Submit your creative verses for the Inlander's first poetry issue

For many years, the Inlander invited local penners of prose to submit original short stories for publication in a special, themed short-fiction issue in December. This year, we're switching things up by inviting poets of all ages, styles and experience to send us their best lines for consideration in a poetry-themed issue.

And because we journalists are not exactly poetry experts, we've enlisted former Spokane Poet Laureate and Whitworth University professor Thom Caraway to guest-edit the issue. Other local names in poetry, including sitting Spokane Poet Laureate Laura Read, and Washington State Poet Laureate Tod Marshall, may also contribute some thoughts or verses.

Here are all details to know if you're feeling inclined to send us some thoughtful lines:

• Poets are invited to submit 1-3 unpublished, original poems 
• Submissions should be sent in a single document to Thom Caraway, at [email protected] (not the Inlander) with the subject line "Inlander Poetry Issue"
• Deadline is Sunday, Nov. 20
• Poets should live in the region: eastern or central Washington, north Idaho, western Montana, or northeast Oregon
• Work should not have been previously published
• Poets whose work is accepted will be compensated $40 per poem
• Approximately 10-12 poems will be selected for publication in the Dec. 29 issue of the Inlander

For those who are curious to check out the aforementioned short-fiction issues, some links:

2012: "The End"
2013: "Bridges"
2014: "Spirits"
2015: "Holiday Noir" (This edition featured stories directly solicited from regional writers.)