My son keeps telling me he's seen lightning bugs (or fireflies), but I haven't seen a single one this year. I've even heard others talk about how they're seeing more this summer than in years past. I'm starting to take it personally. Maybe word got around about my childhood propensity for homemade nightlights. Someone brought up how lightning bugs have a smell, and I'd completely forgotten that until they mentioned it in relation to a jar of the bugs. My brain immediately supplied a ghost of that smell, and the feel of warm cement under my bare feet, a cool breeze blowing wisps of hair into my eyes. The sensations of summers gone by. 

In this issue you will find a short story about another girl's experience with a different kind of bug, and its transformative powers. There's a poem about the monster summer storms that come sweeping down the plains on occasion. A story about a house with a cough that's not really about a house with a cough. And so much more. We hope you find something inside that transforms you, reminds you to appreciate the brevity and wonder of life, and something that makes this moment in time one worth remembering.

Let me know if you see a lightning bug.

And as always, thank you to the many partners, supporters, readers, and writers that keep eMerge Magazine trotting along issue after issue. There are exciting things on the horizon—the winners of the Woody Barlow Poetry Contest, more podcasts, and something brand new—but none of it would be possible without all of you.

Thank you.

Aubrey Green

THE PRINT ISSUE

eMerge Magazine – 2025 Print Edition Advertising Sponsorship Opportunities

Celebrating Voices. Preserving Words. Growing Community.

For the first time in its ten-year history, eMerge Magazine will publish a

curated print edition in early 2026 — featuring reader-selected work from

our final 2025 digital issues.

We invite you to support this milestone moment in our literary journey!

Print Edition Ad Tiers

1. Full Page Sponsor – $500

• Full-page ad in the print edition (premium placement: inside front,

• inside back, or back pages)

• Logo + sponsor mention on the eMerge website and in our digital

• newsletter

• Optional custom thank-you message or quote

• Ten complimentary copies of the print edition

• Acknowledgment in our Ten-Year Anthology in 2027

2. Half Page Sponsor – $250

• Half-page ad in the print edition

• Logo + mention on website and newsletter

• Five complimentary copies of the print edition

3. Quarter Page Sponsor – $125

• Quarter-page ad in the print edition

• Website and newsletter thank-you

• One complimentary copy of the print edition

  
  

4. Supporter Line Mention – $100

• Name or business listed under “Friends of eMerge” in the print

• edition

• A heartfelt thank-you on our website

• One complimentary copy of the print edition

If you would like to support eMerge by placing an ad in our print edition about your literary organization, new book release, etc, please contact Charles Templeton at cltempleton@gmail.com.

Contests

Take Note - Opportunities

Announcements from our Featured Partners

2025 OWL (Ozark Writers League) Adult Writing Contest is accepting submissions. Over $2,000 in prize money! Best Book of 2024 (fiction and nonfiction) submissions are accepted until August 1, 2025; all other writing submissions are due by August 31, 2025. Learn more and submit at https://ozarkswritersleague.com/2025-Adult-Writing-Contests.php

WriterCon Conference 2025 - Registration now open. The WriterCon 2025 Conference will take place  August 29– September 1, 2025 at the Historic Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City, OK. WriterCon will provide education and opportunities for writers and aspiring writers. Learn more at https://writercon.com/conference/

TLAN 2025 Power of Words Conference - Join the Power of Words Conference October 3 - 5 at Unity Village in the Kansas City, Missouri metro area to explore the written, spoken and sung word to find how it can bring liberation, celebration and transformation within our communities. Network with writers, storytellers, performers, musicians, health professionals, educators, and change-makers to connect with those who share your passion of making a difference with words. Learn more and register at https://tlanetwork.org/POW-2025

Blue Clover Editing - Crafting your manuscript might be the hardest thing you’ve ever done. You don’t want unclear sentences or misplaced words to distract readers from what you’ve created. Let Blue Clover Editing be your secret weapon. Relax as a professional editor with years of experience ensures clarity, style, and grammar precision. You get peace of mind and time to draft the sequel. https://www.bluecloverediting.com/

Eureka Springs School of the Arts - Get creative! In the belief that art is vital to the human spirit, the Eureka Springs School of the Arts commits itself to cultivating, promoting, and encouraging artistic expression by providing art and fine craft education opportunities for students of all levels in a unique environment of beauty and creativity. Check out upcoming workshops at https://essa-art.org/

The Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow - Writing residency programs are open to writers of all genres for short- or long-term stays in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Their individual writing suites are quiet, sequestered, and thoughtfully designed to help you stay focused and productive — whether you're starting something new or finishing a long-labored project. Learn more at https://www.writerscolony.org/