Introduction to the America 2026 Anthology
In 2026, politics was not background noise. It altered the temperature of rooms. It determined who felt safe speaking and who chose silence. It reshaped workplaces, classrooms, churches, and dinner tables. It moved from cable news panels into marriages, into friendships, into the way we measured trust.
For some, the country no longer resembled what they believed it was. For others, it finally did.
The language changed. The rules felt different. Certainty cracked. Allegiance hardened. What had once felt theoretical became personal, and what was personal became political.
Apricity Publishing will release a December 2026 anthology exploring this turning point in American life. The collection will feature three nonfiction pieces and three works of fiction that examine how political forces seep into private spaces, shaping relationships, identity, ambition, fear, loyalty, and daily experience. We are inviting submissions in both categories.
What did you witness that others overlooked? What shifted quietly, or all at once? What truth, observation, or story now insists on being told?
America 2026: The Politics We Carry Home
What We’re Looking For
Nonfiction
We welcome essays, memoir, reported pieces, cultural criticism, and original opinion writing. We want work that is bold and honest, writing that shows how the forces playing out on the national stage landed in real life.
Fiction
We welcome short stories that capture this moment through character, setting, tension, and choice. We want stories rooted in the emotional and cultural atmosphere of this time, stories that show us what it felt like to be a person living through it.
Across both categories, we are looking for depth. Story. Insight. Craft.
About Apricity Anthologies
Apricity Publishing creates curated anthologies around defining moments and shared questions. Each volume gathers multiple voices into a deliberate record of its time — thoughtful, edited, and intentionally assembled.
We see the anthology as modern nonfiction: collective rather than singular, precise rather than sprawling,
curated rather than chaotic.
The 2026 Politics Anthology is Apricity Publishing's inaugural volume.
“This anthology is not about arguing positions. It’s about witnessing what happens when political power stops being abstract and starts shaping everyday life. We’re interested in work that notices the human cost, the quiet shifts, and the moments that didn’t make headlines.”
- Christine Merser
Submission Guidelines
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Submissions may be up to 5,000 words, with no minimum.
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You may submit multiple pieces.
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Work must be original and previously unpublished.
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All submissions must be received by July 15, 2026.
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There is a $25 submission fee per entry. Each submission requires its own fee.
Selection & Publication
America 2026: The Politics We Carry Home explores a turning point in American life. The collection brings together three nonfiction pieces and three works of fiction examining how political forces seep into private spaces, shaping relationships, identity, ambition, fear, loyalty, and daily experience.
- Three nonfiction pieces and three fiction pieces will be selected for publication.
- Winning pieces will be chosen by a panel of three authors, to be announced.
- Selected works will appear in the final published anthology.
- Publication Date: December 1, 2026
“We’re looking for work that comes from proximity. From having lived inside this moment rather than commenting on it from a distance. The strongest submissions will feel grounded, specific, and deeply human.”
- Frances Pearson
What Selected Authors Will Receive
Each selected contributor will receive:
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10 complimentary copies of the published book
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A short author bio included with their work
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Coordinated promotion across Apricity Publishing’s platforms during the first two months of publication
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$0.25 per copy sold through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retail outlets
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A professionally written press release template and promotional collateral for individual use
A Sample of Titles Published by Apricity Publishing
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About Apricity Publishing
Apricity Publishing is an independent press focused on disciplined nonfiction and narrative-driven work.
While this is the first anthology project, it is not the first publication. Apricity books are developed through a rigorous editorial process and professionally edited, designed, and distributed through major retail channels.
This anthology will be produced with the same standards applied to all Apricity titles, with careful attention to craft, clarity, and presentation.
How to Submit
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Please submit your work via email to: Anthology@ApricityPublishing.com
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Attach your submission as a single file PDF
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Manuscripts do not need to be double-spaced
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File names should include the title of your piece and your full name
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Author names may appear on the manuscript or in the body of the email
Additional Information for Submissions
Rights Acquired
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First publication rights
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Non-exclusive anthology rights to publish the work in the America 2026 Anthology, in both print and digital formats
Reprint Permissions and Timing
All rights revert to the author following publication
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Authors may reprint their work elsewhere after a 90-day exclusivity period, provided the original publication in the Apricity Publishing anthology is clearly acknowledged
Clear terms will be provided to selected authors prior to publication.
Royalty payments and schedules will be confirmed prior to release.
Important Dates
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Outreach Launch: March 15, 2026
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Submission Deadline: July 15, 2026
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Winners Announced: November 1, 2026
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Publication Date: December 1, 2026
Content Boundaries
We will not consider submissions that include hate speech, incitement to violence, or work generated by artificial intelligence.