The staff of the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s online literary journal Upcountryare seeking submissions for a very special “Town and Gown” issue. Editors hope to include a bountiful selection of written and visual works from both campus and community members.
Dedicated to showcasing poems, short stories, personal essays and visual art from the campus community, Upcountry is a publication of the University’s English Program. Presented both in print and as an interactive, online format, the literary journal is published twice yearly.
The journal’s advisor, Dr. Melissa Crowe, said that, in this issue, she and student editors Jessica Edney, Kayla Ames, and Angel Cray are hoping to include more fine work from some returning contributors, as well as original pieces by writers new to the journal’s pages.
“We’ve been so proud of the previous three issues, made up of the fine work of UMPI students and alums, and as we thought about where to go from here, we seized upon the idea of including work from members of the greater Presque Isle community. We’re so excited to see what folks send us,” Crowe said.
The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 29. Submissions should be emailed to the editors at upcountry@maine.edu. For other specific submission instructions, please visit the journal on the web at www.upcountryjournal.wordpress.com.
The issue to be published will mark the fourth time that the online journal is being made available in its interactive format. In 2011, the staff made the leap to a more interactive format to give viewers a more hands-on reading experience. The journal now appears in a browsable magazine format through a digital publishing platform called Issuu. The platform allows pages of uploaded print material to be viewed much like a traditional printed publication, with animated, flipping pages and left-to-right page viewing.
“We’re hoping, this time around, to share with the world the rich vision and varied talents of both campus and community,” Crowe said. “The web format will allow us to give a glimpse of Aroostook County art and writing to a wide audience, and we couldn’t be more pleased.”
To view the latest issue of Upcountry in its interactive format, visit http://upcountryjournal.wordpress.com/ and click on the “Expand” button. For more information about the “Town and Gown” issue, please contact Dr. Crowe at upcountry@maine.edu.
