We Welcome Your Submission
Persimmon Tree’s mission is to bring the creativity and talent of women over sixty to a wide audience of readers of all ages. We are looking for work that reveals rich experience and a variety of perspectives. Each issue of the magazine will include several fiction and nonfiction pieces, poetry by one or more poets, and the work of one or more visual artists. The magazine is published quarterly.
Please click on the appropriate header here to read the instructions for submitting Fiction and Nonfiction – Short Takes – Poetry – Art and Illustrations – and Forum Comments.
Persimmon Tree sends a promotional email to its subscribers approximately once a week. By publishing in Persimmon Tree you agree that your work may also appear in Persimmon Tree emails.
© 2024 Persimmon Tree Inc. Persimmon Tree Inc. reserves all rights to everything published in www.persimmontree.org. We support our contributors who succeed in being published elsewhere, and hereby give permission to any contributor to reprint her work in another venue, provided that the reprint, whether on the internet or in hard copy, includes an acknowledgement that the work was originally published in Persimmon Tree.
Please click on the appropriate header here to read the instructions for submitting Fiction and Nonfiction – Short Takes – Poetry – Art and Illustrations – and Forum Comments.
Persimmon Tree sends a promotional email to its subscribers approximately once a week. By publishing in Persimmon Tree you agree that your work may also appear in Persimmon Tree emails.
© 2024 Persimmon Tree Inc. Persimmon Tree Inc. reserves all rights to everything published in www.persimmontree.org. We support our contributors who succeed in being published elsewhere, and hereby give permission to any contributor to reprint her work in another venue, provided that the reprint, whether on the internet or in hard copy, includes an acknowledgement that the work was originally published in Persimmon Tree.
IMPORTANT SUBMISSIONS REQUIREMENT:
For your work to be considered by Persimmon Tree, you must be a subscriber. Subscriptions are free. Sign up for your subscription here.
Fiction and Nonfiction
Please read and follow these instructions carefully. We regret that we cannot accept any submission that does not follow the guidelines as to what should be sent, when it should be sent, and to whom it should be sent.
We welcome previously unpublished pieces under 3,500 words, written by women over sixty. Submissions may be sent to us any time during the year. Multiple submissions are accepted. If you want to send more than one piece, put them in separate emails.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
Submissions should be in Word, double-spaced, with 12-point type and numbered pages. At the top of the first page please enter author’s name, address, telephone number, and email address.
Please send your submission as an attachment to us at: editor@persimmontree.org. Type the title of the piece, labeled fiction or nonfiction, in the subject line. Include a brief biographical statement (less than 50 words) and a headshot in your email.
We welcome previously unpublished pieces under 3,500 words, written by women over sixty. Submissions may be sent to us any time during the year. Multiple submissions are accepted. If you want to send more than one piece, put them in separate emails.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
Submissions should be in Word, double-spaced, with 12-point type and numbered pages. At the top of the first page please enter author’s name, address, telephone number, and email address.
Please send your submission as an attachment to us at: editor@persimmontree.org. Type the title of the piece, labeled fiction or nonfiction, in the subject line. Include a brief biographical statement (less than 50 words) and a headshot in your email.
Short Takes
Short Takes are usually short prose pieces, fiction or non-fiction (250-500 words), but can also be topical poetry, sometimes even drawings or photography. We’re especially interested in hearing about your experiences, but you can include your thoughts, dreams, ideas and opinions. Humor and irony are always appreciated!
Please read and follow these instructions carefully. We regret that we cannot accept any submission that does not follow these guidelines. In particular, make sure that the address on your email is correct.
The Annual Letter (Issue #73, Winter 2024/2025)
Please read and follow these instructions carefully. We regret that we cannot accept any submission that does not follow these guidelines. In particular, make sure that the address on your email is correct.
The Annual Letter (Issue #73, Winter 2024/2025)
What we are looking for:
This is the season when those Christmas/New Year letters start showing up. We’re sure you’ve had to read lots of bad ones: “Our life is perfect. Our family is doing so well [implied: better than yours].”
You can choose to write a good one for us. Or an honest one. Or one that is even worse than this example. But do make sure that yours is 500 words or less.
Publication date: December 18, 2024
Submissions accepted: November 13 to November 18
(Please do not submit earlier or later than those dates.)
Email your letter to us in a Word document; be sure your name, address, and email address are in the Word document and that the subject line of the email is “Short Takes.” Address it to publisher@persimmontree.org.
Include a headshot and short bio (no more than 50 words) in the email.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
This is the season when those Christmas/New Year letters start showing up. We’re sure you’ve had to read lots of bad ones: “Our life is perfect. Our family is doing so well [implied: better than yours].”
You can choose to write a good one for us. Or an honest one. Or one that is even worse than this example. But do make sure that yours is 500 words or less.
Publication date: December 18, 2024
Submissions accepted: November 13 to November 18
(Please do not submit earlier or later than those dates.)
Email your letter to us in a Word document; be sure your name, address, and email address are in the Word document and that the subject line of the email is “Short Takes.” Address it to publisher@persimmontree.org.
Include a headshot and short bio (no more than 50 words) in the email.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
Legacy (Issue #74, Spring 2025)
What we are looking for:
What legacy will you leave for those who come after? What legacies have been left for you? You can write about things – or ideas – or even the state of the planet. We’ll be looking for originality and artfulness in this one.
Publication date: March 12, 2025
Submissions accepted: February 12 to February 16
(Please do not submit earlier or later than those dates.)
Your submission must be under 500 words. Email it to us in a Word document; be sure your name, address, and email address are in the Word document and that the subject line of the email is “Short Takes.” Address it to publisher@persimmontree.org.
Include a headshot and short bio (no more than 50 words) in the email.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
What legacy will you leave for those who come after? What legacies have been left for you? You can write about things – or ideas – or even the state of the planet. We’ll be looking for originality and artfulness in this one.
Publication date: March 12, 2025
Submissions accepted: February 12 to February 16
(Please do not submit earlier or later than those dates.)
Your submission must be under 500 words. Email it to us in a Word document; be sure your name, address, and email address are in the Word document and that the subject line of the email is “Short Takes.” Address it to publisher@persimmontree.org.
Include a headshot and short bio (no more than 50 words) in the email.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
Poetry
Please read and follow these instructions carefully. We regret that we cannot accept any submission that does not follow the guidelines as to what should be sent, when it should be sent, and to whom it should be sent.
Persimmon Tree accepts submissions of poetry only for the Summer and Winter issues. The submissions mailbox, poetry@persimmontree.org, will be open to receive mail only during the submission periods for these issues. We will next accept poetry for the Winter 2024/2025 issue. Poets from the central states (see below for the states included in that definition) may submit. The submission period will open sometime in October/November. Check back to these pages for the precise dates.
The regional rotation is as follows:
Persimmon Tree accepts submissions of poetry only for the Summer and Winter issues. The submissions mailbox, poetry@persimmontree.org, will be open to receive mail only during the submission periods for these issues. We will next accept poetry for the Winter 2024/2025 issue. Poets from the central states (see below for the states included in that definition) may submit. The submission period will open sometime in October/November. Check back to these pages for the precise dates.
The regional rotation is as follows:
- Winter 2024/2025: Central (the Midwest, the Great Plains, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri),
- Summer 2025: International (for poets living outside the US or in a US Territory),
- Winter 2026: East (the coastal states from Maine to Florida, and also Mississippi, Ohio, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Alabama),
- Summer 2026: West (the coastal states, and Alaska, Hawaii, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico).
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe.
Women poets who are 60 or over and live in the geographical region we are featuring in a particular issue are welcome to submit.
You may submit up to three poems, all of which must be unpublished. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please inform us immediately if any poems in your submission are accepted elsewhere.
Submissions should be in a Word document, single-spaced preferred (double-spaced if that is how you wish the poem to appear), in 12-point type. Please include your name, address, and email address as Header at the top of each page of the document.
Email your submission as an attachment to poetry@persimmontree.org. The subject line of the email should read “Poetry Submission.” Include a headshot and a short (no more than 50 words) bio in the email. We regret that the volume of entries may make it impossible for us to acknowledge receipt of your email.
Our poetry editor, Cynthia Hogue, appoints Guest Editors for these issues. The Guest Editor is announced when the submission period opens (the window for submissions is usually one month).
Next submission period:
Winter 2024/2025 Issue: Central (the Midwest, the Great Plains, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri)
Submissions are not being accepted at this time. We will update this page when they are.
Winter 2024/2025 Issue: Central (the Midwest, the Great Plains, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Missouri)
Submissions are not being accepted at this time. We will update this page when they are.
Art and Illustrations
Please read and follow these instructions carefully. We regret that we cannot accept any submission that does not follow the guidelines as to what should be sent, when it should be sent, and to whom it should be sent.
Although the artists who are featured on our dedicated art page are chosen by our art editor, we welcome submissions of work in all media for display and illustration throughout the rest of the magazine. You are invited to send no more than five samples of your work (in jpg format, 72 dpi), the title and medium of each work, a headshot and a short biographical statement (less than 50 words) for us to put on file. Submissions should be addressed to publisher@persimmontree.org and may be sent any time during the year.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
Although the artists who are featured on our dedicated art page are chosen by our art editor, we welcome submissions of work in all media for display and illustration throughout the rest of the magazine. You are invited to send no more than five samples of your work (in jpg format, 72 dpi), the title and medium of each work, a headshot and a short biographical statement (less than 50 words) for us to put on file. Submissions should be addressed to publisher@persimmontree.org and may be sent any time during the year.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
Forum
Please read and follow these instructions carefully. We regret that we cannot accept any submission that does not follow the guidelines as to what should be sent, when it should be sent, and to whom it should be sent.
Persimmon Tree invites brief (no more than 200 words) comments from our readers on important topics of the moment. Please frame your Comment in clear, straightforward, thoughtful prose. The Forum is intended as an arena for airing personal experiences and opinions, especially on key political and social issues of the moment. It is not a place for fiction or poetry; that is for other sections of the magazine. And remember to be thoughtful of everyone who will read your entry. We reserve the right to refuse publication to any Comment that is rude, officious, or that engages in ad hominem arguments or attacks on any person or group.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
We regret that we cannot accept any entry outside the submission windows. Check back here for the dates when the window will open for the next issue, and the topic for that issue.
Persimmon Tree invites brief (no more than 200 words) comments from our readers on important topics of the moment. Please frame your Comment in clear, straightforward, thoughtful prose. The Forum is intended as an arena for airing personal experiences and opinions, especially on key political and social issues of the moment. It is not a place for fiction or poetry; that is for other sections of the magazine. And remember to be thoughtful of everyone who will read your entry. We reserve the right to refuse publication to any Comment that is rude, officious, or that engages in ad hominem arguments or attacks on any person or group.
You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.
We regret that we cannot accept any entry outside the submission windows. Check back here for the dates when the window will open for the next issue, and the topic for that issue.
A Year Without Men
Stories of Experience and Imagination.
by I.D. Kapur
It’s 2054 A.D., and the world needs a rest from men. Women have developed a novel solution, and the men can’t wait to leave. When my taxi driver tells me he has bullet wounds from the Russian police, speaks five languages, and is teaching at Harvard, I start taking notes. After the funeral, a widow loses all her married friends. Then karma sends flowers.
“Indra Kapur writes with clear insight and an acute sense of humor. The stories in A Year Without Men are varied, clever, and often delightfully surprising! Cue me rubbing my hands together with glee.” — Katherine Longshore, author of the Gilt series.
“The stories in A Year Without Men create a powerful sense of place with rich sensory and emotional detail. Characters are appealing in their humor and the compassion they inspire. I want to meet these people and be there with them! Some endings surprise us, and others give us a satisfying sense of the inevitable playing out. The stories have a depth of reality that makes them unforgettable.” — Ann Saxton Reh, author of the David Markam Mysteries
“Mickee Voodoo is a very entertaining parody of a “hardboiled” detective story in the mode of Chandler, Hammett, and, more recently, Robert B. Parker…witty banter ensues with the detective cracking wise in a colorful idiom both in dialogue and narrative…delights in wordplay…very clever, and is quite funny…Kapur is a talented and skillful fiction writer.” — John DeChancie, author of The Skyway Trilogy and The Castle Perilous series.
Available from Amazon or on order from your independent bookstore.Bio
Judy Ireland’s poems have appeared in Hotel Amerika, Calyx, Saranac Review, Eclipse, Cold Mountain, Coe Review, and other journals, as well as in two anthologies, the Best Indie Lit New England anthology, and the Voices from the Fierce Intangible World anthology. Her book, Cement Shoes, won the 2013 Sinclair Poetry Prize, and was published in 2014 by Evening Street Press. In addition to being a writer, she is also an amateur photographer. She currently serves as Co-Director for the Performance Poets of the Palm Beaches, as Senior Poetry Editor & Reading Series Producer for the South Florida Poetry Journal, and she teaches at Palm Beach State College.