages at the post office in a desolate West Texas town by the Guadalupe. The story is full of imagery, and it leaves the reader wanting more. For a brief moment, there is the sense of Jack London’s “Call of the Wild” as the story unfolds.
And so it is with all the offerings. The short and brief offerings are only a glimpse of the talent Bill Mays has found in Corpus Christi. It leaves the reader yearning for more. From the look of things, Bill Mays will provide them.
About the book
Corpus Christi Writers 2021 Anthology
Edited by Bill Mays
More than 50 contributions by authors
Mays Publishing, Corpus Christi, Texas, 2021
ISBN 9798521210107
Available at Mayspublishng.com
Texana Reads
This weekly column focuses on new and old books about Texas or related to Texas. It includes fiction and nonfiction books, reports on political and sports books as well as cultural or historical works. The common thread among these books is their relationship to Texas, specifically South Texas.
CCW 2021 Contributors
Partial List of Contributors to CCW 2021
ALAN BERECKA
ALISA HOPE WAGNER
ALLYSON LARKIN
ALYANNA MENA
BRENDA ELAINE RIOJAS
CAROL MAYS
CATIE BARBER
CHRISTOPHER ASHWORTH
CHARLES ETHERIDGE
CHRISTIAN GARDUNO
CRYSTAL GARCIA
CYNTHIA BREEDING
CYNTHIA GIERY
DAVID CARPENTER
DEVORAH FOX
DONNA HUDDLESTON
DONNA LEA ANDERSON
DYLAN LOPEZ
ESTHER BONILLA READ
GERALD BECKMAN
HEATHER TWARDOWSKI
JASON BOND
JAVIER VILLARREAL
JIMMY WILLDEN
JOANN SANDERSON
JOEL ORTIZ
JOSEPH WILSON
JOHN MEZA
JOHN PETTIGROVE
JOSHUA BRIDGWATER HAMILTON
JUAN PEREZ
KAREN CLINE TARDIFF
KRISTOPHER CISNEROS
SISTER LOU ELLA HICKMAN
MALIA A. PEREZ
MANDY ASHCRAFT
MATT ROSAS
MICHELLE ECCELLENTE STEVENSON
MIKE MERCER
MONA SCHROEDER
MULTIPLE WRITERS
PATRICIA ALANIZ
ROBERTA DOHSE
ROBIN CARSTENSEN
SARAH K. LENZ
S. MATT READ
SARA KAPLAN
SUSAN DAUBENSPECK
THERESA GARCIA-RUIZ
TOM MURPHY
WILLIAM J. CHRISS
WILLIAM MAYS
WILLIAM WALTON
ZER
Corpus Christi Writers 2021
Details
The 4th annual Corpus Christi Writers Anthology is a showcase of the diverse and talented authors and artists of the Coastal Bend. Each year, we invite our community to submit work in our open call for submissions.
Be sure to visit our BOOKS page to view the 2018, 2019 and 2020 editions.
Submission Guidelines
Corpus Christi Writers 2021 was open for submissions from December 1, 2020 to March 31, 2021. The deadline has passed.
The anthology will be available in the fall of 2021. It will be available in print and e-book formats. Any resident or native of Corpus Christi, Texas or the surrounding areas may submit. Submissions, up to 3000 words are eligible. Any style or genre is acceptable. Poetry, fiction, memoirs, essays, and creative non-fiction are acceptable. Excerpts from longer works are considered. Diverse viewpoints are encouraged. Experimental work is encouraged. Interesting social media posts are acceptable. Submissions that appear to be social media posts are encouraged. Submit to williammays21@gmail.com.
Anthology is open to natives and/or residents of the the six county Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice combined statistical area. This includes towns such as Rockport, Port Aransas, and Refugio. It is also open to those whose books are available through Mays Publishing.
WORD COUNT/PAGE COUNT. Prose submissions must be shorter than 3000 words. Poetry must be shorter than 10 pages in 6 X 9 format. If you wish to create in the 6 X 9 format, I'll email you a template.
Prose or poetry is accepted.
Excerpts from longer works are acceptable
Fiction or non-fiction is accepted.
Black and white images that go along with the selection will be considered.
A blend of words and images will be considered
Diverse viewpoints are encouraged.
You may submit more than 1 work. If you submit a "longer" work (2000 words or 7 pages), you might consider submitting a shorter work too. We like works that are between 1 - 3 pages, but will certainly include longer works
There is no submission fee. You will retain all rights to your works. You may be asked to revise sections of your work
Send your submission in a Word document to books@MaysPublishing.com with YOUR NAME and CCW2021 SUBMISSION in the subject line. Alternately, you can send it to williammays21@gmail.com
1st Page of your submission must include a cover page with title of your work, the author’s name as you wish it to appear in publication, author’s name (if different than publication name), contact information (email address)
Communication is via email. Make sure you provide an email address that will be valid throughout 2021. If you have to change email addresses, please let us know. If we can't reach you, we may have to drop your selection from the anthology.
Please include a short biography. Also include a photo if possible. The selection can be published in CCW2021 without a photo, but a photo is required if you are to be featured in social media promotions and if you are to be headlined on MaysPublishing.com
The anthology will be available on Amazon, both in trade paperback and Kindle. It may also be available in other formats.
As compensation, you will receive a free copy of the anthology, promotion of your work, and an invitation to read at the launch party. You receive a section on MaysPublishing.com if you are included. This functions like a website. It can include links to your Amazon buy pages. You will also have the opportunity to buy additional anthology copies at a discounted rate.
Notifications of acceptance will start to go out in mid-March. However, you should receive notification that your submission has been received within a few days of you sending it. If you haven't received notification of receipt of submission, please let me know
Who's in CCW2020?
CCW 2020
This anthology showcases the unique voices of residents or natives of Corpus Christi, Texas. From poetry to prose, fiction to non-fiction, the writers express individuality and diversity while also articulating universal themes. The writers are:
ABRAR AHMAD
ALAN BERECKA
ALISA HOPE WAGNER
ALLYSON LARKIN
ANDREA PEREZ
AZRAEL MONTOYA
BOB JAMES
CAROL MAYS
CHARLES ETHERIDGE
CHRISTIAN GARDUNO
COFFFEEE CAT
CYNTHIA BREEDING
DAVID CARPENTER
DEVORAH FOX
DYLAN LOPEZ
ELISSA BREWSTER
ESTHER BONILLA READ
FREDRICK GONZALES
GERALD BECKMAN
GRANT MAYS
HEATHER TWARDOWSKI
HELENE GUERRA
JACQUELINE GONZALEZ
JASON BOND
JAVIER VILLARREAL
JIM MCCUTCHON
JIMMY WILDEN
JO ANN SANDERSON
JOEL ORTIZ
JOHN MEZA
JON GREGORY
JOSEPH WILSON
JOSHUA ESPITIA
JOSHUA HAMILTON
JUAN PEREZ
KAREN CLINE-TARDIFF
KENNETH BENNIGHT
LEE HULTIN
LOU ELLA HICKMAN
MANDY ASHCRAFT
MATT ROSAS
MONA SCHROEDER
PAUL MCCANN
PATRICIA ALANIZ
REBECAH HALL
ROBERTA DOHSE
ROBIN CARSTENSEN
RON GEORGE
SARAH K. LENZ
SKYLAR PIERCE
TOM DIFRANCESCA
TOM MURPHY
TREV TREVINO
WILLIAM MAYS
WILLIAM WALTON
ZOE RAMOS
Corpus Christi Writers 2020
CCW 2020
This anthology showcases the unique voices of residents or natives of Corpus Christi, Texas. From poetry to prose, fiction to non-fiction, the selections express individuality and diversity while also articulating universal themes.
The talking cat and the talking squirrel are back this year. They’re joined by a soulful dog. The pot-smoking hippie returns to be joined by the LSD police and an aging drug lord seeking a successor. Immigrants take life-threatening risks in pursuit of a better life. The Resurrection is described from the perspective of a tomb cutter. A mother fights on a mountain for her Christian values. Other writers take a decidedly secular view. Dystopia remains a popular topic. People scramble for love and food in a hostile world. A podcast forecasts the end of the world. Some view the future more positively as esoteric products become available online. If you want escape and a guaranteed happy ending, there is that too.
Corpus Christi and Texas emerge as dominant landscapes. You can read about K Space or fishing trips or a newsboy Christmas or a rural area where disputes were handled without police. An alternate history tells of a student at Kingsville High School. The third sand bar, the Austwell turnoff, and the Copano Bay Bridge are elevated to mythic levels. They are not as familiar to the average reader as Manhattan or Brooklyn, but perhaps they should be. There’s a poem written in the dirt and there’s an autopsy of poetry. People remember lost loves and strive for sexual identity. And when all else fails, there’s a librarian who chases someone stealing a book.
Images are included in this anthology. Most are created by the writers. Local artist, Jimmy Peña, created “Typing Hands.” The cover plays off an eye chart as we bring local writers into sharp 20/20 focus in the year 2020.
CCW 2020 Feature in The Bend Magazine
Click here to read this article on The Bend's site. Thank you to The Bend Magazine for
including us and sharing with our community about the immense talent in the Coastal Bend
Corpus christi writers 2019
Corpus Christi Writers 2019
CORPUS CHRISTI WRITERS 2019 is now available. Fifty-five authors are featured.
From a poem about the fabled chupacabra to visions of dystopian futures, this anthology showcases the diverse viewpoints of the people of South Texas. King Arthur makes an appearance. There’s a talking squirrel, a talking cat, and a wily possum. A rattlesnake is put on trial. If you’re a recently-widowed man, you’ll find cooking hints. Absentee dads and dysfunctional families meander through the selections. Occasionally, estranged lovers reconcile. If you like crime, you’ll find a hit man and a pot-smoking hippie, not to mention a detective working for a blue-skinned client. South Texas remains deeply religious, and several selections embody a traditional viewpoint. Other selections, decidedly secular, use religious imagery to express dissonance.
Both poetry and prose are included, but the distinction between the two blurs. Some works employ rhymes and flowery language, while others tell stories in a gritty, elliptical fashion. Some are short and easily accessible while others contain literary references and require effort. Some selections might be called memoirs while others look like memoirs, but may actually be fiction. Much of the work is “traditional” in style, but one selection is told in the form of e-mails and another takes the form of diary entries. One selection employs different fonts. Several stories feature often-abrupt shifts in point of view. A battleship is personified. A dark cloud follows a man who makes a living singing at funerals. The spirit of a woman’s dead mother appears as a dove.
Taken as a whole they embody the spirit of South Texas while also articulating universal themes.
Anthology Contributors
Submission Deadline/Guidelines
The submission deadline was April 15, 2019. The submission deadline has passed.
The anthology will be available in the fall. This anthology will be available in print and e-book formats. Any resident or native of Corpus Christi, Texas or the surrounding areas may submit. Shorter submissions, up to 3000 words, are preferred. Any style or genre is acceptable. Poetry, fiction, memoirs, essays, and creative non-fiction are acceptable. Excerpts from longer works are acceptable. Diverse viewpoints are acceptable. Experimental work is acceptable. Interesting social media posts are acceptable. Submissions that appear to be social media posts are acceptable. Submit to williammays21@gmail.com.
Compensation
Those selected for the anthology receive a free copy of the anthology. They also receive the opportunity to buy additional copies at a discounted rate, approximately 30% lower than the Amazon price. They receive promotion of them and their work. This includes space on MaysPublishing.com and periodic rotation through social media promotions. It also includes invitations to participate in readings and book fares.
Corpus Christi Writers 2018
Updates
Project updates will be posted periodically on MaysPublishing.com
Corpus Christi Writers 2018: An Anthology
Our community is thriving with creative writers. 35 of these talented individuals are included in the anthology. Corpus Christi Writers 2018: An Anthology is now available.
What's in the Anthology?
This anthology embodies the richness and diversity of South Texas. It includes fiction and poetry and works that fall somewhere in between. Some draw their strength from the wide-ranging cultural landscape of the Coastal Bend, while others rely on the sea or the flat coastal terrain. Yet, some have nothing to do with South Texas. The writers, who are natives or residents, bind the collection together. Available on Amazon in trade paperback, Kindle, and Kindle Unlimited.
corpus christi writers 2018