rebirth of the light

CONVENIENCE STORE QUARTERLY: PROMPTS & PREMISES

Writing about convenience stores can seem a little niche. But CONVENIENCE STORE QUARTERLY isn't just about the 7-11 down the street from your house - it's about liminality, mystery, and mundanity that has the potential to become extraordinary. Your local gas station can make a brief cameo at most, and your work might still fit the issue. Here are a few prompts to get you started.

ISSUE ONE (CONVENIENCE STORE QUARTERLY): What we're looking for.

In Flash & Dazzle's inaugural issue, we want to set the precedent for work that does exactly as our moniker asks. More specifically, in CONVENIENCE STORE QUARTERLY, we're seeking work that fits the theme in the following ways:

WORK THAT IS DIRTY, CRUMPLED, WITH SHARP EDGES. Think of your local gas station - the grime makes it what it is. Send work that glorifies the dirt in the grout.

WORK THAT EXPLORES EMPTY SPACES. Consider yourself the security camera - the fly on the wall. When it's just you, the man behind the cash register, and the moon, what is said and done?

WORK THAT UNDERSTANDS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF SMALL PLEASURES. Just as a pack of cigarettes or a mediocre coffee from the corner store can make a bad day more bearable, we want work that gives us that little hit of zen in the chaos.

Meet the founder of Flash & Dazzle!

Hi! I'm Abigail Diaz, B.F.A. I graduated from Texas State in May 2023 with a Creative Writing degree. I'm a dog mom, PCOS baddie, Diet Coke girlie, Libra, tattoo enthusiast, poet, and novelist (not necessarily in that order).

Gem: who are my favorite tumblrs?

I’ve been gone so long a lot of my faves have deactivated. I still love @bumbleblossoms @haleyincarnate @elysianink @nothingwithoutwords @lostcap @universalmemoir @definegodliness but am always open to new favorites.

Love: what’s my favorite season and why?

I love spring. It feels like everything is coming back alive and everyone is hopeful and excited for summer. I also love pastels and spring colors.

Glow: top five things I like about myself