Please note: This CFP is for the SAMLA Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, Nov. 5-7, 2026.

Flash is “the” genre of the 21st century. After all, it’s snack-size. The perfect product of the Era of Distraction. It’s read in just a few moments—perhaps while standing in line at the grocery store or waiting for your coffee order. These short pieces, whether fiction or nonfiction, pack an undeniably satisfying punch. The prose is tight, the characterization quick, and the ending can make you ache, laugh aloud, or reconsider the meaning of life. This special session invites writers to share their flash work—whether fiction or creative nonfiction—as well as discuss the process of writing and/or teaching this genre. In the abstract section, please list a brief bio and the titles of up to three flash pieces (between 300-1000 words) that you’d like to read aloud with a very short description of each piece (or the general themes of your writing). In the proposal section, please paste the full text of one of your stories. All submissions are due by Sept. 1, 2026 on the SAMLA website: https://southatlanticmla.org/conference-theme-and-cfp/. (You'll need to login to Ballast to submit your work.) Contact Julie Boutwell-Peterson at julie.boutwell-peterson@uky.edu if you have any questions.