Gunpowder Press is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary organization located in Santa Barbara, California, founded in 2013 by David Starkey. Our name is a nod to our city's namesake, Saint Barbara, the patron saint of gunpowder.
As a member of the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses, Gunpowder Press believes that ethical contests serve our shared goal: to connect writers and readers by publishing exceptional writing.
We value the community we find in poetry. Gunpowder Press is honored to have published many poets we know, especially within the Shoreline Voices Project anthologies or in Anacapa Review. The most meaningful support for poetry comes from poets. We want everyone to feel welcome here.
All submissions to Gunpowder Press are considered by the editors (David Starkey and Chryss Yost). For some book contests, there may be additional readers or a final guest judge. For any contest with a cash award, we request that poets who are close friends or students (current or former) of the editors, readers, and/or the final judge refrain from entering. Each person choosing to enter a Gunpowder Press book contest can be confident that their manuscript is given fair consideration.
Read more about the history of Gunpowder Press on our website. We look forward to reading your work.
Gunpowder Press, in partnership with Letras Latinas, invites all Latinx poets who are current residents of the United States (age 18+) to submit to the Alta California Chapbook Prize contest. This contest is open to poets of all levels, published or unpublished, who self-identify as Latinx.
The winning poet will receive $1000.00, publication in a bilingual edition, 10 copies of the chapbook, and a reading in Santa Barbara, California. Letras Latinas, the literary initiative at Notre Dame's Institute for Latino Studies, will fund the winner's travel and lodging for an in-person reading in Santa Barbara upon publication of the chapbook. Enter via Submittable.
- Poems may be submitted in English or Spanish (Spanglish is welcome!)
- The selected manuscript will be published in both English and Spanish.
How to submit: Entry fee is $20 and includes a copy of the winning chapbook ($15 option for entry only). Submit 8-12 pages of poetry (no more than one poem per page) in Word .doc or .docx or .pdf format. Entries must be sent through Submittable. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, and please notify us immediately if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere. Please include a table of contents and a page which acknowledges previous publication of individual poems. Gunpowder Press will provide translation for the manuscripts selected for publication. This contest is open to US residents only.
About this year’s judge: Raina León, PhD, is Black, Afro-Boricua, and from Philadelphia (Lenni Lenape ancestral lands). She is a mother, daughter, sister, madrina, comadre, partner, poet, writer, and teacher educator. She believes in collective action and community work, the profound power of holding space for the telling of our stories, and the liberatory practice of humanizing education. She is a member of the Carolina African American Writers Collective, Cave Canem, CantoMundo, and Macondo, and is the author of black god mother this body; Canticle of Idols; Boogeyman Dawn; sombra : (dis)locate;and the chapbooksprofeta without refuge and Areyto to Atabey: Essays on the Mother(ing) Self. She has received fellowships and residencies with The Watering Hole, the Obsidian Foundation, Community of Writers, Montana Artists Refuge, Macdowell, Vermont Studio Center, the Tyrone Guthrie Center in Annamaghkerrig, Ireland, and Ragdale, among others. She is a founding editor of The Acentos Review, an online quarterly, international journal devoted to the promotion and publication of Latinx arts. She retired early as a full professor of education at Saint Mary’s College of California, only the third Black person, the first Afro-Latina, and first Boricua to achieve that rank and is now professor emerita there. She supports poets and writers at the Stonecoast MFA at the University of Southern Maine. León is an enrolled member of Higuayagua Taino of the Caribbean.
About the series editor: Emma Trelles is a Cuban-American writer, editor, and educator. She is the 9th poet laureate of Santa Barbara and the author of Tropicalia (University of Notre Dame Press), winner of the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize. She is the recipient of an Established Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council and a Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. A current CantoMundo fellow, her poems and translations have recently appeared in Poetry International, New England Review, the Academy’s Poem-A-Day series, and Poetry magazine.
About the series translator: Alexandra Lytton Regalado is a Salvadoran-American author, editor, and translator. She is the author of Relinquenda, winner of the National Poetry Series (Beacon Press, 2022), and Matria (Black Lawrence Press, 2017). Alexandra is the translator of Family or Oblivion by Elena Salamanca and co-translator of Efímero by heidi restrepo rhodes. Her poetry translations have been published in New England Review, Poetry International, FENCE, and Tupelo Quarterly.
About the Spanish style editor: Josue Andrés Moz is a poet, storyteller, screenwriter, editor, cultural critic, and translator from El Salvador. He is the author of El libro del carnero (Sión Editorial, 2024), Crac[K] (Casa de Poesía, 2023), Revólver (Sión Editorial, 2023), Babel (Ediciones MALPASO, 2020), Pesebre (La Chifurnia, 2018), and Carcoma (La Chifurnia, 2017). Moz’s poetry has been translated into English, Italian, Arabic, and French. He is currently the co-editor of Revista Ars Poética 1970.
Letras Latinas strives to enhance the visibility, appreciation, and study of Latinx literature both on and off the campus of the University of Notre Dame with an emphasis on programs that support newer voices, foster a sense of community among writers, and place Latinx writers in community spaces. Letras Latinas is under the direction of Francisco Aragón, who established the initiative in 2004.
If the entry fee at Submittable presents a financial hardship, please email us at gunpowderpoetry@gmail.com.
Gunpowder Press, en colaboración con Letras Latinas, invita a los poetas Latinx que residen en los E.E. U.U. (mayores de 18 años de edad) a participar en el premio Alta California Plaquette de Poesía.
- Los poemas pueden estar escritos en inglés o español.
- Los manuscritos seleccionados se publicarán en formato bilingüe: en inglés y en español.
Este concurso está abierto a poetas de todos niveles, publicados o no publicados, que se autoindetifiquen como Latinx.
Se seleccionará un manuscrito para publicación en una edición bilingüe. El poeta ganador recibirá $1,000 y 10 ejemplares del plaquette. Letras Latinas, la iniciativa literaria del Instituto de Estudios Latinos de Notre Dame, financiará el viaje y el alojamiento del ganador para una lectura en persona en Santa Bárbara, California, después de la publicación del plaquette.
Sobre el jurado: Raina León, PhD, es negra, afroboricua y originaria de Filadelfia (territorio ancestral de los Lenni Lenape). Es madre, hija, hermana, madrina, comadre, pareja, poeta, escritora y formadora de docentes. Cree en la acción colectiva y el trabajo comunitario, en el profundo poder de crear espacios para contar nuestras historias y en la práctica liberadora de humanizar la educación. Es miembro del Carolina African American Writers Collective, Cave Canem, CantoMundo y Macondo, y autora de Black God Mother This Body; Canticle of Idols; Boogeyman Dawn; Sombra: (dis)locate; y los plaquettes Profeta Without Refugee y Areyto to Atabey: Essays on the Mother(ing) Self. Ha recibido becas y residencias con The Watering Hole, The Obsidian Foundation, Community of Writers, Montana Artists Refuge, Macdowell, Vermont Studio Center, el Tyrone Guthrie Center en Annamaghkerrig, Irlanda, y Ragdale, entre otros. Es editora fundadora de The Acentos Review, una revista internacional trimestral en línea dedicada a la promoción y publicación de las artes latinas. Se jubiló anticipadamente como profesora titular en Saint Mary's College de California, siendo la tercera persona negra, la primera afrolatina y la primera boricua en alcanzar ese rango, y actualmente es profesora emérita en dicha institución. Apoya a poetas y escritores en el Stonecoast MFA de la Universidad del Sur de Maine. León es miembro inscrito de Higuayagua Taino del Caribe.
Sobre la editora de la serie: Emma Trelles es una escritora, editora y educadora cubanoamericana. Es la novena poeta laureada de Santa Bárbara y autora de Tropicalia (University of Notre Dame Press), ganadora del Premio de Poesía Andrés Montoya. Recibió una Beca de Artista Establecido del Consejo de las Artes de California y una Beca de Poeta Laureada de la Academia de Poetas Estadounidenses. Actualmente es becaria de CantoMundo; sus poemas y traducciones han aparecido recientemente en Poetry International, New England Review, la serie Poema del Día de la Academia y la revista Poetry.
Sobre la traductora de la serie: Alexandra Lytton Regalado es una autora, editora y traductora salvadoreña-estadounidense. Es autora de Relinquenda, ganadora del National Poetry Series (Beacon Press, 2022) y Matria (Black Lawrence Press, 2017). Alexandra es la traductora de Familia o Olvido de Elena Salamanca y co-traductora de Efímero de heidi restrepo rhodes. Sus traducciones de poesía han sido publicadas en New England Review, Poetry International, FENCE y Tupelo Quarterly.
Sobre la serie Editor de estilo español: Josué Andrés Moz es poeta, narrador, guionista, editor, crítico cultural y traductor salvadoreño. Es autor de El Libro del Carnero (Sión Editorial, 2024), Crac[K] (Casa de Poesía, 2023), Revólver (Sión Editorial, 2023), Babel (Ediciones MALPASO, 2020), Pesebre (La Chifurnia, 2018) y Carcoma (La Chifurnia, 2017). Su poesía ha sido traducida al inglés, italiano, árabe y francés. Actualmente es coeditor de la Revista Ars Poética 1970.
Cómo enviar: El costo para participar es de $20 e incluye una copia del plaquette ganador y hay otra opción de $15 que incluye solo la participación en el concurso. Por favor, enviar 8-12 páginas de poesía (no más de un poema por página) en formato Word .doc o .docx o .pdf. El manuscrito debe enviarse a través de Submittable. Se permite participación simultánea en otras convocatorias, pero si su manuscrito es aceptado, por favor contáctenos inmediatamente para retirar su manuscrito. Por favor incluya un índice y una página que indique la publicación previa de poemas individuales. Los poemas pueden estar escritos en inglés o en español. Gunpowder Press traducirá el manuscrito ganador. Este concurso está abierto únicamente a los residentes de los EE. UU. Si el costo para participar presenta una dificultad financiera, por favor envíenos un correo electrónico a gunpowderpoetry@gmail.com
Acerca de Gunpowder Press: Fundada en 2013 por David Starkey y con la codirección de editores David Starkey y Chryss Yost, Gunpowder Press es una pequeña editorial independiente de poesía situada en Santa Bárbara, California, y es parte de Gunpowder Poetry, una organización literaria 501(c)(3). El nombre de la editorial hace honor a Santa Bárbara, patrona de la pólvora. Para obtener más información, visite https://gunpowderpress.com.
Letras Latinas se esfuerza por mejorar la visibilidad, la apreciación y el estudio de la literatura latina, tanto dentro como fuera del campus de la Universidad de Notre Dame, con énfasis en programas que apoyan nuevas voces, fomentan un sentido de comunidad entre escritores y ubican a los escritores latinos en espacios comunitarios. Letras Latinas está bajo la dirección de Francisco Aragón, quien fundó la iniciativa en 2004.
Si la cuota de inscripción en Submittable representa una dificultad económica, por favor, envíenos un correo electrónico a gunpowderpoetry@gmail.com
Anacapa Review considers poems in any style. You may submit up to 3 poems per submission. When selecting which poems to submit, please keep in mind that Anacapa Review is an online publication, and viewers may be reading your poems on a range of devices; concrete poems or poems with very long line may display differently for some readers.
Accepted poems will appear one month after the deadline for a given issue. Accepted submissions made through November 30 will appear in issue 4.1. Please keep in mind that these poems are being considered for the January/February issue.
We make decisions on all submissions each month--no poems are held back for future issues. In short, you will hear from us promptly, and if your work is accepted, it will be published soon afterwards.
In submitting your work you agree that the poems submitted have not been previously published online or in print. We consider simultaneous submissions with the understanding that if your poems are accepted elsewhere you will promptly notify Anacapa Review by either withdrawing your entire submission in Submittable, or, if not all of the poems have been accepted elsewhere, by indicating in Submittable Messages which poems are still available.
Anacapa Review also hopes to publish poetry-related prose, such as book reviews, interviews, and reflections. If you have an idea for something you think might be a good fit for Anacapa Review, we invite you to email us at editors@anacapareview.com.
Previously published in Anacapa Review? Thank you! Your poems are what make Anacapa Review successful. Please wait one year before submitting again—diversity of voices is important to us.
Need to withdrawn one of your poems? Congratulations on having your work published elsewhere! Please use the Submittable messaging feature to let us know which poem(s) you'd like to withdraw, and we will keep the others in our consideration.
The third annual John Ridland Poetry Prize will be awarded for an unpublished book-length manuscript of 48-100 pages. This prize is open to poets 55 years and older.
The Ridland Prize honors poet, professor, and translator John Ridland, who continued to create meaningful and elegantly-crafted work throughout his life.
Submissions are accepted until December 31. The prize includes $500 and publication by Gunpowder Press with 10 author copies.
Previous winners include:
- Joshua McKinney for Sad Animal (published in 2024 by Gunpowder Press)
- Andrea Carter for Figeater (forthcoming in 2025 from Gunpowder Press)
How to Submit: Entry fee is $30 includes entry and copy of the winning book ($18 cover price). $25 option without a copy of the book. Word .doc or .docx format preferred. Please include a table of contents and a page which acknowledges previous publication of individual poems. We ask that close friends or students of the editors refrain from submitting work for this award. Due to our desire to respect international copyright, submissions are accepted from poets within the United States only.
About Gunpowder Press: Founded in 2013 by David Starkey and co-edited by David Starkey and Chryss Yost, Gunpowder Press is part of Gunpowder Poetry, a literary 501(c)(3) located in Santa Barbara, California. Our name honors our city's namesake, Saint Barbara, patron saint of gunpowder. For more information about the press, visit https://gunpowderpress.com.