Happy Friday, readers, writers, and shark fans! We’re starting a feature today called “The Friday Feed,” where we’ll share positive news we have going on in Lit Shark territory, yays from our past contributors and where to find them, and something fun and uplifting you might stumble across on the internet, typically book- or marine-life-related. I hope you enjoy this new feature!

Great News at Lit Shark: Praise for Issue 1 and Submissions Open for Issues 2, 3, and 4

First of all: In case you missed it, Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine has gone live, and I could not be proud of it. Praise has been pouring in for the issue’s cover, the formatting, and most of all, the content inside, and I am so pleased that readers are loving the issue as much as I loved it (and still do!) while creating it.

Also! If you’re interested in getting involved, submissions are now open for Issues 2, 3, and 4! Make sure to check the themes so you can submit them to the right issue(s) for you!

Coming Soon from Lit Shark!

Don’t forget the main purpose of Issue 2 of Lit Shark Magazine, which is Shark Week! And it’s almost here! More information has finally been released by the Discovery Channel, and it appears to be starting on Sunday, July 23, at 8:00 PM-ET, and it will be hosted by Aquaman‘s Jason Momoa.

We’ll be watching the programs right along with you and will create writing prompts to get your creativity flowing after each program. You can also completely ignore these prompts, or skip watching the programs and just use the prompts, whatever makes the most sense to you and speaks to your creative self! We can’t wait to see what you come up with for Issue 2 and beyond.

Also, if you’re an author who needs some assistance, we will be adding to our Creative Frenzy this summer several very affordable e-resources, and The Shiver Collective is going to start accepting clients for book services, including editing, book cover design, interior design, writing coaching, and more. Any funds we make will help us to pay our growing team of contributors and future writers who submit, to create our end-of-the-year “Best Of” anthology, and of course, to make our annual donations to important conversation efforts.

Yays for Our Past Contributors! 

Amy Losak, who we recently interviewed about her collaboration with her mother, Sydell Rosenberg, which resulted in Wing Strokes Haiku, just had a poem, titled “I Wish,” published on EMBER: A Journal of Luminous Things. You can also find Amy online here or at The Haiku Foundation.

Carolyn Martin, whose poems “Dreamscaping” and “Shall I?” were featured in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine, had a poetry chapbook published in April 2023. by Kelsay Books. It’s called It’s in the Cards and is available here. Check back for our review of the collection and our exclusive interview with Carolyn later this month! You can also find Carolyn online here.

Joel Savishinsky, whose poem “Extremities” was featured in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine, also had a poetry collection published in April 2023, this time by The Poetry Box. It’s entitled Our Aching Bones, Our Breaking Hearts: Poems on Aging and is available here. Be sure to check it out!! You can also find Joel online here.

Some of Our Contributors Shared Our News on Their Sites and Socials. Be Sure to Follow Them for Future News!

J.D. Gevry, writer of “All That Can’t Be Said” in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine. Follow them on Facebook and on Instagram!

Carol Lynn Stephenson Grellas, writer of “Gamble at the Ramble” and “Even So,” in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine. Find her website here.

Helga Kidder, writer of “The Wishbone,” in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine. Find her website here.

Beth Mathison, writer of “Swimming with the Shadow,” in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine. Find her website here.

Anthony Dirk Ray, writer of “Deep Sockets,” in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine. Find his website here.

Cassandra O’Sullivan Sachar, writer of “Trapped in a Studio Apartment for Eternity,” in Issue 1 of Lit Shark Magazine. Find her website here.

Something Positive to Take Us into the Weekend

This is technically old, but it was too adorable to pass up. For those looking to share their vows in Connecticut, a popular location has become the Mystic Aquarium. Due to their unique floor-to-ceiling tanks, spectators are able to watch the happy couple get married… while also in the company of the aquarium’s largest sea creatures.

This includes a large beluga whale, who obviously loves love, and happy couples have taken the opportunity to take some memorable selfies with him.

Thanks for joining us for our first Friday Feed! I hope you experience all the joy obvious on this beluga whale’s face this week and on into your next week!