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Hello everyone!
Just a quick note to let you know that we have decided to extend the submission deadline for the second volume of our Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology.
Our new deadline is April 30, 2024.
So, if you were thinking of submitting to us, here is your chance!
We cannot wait to read your stories!
Have a wonderful week!
Cendrine & David
Hello everyone,
We hope that you had a wonderful holiday season. We wish you the best for 2024!
We have some news regarding our magazine. The minimum number of qualifying entries for issue 2 has not been reached. As a matter of fact, we received so many irrelevant submissions that we almost missed the few great ones that landed in our inbox!
As you can imagine, this was not fun for us. Writing this post is not our idea of fun either.
We do not believe in censoring people. Everyone is allowed to write on the topic(s) of their choice. However, if your goal is to be published in a magazine, you must be willing to read and follow guidelines. Editors cannot bend over backwards to accommodate you without potentially compromising the quality and integrity of their editorial policy.
Like any other platform that runs a magazine and / or anthology series, Auroras & Blossoms has very specific rules in place. One of them is: family-friendly, uplifting, and inspiring content only.
And yet, many seem to think that we should accept anything that goes counter to that particular rule.
We cannot prevent spammy submissions or unacceptable demands from reaching our inbox. However, we have the right to state that what the people who send them are doing is a disservice to their fellow creatives.
Two years ago, when we had to deal with similar issues, we were forced to take a long break in order to evaluate our options. We almost closed A&B as a result.
Let us tell you this: It will not happen again!
While we would love to continue publishing as many creatives as we possibly can, we have to be honest. We are tired of bad behaviors. Our time is also limited, so we need to ensure that it is managed properly. That is the reason why we have decided to become more selective.
You sent us a very large number of beautiful haiku/senryu for our Haiku Anthology Series in 2023. Each submitter was kind, professional and respectful. As a matter of fact, it was our most pleasant experience as editors in four years.
As huge fans of haiku and senryu ourselves, we believe that our magazine would benefit from turning its focus towards these specific forms.
So, from today onwards, we will only consider submissions of haiku and senryu for our magazine. Our submission guidelines have been edited to reflect that change.
With that said, for those interested in sending us other types of poetry, as well as stories, you are more than welcome to apply to become a contributor to our yearly PoArtMo Anthology Series. Our flagship publication is not going anywhere! One note of caution, though. Spots are limited to only a few participants every year.
Have a wonderful day!
Hello everyone!
Since the release of our first Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology, many of you have emailed us to ask when submissions would open for a second volume.
Our initial plan was to start accepting entries at the beginning of January. But your excitement is contagious. 😜
So, this is our official announcement: The Warm Mug of Cozy Anthology is back in session!
Our submission call is open to anyone at least 17 years of age, including emerging authors and never-published writers.
Language: English only.
Theme: No restriction, as long as your story follows the classic rules of Cozy Mystery.
Fee: $5 per story, up to 5 stories per participant.
Maximum length per story: 5,000 words.
Payment to selected contributors: PDF copy of anthology + ongoing royalties (2% per published story).
To read our complete guidelines and submit to us,
Hello everyone,
Today marks a new milestone in the Auroras & Blossoms journey. Our magazine is officially back!
The Auroras & Blossoms Magazine: Issue 1 features poetry and stories by Dianne Alvine, Kristen Balyeat, Lisa Braxton, Clare Chai, Sian Clutton, Mackenzie Davis, Jazzy Goncalves, Louis Hill, Jacob Kolasch, Ashley Lima, Maureen Y. Palmer, Marley Ramon, Marjolein Rotsteeg, and Ba Seoighe.
The winner of this issue’s best submission is Jacob Kolasch. You do not want to miss his interview, which is also included!
The Auroras & Blossoms Magazine: Issue 1 is available as an ebook for $1.99 per copy. Click below to order it at your favorite online store.
NB: We do not accept direct payment for the anthology. You have to purchase directly from one of the online stores on the page. That is how our contributors can be paid.
That’s it for today. Have a wonderful week!
——
Interested in being in the next issue of our magazine? We would love to hear from you! Click the image below for more information.
Hello everyone!
Welcome to our PoArtMo Anthology Series, which celebrates the artists whose work appears in The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 4.
Today’s guest is Azelle Elric. She contributed pieces of art to our anthology.
Auroras & Blossoms: Tell us all about the inspiration behind your pieces.
Firstly, thank you very much for this collab! To work with you all on a PoArtMo Anthology is always a pleasure!
In most of my drawings, I am inspired by Art Nouveau artistic movement and Mucha’s symbolism, particularly long-stylized, wavering hair that I find calming to draw! “Rapunzel” is my own little challenge to draw an illustration inspired by a fairy tale. Using pencil and blending stump was particularly satisfying in an attempt to transcribe a magical/ethereal atmosphere (or so I hope at least LOL!).
A&B: How does a poem, story or creative piece of art begin for you? Does it start with an image, a form or a particular theme?
Most of the time it happens by accident, with papers and inks, or whatever is in my kitchen. “What if I put turmeric powder on a wet blank paper?” “What about mixing tea and blue ink?” lol! There are a lot of random results in my creations, I find it particularly entertaining to mix several techniques and see the final results of these experimentations! It is all the more entertaining, since these results would be totally different while using the same products from one work to another.
A&B: What is your own artistic background?
While looking back at my artistic path, I can pinpoint two main influences in my artistic work, Mucha who is one of my favourite artist and Japanese animation.
I admire everything about Mucha’s artwork: his use of colours, his precise and delicate style, his wonderful ability, and facility to suggest movements and fluidity within a static picture! “Cycles Perfecta” (an advertising poster for a British company manufacturing bicycles) is a perfect example. The female figure with its stylised wavering golden hair suggests both motion and trepidation, while riding a bike.
The second pillar of my artistic growth is without a doubt Japanese animation and Japanese culture. Since childhood, Japanese animation always fascinated me because of its storytelling and their designs that I found more aesthetic than most Western productions (even now I still think the same way! I am not very objective on that, LOL!)
For instance, CLAMP is for me an amazing Japanese collective art group of four female mangaka. I found their artwork absolutely fabulous! It is a beautiful artistic parallel with Mucha and the Art nouveau artistic movement.
A&B: Does your work have any specific themes or social commentary we should identify with?
Not really! It is just a need to doodle at first, I really love to experiment with things. Maybe I have a real interest with feminine faces and their transformations.
I love to challenge myself, since 2010 I try my best to do one doodle a day, the easiest thing to draw was feminine faces with floating hair (LOL!). Several weeks ago, one of my friends told me that my art was interesting, since while drawing more or less the same type of things, the results were always different.
So, I ask of myself to push my own limits and discover new artistic techniques: pencils, fountain pens, pens, watercolour pencils, calligraphic pens, ink, coffee, or tea stains…all of these materials I have dabbled with, and it has been an amazing journey for me. However, I have never tried collages, digital drawings or digital paintings though. Maybe I should have a try at them one of these days. After all, the first step is always the hardest but the most rewarding!
A&B: Tell us the most positive and uplifting advice you have been given while working as a creative person.
The most uplifting advice? Maybe “never give up” or “do what you love”, two pieces of advice given by my best friend a long time ago. It is plain and simple. To be original among other artists in these times when social media networks spread at top speed is difficult and complicated!
However, if I could add my own artistic touch among other artists and to be able to brighten the day of someone looking at my art, I would be extremely grateful for these opportunities.
Azelle Elric is a happy French girl who loves cats, Japanese animation, and drawing.
Website: https://www.instagram.com/elric_azelle
Azelle, thank you for answering our questions and supporting Auroras & Blossoms! We know that people will love your work as much as we do!
The Auroras & Blossoms PoArtMo Anthology: Volume 4 is available! Click here to purchase your copy.
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