I’m happy to announce that Opossum will be returning soon, following an extensive restructuring, and that we will begin accepting new submissions this December.
But first—let me introduce myself as the new publisher and chief editor. I am Rima Ruhman, and I’ve been a Technical Writer/Editor for over 25 years. I joined Opossum after meeting John Edgar at the Sewanee Writers’ Conference in 2018 and have been the Opossum Flash Editor for the past year. I’m also a poet, a visual artist, and am working on my first novel about a Palestinian-American illustrator who is looking for her place in the world.
I gravitate towards all things subtle/nuanced/formless/abstract: be they art, music, poetry, literature, or a good translation. Beginning with our next issue, we will be adding new sections for both artwork and translations. As a citizen of the world—having lived, worked, and studied in Saudi Arabia, West Bank (Nablus) Palestine, Dubai, and Canada—I believe that translations are a great way to bring many new voices to Opossum’s table, and by adding visual art, we can further expand upon Opossum’s intersectional arts mission.
Many things will remain the same, including our focus on literature with an amorphous relationship to music, the distinctive physical format, design aesthetic, and our belief in compensating artists for their work.
Other new additions and changes will include an annual Opossum Prize series judged by an exciting array of well-known writers. First prizes in fiction, nonfiction, flash, and poetry will come with a significant monetary award as well as publication in the print journal. Entry fees for all contests will be modest, and general submissions to the journal will remain free. Also, we will be shifting from a biannual to annual publication cycle, with one print issue per year released every October beginning in 2020.
Empathy is our only demand for both readers and writers. We at Opossum believe in voice, art, music, culture, and all those squishy, formless, abstract things that connect us to each other and to the Divine.
Let’s sing together, in unison, with our own unique voices, using our instruments of choice.
Blessing and love and light,
Rima Ruhman
Publisher and Chief Editor
