With Christmas almost upon us, I thought this would be a good time to update my blog. 

One of the things I wanted to do this year was publish a follow-up poetry anthology to capitalise on the success of Coming Together in Verse (the Saboteur short-listed title published in 2015).  Whilst I have a large collection of excellent poems from a broad range of talented writers, I want a few more before I commit to sending the collection to the publisher.

This means, if you have a poem that you think would be suitable for the title, please drop me a line over the holiday period: I’d love to see your work. The full submission guidelines are listed below.  It’s for a good cause because, as any of you who know me will already be aware, I have a soft spot for furry friends.

And, as a final word for this year, I’d just like to wish everyone a wonderful holiday – and raise a glass to a new year that will hopefully bring us all the peace and satisfaction we desire.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Coming Together in Verse (Volume 2) will be a collection of erotic poetry and risqué verse edited by Ashley R Lister. Sales proceeds benefit Hope for Paws.

Erica Jong said, “Poetry is what we turn to in the most emotional moments of our lives – when a beloved friend dies, when a baby is born, when we fall in love.” Wallace Stevens said, “A poet looks at the world the way a man looks at a woman.” Edgar Allan Poe said, “Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words.” Most of us agree, when it comes to expressing passion, there is nothing more effective than poetry.

Whether it’s blank or free verse, or a rigid rhyming metrical form, well-written poetry can touch us in places deeper and more personally than any fiction. There's nothing sexier than a poem that speaks to us on such an intimate level.

Author, lecturer and occasional performance poet, Ashley R Lister, is looking for your best pieces of original poetry, erotic verse, risqué rhymes, cheeky cinquains or saucy sonnets. The collection will contain a broad range of quality erotic poetry submissions, from the rude, ribald and vulgar through to the suggestive, sensuous and sensitive.

Standard Rules apply: No underage, no non-consensual, no scat, incest, or necrophilia. Any pairings or groupings accepted and encouraged.

Send poems double-spaced, 12 point font (Times New Roman or Georgia) in .doc or .rtf format to me@ashleylister.co.uk, with “ATTN: Coming Together, your pen-name, your story title” in the subject line. British English grammar please (where grammar is applicable in your poem). Double quotes around any dialogue that is being used.

Only submit your final, best version of the poem; do not send multiple versions of the same piece. Up to three poems will be considered from each author. Include your legal name (and pseudonym if applicable and be clear which one is which), mailing address, and up to 250 word bio.

This is a charity anthology. Contributors will receive ebook copies of the publication. Additional compensation is likely to come in karma and tax-write offs. Hope for Paws will benefit from all proceeds. Hope for Paws is a non-profit animal rescue organisation. They rescue dogs (and other animals) who are suffering on the streets and in shelters. Their goal is to educate people on the importance of companion animals in our society. Find out more at hopeforpaws.org