Conium is on break (but we’ve got exciting plans ahead)

Mar 13, 2022

CONIUM is taking a break.

But this isn’t the end. Here’s a peak at what comes next.

Dear Readers & Writers,

Conium is taking a break. The ebb and flow of a regularly published periodical is grueling. As managing editor, I haven’t had a real break in a while. But this isn’t the end. After a decade of publishing, it’s time to breathe, reflect, and take Conium to new places.

Looking ahead, I want to dedicate Conium to more standalone, single-author titles. I also want to spend time workshopping and interrogating those titles, moving through richer editorial conversations on every project. This is what I love most about editing, and I want to be more hands-on with each book Conium produces. Of course, that takes time. In our normal submission cycle, time is a luxury. A hiatus lets me catch up and plan ahead.

While there will not be a new issue of The Conium Review in 2022, there are other projects in the pipeline. I’m working on editorial notes for some potential chapbooks, including one from a Lambda Award winning author. I’m also rereading the entire back catalog of The Conium Review with the goal of curating a retrospective anthology. These projects aren’t finalized yet, but it provides a glimpse into some possibilities.

I see 2022 as a year without many new Conium Press titles—maybe even zero. However, this is the quiet before the storm. This year gives time and space for me to recommit to the work. I’m excited to plan the next phase of Conium, and I hope to announce a couple new books for 2023 soon. To stay informed about future projects, please subscribe to the newsletter. In the meantime, thanks for reading, writing, and supporting small presses.

Sincerely,
James R. Gapinski
Managing Editor

ACLU donations at our AWP table

Feb 6, 2017

The 2017 AWP Conference is just a couple days away. We’ll be exhibiting at table 548-T, and we’re co-hosting an off-site event on Thursday, February 9th.

This year’s conference is in Washington, DC. Meanwhile, a few blocks from the convention center, a misygonistic xenophone sits in the white house. Consequently, this year’s AWP must be about more than schmoozing and afterparties.

We’re a socially responsible publisher, and we typically donate copies of our print-runs to charities like Housing Works Bookstore Cafe and Open Books. At this year’s AWP Conference, we’re going a step further. We are donating 10% of all AWP sales to the American Civil Liberties Union. Just a couple weeks into the Trump presidency, and the ACLU has already challenged the Trump administration’s actions in court. The ACLU has along history of demanding equal rights and fighting for our basic feedoms, and we’re proud to offer whatever support we can.

On a related note, we hope you’ll consider attending Saturday’s Candlelight Vigil for Free Speech. The vigil will take place at Lafayette Park, directly across from the White House. It is just a short walk from the convention center. The vigil starts at 6:15pm. Hand-held signs only and no large bags allowed (leave that AWP tote bag in your hotel room). Speakers include Kazim Ali, Gabrielle Bellot, Melissa Febos, Carolyn Forché, Ross Gay, Luis J. Rodriguez, and Eric Sasson.

If you know of any other vigils, protests, or other political events taking place during the AWP Conference, please e-mail us with the details.

Stephen Graham Jones will be our 2017 Innovative Short Fiction Contest judge!

Dec 18, 2016

We’re pleased to announce our next Innovative Short Fiction Contest judge: Stephen Graham Jones. This guy is a writing machine. He’s published over twenty books, including Demon Theory, The Last Final Girl, Growing Up Dead in Texas, After the People Lights Have Gone Off, and others. His most recent book is the novel Mongrels. He teaches at the University of Colorado.

The winner receives $500, publication in The Conium Review, five contributor copies, and a copy of the judge’s latest book.

The Conium Review 2017 Innovative Short Fiction Contest opens for submissions on February 1st, 2017. The deadline is May 1st, 2017. Full guidelines are available here.

Matt Tompkins discusses “Why I Write” at Fiction Southeast

Jun 26, 2016

Conium Press author Matt Tompkins recently wrote a brief essay for Fiction Southeast‘s “Why I Write” column. He discusses an early love of books, and how books were always there for him as a child; Matt notes that “books never mocked, never judged, never shrugged, never slurred, always answered.” He goes on to discuss his later evolution from reader to writer, exploring creative text as “a way to process, reflect, and integrate my own experience.” Read the full essay here.

Matt is the author of Souvenirs and Other Stories and Studies in Hybrid Morphology. He works in a library and lives in upstate New York.

Souvenirs giveaway on Twitter!

Jun 10, 2016

Souvenirs and Other Stories releases on June 15th. Through the book’s launch period, we’ll be giving away free prizes on Twitter!

New prizes will be offered each week (spoiler alert: most prizes will be books).

To enter, simply Tweet something about Souvenirs and tag @ConiumReview in your Tweet. This should be a real Tweet that helps spread the word about Souvenirs. You could share a links to our website, Goodreads, Amazon, or whatever. Maybe share a picture. Come up with a jingle. It’s your choice, but make sure your post showcases at least five seconds of actual effort.

Most of the time, one Tweet will count as one entry. However, if we really like your Tweet, we may arbitrarily award you a bonus entry!

You may also increase your odds of winning by Tweeting more than once, but please space out your Tweets over several days. Do not spam. Seriously. Nobody likes spam.

And if we find out that you’ve created fake accounts to boost your odds of winning, you’ll be disqualified. Our prizes are just books, so relax. It’s not like you’ll be winning a million bucks. No need to cheat here.

We’ll make a numbered list of each entry and then roll a d20 or use a random number generator or something. If you’re a winner, we’ll contact you on Twitter and ask for your mailing address. We’ll only mail printed books to winners in the United States. If you live internationally, we can offer free digital copies instead.

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