-ette, -ella, -el

In my most recent internet wanderings, I came across a listing of the Nebula Award winners from the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. What I found most interesting about these awards were the categories. There were the usual suspects: novel, short story, script. There was even a novella prize. But what's this? A novelette? What in Asimov's universe is a novelette?

As you might have guessed, it's shorter than a novella and longer than a short story. But how much longer, you ask? Here's the nitty gritty: A short story is 1,000-7,500 words. A novelette is 7,500-17,500 words. A novella is 17,500-40,000 words. And a novel --well, you get the idea. Following these numbers, IR does indeed publish novelettes (on the shorter end of the spectrum). I've even written a novelette! (Again, on the shorter side...) Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's was a novelette!

The World Science Fiction Convention also has a novelette category for the Hugo Award. I haven't come across any other novelette prizes. Do science fiction writers just like to categorize?

-Nina

Even more congratulations in order

And this time to Karyna McGlynn, contributor to our winter 2007 issue, for winning the 2008 Kathryn A. Morton Prize in Poetry from Sarabande. Lynn Emanuel selected McGlynn's collection, titled I Have to Go Back to 1994 and Kill a Girl.

And the winner is...

Our heartiest congratulations to Pilar Gomez-Ibanez for her poem "Losing Bedrock Farm," selected by Naomi Shihab Nye as our 2008 Poetry Prize winner. Of this poem, Nye said it was an "exquisite and perfect poem," adding "I don't use the word 'perfect' often." The 2008 Indiana Review Poetry Prize-winning poem will appear in our winter 2008 issue, 30.2. You can pre-order single copies or subscribe here.

Also selected for inclusion in 30.2 are the three runners-up. Find out who they are on our prize results page.

Thanks to all entrants and our esteemed judge who made the 2008 Indiana Review Poetry Prize a success.

Cutie teeny-weeny thingies

Tiny things have always fascinated me. When I was little myself, a tiny thing was, relatively, hard to come by. Baby kittens, they were tinier than I was. Colleen Moore's fairy castle was probably a little bigger than me, but filled with precious teeny-tinies that weren't. Now that I'm bigger, and so much is tinier than I am, the fascination hasn't yet totally worn off. And I can't wait to see what the people at Vestal Review compile in an anthology that's (currently) titled Short on Sugar, High on Honey: Bittersweet Lovestories. It'll be composed of love stories no shorter than seven words, and no longer than 13. They've got a call for submisssions open right now, so send 'em your sweetish itsy-bitsies.

--Jenny

New Kid On the Block

Hello Readers,

If you've read some of the posts last week you may have noticed that there is a changing of the guard over here at the Indiana Review.  I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself.  I'm Nina, the new Associate Editor.  Hi.  How's it going?  

A little bit about me: I was born at a very young age in Los Angeles, California.  I'm actually posting this from California right now but I'll be back in IR's office very soon where I can wheel my chair next to Jenny's to pester her with questions and be the Jordan Knight to her Donnie Wahlberg.  I'm very excited to be a part of IR - we have a stellar staff and amazing contributors.  I can't wait for the 1/2K submissions to start pouring in!   

This is gonna be a great year - 'cause you got it, the right stuff.

Check *us* out.

So, if you happened to check out the guidelines for our 2008 1/2 K Prize, which were updated today, you might have noticed something different. Nope, we didn't get a haircut. We didn't get our nails done, either. And, baby, we've had this blouse for ages.

What is new: online submissions for our 1/2 K prize. Submissions close midnight, June 9. So don't worry. You got some time.

And the good news just keeps rolling in!

We also want to congratulate Marjorie Celona, whose 2005 Fiction Prize-winning piece "Y" was also selected for inclusion in the next Best American Nonrequired Reading. Hooray! ("Y" was featured in our 28.2 issue.)

Congratulations to Laura van den Berg!

Her short story "Where We Must Be" (in our 29.1 issue) has been selected for the Best American Nonrequired Reading 2008!

A few introductions

Hello, dear readers.

Today is my first official day as Editor of Indiana Review. I've learned a lot and have had a lot of fun in this past year as Associate Editor. Abdel was a wonderful editor to work with; Danny and Hannah were amazing genre editors; and I really can't fully express how grateful I am to all these guys. I've tried a couple times. Still working on it.

Now I'm looking forward to learning a lot more and having a lot more fun in this next year, all with a new staff: Nina Mamikunian is the new Associate Editor; Ryan Teitman is the new Poetry Editor; and Chad Anderson is the new Fiction Editor.

Thanks for your continuing support. We're going to do our best to make IR and all y'all proud.

--Jenny

...the end of the roaaad...

Dear Readers,

It may be old hat for those of you familiar with the inner-workings of Indiana Review, but every year our editorial staff changes. We get brand-spanking-new genre editors and the Associate Editor moves up to Editor in chief. Friday will be my last official day as Editor. I'm moving to Chicago to do Teach for America in the public schools. It's been a great run and I've had a lot of fun. I know that our incoming editor, Jenny Burdge, is going to do a great job and I'm looking forward to all the cool stuff they're going to be doing. *sniff*. I promised myself I wasn't going to cry. Thanks for all your support over the past year.

Best,

Abdel Shakur