AOIFE'S KISS
is pleased to announce that the online editions of its magazine will include a department for readers aged 8 to 15, called "Kisses For Kids." It will feature short stories, poems, and art, as well as brief essays on science and the environment, interviews, quizzes, contests, [and, quite frankly, anything else that is genre-oriented and will help encourage the younger generation to read...and to dream]. AOIFE'S KISS hopes that younger writers and artists, as well as adults, will submit their work.The genres for "Kisses For Kids" include fantasy, science fiction, and a category we are going to define as 'shadow stories'. Shadow stories are mild horror. If you'll forgive me for this, we are looking less for blood and gore, and more for snot. Shadow stories should make the younger reader say, "Ewwww! Gross!" Or, to put it another way, we want campfire stories that will allow you to sleep in the tent afterwards. We want spooky, not terrifying.
The guidelines for submissions to "Kisses For Kids" are simple and straightforward. Here they are:
What we want:
The "Kisses For Kids" department of AOIFE'S KISS will consider---
genre stories of up to 1500 words. We would prefer them under 1000.
poetry of up to 25 lines.
art, in color or black-and-white
essays of up to 800 words.
interviews and articles of up to 800 words
"Kisses For Kids" will accept reprints, provided they are identified as such, provided you have the rights to the work, and provided you tell us where and when the submission was first published.
What we DO NOT want:
NO "bad language". This includes cussing, swearing, and those wonderful hyphenated words you use when you whack your thumb with a hammer. You know what they are. I don't have to tell you. Also, no racial epithets. You know what those are, too.
NO sex. Your characters may kiss, or fall in love, or get married, but that's all.
What we ALMOST DO NOT want:
NO drugs, unless there are severe and very clear consequences to the character involved with them.
NO sexist language. I said 'almost'. It is quite typical of boys of a certain age to say things like, "She can't do that, she's just a girl." Usually, in real life, such statements are preludes to valuable and sometimes painful lessons learned. So it must be in the fiction you submit to "Kisses For Kids."
The AOIFE'S KISS staff of "Kisses For Kids" includes the following individuals---
Tyree Campbell, the Editor of AOIFE'S KISS
Jennifer Cawthorne, Assistant Editor for "Kisses For Kids," who is a former schoolteacher.
Cathy Buburuz, who serves unaccredited on the staff, and whose experience at working with younger readers makes her an indispensable asset to this effort.
Payment:
AOIFE'S KISS will pay $1.00 for each accepted submission. We realize this is not a lot of money, but we are operating on a limited budget at this time.
How to submit your work:
Please submit stories and essays [and articles, etc] as RTF attachments to aoifekissmag@att.net . Please write "Kisses For Kids" in the subject line of your e-mail, so that we know which department should receive the submission.
Please submit poems in the body of the e-mail to aoifekissmag@att.net . Again, please write "Kisses For Kids" in the subject line.
Please submit art as a jpeg attachment to aoifekissmag@att.net . Again, please write "Kisses For Kids" in the subject line.
If AOIFE'S KISS accepts your submission to "Kisses For Kids," we will ask for your mailing address so that we may send your payment. We will also ask for a brief bio of the writer or artist.
If you have any questions about this, or about "Kisses For Kids" or AOIFE'S KISS, please e-mail them to aoifekissmag@att.net .