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.
For examples of work we have published, please visit 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 This contest is open to poets of all levels, published or unpublished, who self-identify as Latinx.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 a bilingual edition in 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: Blas Falconer is the author of four poetry collections, most recently Rara Avis (Four Way Books, 2024), winner of the Publishing Triangle Thom Gunn Award in Gay Poetry. His translation of Mariano Zaro's Padre Tierra: A Poem in 50 Sections was published by Artepoetica Press in 2025. He is also a co-editor of The Other Latin@: Writing Against a Singular Identity (University of Arizona Press, 2011) and Mentor & Muse: Essays from Poets to Poets (Southern Illinois University Press, 2010). Falconer's awards include a 2011 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award from Poets & Writers, and a 2026 California Individual Artist Grant. He teaches in the MFA program at San Diego State University, where he serves as editor-in-chief of Poetry International Online.
About the series editor: Emma Trelles is the daughter of Cuban immigrants and the author of two poetry collections: Courage and the Clock (University of Akron Press, 2028), selected by Brenda Shaughnessy as winner of the 2026 Akron Poetry Prize, and Tropicalia (University of Notre Dame Press, 2011), winner of the Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize. She is the 9th Poet Laureate of Santa Barbara, CA, and the recipient of an Established Artist Fellowship from the California Arts Council and a Poet Laureate Fellowship from the Academy of American Poets. A graduate CantoMundo Fellow, her work has been long listed in the Best Literary Translations 2027 anthology and appears in Poetry International; New England Review; Poetry; and the Academy’s Poem-A-Day series.
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.
About Gunpowder Press: Founded in 2013 by David Starkey and co-edited by David Starkey and Chryss Yost, Gunpowder Press is a small, independent poetry publisher based in Santa Barbara, California, and part of Gunpowder Poetry, a literary non-profit 501(c)(3). The name to the press honors our city's namesake, Saint Barbara, who is associated with gunpowder, explosions, and flashes of inspiration. For more information, visit https://gunpowderpress.com.
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.
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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: Blas Falconer es autor de cuatro poemarios, el más reciente de los cuales, Rara Avis (Four Way Books, 2024), recibió el Premio Thom Gunn de Poesía Gay, otorgado por Publishing Triangle. Su traducción de Padre Tierra: A Poem in 50 Sections, de Mariano Zaro, fue publicada por Artepoetica Press en 2025. También es coeditor de The Other Latin@: Writing Against a Singular Identity (University of Arizona Press, 2011) y Mentor & Muse: Essays from Poets to Poets (Southern Illinois University Press, 2010). Entre sus reconocimientos se encuentran una beca del National Endowment for the Arts (2011), el Premio Maureen Egen Writers Exchange de Poets & Writers y una subvención para artistas individuales del estado de California (2026). Es profesor del programa de Maestría en Bellas Artes (MFA) de San Diego State University, donde también se desempeña como director editorial de Poetry International Online.
Sobre la editora de la serie: Emma Trelles es hija de inmigrantes cubanos y autora de dos poemarios: Courage and the Clock (University of Akron Press, 2028), seleccionado por Brenda Shaughnessy como ganador del Premio de Poesía Akron 2026, y Tropicalia (University of Notre Dame Press, 2011), ganador del Premio de Poesía Andrés Montoya. Fue la novena poeta laureada de Santa Bárbara, California, y ha recibido una beca para artistas de trayectoria consolidada (Established Artist Fellowship) del California Arts Council y una beca para poetas laureados de la Academy of American Poets. Emma es becaria de CantoMundo y su traducción fue incluida entre los semifinalistas de la antología Best Literary Translations 2027. Sus poemas han sido publicados en Poetry International, New England Review, Poetry y la serie Poem-a-Day de la Academy of American Poets.
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 tiene como misión promover la visibilidad, la valoración y el estudio de la literatura latinx, tanto dentro como fuera del campus de la Universidad de Notre Dame. Sus programas se enfocan en apoyar a nuevas voces literarias, fomentar un sentido de comunidad entre escritores, y acercar la obra de autores latinxs a diversos espacios comunitarios. Letras Latinas está bajo la dirección de Francisco Aragón, quien fundó esta iniciativa en 2004.
Si el pago de la cuota de inscripción a través de 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 5.1. 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.
About the Judge: We are pleased to announced that our inaugural Ridland Prize winner, Joshua McKinney, has agreed to serve as final judge for this year's competition. In addition to his prizewinning book Sad Animal (Gunpowder Press, 2024), he is also the author of four previous poetry collections: Small Sillion (Parlor Press, 2019), Mad Cursive (Wordcraft of Oregon, 2012), The Novice Mourner, winner of the Dorothy Brunsman Poetry Prize (Bear Star Press, 2005), and Saunter, winner of the Contemporary Poetry Series Competition (University of Georgia, 2002). Professor Emeritus of English at California State University, Sacramento, he co-edits the online ecopoetics journal, Clade Song.
How to Submit: Submissions are accepted until December 31. The prize includes $500 and publication by Gunpowder Press with 10 author copies.
The $30 entry fee includes a copy of the winning book, $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, students, or former students of the editors or final judge 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.