Perigee: Publication for the Arts

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Perigee's October 15th, 2006 issue
Perigee's October 15th, 2006 issue

Perigee: Publication for the Arts is a 501(c)(3), Non-Profit quarterly publication for the arts—featuring verse, prose, and artwork—founded in May of 2003. Based in San Diego, California, and Saint Louis, Missouri, the publication serves a worldwide audience and receives submissions in the English language most often from writers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and some African nations. Perigee is published exclusively online, and receives no revenue from advertisers or subscribers—although the publication experimented with charging $1 per issue in April of 2006 (the cover charge was subsequently rescinded).

New issues are published January 15th, April 15th, July 15th, and October 15th, each year. Contests in poetry and fiction are held annually. Subscriptions are offered free-of-charge. Its first issue in May of 2003 received only 300 page hits; in 2005 the publication averaged 6,000 readers each issue, 20 times as many as the first issue—making it one of the fastest growing online literary magazines.

Much of Perigee's success has to do with its innovative web design, which uses Macromedia Flash. The publication has received several design awards over the years, and the attention of well-established writers and media, many of whom have volunteered to promote the publication. In early 2006 Perigee was featured on the then-newly established Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia—via the Sirius Satellite network.

The publication is not officially associated with California State University San Marcos, though it was founded by a group of graduating seniors along with Literature and Writing Studies Professor Susan Fellows.

During November of 2006, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service granted Perigee 501(c)(3) status under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations became tax-deductible at that time.

Contents

[edit] Submissions

Submissions are allowed directly through Perigee's web site. Writers may submit poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and various forms of visual art such as photography, paintings, and sketches.

Approximately 95% of Perigee's submissions come from authors without a literary agent. About 40% of the work published is from first-time authors, making it a popular venue for new voices in literature. Perigee receives about 1,500 submissions each year. Approximately 70% of these submissions are poetry.

In 2005, and again in 2006, the Visual Art section of Perigee was suspended due to a lack of interest: according to the editors, too few submissions were received in this category, though some visual art remained in the publication. According to its website, Perigee is still seeking visual art submissions, and it continues to publish a small number of visual art work.

[edit] Contests

Poetry contest is held each year beginning September 1st and ending December 31st (postmark deadline). Past Finalist Judges include Judy Jordan and Steve Kowit. The 2006 Finalist Judge was poet Marvin Bell. The current 2007 Poetry Contest finalist judge is poet Joseph Millar.

Fiction contest is held each year beginning January 1st and ending May 31st. It is typically less popular than the poetry contest, and there has been some discussion among the staff about suspending the fiction contest indefinitely. The 2007 fiction contest was not held. The fiction contest is scheduled to recommence in 2008, with the help of the new fiction editor, novelist Duff Brenna. Noted writer Thomas Kennedy has agreed to serve as the finalist judge for the 2008 Fiction Contest, opening in January 2008. This will be the first time the fiction contest has had a guest judge, and is expected to increase submissions.

[edit] Staff

The all volunteer staff consists of writers and educators from the Southern California area. Robert Judge Woerheide is the founding editor and author of Traveling Sitting Still. At various times the staff has been comprised of California State University San Marcos professor Susan Fellows, PhD., poet Jensea Storie, Kathryn Woerheide, photographer Fred T Buckley, writer and educator Benjamin Arnold, poet Leighann Timbs, John McGuinness, and AWP Best Novelist winner Duff Brenna.

In 2006, in accordance with 501(c)(3) standards, a Board of Directors was established and Perigee drafted Articles of Association, Bylaws, and a Conflict of Interest Policy. The inaugural Board of Directors consisted of Robert Judge Woerheide (President, Treasurer), Susan Fellows (Vice President), and Kathryn Margery Woerheide (Secretary).

During 2006 the staff underwent organizational changes, which included the founding editor's role—which changed from Editor-in-Chief to Managing Editor. The adjustments coincided with Perigee's application for 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service, and were made in order to maximize the internal efficiency of the publication.Source

[edit] Noted Contributors

Five-time Pushcart Prize nominee Tom Sheehan has published multiple works of fiction in Perigee.

During 2006 and 2007, Lawrence Lawson (2-time Fiction Contest winner) published memoir pieces about his experience in Ukraine, working for the Peace Corps. He was nominated for the Pushcart Prize for one of these installments.

Eileen Malone placed 1st in the 2005 Poetry Contest, and Jeri Theriault placed 1st in the 2006 Poetry Contest. Their poems - "Her Ride" and "Gloves", respectively - were nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

[edit] External links

[edit] See also