Life and Legends River Paw Press

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

• Submit up to five original, unpublished poems on any topic in a single PDF file, along with an author bio written in the third person (maximum 100 words).
• The poems and bio must be included in the same file. Please do not submit your bio separately or include it in a cover letter.
• Poems must be carefully proofread and no longer than two pages each.
• Accepted font: Times New Roman, 12-point.
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome; however, please notify us promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere.
• We do not accept AI-generated work and maintain a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism.
• Submission Fee: There is no submission fee for poetry submissions. However, as an independent journal that does not receive grants or sponsorships, Life and Legends welcomes optional contributions of any amount via Tip Jar to help sustain its editorial and operational work. All tips are non-refundable.

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Call for Book Reviews (2024–2026 Publications)

We invite well-crafted reviews of poetry collections, works of fiction, literary nonfiction, and books in translation published between 2024 and 2026 by traditional or independent presses. Please note, we do not accept reviews of self-published books at this time.

We value reviews that are insightful, respectful, and engaging—placing the work in a broader literary and cultural context without being overly promotional or dismissive. We welcome both established critics and emerging voices who are passionate about reviewing literature and literary translation.

Please Note: We do not accept reviews of self-published books at this time.

Submission Guidelines:

Please read the submissions guideline carefully and submit your review accordingly. As we currently work with a very small team, entries not submitted according to the guidelines will not receive a response. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

All items listed below, except the book cover (to preserve image quality), must be included in the review document itself—not in the cover letter.

• Word Count: 750–800 words
• Submit the review in a Word document (Times New Roman, 12-point font).
• Submission Fee: $5.00 per entry (Non-Refundable)
• Each review document must include:
  • Book Title
  • Author Name
  • Reviewer Name
  • Publisher Name
  • ISBN Number
  • Date of Publication
  • A valid purchase link (preferably from the publisher or a major bookseller)
  • A brief reviewer bio (50–75 words)
  • Include a cover letter with your contact information and social media handles
  • Attach a high-resolution JPEG image of the book cover as a separate file.
    

We aim to respond to book review submissions within eight weeks. If you do not receive a response within that time frame, please contact us at: lifeandlegendssubmissions(at)gmail(dot)com.

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Interviews and Essays

We welcome interviews and essays that spotlight contemporary poets, writers, and literary translators whose work contributes meaningfully to global literature and cross-cultural dialogue. Submissions must demonstrate literary insight and originality.

Please note that we do not accept interviews of self-published authors or individuals whose primary practice is outside of writing, where writing is not their principal body of work. As Life and Legends is primarily a poetry magazine, the featured author must have published at least one full-length poetry collection, in addition to any other publications.

You may submit your interview or essay directly; however, we do not guarantee that all direct submissions will be considered for publication. Alternatively, you may pitch your interview or essays to us via email, prior to submission. We require a brief summary of the proposed piece (150–250 words) and encourage pitches that demonstrate literary insight, originality, and diverse global perspectives.

Submissions must also include a bio (75–100 words), official website, and social media links of the author to be interviewed or featured, along with a bio of the interviewer or the author of the article.

Requirements:

• Submit your interview or essay in a single PDF file (Times New Roman, 12-point font), not exceeding 3,500 words, including the author’s and interviewer’s bios. Interviews or essays exceeding this word limit will not be considered for publication.
• The interview must begin with a creative introduction of the author (do not begin by copying and pasting the author’s bio). The introduction should thoughtfully contextualize the author’s work and literary contribution.
• Include a brief bio of both the interviewer and the author (75–100 words, third person).
• Ensure the interview and article are well-structured, fully proofread, within the specified word limit, and publication-ready.
• Acceptable format and file type: Submit your work as a PDF file, formatted in Times New Roman, 12-point font, and name it as: LastName_Interview or Essay (e.g., Smith_Interview).
• You may upload up to two files: one submission file and one optional cover letter as a separate PDF file. Do not include a cover letter within the submission file.
• If selected, contributors may be asked to provide a high-resolution author photo (and other photos, if applicable) in JPEG or PNG format. Please do not include any images in the submission file.
• Simultaneous submissions are welcome; please notify us promptly if the work is accepted elsewhere.
• We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for plagiarism and AI-generated content.

Rights and Compensation

• Life and Legends acquires First Serial Rights, including First North American Serial Rights, upon publication. All rights revert to the author immediately thereafter. Authors agree to credit Life and Legends as the first publisher of the work in any subsequent publication.
• By submitting, you confirm that the work is original, that you hold the necessary rights to submit it, and that no rights of third parties are infringed.
• At this time, Life and Legends does not offer monetary compensation for published work.

*Creative Introduction Example

(You may adapt this example to suit your own language and tone, as long as the introduction remains creative and thoughtfully contextualizes the author’s work.)

In a world increasingly fragmented by noise, poet and writer (Author’s Name) listens for silence—the kind that lingers between languages, across borders, and beneath trauma. Her latest collection, (Book Title), is less a book than a terrain: a lyrical mapping of exile, ecological grief, and linguistic longing. Winner of the (Name of Prize) and shortlisted for (Optional Prize Name), she has emerged as a voice at once urgent and elemental. Her work resists ornament and leans instead into precision, into fracture, into what she calls “the unsayable, scraped clean."

In this conversation, we explore her journey through (describe the nature and canvas of the work—e.g., themes of language, belonging, memory, or resistance).

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