KARI ANN FLICKINGER MEMORIAL LITERARY PRIZE Submission Period May 15 – JULY 15 2023

The inaugural Kari Ann Flickinger Literary Prize 2023, which has been established to honour the life and artistry of poetry, artist and musician, Kari Flickinger will be for a poetry chapbook. Entries will be accepted between May 15th and July 15th 2023 and is open globally to poets over the age of 30. This prize is made possible by the exceptional generosity of Bill Abney, Kari Ann Flickinger’s partner and Rare Swan Press is hugely appreciative of his partnership and patronage.

SPECIAL GUEST JUDGE

Jessica Barksdale Inclán

Jessica Barksdale Inclán

Jessica Barksdale Inclán is the author of 16 novels, including the award-winning The Burning Hour as well as Her Daughter’s Eyes, The Matter of Grace, and When You Believe. Her debut poetry collection, When We Almost Drowned, was published in March 2019. A Pushcart Prize, Million Writers Award, and Best-of-the-Net nominee, Barksdale Inclán was an English professor at Diablo Valley College in Pleasant Hill, California, for 31 years, and continues to teach novel writing for UCLA Extension and the MFA program for Southern New Hampshire University. She holds an MA in English Literature from San Francisco State University and an MFA from the Rainier Writers Workshop at Pacific Lutheran University. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Jessica now lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband.

Her latest book What The Moon Did is out now from Flexible Press

” Kari Flickinger was a true poet, a glory and guts poet, a poet who strung up words and made them sing. A words poet. A shape poet. A poet who knew story and structure. A poet who knew beauty when she saw it. I’m not sure why this jolted me every time I read her work. As one of her early teachers, I had the privilege of watching her learn and grow. By the years close to her death, she was blurbing my work; the relationship come full circle. We will miss her voice and words in the world, and I will miss her so, her eyes wide open and waiting or the next spark. “ Jessica Barksdale Inclán

SPECIAL GUEST READER AND ADJUDICATOR

Mark Antony Owen

Syllabic poet Mark Antony Owen is the author of Subruria, – an unfolding digital-only poetry project, as well as creator and curator of both, quarterly online journal and poet-library iamb, and ekphrastic journal After … Mark’s poems have appeared in various print and digital journals and anthologies. He’s been a guest judge, and invited editor and interviewee, for several prizes, publications and podcasts. You can follow Mark on Twitter @MarkAntonyOwen, keep up to date with his projects and journals at @Subruria, @iambapoet, and @after_poetry

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

In this inaugural biennial KARI ANN FLICKINGER MEMORIAL LITERARY PRIZE competition, we ask for submissions of a poetry chapbook. The winning entry will be published in A5 format with a full complement of about 52 pages in total. Please ensure that the manuscript itself does not exceed 48 pages in length. As regards theme and style, there are no restrictions and we welcome originality and innovative which do not overly complicate production procedures.

SUBMISSION PERIOD May 15th – July 1th 2023

  • 1. Manuscripts can include poems of length; pages however, not to exceed 48 pages.
  • 2. Each manuscript must be free of any identifying information as the adjudicators and the judge read submissions blind and judging is strictly anonymous.
  • 3. Title page to feature manuscript title only with no dedication.
  • 4. For readability, please keep text in a legible font ( 11 point ).
  • 5. List all other contact information in the “cover letter”.
  • 6. The competition is open globally to poets writing in English. Mature poets are especially welcome.
  • 7. The manuscript may be submitted simultaneously to other publishers. PLEASE STATE CLEARLY in your cover Letter if this is the case. We expect to be notified of acceptance elsewhere immediately, otherwise the entry will be disqualified.
  • 8. The entry fee of €15.00 ( or local currency equivalent ) enables both the continued administration of the competition, supports a modest gratuity fee for the guest judge and adjudicator who give of their time and expertise, as well as to facilitate future adjunct prizes and features. Rare Swan Press receives no financial remuneration for administering this prize. The financial oversight of this prize is handed over to an independent accountant and is bound by Swiss financial law.
  • 9. AI-assisted or AI- generated work is ineligible. Should AI- text be found among the submissions, the entry will be immediately disqualified. Anyone thinking to exploit this literary prize as a ‘test’ will face serious repercussions as we currently hold AI-assisted texts / submissions, in the context of this competition and the premise and values of Rare Swan Press and Literati Magazine, to be fraudulent.
  • A winner will be announced in late Autumn. Any commentary by the judge and adjudicator on the selected manuscripts is solely at their discretion.

NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER

We are aware of how closely knit and intimate the poetry community is and that invariably among the finalists and the selected winner, there may well be a name familiar to us. As this competition is open to a global audience of writers and poets, it is predicated on transparency, fairness and good faith. I would like to clarify that as I process the incoming entries initially, and as such will have access to personal identifying information connected to the entries, all such identifying information will be held from the intermediary, who will be sent the manuscripts only and from whom, the Special Guest Reader & Adjudicator, Mark Antony Owen will receive the initial submissions. His adjudicated selection of a “Long List” will be passed forward directly to Ms Jessica Barksdale Inclán.

As publisher and host of this prize, I will only be made aware of the names of the Finalists and the Winner, once the Judge’s decision has been made.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE RELEVANT LINKS BELOW TO SECURE YOUR ENTRIES

WE LOOK FORWARD TO READING YOUR WORK. WELCOME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT

We are proud to be a member of the Community of Literary Magazines & Presses.

Rare Swan Press CLMP Member

THE KARI ANN FLICKINGER MEMORIAL PRIZE 2023 for a Poetry Chapbook

The entry fee of €15.00 (or local currency equivalent) enables both the continued administration of the competition, supports a modest gratuity fee for the guest judge and adjudicator, each of whom give generously of their time and expert. Portion of the entry fee proceeds are paid into a specific Memorial fund to facilitate future adjunct prizes.

TO MAINTAIN LOW AFFORDABLE ENTRY FEES WE ARE NOT USING SUBMITTABLE

✓ Rare Swan Press receives no financial remuneration for administering this prize.

✓ The financial oversight of this prize is handed over to an independent accountant.

✓ Accounting is bound by Swiss financial laws.

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR MANUSCRIPT WITH A COVER LETTER BELOW ONCE YOU HAVE SUBMITTED YOUR ENTRY FEE. YOU WILL RECEIVE AN EMAIL CONFIRMATION.

15.00

Please include your name and contact details in your email cover letter ONLY. All submissions are read and adjudicated blind.

EMAIL

Rare Swan Press adheres to the CLMP Contest Code of Ethics.

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