“Issue 003 – Eastern European Heritage & Folklore” – SUBMISSIONS CLOSED.

Thank you to everyone who submitted for this issue!

The current state of our world cannot be ignored, nor can the need for visibility and support during times of violence and turmoil. At Starward Shadows, our hearts go out to everyone who is currently experiencing suffering and hardship as a result of the conflict in the Ukraine.  

We realized there’s no better way to break our hiatus than with a special themed issue of the Starward Shadows eZine that’s centered around Eastern European folklore, culture, and heritage.

UPDATE as of 05/20/22: Thanks to everyone who submitted during our window that just closed on the 19th! Submissions for Issue 003 are now CLOSED. 

No matter who you are or where you come from, we want your voices to be heard, and we want to share your stories with the world. As long as your story pays homage to Eastern European culture, or even touches on the horrors of war in some other form we can’t articulate, please send it our way. Just be sure that it falls within this issue’s special word count requirements and contains speculative elements!

Alongside our usual emphasis on speculative fiction, we’re also open to personal anecdotes about Eastern European upbringing, heritage, or cultural experiences. Please just note that, since we are still a speculative fiction publication, we’re most likely to accept non-speculative personal stories that fit within the Eastern European theme if they’re flash pieces [500 – 1,500 words in length].

Since funding is still a difficult area for our publication, we’ve launched a Kickstarter campaign to pay our authors what they deserve for their work and give Eastern European voices and themes a much-needed voice in the literary world. Any other donations that aren’t needed to pay for the publication will be put towards providing relief for the Ukrainian people. [Check back here for updates on where you can donate in order to support people in the Ukraine.]

To keep our goals achievable and provide a platform for as many authors as possible, we’re lowering the word count limit for short fiction pieces and strongly encouraging flash submissions.  

Short fiction: 1,500 – 4,000 words 

Flash fiction: 500 – 1,500 words 

Any flash submissions (1,500 words or under) that aren’t featured in the eZine issue will remain under consideration for future Flash Menagerie features.) 

Our other usual submission guidelines and rules concerning subject matter still apply, so please read them here before submitting.  

We appreciate any pledges towards our cause, no matter the amount. Every little bit helps, and we’re thankful for any support that you can provide. But hopefully, we can surpass our Kickstarter goals and maximize the reach of our authors to show support for Eastern Europe.