Urban Green Man anthology seeks submissions from writers
Calgary publisher seeking submissions for new short story anthology
According to Wikipedia, "the Green Man is often related to natural vegetative deities springing up in different cultures throughout the ages. Primarily it is interpreted as a symbol of rebirth, or "renaissance," representing the cycle of growth each spring." Painting by Calgary artist Janice Blaine.
A new literary anthology just right for our enviro-conscious times is looking for submissions from Canadian writers. The anthology of short stories is based on a modern take on Green Man mythology, a sort of nature deity found in many cultures and often represented by a head surrounded by leaves.
The Green Man archetype has graced medieval churches and haunted the global subconscious for countless generations, becoming just another forgotten myth that is now relegated to garden statuary and English pub signs.
But Carl Jung offered a theory of compensation regarding our myths—that an archetype will reappear in a new form to redress imbalances in society at a particular time when it is needed most.
Calgarians Adria Laycraft and Janice Blaine have a hunch this might be the right time for that re-emergence. The two co-editors and are now accepting submissions of short stories for their anthology, Urban Green Man, which will be published by Calgary’s Edge Books.
“Witness as the Green Man rises to capture our imagination once again,” says Laycraft, co-editor. Working with artist and co-editor Blaine to bring this myth back into people’s awareness, Laycraft is determined the stories stay true to the original mythology as possible while still being urban fantasy in order to bring the myth into the modern day.
“This simple image of a green foliated, disgorging face represents a relevant need in today’s world to cultivate a more harmonious and sustainable relationship with Nature,” the editors write. “Perhaps the Green Man is rising up into our present awareness just when we need him most.”
Urban Green Man is due to launch in the Spring of 2013. More information and submission guidelines can be found at www.urbangreenman.com.
Category: Literature
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