What does “Omen” mean to Apparition Lit?

Greetings and salutations, readers!

For this issue, we welcome the amazing editorial talents of Kevin M. Casin. Kevin founded Tree and Stone magazine, and is in the midst of editing two upcoming issues, all the while traveling for his work as a scientist. He took time out of his busy professional life to meet with the Apparition Lit crew and get started talking about our currently open window for the Omen. 

In addition to Kevin’s occasional courtesy Tarot inspiration, the editors and readers have once again answered the question of what do we hope to see in our submissions. Please read on and get a sign (or a vibe) for what you should send in…

Clarke Doty, Owner/Senior Editor: Ready for this to be Apparition’s great horror issue, Clark is ready for DREAD (capital D).  She’s looking for stories that have bad ends that creep forever forward; no supreme victory of good over evil but with the suspense of not knowing how that end will play out. There can still be hope, or a mix of victory and defeat, but no protag shall come away unscathed. (Bonus reads! For examples, please see: Shirley Jackson (obviously) and not-dead authors Victor LaValle, Tananarive Due, T. Kingfisher, Stephen Graham Jones, Paul Tremblay, Silvia Moreno-Garcia.)

Maria Schrater, Assistant Poetry & Fiction Editor, Submissions Reader: From the mythical classics, to the modern state of a polluted, rapidly-heating planet, Maria is looking for omens that are ambiguous and altered. She’s heralding back to the soothsayers and psychics of yesteryear, interpreting animal deaths and auspices. Are these signs from the Gods? Or mother nature herself? Give Maria a sign, and show her a story where characters put the faith in the unknown…

Rebecca Bennett, Owner/Senior Editor and Cover Art Director: Behold, fair weather, friends! Rebecca is looking for big storms, soggy skys, and bone-chilling cold coming our way. She’s hoping for vague prophecies and ominous fallacies casting shadows on our issue. We should feel it in our bones, dear readers! We are waiting for the onslaught of rain and wind…

Tamoha Sengupta, Submissions Reader: Never one to shy away from a grand scale, Tamoha is ready for parallel universes and the symbology of pairs. Picture two universes, two timelines, where one world shapes the other. Perhaps a planet where there are stories set in the past and the future simultaneously, and these layers all combine in this life or the next…Big implications for characters and the vastness of time and space! 

Tacoma Tomilson, Owner/Senior Editor: Taco is also looking for the horrifying (see: Clarke’s dreadful answer), but she’s also the first editor to step up and say there’s plenty of room for positive signs in this issue, too. Good omens, good signs, good vibes. Not happy stories, mind you – we at Apparition are always craving the complex and never shy away from the sad- but rather now is the time to send stories that flip our expectations for this call…

Kevin M. Casin, Omen Guest Editor: Our divining guest editor Kevin is looking for stories that show us diverse practices from the world over; stories that open the door for new creatures created in cultural context. Show us what omens look like in practice, with its wide and wonderful implications, in ways that you don’t traditionally see in mainstream markets. 

Marie Baca Villa, Assistant Editor, Submissions Reader: Vampires. Definitely vampires.

Amy Henry Robinson, Owner/Senior Editor, Poetry Editor: Always the optimistic one, Amy is also ready for good omens, good signs and positive takes. For once, we are ready for a happy ending. She’s also looking for omens in the mundane; symbols found in everyday life; and signs based in everyday reality. A cat’s meow, the jingling of keys…a knock on the door. You know, the usual….

There you have it, folks! We are open until the 31st for short stories and poetry, and we are always excited to see what you whip up!

Until next time, friends!

Blog Photo by Austin Chan on Unsplash