Submissions

While we welcome submissions from diverse sources, not everything can be published. And, since Curtana † Sword of Mercy is distributed freely, there is no financial compensation for authors. (In essence, contributors are paid double what the editor of the journal makes.) The reward for writers comes via the intrinsic value of contributing to the journal's mission . . . and the prospect of seeing one's name in print.

Authors and Artists will retain the copyright to their creation, although Curtana reserves the right to republish them in a collection format at some future date.

There are several venues for contributors to consider. If you are interested in any of the following opportunities, feel free to request more information. Contributors are wise to query the editor prior to investing significant effort in preparing a manuscript.

Authors:

Ministry in Context Articles
  Describing chaplaincy activities about which we possess first-hand knowledge.

Theological Reflection Articles
  Addressing issues of significance to chaplains.

Chaplain Biographical Articles
  Providing an in-depth examination of a chaplain's life and work.

Poetry
  Reclaiming an artistic expression celebrated by God's servants.

Book Reviews
  Illuminating volumes of interest to those concerned with the chaplaincy.

Letters to the Editor may become a feature of the Journal.
  Correcting errors or adding new insights related to previously published material.
  (Generic praise and indiscriminate condemnation are accepted, but not likely to be published.)

Artists:

Curtana Journal Illustrator   [This position is currently open.]
  Bringing a unifying image to Curtana.

Individual Artwork
  Saying in a single picture what the rest of us expend thousands of words to communicate.

Editorial Cartoonist
  Applying a keen wit to say more with a picture than with a thousand words.

Cartoonist
  Using humor to remind us God created his children with the capacity to laugh.

[Note: When it comes to art, the Editor has rather high and admittedly traditional tastes. Despite that caveat, it doesn't hurt to send something for our consideration.]

Researchers:

The internet has made countless formerly inaccessible publications and primary source materials available for contemporary research. Many of these include references to military chaplains. We hope to recover, gather, and disseminate this precious information. In order to accomplish this, we invite everyone with a similar interest to unearth these accounts and forward them to us for publication.

Recording the source of the data is essential.

Length of Manuscripts

Word counts are flexible. (That is one benefit of an ejournal's digital medium.) Use as many words as required to tell the story. But don't use a single word more. Seriously, that is a subjective call; the editor believes that maintaining the unique "voices" of a chorus of different contributors is more satisfying than striving for an abstract "tone." Write concisely, but don't be timid about savoring the richness of the English language. The subjects of biographical articles must have served as a military chaplain or chaplain assistant. The individual must also be deceased.

The brief biographical notes must come from a public domain or government source (i.e. not be restricted by copyright). When submitted, the researcher must (1) include an accurate digital text in a standard word processing format, and (2) include a PDF, scanned image file, or internet link to verify the original source and text of the article. The more obscure the original source, the better.

Digital Copies, Please

Queries, submissions and suggestions should be sent to: