Meet Darker Objects Collaborator Quatrina Hosain

My body will not be affected

By decisions of men in legislatures

I do not spill crimson every month.

My body will not be affected

By men carrying knives and ligatures

I cannot be raped.

My body will not be affected

By men who decide women need not study

I already have a college degree.

My body will not be affected

By men who declare I can’t work

My husband pays all the bills.

So they relaxed their bodies

In willful blindness.

They laughed at sisters

Who marched on the streets.

They joined the men in calling them whores.

And said their sons were worth more.

Then came laws that forced darkness

Faces forced behind cloaks of bleakness.

The marchers were murdered

The voices silenced.

Dance outlawed, music banned.

Writers fled, poets quietened.

Memories of the Taliban

Became realities again.

In lands that had assumed

Never again.

Quatrina Hosain, excerpt from ‘The Color of Our Rights’, from Darker Objects

Quatrina Hosain is a Pakistani journalist who writes verse when she is enraged and then deletes it all. This is her first foray into sharing her dark thoughts. She graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1987 and immediately went into mainstream journalism on her return to Pakistan. She has worked for several news organizations, including Agence France Presse. She covered the war in Sri Lanka and unrest in Bangladesh in the 1990s, becoming Pakistan’s first woman war correspondent. She has been the editor of a national newspaper and anchored television news programs for several years. She has interviewed several heads of state from around the world. During an unplanned hiatus from journalism, she returned to her first love of rescuing animals and running an animal shelter. She also remains deeply involved in improving legislation for animal rights.  For the past 15 years, she has focused on tracking terrorist and extremist ideologies and worked on reclaiming space conceded over the years. She trains police officers, anti-terrorist court prosecutors and government officials in strategic communications pertaining to terrorism and violent extremism. She also develops and deploys counter violent extremism campaigns. Much of her personal writing is drawn from the hatred and hostility towards women promoted by extremist organizations. She currently lives with her 15 rescue cats and two dogs and divides her time between Karachi and Islamabad. Someday, she hopes to finish writing her book on the Mughul queen, Empress Nurjehan.

Meet Darker Objects Collaborator Sarah Doughty

If only I knew
that high school and college
were hunting grounds
for people like you.
The ones that worked hard
with all their money,
physical talent, and popularity.
Those predators were untouchable.
Little did I know that being
in an empty hallway,
a bus ride at night,
or walking home from school
was a dangerous act.
If only I knew that predators
come in all forms,
and not all monsters
have hideous faces.
The word of a quiet, unknown girl
would never match
the thoroughbred males
that dominated my world.
If speaking up would only lead
to more labels, accusations, and bullying,
why say anything at all?
The shame and guilt
was already overwhelming.
Why add insult to injury — literally?

Sarah Doughty, Excerpt from ‘Testify!,’ Darker Objects

“Working with such a talented group of individuals is always an honor and I’m always amazed at the results when Christine rallies us together..”

-Sarah Doughty

Sarah Doughty is a Smashwords Most Downloaded Author of fiction and poetry, including a contributor to publications online and in print, including We Will Not Be Silenced, and Crown Anthologies. As a survivor, Sarah writes to cope with her complex PTSD. She lives in Indiana with her family. 

Meet Darker Objects Collaborator Laurie Wise

Her words, her will, her worth

Trampled and trodden

Forgotten

But for her

Flickering light

Fueled by ferocity

Molded with might

Courage compiled

Resilience reconciled

Wolves wryly grin

Circling again

Nevertheless, she persisted

Laurie Wise, Excerpt from ‘Nevertheless, She Persisted,’ Darker Objects

“Darker Objects is a phenomenal curation of the most talented and diverse voices and artists who have inspired each other over years of creative camaraderie. These pieces have been lying in the shadows waiting for their moment to shine and I am honored to be included in this treasured collection.”

-Laurie Wise

Laurie Wise resides in the Pacific Northwest, where she gardens, rescues dogs, and writes poetry and prose. She finds her inspiration stumbling through the darkness, searching for signs of life. Wise has been published in several anthologies, including Darker Objects, Sudden Denouement Anthology Volume 1, All the Lonely People, Swear to Me, and We Will Not Be Silenced. Her essays on mental health and chronic pain have been featured in The Mighty. Laurie has been a member of online literary groups, Blood into Ink, Whisper and the Roar, and Sudden Denouement Literary Collective.  

Internship Opportunity with Indie Blu(e) Publishing

Indie Blu(e) Publishing is looking for an Intern to assist with social media campaigns (Instagram, Facebook, WordPress, etc.) and other publishing related administrative tasks, with a commitment of approximately 5 hours a week.

The Role:

  • Maximizing exposure and marketing of new releases, upcoming, and back catalog titles.
  • Collating book excerpts, book reviews, author interviews, audio and video files.
  • Building press and media contacts for reviews, and exposure of projects.
  • Keeping the back catalog vibrant by actively re-marketing these titles on a continuous basis.
  • Designing and disseminating memes and other visuals for promotion.
  • Utilize audio and video components in content to advertise book titles on social media. Research book awards and indie bookstores that may sell or promote Indie Blu(e) books or host virtual events.
  • Maintain Indie Blu(e) Publishing WordPress website, ensuring accurate, up-to-date catalog information. Create and promote new blog posts such as book reviews, reader events, author profiles, etc. as identified by the editorial team.
  • Coordinate and promote virtual author events using Zoom technology.
  • Extensive social media knowledge and interest is necessary, as is genuine passion for edgy independent writing and publishing. Prior WordPress and Zoom experience are a plus.  Intern is expected to regularly attend virtual editorial meetings and communicate with the team regularly by email and DM.

What We Offer:

As a micro-press, Indie Blu(e) Publishing is a labor of love and currently the majority of royalties not being directly paid to our authors are reinvested into the business or donated to causes we are passionate about. Interns are mentored and supported by our experienced editorial team: Christine E. Ray, Editor-in-Chief, Senior Editor, Candice Louisa Daquin, Elijah R. Carney, Editorial Assistant, and Marketing PR Specialist, Victoria Manzi.

As part of the Indie Blu(e) team, the intern will network with experienced and emerging Indie Blu(e) authors, learn firsthand about the world of independent publishing, build their resume, and receive free copies of our titles. This is an excellent opportunity for individuals wishing to break into the publishing world (or similar) and needing experience for their resume.

To Apply:

Email us at indieblucollective@gmail.com with your name, contact information, a couple of sentences telling us more about who you are and why this position spoke to you. 

Questions/Concerns:

Contact us at indieblucollective@gmail.com

Who We Are:

Indie Blu(e) Publishing is a progressive, feminist micro-press, committed to producing honest and thought-provoking works. Our anthologies are meant to celebrate diversity, raise awareness, and embolden our siblings to speak their truths. The editors all passionately advocate for human rights; mental health awareness; chronic illness awareness; sexual abuse survivors; and LGBTQ+ equality. It is our mission, and a great honor, to provide platforms for those voices that are stifled, and stigmatized.

Poetry Anthologies include: We Will Not Be Silenced: The Lived Experience of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Told Powerfully Through Poetry, Prose, Essay, and Art, As The World Burns: Writers and Artists Reflect on a World Gone Mad, SMITTEN This is What Love Looks Like: Poetry by Women for Women, The Kali Project: Invoking the Goddess Within (Indian women speak), Through The Looking Glass: Reflecting on Madness and Chaos Within, But You Don’t Look Sick: The Real Life Adventures of Fibro Bitches, Lupus Warriors, and other Superheroes Battling Invisible Illness, and Darker Objects.

Find Us Online

Website

Facebook

Instagram: @indiebluepublishing

Support WordPress poets: Save the date, Darker Objects Zoom launch just in time for Halloween

Please join some of your favorite WordPress poets & authors who will be reading from Darker Objects, Indie Blu(e)’s latest collaborative collection. We’ll have costumes, poetry and much more!

Darker Objects features the incredible work of: Kim Bailey, Elijah Carney, Jharna Choudhury, Ward Clever, Susan M. Conway, crystal x, Candice Louisa Daquin, Sarah Doughty. OldePunk, Michael Erickson, Rachel Finch, Devereaux Frazier, Stephen Fuller, Nicholas Gagnier, Georgianna Grentzenberg, Iulia Halatz, Quatrina Hosain, Rachael Z. Ikins, Sun Hesper Jansen, Rana Kelly, Erin L. King, Mandy Kocsis, Aakriti Kuntal, John W. Leys, Lois Linkens, Nicole Lyons, Jamie Lynn Martin, Devika Mathur, Nathan McCool, S.K. Nicholas, Dom Wynette, Jack Neece, Allister Nelson, Jesica Nordase, Basiliké Pappa, Zelda Raville, Lynn Devora-McNabb, Kristiana Reed, Megha Sood, Eric Syrdal, Marcia J. Weber, Robert Wertzler, and Laurie Wise.

Join us on October 29th (12-1.30pm EST, USA) for an extremely Halloween inspired launch of Darker Objects. All welcome. Poets will be reading their work in Darker Objects, we’ll have a chance to talk and ask questions and admire costumes, this will start the Halloween season off with a scare! Sign up to join in the fun:

Zoom Meeting Information: 

Topic: Readings Around the Cauldron with Christine & Friends

Time: Oct 29, 2023 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81790564909?pwd=uwqp3cMnonUU0D04pciogxqS5IDqU9.1

Meeting ID: 817 9056 4909
Passcode: 270456

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Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kbaqLTaLHN

If you are a poet featured in Darker Objects and want to read, LET US KNOW ahead of time so we can schedule you. Otherwise, come and enjoy readings and spooky entertainment, all welcome.