There’s only two months until the March 21st, 2013 deadline to participate in the inaugural issue of the Hermetic Library Journal from the Benefit Anthology Project! Release is planned for June 21st, 2013. Consider letting others whom you think may be interested know about this as well, but consider submitting your written and visual work. If you have any questions, comments or wish to contribute to this project; contact the librarian.

The Symposium is an opportunity for readers to write on a topic pre-selected for each issue, which for this issue is Intolerance and Tolerance. Non-fiction and personal narrative is encouraged, but a wide range of personal expression is possible. Submissions to the Symposium may be heavily edited but the creator will be contacted with proposed edits prior to publication, unless this is waived when submitted. Anonymity in publication is available, but not in the submission process, and the name used in publication may be presented in abbreviated or anonymous form at the discretion of the Journal. This is not an opportunity to slander, libel or flame others, so do not do so; and, where speaking of others, names should be changed and indicated to the Journal as such. Also, speak for yourself, your own thoughts and ideas.

The ancient Greek symposium was a social event where celebrants gathered to debate and revel in each other’s company, with various entertainments that included wine, women and song. The use of the word ‘symposium’ in English for events where speeches are made is not exactly what the original events were, but the rhetorical contests and dialogues that have come down to us in ancient Greek literature are the inspiration for that use. I propose something not quite so formal as a modern symposium, but not quite so wild as the ancient event.

Have you ever read the Sun magazine’s “readers write” section? If not, you should check out Snow, their recent theme January 2013 as an example. I’ve long wanted to do something like that, and here’s my chance. I am going to announce a more or less broad suggested theme for each issue of the journal and publish concise and thoughtful reader responses.

The Journal, in general, and this section, specifically, is intended to be a hospitable environment where no one ends up in hospital or therapy, including myself. I feel I must be clear this Symposium is not going to be a space to slander, libel, flame or otherwise attack people or points of view; but rather to offer readers an opportunity to offer personal thoughts and ideas about the specific topic selected.

The theme for this issue’s Symposium, a section of the Journal offering a reader’s forum, is Intolerance and Tolerance. Read more about the idea of the Symposium in the call for submissions and in the Symposium section of the submissions guidelines.

For general information, please read the call for submissions and the terms & conditions for submissions. If you have any comments, questions or concerns; or want to submit your work for an anthology, just contact the librarian.