"...over our heads will float the Blue Bird singing of beautiful and
impossible things, of things that are lovely and that never happen,
of things that are not and that should be."
--Oscar Wilde," The Decay of Lying"
Subscription Information
Thank you for your interest in When the Blue Bird Sings--and in
Oscar Wilde!
When the Blue Bird Sings is a privately printed, privately distributed,
bimonthly magazine (February, April, June, August, October, December)
dedicated to celebrating Oscar Wilde and his world. We constantly seek
high-quality articles, artwork, short stories (fiction and non-fiction),
commentaries and short drama from fans of the Irish author and playwright
to entertain and inspire you. In the past, we have accepted some extremely
diverse articles and artwork, for Blue Bird serves an extremely diverse
audience.
Oscar was a multi-faceted, fascinating man and so Blue Bird's focus is
very broad. We talk about everything related to his birth, childhood, life,
parents, Irish heritage/folklore, career, wit, humor, trials, imprisonment,
sexuality, American tour, marriage, tastes in decorating, burial, biographies,
current or past popularity, literature, plays and poetry, people who knew
him, Victorian society, dress, stagecraft, values, or his influence on your
own life. On our pages you might run into a fantastical conversation
between Oscar and Constance--or Oscar and Bosie--in the spirit world. Next
might come a discussion of the various versions of Earnest that have been
produced in America and Britain. Next might come something called "Oscar
Made Me Buy It," which reveals a few of the products--past and present--that
have used Wilde's name or reputation as a marketing ploy.
We also try to keep you up to date with things currently out there
regarding Oscar. For instance, how would he have felt earlier this year
about the plaque dedicated to him in Poet's Corner in Westminster? Are
there any books coming out on him in the next few months? What about current
collectibles, like coffee mugs or notepaper or heaven-knows-what?
You'll find all things related to Oscariana within our pages, but
no flames. We also do not print any R- or X-rated material; no age
statement is required to purchase the magazine. Our purpose is to celebrate
and honor the man, not to hurt him or those who love him. So come join in
the fun, and don't be afraid to contribute and/or comment!
Writers' Information and Guidelines
When the Blue Bird Sings is a bimonthly magazine dedicated to celebrating
Oscar Wilde and his world. We constantly seek high-quality articles, artwork,
short stories (fiction and non-fiction), commentaries and short drama from
fans of the Irish author and playwright. In the past, we have accepted
some extremely diverse articles and artwork, for we serve an extremely
diverse audience.
In short, if you have anything to say or draw that's related to
Wilde, please send it along. Our focus is very broad, so your subject
matter could be about his birth, childhood, life, parents, Irish
heritage/folklore, career, wit, humor, trials, imprisonment, sexuality,
American tour, marriage, tastes in decorating, burial, biographies, current
or past popularity, literature, plays and poetry, people who knew him,
Victorian society, dress, stagecraft, values, or his influence on your own
life--all is within the realm of what we publish. Anything on any subject
is welcome, as long as the focus is on Oscar Wilde or his world, and your
love and/or appreciation of the man is evident through your submission.
Literary or biographic criticism is welcome, as long as you don't move
into flaming. We're a pretty easy-going group, so don't be intimidated by
anything you see here. And if you have questions, please ask!
One word of caution: a lot of stuff out there on Wilde is in
copyright. As a rule of thumb, anything 100 years old or more of Wilde's or
relating to him is probably out of copyright--except his letters, Lord
Douglas's letters, and a few other things. If you are a writer, be sure to
cite your sources so that we can print them, check them, or ask permission to
reprint if permission is needed. The same holds true for artists: if your
work is derivative of any other--for example, based on something Aubrey
Beardsley or Punch did--cite your sources.
ISSUE SUBMISSION DEADLINE
February January 1
April March 1
June May 1
August July 1
October September 1
December November 1
1. Of necessity, we have a firm limit of up to 7,500 words. We prefer
3,500 to 4,000 words, but up to 7,500 is all right if you have a lot to say.
2. We are a new magazine and at this time our printing budget allows us to
offer our writers and artists a byline and two contributor's copies of
their work. As our subscriptions grow, we hope to be able to start paying
our contributors.
3. We ask for only first or second magazine rights from writers and
artists. This means that you are always free to sell and publish your
work elsewhere after it is accepted by or appears in "Blue Bird." The
copyright always belongs to you.
4. We do not print R- or X-rated language or descriptions. If you include
it in your submission and that submission is accepted for publication, we
reserve the right to edit out any words or phrases that might offend some
members of our audience.
5. We accept reprints of your work, and simultaneous submissions are
all right. Electronic submissions (through email or on diskette) are fine.
We can take any size diskette. Our Internet email address is
<berwick@aug.com>.
6. Please double space your manuscript with 1-inch margins all around the
page. Put the title, your name, and page number at the top of each page.
Using letter-quality paper, type or print the work in Courier (12 point or
10 pitch) type on a laser printer or dot-matrix printer with dark ink. Please
don't use erasable bond, onion skin, or any other translucent paper. Please
don't justify the right margin. Underline any phrases in the manuscript
that should appear in italic; don't actually use italic.
7. Please enclose a cover letter explaining the submission. Be sure to
include your mailing address and phone number.
8. If your submission is accompanied by artwork or photographs, please
submit COPIES with the manuscript. When your submission is accepted, we'll
request the originals for reproduction.
9. SEND COPIES OF YOUR WORK; NEVER SEND THE ORIGINAL!
10. We take care with everything that comes in, but we cannot assume
responsibility for returning manuscripts if you don't include postage
with them. Please include an SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope)
with sufficient return postage if you want the manuscript returned to you, or
if you want us to reply via the U.S. mail. If you don't hear from us within
six weeks, we are probably holding the submission for probable use and will
get back to you as soon as we can.
If you have more questions, please let us know. You can reach us at:
ATTN: C. Platt, Editor
"Bluebird"
Kimberwicke Enterprises
P.O. Box 1114
St. Augustine, FL 32085-1114 USA
Phone: (904) 823-9837
FAX: Same as above
(call between 8:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. EST, and we'll connect)
Email: berwick@aug.com
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