Editor Bruce Gillespie is making a call for submissions for an anthology of personal essays about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, and transsexual people and their families. The collection will be part of a series about the changing nature of the family in the 21st century published by TouchWood Editions of Victoria, British Columbia.
At no other time in history have LGBT families been more visible or numerous. This collection aims to recognize and celebrate this moment by reflecting the broad range of experiences of LGBT families today. Possible topics may include, but are not limited to:
– stories by LGBT people about their relationships or marriages,
– stories by LGBT people about their relationships with their straight families,
– stories about LGBT parents, parenting or adoption,
– stories about the uniquely queer families LGBT people create for themselves beyond those they were born into that include friends, lovers, exes and others, and
– stories by straight people about their relationships with their LGBT kids, parents, siblings or other family members.
I’m looking for previously unpublished personal accounts between 2,000 and 4,000 words in length. You don’t need to be a professional writer to contribute to this anthology. But if your piece is accepted, you will be required to work with an editor to hone your submission to professional standards.
First drafts of all submissions must be received by January 1, 2013 [updated], along with a short biographical statement and your contact information. All essays must be submitted electronically, preferably as Microsoft Word files, to the editor at bruce [dot] gillespie [at] gmail [dot] com.
About the Editor: Bruce Gillespie is an assistant professor in the journalism program at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus and the co-editor of two anthologies for TouchWood Editions: Somebody’s Child: Stories About Adoption (2011) and Nobody’s Father: Life Without Kids (2008).
Please feel free to share this call for submissions with anyone you think might be interested. Thank you.