Were you aware that the deadline for the Annalemma Issue Seven: Endurance is less than a month away? It’s true. The short list is already expanding into a stack of truly humbling words. Some of you submitters out there have been trying to shoe-horn your old stories into the theme. That’s to be expected and we don’t fault you for it. Eh, maybe we fault you a little. But perhaps we were unclear with what we wanted.

If you want to read a hell of a meditation on endurance please read the following Dear Sugar column that has been making the rounds at a few different places. It will rock you to your bones. It will make you cry. It might even change your life. Everything good writing needs to accomplish. If you’re thinking about submitting in the next couple weeks, keep this one in mind.

We’re looking for stories that people will connect with. Stories that encourage people persevere when everything is telling them give up. The word ‘hope’ has lost some currency in the past couple years. That doesn’t mean we still don’t need it. Submit stories of light in the darkness. Submit stories of hope.

Consider this a non-sexual-slap-on-the-butt bit of encouragement. Now get to it and good luck!