Upcoming Lao American Book: The Fighting Winds of Destiny

Our community can look forward to a debut book from Lao Minnesotan author Anita Nina Teso later this year: "The Fighting Winds of Destiny." Called an "Amazing Story about Tough Times and Inspirations. Based On A Real Life Story."

It is being published by Tate Publishing. More details will be forthcoming in the months ahead.

New Lao Minnesotan book: The Wolf and the Moon and Other Lao Folktales

Over at the Lao Assistance Center, executive director Sunny Chanthanouvong and cultural anthropologist David Zander worked together on a new book, "The Wolf and the Moon and other Lao Folktales." The layout, design and production by the students of the Design and Graphics Technologies Department of the Dunwoody College of Technology.

The collection was made possible by a story circle grant from the Bush Foundation, the Minnesota Humanities Center and support from the Lao Assistance Center. The suggested donation is $5 and delivery is currently only available in Minnesota.

 It's divided into four sections: Animal tales; Fairy tales, wisdom & magic; Wisdom stories; and Lao Buddhist principles for living. It also includes background notes on the Lao in Minnesota. Of particular note are folktales from Chanida Phaengdara Potter and her mother featured in the booklet.

2014 Magazine Markets for Lao Speculative Literature Writers

It's a fresh new fiscal year for various for-profit and non-profit magazines. Here's a beginning round-up of markets emerging and experienced writers of Lao science fiction, fantasy, and horror can consider submitting work to.

In comparison to previous years, 2014 appears to be a year of serious contraction in the field, with many publications closing down or at least, not taking new submissions for the time being. Others have been excluded in the current round-up because they don't really meet even the minimum standards for acceptable presentation of an author's work. This

As we point out every year: Some pay, some do not. Naturally, of those who do pay, some pay well, and others barely provide enough for a cup of cyber-coffee and bus ride home.

But the markets listed below are still currently or will be accepting writing in the future.  Some may be more receptive to stories that have overtly Lao or Southeast Asian American elements to them, but this is the sort of thing one finds out only by applying.

Remember, do your research and read a few issues ahead of time to get a feeling for whether or not your work would be a good fit with them. Don't send science fiction splatterpunk short stories to a journal that only accepts fantasy poetry, for example.

As always, caveat scriptor: Most have been vetted for reliability and good terms regarding their publishing rights and professionalism, but one should do their research on other writers experiences with them when you can. Most of these journals should provide interesting opportunities and good homes for many of your works.

Good luck!

365 Tomorrows http://www.365tomorrows.com/ 

Allegory http://www.allegoryezine.com/   

Analog http://analogsf.com/0611/issue_11.shtml 

Andromeda Spaceways http://www.andromedaspaceways.com

AntipodeanSF http://www.antisf.com/  

Apex http://apex-magazine.com 

Aphelion http://www.aphelion-webzine.com/   

Asimov's http://www.asimovs.com/  

Aurealis http://aurealis.com.au/ 

Bewildering Stories http://www.bewilderingstories.com/  

Big Pulp http://www.bigpulp.com/   

Digital Dragon Magazine http://www.digitaldragonmagazine.com  

Expanded Horizons http://www.expandedhorizons.net 

Fabulist http://www.the-fabulist.org 

Fantasy and Science Fiction http://www.sfsite.com/fsf/   

Future Fire http://www.futurefire.net/   

Goblin Fruit http://www.goblinfruit.net 

Grantville Gazette http://www.grantvillegazette.com/   

Ideomacer http://www.ideomancer.com/   

Innsmouth Free Press http://www.innsmouthfreepress.com

Journal of Unlikely Entomology: http://unlikely-story.com/

Jupiter Science Fiction http://www.jupitersf.co.uk/  

Kaleidotrope http://www.kaleidotrope.net/  

Lakeside Circus: http://www.lakesidecircus.com  

Leading Edge Magazine http://www.leadingedgemagazine.com/  

Lightspeed Magazine http://www.lightspeedmagazine.com 

Lontar: www.lontarjournal.com 

On Spec http://www.onspec.ca/  

Quantum Muse http://www.quantummuse.com/   

Revolution Science Fiction http://revolutionsf.com/   

Shimmer http://www.shimmerzine.com/  

Space and Time http://spaceandtimemagazine.com/wp/  

Space Squid http://www.spacesquid.com/   

Strange Horizons http://www.strangehorizons.com/ 

Tales of the Unanticipated http://www.totu-ink.com 

TTA http://www.ttapress.com/ 

Uncanny Magazine (Coming soon in Fall, 2014)    

Vestal Review http://www.vestalreview.net/  

If you have additional journals to suggest, please share them in the comments below!

Lao Minnesotan Writers Summit is a go!

In exciting news for Lao writers everywhere, the organizers of the Lao Minnesotan Writers Summit announced that a $10,000 award was recently secured for use in 2015.

The Minnesota Metropolitan Regional Arts Council approved an award to convene the Writers Summit, tentatively scheduled for April 18-20 in Minneapolis. The location will most likely be near North Minneapolis where many of the 12,000+ Lao Minnesotans reside since the beginning of the Lao Diaspora.

The grant requires the Lao Minnesotan Writers Summit to raise at least $1,000 in additional matching funds, while ideally raising $15,000 for the full budget. This activity is possible in part from an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature from the Minnesota arts and cultural heritage fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Organizer Bryan Thao Worra said "It is exciting to know that we will be able to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Lao diaspora with an event like this." The organizers are convening this to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the SatJaDham Lao Literary Project. The summit will in part serve to remember the deeply influential project on the arts and cultural reconstruction of the Lao in Diaspora.

The national AWP conference takes place April 8-11th, and the timing for the summit was selected to allow community members the opportunity to attend both events. The timing is also very close to the Lao Minnesotan New Year.

The Lao Minnesotan Writers Summit will convene community writing workshops during the 9 months leading up to the gathering. In recent past years, Lao Minnesotans have been working together to present many new books and performances. This includes Saymoukda Vongsay's "Kung Fu Zombies vs. Cannibals" to "The Wolf and the Moon" a collection of Lao folktales collected by anthropologist David Zander and the Lao Assistance Center, as well as Little Laos on the Prairie editor Chanida Phaengdara Potter and her mother.

It will be 5 years since the National Lao American Writers Summit took place in 2010 at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. Many of the participants then went on to national acclaim and performing across the country. Spoken word artist Catzie Vilayphonh of the duo Yellow Rage has gone on to lead the upcoming Laos in the House Project in Philadelphia. Oscar-nominated director and artist Thavisouk Phrasavath received an Emmy for his film The Betrayal (Nerakhoon). Bryan Thao Worra went on to represent Laos during the 2012 London Summer Games as a Cultural Olympian. Artist and author Nor Sanavongsay released his debut children's book, "A Sticky Mess," based on the Lao folk hero of Xieng Mieng.

Thao Worra said "For my Lao American artist colleagues, I hope this serves in part as a vindication and a validation of your work, I hope that you see it as an affirmation that there is a space for the Lao voice within the world. Keep creating, keep innovating, keep reaching for the best within yourselves and all living beings."