June 2019

Sisters,

Summer is here and so is Sinister Wisdom 113: Radical Muses! No summer is complete without delving into the latest and greatest of lesbian writing and artwork. Luckily, you’ll soon be able to dip your toes into Sinister Wisdom 113: Radical Muses. It is in the mail from our Baltimore-based mail house; waves of lesbians will be receiving it over the next six weeks.

Whether it’s poetry, prose, or art you’re craving as escapism from the summer heat, it is all here in Sinister Wisdom 113: Radical Muses. If you want a sneak peek at what’s to come, check out the beautiful cover by Peruvian artist La Fuega Ilustra here. The cool blues of the cover combined with the image of lesbians make it perfect for summer steam! When your issue arrives, you will find out that it is just as cool and steamy inside.

Not a subscriber to Sinister Wisdom? Fix that immediately by clicking here for a journal subscription! A subscription grants you access to one year of Sinister Wisdom which means four beautiful and unique issues of contemporary lesbian writing and artwork delivered right to your home. Your subscription will start with Sinister Wisdom 113: Radical Muses but order it today. This issue will sell out before the end of the summer.  

Not subscribed but just want to buy Sinister Wisdom 113: Radical Muses? Feel free (and encouraged!) to purchase your own individual copy here.

Whether you’re a one time purchaser, new subscriber, or long time patron, I cannot wait for you to have Sinister Wisdom 113: Radical Muses in your hands and on your bookshelves soon!

More Summer Reading! Back issue packages!

Liberate

As excited as I am to share Sinister Wisdom 113: Radical Muses with all of you, I’m just as excited to introduce two unique options that allow you to get your hands on back issues of Sinister Wisdom.

The first is the Liberate Package which is available again for pride month. Liberate is a collection of three copies of Sinister Wisdom handpicked for lesbians who are just coming into their identities/coming out.

Liberate allows your fresh-out-of-the-closet friends, family members, peers, coworkers, or neighborhood lesbian to enjoy print copies of Sinister Wisdom 46: Dyke Lives, Sinister Wisdom 49: The Lesbian Body, and Sinister Wisdom 82: In Amerika They Call Us Dykes: Lesbian Lives in the 70s.

The Liberate package is the perfect gift for anyone (including yourself!) who is making their first entrance into the lesbian community. The issues in Liberate welcome readers into the warm embrace of the history of lesbian livelihood, love, and, of course, liberation to show them the bright future that comes with this history!

Liberate can be purchased here at three different rates: $4.00 (covering just postage), $10.00 (covering postage and a small donation), and $15.00 (covering postage and a slightly larger donation). As always, donation options provide funds to allow us to keep doing our wonderful work here at Sinister Wisdom.

Dyke Creativity

The second exciting package option is the Dyke Creativity Collection. The Dyke Creativity Collection is perfect for any readers looking to be enlightened or inspired by lesbian artwork.

The Dyke Creativity Collection includes three issues: Sinister Wisdom 51 (which features a mixture of poetry, short stories, novel excerpts, and a transcript from a speech at the 1993 March on Washington), Sinister Wisdom 73: The Art Issue (an issue exclusively made up of gorgeous visual artwork), and Sinister Wisdom 81: Lesbian Poetry? When--and Now! (an issue that connects contemporary lesbian poets with lesbian poets of the past).

The Dyke Creativity Collection is the perfect purchase for anyone trying to get in touch with both historical and contemporary lesbian art or the lesbian artist within themselves. Whether you’re suffering from writer’s block and need some inspiration or have a friend looking to explore a vast array of lesbian art across genres, the Dyke Creativity Collection is the perfect fit.

Anyone interested can purchase the Dyke Creativity Collection here at one of the same three rates that the Liberate collection offers: $4:00 to cover just postage, $10.00 to cover postage and a small donation, or $15.00 to cover postage and a slightly larger donation.

Whether the Liberate package or the Dyke Creativity Collection are more your speed (although both is always an option!), I look forward to being able to send out these past issues of Sinister Wisdom and connect the lesbian readers and artists of today with the lesbian writing and art of yesterday!

Digital archive update: 3 new issues!

Since good things come in threes, I’m also pleased to announce that three past issues of Sinister Wisdom have been added to the digital archives - free and accessible to all as always!

The archives now extend to issue 77 (and starts with the very first issue of Sinister Wisdom!)

Feel free to peruse all past issues 1-77 here or take a look at the PDFs of the newest editions - Sinister Wisdom 75: Lesbian Theories/Lesbian Controversies, Sinister Wisdom 76: Open Issue, and Sinister Wisdom 77: Environmental Issues Lesbian Concerns each of which was originally published in 2008/2009.

I hope that all of these updates get you excited about past issues, contemporary issues, and of course the newest issue of Sinister Wisdom!

A Note from the Editor/Publisher

It’s only the middle of June and already I feel like it has been a busy summer! I’m excited to be working with two new summer interns, Angelina and Chatham, as well as the Sinister Wisdom board of directors and all of our volunteers, including our amazing social media team of Talia, Susannah, and Sara. If you are not following us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, tune in today! Fun images, good information, and more about Sinister Wisdom is in the social media world.

I’ve read two amazing lesbian books this month: Julietta Singh’s essay collection No Archive Will Restore You, which has been winning prizes left and right, and Pamela Sneed’s memoir, Sweet Dreams. I’ve just started to dip into Avery Guess’s first collection of poetry, The Truth Is, and am already loving it. I hope you are reading lots of great books this summer. Please do drop me an email and tell me all about them!

Thank you to everyone who emailed about the Firecracker Award. It was thrilling to be a finalist. Sinister Wisdom did not win, but the recognition by CLMP was swell. Thank you to everyone who was rooting for us!

Be sure to scroll all the way down to the bottom for the ad about the OLOC gathering happening THIS August! These gatherings are always wonderful spaces to organize and refuel the spirit. If you are able, I hope you consider attending.

As always, share your thoughts with me about Sinister Wisdom. Think about how YOU can contribute to our continued work publishing, celebrating, and promoting lesbian literary arts, and join us in the revolution at hand.

In sisterhood,

Julie

Julie R. Enszer, PhD 
Editor and Publisher, Sinister Wisdom

P.S.
Our newest blank book Notes for a Revolution comes out this month! Click here for more information and the chance to preorder this notebook lined with inspirational quotes for women with plenty of space for you to add your own writing! 


Here is the awesome announcement about OLOC in Columbus, Ohio! Make plans to attend!