CMW Community

Call for Submissions

The Cheese Gun and Other Misfires:

Mothers on Peace, Justice, Simplicity and More

We are seeking submissions for a new anthology tentatively titled The Cheese Gun and Other Misfires: Mothers on Peace, Justice, Simplicity and More. This collection will feature stories by women who long to teach their children traditional peace church values, but who often fall short because of their own imperfections; or because such values can sometimes be hard to impart; or because sometimes the world’s values can be so much more fun.

Submissions for this collection should be narrative-driven rather than how-to: we are not looking for lectures about how best to teach our children, or for an overly preachy polemic about why peace church values will save the world. Instead, we are seeking true stories about how mothers have attempted to convey values to their children—how they have succeeded, and how they have failed. Although writers should rely on their personal families’ experiences, they might consider these potential topics:

• Teaching children simplicity in a consumer-driven culture;

• Conveying the significance of pacifism when guns can be easily made from sticks, cheese, legos, one’s leg;

• Talking to children about inner light without scaring them into believing Jesus is physically in their hearts;

• Reflecting the ideal of egalitarianism when other examples of gender inequity seem more prevalent.

Essays should follow the criteria of any good narrative, having a strong beginning, middle, and end; showing, rather than telling; drawing the reader into the experiences of the writer; focusing on the individual as a means of understanding the universal. We are seeking tightly-written essays between 1,000-5,000 words, though shorter essays might be considered.

DEADLINE: May 15, 2010

FORMAT AND SUBMITTING: Essays should be typed and double-spaced. Please make sure to include your name, address, and phone number on the first page; on subsequent pages, include your name and pagination. When submitting electronically, please include a short biography. Submissions should be sent to mmock@georgefox.edu.