Have you ever wondered what we at Penumbra do behind the scenes to ensure the journal’s success? Even though much of it includes hard work, perseverance, a passion for literature and art, and just a bit of fairy dust to make it sparkle, organization and communication are particularly essential because they facilitate collaboration and engagement. Working in smaller teams makes this easier to achieve and helps us tackle large projects—especially the three we’ve undertaken this fall. As a member of Penumbra, I’m excited to tell you about these projects and how you can get involved!
In August, we acquired submissions from poets everywhere interested in publishing their poetry with us; we received many but only accepted the work of two poets. After obtaining the poets’ complete manuscripts, Penumbra’s Chapbook Team has been editing them for minor mistakes. Both manuscripts will eventually become full-fledged chapbooks replete with eye-catching cover art. These chapbooks in the making still need cover art, and if you’re an art student at CSU Stanislaus or know anyone who is, we are accepting art portfolios for consideration until September 22, 2023! To send us your artwork, email us at penumbra@csustan.edu.
In and of itself, fall is a seasonal beauty with its fiery hues, crisp weather, and the feeling of homeliness it evokes, but can you imagine it without an air of mystery and fright? We at Penumbra certainly can’t! To celebrate this fundamental feature of fall, Penumbra is promoting its first-ever limited edition print horror call, just in time for the spine-tingling season of Halloween. The journal’s Horror Team welcomes art, poetry, hybrid, and prose (fiction) works relating to the horror genre and its subgenres until September 24, 2023, so beware of the looming deadline and submit quickly. To submit your work or view submission guidelines, click here. We can’t wait to read your eerie and imaginative work—it’ll be spooktacular!
Giving a voice to artists and writers of all ages and backgrounds is meaningful because furthering the inclusion of others’ diverse perspectives and talents makes the world a better place. Embracing this mission, Penumbra will launch its initial youth-centered online call toward the end of September and early October. Even though it’s still in its early stages of preparation, we at Penumbra are delighted to embark on this new and exciting project that will allow us to collaborate with local schools. We hope you’re looking forward to this call as much as we are!
A dynamic and ambitious literary and art journal, Penumbra always pushes the boundaries to create new and exciting opportunities for writers and artists alike. From our chapbooks to our horror call and upcoming youth-centered project, we dedicate ourselves to providing a platform for diverse voices and perspectives. We invite you to participate in our mission to foster creativity, collaboration, and inclusivity in the arts by submitting your work and supporting our content at Penumbra—it means a lot!
