Find a list of books reviewed in our Book Review Index.
Find a list of books available for review consideration here.
Attention Authors and Publishers:
We encourage you to submit your new books for the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association’s Book Awards
A note to reviewers:
If you determine a book that you have been sent for review consideration is not worth your time or our space, there is no need to review it. It is not that we are averse to publishing negative reviews; rather, why waste time and space on such when there are so many wonderful North Carolina books that should be given recognition. Just let us know, and we’ll either send you something else to consider, if there is time, or we will recognize your service as a screener by listing you on the next online issue’s editorial board.
Elements of a review of poetry collections, according to Melinda Thomsen, poet
The arc of the collection
Central themes
Discussion of 3 poems in-depth
(Why Reviewing is Good For Us webinar, 10/16/22, hosted by the NC Poetry Society)
Information for Authors and Publishers
Effective since 2012, book reviews are published in NCLR Online, an online supplemental issue, rather than in the print issue. These supplemental issues are open access, thus broadening the audience for book reviews and thereby expanding our mission of serving as ambassadors for North Carolina writers.
Book reviews are usually solicited, though reviews may be proposed by reviewers, and suggestions of books to be reviewed are welcome as long as the book is literary in nature and written by a North Carolina writer and/or set in North Carolina (author does not have to be a North Carolina native). We usually review fiction, creative nonfiction, and full-length poetry collections. We also welcome book reviews of literary criticism on and biographies of North Carolina writers. In short, we only review books related to North Carolina literature.
If you have published a North Carolina-related book, let us know via this form. We welcome books published by small presses as well as large commercial presses, but we do not review self- or subsidy-published/vanity press books.
Books we receive that comply with the above criteria are sent to reviewers for consideration. We do not guarantee that all books sent will be reviewed, even if they comply with the criteria above. As our readers know, North Carolina is “the writingest state” (as coined by Doris Betts). We cannot review every book we receive, and we appreciate reviewers helping us to make selections.
NCLR Online is released in fall and winter.
Information for Reviewers
We are interested in publishing review essays that examine the new work(s) in the context of similar new books, of the writer’s canon, and/or of the genre as it is represented in North Carolina literature.
We often publish reviews of multiple books (e.g., two or three new poetry collections, novels, or short story collections).
Reviews are about 1000 words / book reviewed.
Consult the Book Reviewer Style Sheet for formatting and submitting reviews.
Reviews are due 1-2 months after the reviewer receives the books, but another deadline can be worked out with the staff member assigning the review.
Email completed book reviews to NCLRStaff@ecu.edu
If you would be interested in reviewing a book for us, please send a writing sample and a resume that reflects your preferred genres/areas of expertise to the Editor. Please query us before submitting completed reviews.
NCLR appreciates the service our reviewers do for North Carolina’s writers. Reviewers receive a 1-year subscription to the print issue.
North Carolina Literary Review
East Carolina University
Mailstop 555 English | Greenville, NC 27858-4353
NCLRstaff@ecu.edu | 252-328-1537