Today is a VERY BIG day ...

A little over a year ago, Dawn Ius and I started Vine Leaves Literary Journal. Why? To give the vignette a piece of the limelight. We started it because, not only do we love to push literary boundaries, but as writers ourselves, we were sick of being rejected by literary magazines due to our work not conforming to preconceived structures. We are good writers. We know what we're doing, and if we want to defy structure it's not because we can't follow rules, it's because WE KNOW HOW TO BREAK THEM.

So why does the vignette push boundaries, you ask? Because a vignette isn't a story as such, it's a snapshot of written time. It differs from flash fiction or a short story in that its aim doesn’t lie within the traditional realms of structure or plot. Instead, the vignette focuses on one element, mood, character, setting or object. It's descriptive, excellent for character or theme exploration and wordplay. Through a vignette, you create an atmosphere.

In one year, we have read approximately 1000 submissions. (Yep, that's a lot.) And out of those 1000 submissions, we published around 160 online in our quarterly issues. And out of those 160 that were published online, we chose 'the best' pieces for our annual print anthology. In our very first anthology, The Best of Vine Leaves Literary Journal 2012, we showcase 108 different authors and artists.

This anthology launches today in partnership with eMergent Publishing. And Dawn and I couldn't be more proud and thrilled to have come so far. It is proof that you can do anything you put your mind to. If you really want something, just jump in the deep end and swim for your life.

But do you know what I'm proud of the most? That we have given a bunch of writers, photographers and artists the opportunity to get more recognition for their work. Work that may not have found a home simply because it did not fit in a box. This is the be all and end all.

Ultimately, Dawn and I don't do this for us. We do it for YOU. And this is the way it will always be.

Thank you to all who were involved in putting this anthology together, especially Jodi Cleghorn at eMergent Publishing, for agreeing to partner with us for our annual anthologies, and Nick Panagiotopoulos for his amazing design skills. We couldn't have done this without you.

If you would like to support the vignette, please help spread the word about this anthology today. Here are some quick ways you can help:

Share on Twitter:

@VineLeavesLJ Best of #Anthology, #NewRelease out today! Awesome vignettes, incredible talent. Great 4 #xmasstocking! http://bit.ly/VdvIKj

Share on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/events/473682022674900/

Tell me, what's one thing in your life that you have done for others, that you are super proud of?