Expression is the form of art and art is the reflection of reality.
Let us become a mirror.
MISSION STATEMENT
Life is a network of choices, actions and events, and through each, a new line is drawn, connecting us further along this complicated pathway. Every step weaves through society, falling into categories, sinking into stereotypes, becoming outwardly branded. Struggles of personality, mentality, emotionality, pressures of the outside and in… We know that life isn’t just black and white.
Dear Abby Normal is a student-run online literary journal hosted by the University of Mary Washington. We showcase the stories of every-day struggles, the human experience we all share, but for some reason rarely do. We are not normal, and argue that no one truly is. Instead, we are simply ourselves, dealing with disease, mental illness, rocky relationships, and a world full of diagnosis without any real solutions. We want to look past appearances and focus on the individual, unique, and possibly obscure lives of all people—glorifying difference and defying the standard. We understand the societal implications of normalcy and strive to find those who have captured this experience in works of poetry, prose, art, and multimedia. We want you to share your stories and give you a place where your creative expression can be heard and appreciated, in a place where being “normal” doesn’t matter. We open the door to those who wish to express the “regular” life that those around them may not see. What people struggle with, deal with, and the methods to having a “normal” existence in a world that tries to restrict and label its people.
Jennifer Roed was born in Columbus, Nebraska. She spent her childhood moving around, and lived in Ireland, France, Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland. She spent her high school years in Maryland attending Dulaney High. Jennifer graduated from high school in 2007 and chose to become a student at the University of Mary Washington. She is a Creative Writing English major and is enrolled in the Education Program at Mary Washington. Jennifer plans to teach secondary English.
Quigley has been a life-long student of the human form and the beauty of its construction.
In both her writing and her art she strives to capture our vulnerability as individuals and seeks to expose our interiority while acknowledging its juxtaposition with the physical body.
"“For me, the most meaningful source of inspiration is the people, places, and things I know best. I have always been moved by the human capacity to love, dream, and persevere, with great courage and sincerity, in spite of a vast and un-sympathetic Nature."”
Reyes graduated from the Laguna College of Arts and Design in 2005, and has since recieved many awards and honorary distinctions for his work.
He lives in Northern California, sharing a studio with his artist-wife.
Self-taught in photography, Kalliope takes an intuitive approach to composition and lighting and works without the aid of professional lighting or studio equipment. Makeup, costuming, photography, and post processing are all self-created.
Kalliope is a recipient of the 2010 Julia Margaret Cameron award for self-portraiture photography. She has exhibited and published her work throughout the United States and internationally.
Michelle reads while she walks to class, writes short stories inspired by interesting strangers, and firmly believes in dancing around her apartment. A graduating senior in Creative Writing and Theatre, she looks for the reality within everyday life that connects us all, and appreciates the details of a story well-told.
Finally, as a graduating senior, Mackenzie finds herself permanently in a tug-a-war with set standards and limitations on things the world brands "not normal." However, with the observation through art and literature, Mackenzie explores everyday, discovering the experience of life more medicating than a prescription.
Sara is a graduating senior with a passion for creative writing. She enjoys immersing herself into the worlds of others through their stories, feeling their feelings and following them on their pathway. The pathway is not always straight, nor is it a simple journey, but nothing is as simple as a straight line. Things are always changing and it is up to us to determine our own pathway, whether it's considered “normal” or not.
Submission Guidelines:
- We are looking for submissions of any media: prose, poetry, photography, art, video, sound bites, etc.
- Prose should be no more than 15 pages.
- Font: Times New Roman, 12pt, double spaced.
- No science fiction, fantasy, or traditional romances.
- Submit on the form to the right of the page, or if you need to attach media submit to dearabbynorm AT _gmail.com
- Submissions will be accepted through March 24th
Our Inspirations:
Novels:
- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
- Flowers for Algernon
- Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
- Handle with Care
- Running with Scissors
Movies:
- "Adam"
- "Wristcutters: A Love Story"
- "The Visitor"
Submit
Normal- adj: conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; regular.
Abnormal- adj: deviating away from what is normal.
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