The Chamber will be offering a new option to authors and poets: if you would like to submit a story or poem that supports a social issue commemorated by a nationally recognized commemorative month (or day), please do so. If it meets The Chamber’s guidelines and if it is accepted, The Chamber will publish it during the appropriate month. This is by no means a requirement of any sort. It is solely a new option available to authors and poets.

However, having a theme will not affect whether a work is accepted. Acceptance is based on quality alone. If you submit a work without a theme and it is accepted The Chamber will always publish it as soon as possible regardless of any theme for that month unless you state that you would like it held until a certain month or day.

For example, if you write a story or poem involving LGBT characters and would like me to publish it (provided it meets all other submission guidelines and if it is accepted) during the LGBT commemorative month of June, please let know and I will hold it until then. If that is not important to you, I will publish it as soon as possible as I do all other works.

Any works submitted must always meet The Chamber’s guidelines regarding subject matter and writing mechanics. If it supports a theme but is not dark in some fashion, it will not be accepted.

To this end, I am adding the following paragraphs to the ends of both the Submissions and the Upcoming Stories… pages.

Commemorative Months

The Chamber is offering a new option to authors and poets: if you would like to submit a story or poem that supports a social issue commemorated by a nationally recognized commemorative month (or day), please do so. If it meets The Chamber’s guidelines and if it is accepted, The Chamber will publish it during the appropriate month. This is by no means a requirement of any sort. It is solely a new option available to authors and poets.

For those interested, below is a list of the commemorative months observed by the US. If you would like to submit something around the theme for a commemorative month, please do. This is entirely optional. The Chamber is not asking for works to be submitted around any particular theme at any time. This is entirely at the author’s discretion. The Chamber will continue to publish works as soon as possible regardless of whether the work has a theme unless otherwise requested.

To submit a work with a theme, note the theme the work is being submitted for in the subject line of the submission. Any accepted works I receive on a particular theme, The Chamber will try to post in the appropriate month. This is a service The Chamber would like to provide for the greater community.

Please note that having characters or a subject that pertains to a commemorative month will not affect whether your work is accepted. Acceptance is based on writing quality alone.

• National Stalking Awareness Month (January)
• African-American History Month (February)
• Irish-American Heritage Month (March)
• Women’s History Month (March)
• Sexual Assault Awareness Month (April)
• Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (May)
• Jewish-American Heritage Month (May)
• Law Day (May 1)
• Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 17)
• LGBT Pride Month (June)
• National Hispanic American Heritage Month (Sept/Oct)
• Constitution and Citizenship Day (Sept 17)
• National Disability Employment Awareness Month (October)
• National Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October)
• Veterans Day (November 11)
• Native American Heritage Month (November)
• Human Rights Day (Dec 10)