What’s Up With That?
Or Que Paso?
One of our missions at Writers of the Rio Grande is to elucidate to the world the voices of the people of the Rio Grande Valley and the border from Tamaulipas/ Texas to Arizona/ Sonora to Baja/California. And the great border cities as well. And the nexus hubs that connect Latin America to the U.S of America…. San Antonio, El Paso, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles. Our greatest opportunity here is to be heard. These are the collected voices of deep south Texas.
Here in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas all exist in the transition of one world into another….The Spanish/Indigenous culture of Mexico, And the Anglo-American tradition. All exist in this transition in varying shades and degrees without exception. The American side believes it has much, much more freedom than it does, and The Mexican side believes that too. As for themselves, they pretty much have it figured out that the game is rigged….We at the writersoftheriogrande.com figure that it is too late in the game to go along with any ones game. For no matter how long it lasts it always comes down to the end game. And here we are.
To quote The Doors
“The time to hesitate is through
No time to wallow in the mire.”
The issues that confront the border lands are a microcosm of some of the issues that haunt the entire world. There are complexities and hidden hands behind all the headlines and pronouncements of governments and institutions, entities and groups of every stripe. We pray we can help you chart your way through the fog and smoke. And that you can assist us. The internet is still pretty much free for now; how long that will last is anyone’s guess. So better early than late.
So if you have a clue, a poem, a statement, a song with a message…with sensibility…with heart… please send a query or a response to the Editor.
Born in Houston, Texas and moved to Raymondvile, Texas in 1969. Family bought a radio station and helped with the family business until it was sold in 1997. Since then started an agency and mostly writes about experiences in Deep South Texas. Writers of the Rio Grande founder, editor and contributing author. 
I’d like to send you a complimentary copy of Strawberry Fields, to obtain a book review to add to your reviews on your site and to add to our BLOG as well.
Please send me your name and address if you have time to complete a book review for Strawberry Fields, A Book of Short Stories.
Thank you,
Mirta Espinola
mirta_espinola20@hotmail.com
strawberryfields.ramirez.blogspot.com
Could you please publicize our call for submissions? We are looking for writers to contribute to a Texas/Mexico border anthology, to be published by Texas A and M University in 2012. We will publish in Spanish and English, and are looking for work set on both sides of the border that is either unpublished or is recent work and has not been anthologized.
Thanks so much! Below is our full call for submissions, including deadlines.
Rob Johnson
Erika Garza
Brandon Shuler
Editors
Texas A & M University Press invites submissions to the forthcoming anthology
New Border Writing: A Still Life in Words
An Anthology of Texas/Mexico Border Writing
We are seeking submissions for a collection of the best fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction depicting life, culture, and issues of the Texas/Mexico Rio Grande Border tentatively titled New Border Writing: A Still Life in Words. In his essay, “A Sense of Place,” Mercedes, Texas writer Rolando Hinojosa says,
For the writer–this writer–a sense of place was not a matter of importance; it became essential. And so much so that my stories are not held together by the plot as much as by what the people who populate the stories say and how they say it, how they look at the world out and the world in; and the works, then, become studies of perceptions and values and decisions reached by them because of those perceptions and values which in turn were fashioned and forged by the place and its history.
We invite such writing about the Texas/Mexico border–“fashioned and forged by the place and its history”–in all literary forms: stand-alone novel excerpts under 7,000 words, short fiction under 5,000 words, creative non-fiction essays under 5,000 words, five one page poems, or work in other literary forms (flash fiction, one-act plays, etc). Although we are looking primarily for previously unpublished works, published works will be considered.
We are also inviting scholars to seek out previously unpublished works by classic border authors such as Américo Paredes, Jovita Gonzalez, John Houghton-Allen, Hart Stilwell, Gloria Anzaldúa, John Rechy, or others.
Works in Spanish will be translated by the editors in a bilingual format. We particularly encourage writers to submit work reflecting a perspective from the Mexican side of the border.
Please send prose submissions to both brandon.shuler@ttu.edu and rjohnson@utpa.edu and poetry to Erika Garza-Johnson at poetapower@gmail.com.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION IS JUNE 15, 2011
Acceptances announced no later than August 31, 2011.
Editors: Brandon D. Shuler is a Literature, Social Justice, and the Environment Ph.D candidate at Texas Tech University. He recently edited the unpublished manuscript of Hart Stilwell’s Glory of the Silver King, due for release on Texas A&M University Press April 2011. He is currently editing the letters of Tom Lea and J. Frank Dobie for UT Press. Erika Garza-Johnson’s poetry has been published in The Texas Observer, Bordersenses, LUNG, and La Bloga. She is a graduate of the University of Texas-Pan American’s MFA in creative writing program and teaches composition and literature at South Texas College. Rob Johnson is a Professor of English at the University of Texas Pan American. He is the author of The Lost Years of William S. Burroughs: Beats in South Texas (Texas A and M University, 2006) and the editor of Fantasmas: Supernatural Stories by Mexican-American Writers (Bilingual Press, 2001). He teaches courses on south Texas literature and frequently writes and lectures on border issues.
I published the original post March 20. Thanks for reminding me. Sumbitted it again today. I will keep it rotating up to June 15. I added a link in the navigation bar to keep it out front. Please keep in touch.
We want to extend an invitation to your group to see a sample of our magazine. You will find our submissions page here: SouthernWritersMagazine.com/Submissions. We are interested in interviewing and highlighting published authors and their books. If someone in your group would be interested please let me know.
Southern Writers is written to help authors sell and market their books while building a network of readers.
We would love to hear from you.
Hi,
I know it’s passed the deadline, but for future calls you might want to make sure the submission link or address is in the post.
All the best,
Elizabeth
Hi Elizabeth. Not sure what you are referring to but appreciate the feedback. Will try to add more information in regards to deadlines, events, etc. Please keep in touch. – Editor
I’d appreciate it if you post the following call for submissions:
Writer’s Bloc. Postmark deadline: February 29, 2012
Writer’s Bloc is the only literary magazine at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Published once a year, it accepts poetry, short fiction, flash fiction, one-act plays, interviews, and essays from the student body, faculty, and staff of TAMUK, and from writers around the nation and the world. Mail work to: Writer’s Bloc MSC 162, Fore Hall 110, 700 University Blvd., Kingsville, TX 78363-8202 For more information, visit: http://www.tamuk.edu/artsci/langlit/writers_bloc.html
Thanks,
Octavio
ESCRIBÍ EN ESPAÑOL UN LIBRO DE 260 PAGINAS, TITULADO “DIOS QUIERE QUE RAZONEMOS” EL CUAL FOMENTA EL BIEN Y CRITICA DURAMENTE A LOS PREDICADORES QUE CON MENTIRAS PERJUDICAN A SUS FIELES.
Dear Editor,
Just now found your website. I’m a transplant from Kansas City, Missouri, and have lived in the Valley now for five years. I’m retired but still actively writing and publishing. I correspond with a critique group of 12 years, in KC, but have started my own group. Would appreciate a mention as a RGV writer and the meeting of my new group, Wild Horse Desert Writers. We meet the first Sat. of the month, (next meeting Nov. 3rd) at the Junction Cafe in McAllen (Business 83 and Cage) at 3 pm. The purpose of the group is to provide a place for writers to gather and discuss informally, poems, what makes a “good” or “great” poem by bringing favorite poems or writers’ own work for feedback. I’ve never seen so many people fearful of any kind of workshop group. This is not primarily a critique group, however, I need feedback on my ongoing work. Others can bring an article on writing or some of their favorite poems or short stories, essays, etc., if there is fear and trepidation of constructive criticism. No problem. The discussions are primary, and learning from each other about individual writing processes, struggles, marketing ideas, etc.
I’ve been publishing since the 70s and have authored three chapbooks, the latest from Finishing Line Press. I’ve been published in over 30 journals and anthologies. Lately I’ve been working on ways to write political poems without sounding like ranting and raving. Not easy. I’d be glad to provide a full bio. Thanks for being here.
Shirley Rickett,
Alamo, TX
Make that meeting place for Wild Horse Desert Writers (WHDW) in the city of Pharr, at Junction Cafe, one block south of Business 83, south side of the street, on Cage. Sorry for the mix-up. First Saturday of each month. Anyone interested in writing poems, short stories, essays, and discussing them whether your own or someone else’s is welcome. Bring literature, articles, your own work in copies of 4 to 5. See you there!
Writers of the Wild Horse Desert group no longer is in operation. I would like to post this:
Saturday, February 9, from 2 to 4 pm, a reading, book-signing followed by a reception at Alamo Palms, 1341 W. Business 83 (next to Alamo Middle School). This is Shirley’s third chapbook, LOVE: Poems for Vintage Song Titles (Finishing Line Press). Please come for an afternoon of romantic, vintage music and poems. Sweets and refreshments. Come to the gate and say you are here for the poetry reading in Tampico Hall and they will direct you.
Thanks,
Shirley