Keiko’s Calls

For flash fiction, poetry, and other short works.

Hi! I’m Keiko O’Leary from Thinking Ink Press. I design and edit literary postcards, Instant Books (mini books folded from a single sheet of paper), and other publications in non-traditional formats. I want to publish more of these specialty publications.

Types of pieces I’m looking for:

• For postcards: (a 4 x 6″ flat card that can be sent through the mail) poems or flash stories you wish someone would send you in the mail. Story length is about 100 to 300 words. Poetry length is 30 lines or fewer.
• For Instant Books: (a mini book folded from a single sheet of paper) standalone stories around 500-1,300 words in length with strong narrative arcs.
• For a 4-page flexagon: (A flexagon is a flat paper object that you can fold and twist to reveal hidden surfaces.) Stories or poems that can be divided into four pages and read as a loop, with no enforced beginning or end. Word limit is about 130 words per page, or about 16 lines of poetry per page.

My Perspective and Preferences (but send anything you think matches the formats)

• A poem is a ceremony that changes the reader. Send me dangerous poems that will change me for the better.
• A story is what happens, how that changes someone, and why it matters to the rest of us. Send me stories whose endings knock me down and compel me to read the whole thing again.
• A book is a complete text that comes in its own wrapper. I see all of these formats as books, just with different wrappers than usual. Send me a piece that works as a book.

Payment

We pay our authors for everything we publish. As of 2025, we pay a flat fee of $20 per acceptance. We also give you complimentary copies.

How to Submit Your Work

• Submit during the months of February or August only.
• Simultaneous submissions are okay.
• Reprints are encouraged.
• Send one story or up to five poems at a time.
• Keep to the word and line guidelines described above.
• We prefer Microsoft Word documents, but we also accept RTF, PDF, OpenOffice, or text (.txt).
• If the meaning of your piece depends on precise formatting, please send a PDF or JPG.
• About fonts: Except in special cases (as above), use a common, legible font. Whatever your word processor automatically selected is fine. (If you feel strongly that your piece should be published in a certain font, we can talk about that after your piece is accepted.)
• Use standard manuscript format (Shunn is fine) or something reasonably close.
• For images, please attach .JPG file(s) that are no larger than 5MB (unless a larger file is required to make details understandable).
• Name each document using the following pattern: “Author Name — Title of the Piece”
• It’s fine to send poems in separate documents, named as above. If you prefer to send them all in a single document, name it “Author Name – poems”
• Send your submission to queries@ThinkingInkPress.com
  Use subject line: Keiko’s Calls: <your project’s title>

What If I Have Questions?

Feel free to email me at keiko@ThinkingInkPress.com. But seriously, usually “I have questions” means “I’m nervous about submitting.” Why not just send in your piece? I’m a nice person, and I’ll be glad you sent it. Even if I don’t publish it, you’ll have made a good first impression by being courageous, and then I’ll know who you are for your next submission.

I look forward to seeing your work soon!

Your friend in literature,