Founded in 2002 as an online literary journal, Tarpaulin Sky took the form of 12.5 internet issues (see the archive) before its first paper edition in November 2007, and the magazine continues to publish new work both online and in print. In addition to these issues, Tarpaulin Sky publishes work by individual authors in its "chronic content" section, as well as online-only book reviews (more details below).

Tarpaulin Sky focuses on cross-genre / trans-genre / hybrid forms as well as innovative poetry and prose. The journal is not allied with any one style or school or network of writers; rather, we try to avoid some of the defects associated with dipping too often into the same literary gene pool, and the diversity of our contributors is evidence of our eclectic interests—eg., Juliana Spahr, Brian Evenson, Chris Abani, John Yau, Matthea Harvey, Dodie Bellamy, Brian Henry, Brenda Iijima, Douglas A. Martin, Laird Hunt, Eleni Sikelianos, Bin Ramke, Ethan Paquin, Michelle Naka Pierce, Renee Gladman, et al.

Outside of the timetable of magazine issues, tarpaulinsky.com also posts reviews of small press books, and we pay reviewers in the form of free trade paperbacks from Tarpaulin Sky Press (please see our guidelines page for details). We are particularly interested in books published by our journal's contributors, or books published by the presses that publish our contributors, or books published by the presses run by our contributors, etc--as we hope to multiply and widen the concentric circles rippling around the work of some of our favorite writers

The Press

Tarpaulin Sky Press was founded in 2006 with the intent of bringing out new books by contributors to Tarpaulin Sky Literary Journal. Now, via open reading periods, we are also publishing books by writers who are new to us. Like the journal, the press focuses on cross-genre / trans-genre / hybrid forms as well as innovative poetry and prose.

We are an author-centered press endeavoring to create books that, as objects, please our authors as much their texts please us. We produce both trade paperbacks and handbound books. Most of our handbound books are chapbooks, but some are full-length, and some are even hardcovers. When time and resources allow, we create perfectbound and handbound editions of full-length books.

Tarpaulin Sky Press trade paperback titles include:

Jenny Boully
not merely because of the unknown that was stalking toward them

Jenny Boully
[one love affair]*

Ana Božičević
Stars of the Night Commute

Danielle Dutton
Attempts at a Life

Sarah Goldstein
Fables

Johannes Göransson
Entrance to a colonial pageant in which we all begin to intricate

Joyelle McSweeney
Nylund, The Sarcographer

Joanna Ruocco
Man's Companions

Kim Gek Lin Short
The Bugging Watch & Other Exhibits

Shelly Taylor
Black-Eyed Heifer

A list of forthcoming authors and titles may be foun on our authors page.

Events / Readings

In 2005, Tarpaulin Sky began hosting readings in NYC, in conjunction with the venerable Frequency Series and the incomparable Burning Chair. Tarpaulin Sky readings are now branching out of NYC and into cities and states all around the US. Please check our Tarpaulin Sky Readings & Events page for updates.

We offer an extensive list of links to other presses and literary journals online and print. Some are publishing very different work than we publish, and may be good venues for writers whose work is not suited to Tarpaulin Sky.

Please see our guidelines page for details regarding submissions of poetry, prose, hybrid forms, etc, as well as submissions of reviews and review copies.

Tarpaulin Sky Press & Tarpaulin Sky Literary Journal offer a limited number of unpaid internships for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. Interested students should introduce themselves to the editors via an email to editors[AT]tarpaulinsky[DOT]com  (In order to avoid the spam filters, please be sure to include "Attn: Editors" in the subject line). Applicants are expected to possess excellent computer, Internet, and English language skills as well as a sincere desire to be a part of the writing and publishing community.

If you would like to receive emails announcing the publication of new issues or books, please write "subscribe" in the subject line of a blank email to readers[AT]tarpaulinsky[DOT]com

Questions/Comments:

We welcome your questions and comments.

Email editors[AT]tarpaulinsky[DOT]com (In order to avoid the spam filters, please be sure to include "Attn: Editors" in the subject line).

Thank you for your interest in Tarpaulin Sky Press!