Wed, 16 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000

Ooligan is expanding into new and exciting horizons with our new Own Voices title, Short, Vigorous Roots. Set to publish on March 1, Short, Vigorous Roots (SVR) is one of Ooligan’s recently accepted works that is an Own Voices novel.

This flash fiction anthology examines what it means to be a transplant in a foreign land where one must rediscover themselves and become reacquainted with who they are. It looks critically at what it means to give up our tongues, traditions, and precious comforts in the hope of starting a new life in another world. These varied migrant experiences are connected by the common thread of resilience. SVR pushes readers to expand their understanding of the world beyond their own lives and explores what the concept of home truly means.

This collection contains forty poignant pieces written by several first- and second-generation immigrant authors from around the world. Regardless of their origin, all of these writers have the shared experience of putting down roots in new places. Each author examines how their adaptation to new lives impacts their understanding of themselves and their community. At 1,000 words or fewer, the intensity of each story is captivating from the very first line.

Though we have published several anthology titles in the past, we have not done one of a similar caliber in capturing people’s unique lived experiences since 2016, when we published Memories Flow in Our Veins: Forty Years of Women’s Writing from CALYX.
As one of the students who worked on this book, I can say that it has been exciting to work on a title like this because it is simply beautiful and poignant to read. It really does create a space for readers to sympathize and relate to the characters featured.

It’s been rewarding to work on SVR with the recent political events surrounding BLM, immigration, human rights, and even more so with the decision to revamp our mission statement as a press. It makes me feel positive not only about being enrolled and learning from a program such as Ooligan, but it helps me feel like I am contributing to causes I am passionate about. It can feel like there are a lot of factors or things in motion that one cannot simply control or possibly affect, especially during the COVID pandemic. Working on SVR has definitely alleviated some of those anxieties for me.

Be sure to set your calendar for March 1 for the launch of Short, Vigorous Roots! If what I wrote above hasn’t convinced you, you can take my word for it that it’s worth the wait and definitely a must-read!