First Light Journal

First Light Journal

A biannual literary journal published by Starboard Press

FLJ Issue #1 is now available.

Our second issue will be out in April 2026. The issue will include:

• Winning entries (and selected ones) from the First Light Spring 2026 Poetry Contest (Contest #2)
• Poems, short stories and essays submitted during the Open for Submissions time window for publication in the journal (see below)
• Entries from the editorial team and contest judges

Now Open for Submissions (November 15, 2025 – March 9, 2026)

Journal Submission Guidelines

E-mail all submissions to submissions@starboard.press.

Include in your submission:

• the poem, short story and/or essay you would like considered for publication
• a 2-line biographical note about yourself in the third-person

All submissions must be the original works of the contributors and must not be published elsewhere. The editorial team will have the final say regarding the acceptance/rejection of any entry. Our readership is universal. Entries with profanity-laced language and themes are unlikely to be selected for publication.