Éire-Ireland: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Irish Studies welcomes submissions for a guest-edited selection of essays on Irish Biofiction that will constitute the literature section of the 2018 spring/summer special issue.
Biofiction has become a dominant aesthetic form over the last 25 years. J. M. Coetzee, Michael Cunningham, Geraldine Brooks, Peter Carey, and Hilary Mantel are just a few writers who have authored critically acclaimed biographical novels and won prestigious literary awards for them. With regard to the rise and legitimization of biofiction, Ireland is of particular importance. Seven of Ireland’s most prominent novelists (George Moore, John Banville, Colm Tóibín, Anne Enright, Emma Donoghue, Colum McCann, and Kevin Barry) have published important biographical novels; less well-known Irish authors (Nuala O’Connor, Gavin McCrea, Brian Cregan, Joseph O’Connor, and Morgan Llywelyn) have published noteworthy biographical novels; and Irish figures (Roger Casement, Eliza Lynch, Oscar Wilde, and Samuel Beckett) have been the subject of biographical novels by non-Irish biographical novelists (William E. Barrett, Desmond Hall, Graham Shelby, Peter Ackroyd, Lily Tuck, Mario Vargas Llosa, Sabina Murray, and Jo Baker).
The guest editor welcomes submissions about all aspects of Irish biofiction: How does contemporary biofiction give us new access to history? How have the Irish in particular contributed to the rise and legitimization of biofiction? Is it significant that George Moore authored one of the first biblical biofictions (The Brook Kerith)? What does the controversy surrounding the publication of Moore’s novel tell us about biofiction? Why are there four separate biographical novels about Eliza Lynch? What is unique and distinctive about Irish biofiction? There is much work to be done on Irish biofiction.
The deadline for submissions, which should be between 6,000 and 10,000 words, is 1 September 2017. All submissions will be subject to peer review. Submissions should be prepared according to the MLA Style Manual. For specific instructions about in-house style, see Éire-Ireland’s submission page: http://www.iaci-usa.org/publications.html
Send all enquiries and submission to Michael Lackey: lacke010@morris.umn.edu.