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blackinkocean.bsky.social
Black Ink Ocean Press
@blackinkocean.bsky.social
15 followers 6 following 10 posts
run-of-the-mill southern gothic literary magazine
SUBS OPEN FOR ISSUE 0
founder: @chan-trell.bsky.social
linktr.ee/blkinkocn
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blackinkocean.bsky.social
Black Ink Ocean Press @blackinkocean.bsky.social · Aug 11
#submissionsopen to be featured in the first edition of Black Ink Ocean Press & Magazine are now open. Click the link in our bio to submit and visit our website. #literarymagazine #litmag #writingcommunity
A faded 2-page newspaper spread lies atop a greyscale sketch art image of a cicada. The newspaper spread includes various images, an assortment of random headline titles, and illegible article columns. Black, upper-cased text is overlaid in the center of the collage that reads: SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN (in regards to the Black-Ink-Ocean literary magazine).  There is a black arrow pointing to the right with text above it that reads: Swipe to see Issue 0 theme and find out how you can be featured A dark red backdrop with pale red filigree design creating a rectangle border. White text in the center reads: ISSUE 0 THEME: Vampirism There is an ancientness to the vampire that I believe connects heavily to the grandness of the American South. There is something to be said of legacy, of living forever, tracing back to one’s origins, and giving birth—rather, name—to something new. Not every story or poem or piece of art has to be ravenous or in seek of wine. BUT, it must get at the heart of the issue: A desire to understand oneself and one’s community by both glancing back at the past and looking forward towards the future. @ blkinkocn A black backdrop with dark grey filigree design creating a rectangle border. White text in the center reads: ISSUE 0 SUB-THEME: Origin Where does love & life & light begin for the southern vampire? Where does it end? Across history legends have persisted of the vampire—creature of darkness with a thirst for blood. As of recently, stories such as Interview with a Vampire, Sinners, and The Ravenous Fate have brought the vampire to root and roam on southern soil, and through this newsmag I intend to keep him here. Tether him to something tangible and accessible to the masses. @ blkinkocn A deep maroon backdrop overlaid with the brand logo: An ocean of black ink enclosed within a glass bottle with a cork-top turned over onto its side. A large, dark mast of a ship battles against the tide. The bottom half of the bottle is missing. The white text below it provides information on the social media accounts and email address for BLACK-INK-OCEAN PRESS & MAGAZINE, reading: Stay in the know, following BIO on social media Instagram & Tiktok @ blkinkocn  Bluesky @ blackinkocean.bsky.social Email blackinkoceanpress@gmail.com We are excited to hear from you! Submissions to be featured in BIO are accepted through Google Forms ONLY! Submissions by DM or Email will not receive a response. We look forward to reviewing your projects, xoxo, BIO
blackinkocean.bsky.social
If you like vampires, the southern gothic, or have a taste for folklore and history then this is the perfect place to send in your #poetry, #prose, & #art!!!

#writingcommunity #submissionsopen #literarymagazine #vampires #blackinkocean
Close-up image of a forlorn looking woman illuminated in electric blue light that casts dark shadows around her face. Layered on top, the Black-Ink-Ocean literary magazine logo (An ocean of black ink enclosed within a corked, glass bottle toppled over onto its side. A large, white mast of a ship battling against the tide) & white text that outlines the magazine's devotion to the southern gothic genre, the magazine’s focus on vampirism as it relates to the American South, and what lies at the heart of the first issue (a desire to understand oneself and one’s community by both glancing back at the past and looking forward towards the future).  Rearing up the image is a reminder message to send in poetry, prose, & artwork to linktr.ee/blkinkocn
August 22, 2025 at 5:59 PM
blackinkocean.bsky.social
🖤REMINDER: Submissions are OPEN for a chance to be published in Issue 0!!!

We want your mesmerizingly mundane stories that hint at something sinister lying beneath the surface & your messy, misshapen characters trying desperately to hide the cracks that peer into their soul. #southerngothic
Grainy black and white portrait of a girl concealed by shadows, a single beam of light casting an intense glow from her forehead and down to her mouth. Her eyes seem hazy and grey, her hair is dark and styled in twists partially pulled back from her face. White text overlays the cover image: What we’re looking for BLACK-INK-OCEAN PRESS & MAGAZINE A newspaper-inspired text block—a headline, tagline, and two columns split down the middle by a single-line divider. Black background and white accents. Headline & tagline read: SUBMISSION GUIDELINES by blackinkocean Body text includes information on the type of content accepted by the literary magazine (an extensive list of poetry, prose, art, and comic strip lengths), the type of content NOT accepted by the litmag (A.I.-generated, stolen, or insensitive work), what the magazine is in search for (southern gothic tales), an overview of the issue themes (vampirism & origin: detailing the ancientness of the vampire and the grandness of the American South and the hope to merge the two), the heart of Issue 0 (which is the desire to understand oneself and one’s community by tracing back to a distant past and simultaneously looking forward towards a near future), and finally, closing on where submitters can find more details on the linktree at: linktr.ee/blkinkocn Showcased as well as the BLACK-INK-OCEAN PRESS & MAGAZINE LOGO: An ocean of black ink enclosed within a glass bottle with a cork top turned over onto its side. A large, white accented mast of a ship battles against the tide. The bottom half of the bottle is unseen.
August 15, 2025 at 5:30 PM
blackinkocean.bsky.social
What books (other than the ones we’ve listed) give you major southern gothic, vampy vibes?👀

#submissionsopen #writingcommunity #literarymagazine
Books that pair well with our southern gothic vampire-themed Literary Magazine Issue. There are 6 book covers lined in two rows against a burgundy red background: “This Ravenous Fate” by Hayley Dennings “Dracula” by Bram Stoker “A Gathering of Old Men” by Ernest J. Gaines “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin “Bloodline” by Ernest J. Gaines “Jazz” by Toni Morrison Just below the books is a black ink ocean with white wave lineart, a large black mast drifting in the tide. The litmag title in all caps printed beside it: BLACK-INK-OCEAN PRESS & MAGAZINE 4 book covers split into two columns with text description on how they relate to the southern gothic vampire-themed magazine aesthetic.  “The Ravenous Fate” by Hayley Dennings is about Black vampires in New Orleans which pairs well with the rich cultural and supernatural history of the southern states. “A Gathering of Old Men” by Ernest J. Gaines is another story based in Louisiana and features old men in a plantation setting. Earnest in its intentions and quite nostalgic in its prose, the tale of these Black gentlemen is imbued with a layer of tension and mystery that fits well into the chilling landscape of the southern gothic genre. “Dracula” by Bram Stoker is one I’d be remiss to exclude. A proto-gothic novel about the vampire as we’ve known him and a major inspiration within my own writing. “The Awakening” by Kate Chopin—another Louisiana-based tale—explores my very favorite character archetype. Bordering psychotic, complex female characters who yearn for better lives whilst being trapped within their own bodies and who will often do unthinkable acts to get what they want. 2 book covers split into two columns with text description on how they relate to the southern gothic vampire-themed magazine aesthetic. “Bloodlines” by Ernest J. Gaines was chosen mainly for its title but also you can’t go wrong with Gaines and his devotion to bringing his experience of being born to sharecroppers and growing up in rural Louisiana to life on the printed page. And last but certainly not least is “Jazz” by Toni Morrison—by all time favorite novelist—that captures such grit and depth concerning the birth of jazz and its influence on the Black community. Namely listed here for the character of “Wild” a dark, primitive woman with no family ties who has become a major inspiration for the theme of the first issue—ORIGIN. BELOW THE BOOK LISTINGS is a sea of deep red waves, a glass bottle with a ship trapped inside drifting amongst the foam. In white text:  Submit to our literary magazine! linktr.ee/blkinkocn Accepting poetry, prose, & artwork
August 14, 2025 at 5:30 PM
blackinkocean.bsky.social
#subsopen SOUTHERN GOTHIC LITMAG!

In the meantime, meet our lovely staff members:
•A’Daja, Editor-in-Chief
•Brya, Marketing Manager
•Marli, Production Manager
•J’Kobe, Music Strategist
•Anah, Lead Staff Editor
•Ayanna, Breon, Diana, & Ruthann are Staff Editors
A full-bloom lily yellow in the center and a darker reddish pink tint at the edge of the petals, set against a black background. Overlaid in the center with white text that reads:
Meet the Staff BLACK-INK-OCEAN PRESS & MAGAZINE 9 staff images (each in an oval frame) giving mysterious, vampire vibes lined in rows of 3.  A plum red background with burgundy leaf filigree design in the top-right & bottom-left corners. A rectangle box as border.  Pictures from left to right, top to bottom: Anah our Lead Staff Editor. Breon one of our Staff Editors. Diana one of our Staff Editors. Brya our Marketing Manager. A’Daja our Editor-in-Chief. Marlena our Production Manager. Ayanna one of our Staff Editors. J’Kobe our Music Strategist. Ruthann one of our Staff Editors. @ blkinkocn  Faded 2-columned newspaper article—the text unreadable—set as the background. Black text overlaid in the center of the image with a brief description of what the literary magazine stands for. At the top is the brand logo: An ocean of black ink enclosed within a glass bottle with a cork top turned over onto its side. A large, dark mast of a ship battles against the tide. The bottom half of the bottle is missing, instead the title of the magazine “BLACK-INK-OCEAN PRESS & MAGAZINE” (titled “noun” with a phonetic spelling) sits on the underside of the bottle. 3 definitions are provided: 1) Run-of-the-mill southern gothic mag. 2) A collective of writers, readers, and artists with wonderfully mundane stories to tell, brimming just below the surface. 3) A place that wouldn’t exist without daddy’s sweet tooth cravings, momma’s books crowding the living space, and grandma’s banana pudding shared with family come home for the holidays.
August 11, 2025 at 5:49 PM
blackinkocean.bsky.social
#submissionsopen to be featured in the first edition of Black Ink Ocean Press & Magazine are now open. Click the link in our bio to submit and visit our website. #literarymagazine #litmag #writingcommunity
A faded 2-page newspaper spread lies atop a greyscale sketch art image of a cicada. The newspaper spread includes various images, an assortment of random headline titles, and illegible article columns. Black, upper-cased text is overlaid in the center of the collage that reads: SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN (in regards to the Black-Ink-Ocean literary magazine).  There is a black arrow pointing to the right with text above it that reads: Swipe to see Issue 0 theme and find out how you can be featured A dark red backdrop with pale red filigree design creating a rectangle border. White text in the center reads: ISSUE 0 THEME: Vampirism There is an ancientness to the vampire that I believe connects heavily to the grandness of the American South. There is something to be said of legacy, of living forever, tracing back to one’s origins, and giving birth—rather, name—to something new. Not every story or poem or piece of art has to be ravenous or in seek of wine. BUT, it must get at the heart of the issue: A desire to understand oneself and one’s community by both glancing back at the past and looking forward towards the future. @ blkinkocn A black backdrop with dark grey filigree design creating a rectangle border. White text in the center reads: ISSUE 0 SUB-THEME: Origin Where does love & life & light begin for the southern vampire? Where does it end? Across history legends have persisted of the vampire—creature of darkness with a thirst for blood. As of recently, stories such as Interview with a Vampire, Sinners, and The Ravenous Fate have brought the vampire to root and roam on southern soil, and through this newsmag I intend to keep him here. Tether him to something tangible and accessible to the masses. @ blkinkocn A deep maroon backdrop overlaid with the brand logo: An ocean of black ink enclosed within a glass bottle with a cork-top turned over onto its side. A large, dark mast of a ship battles against the tide. The bottom half of the bottle is missing. The white text below it provides information on the social media accounts and email address for BLACK-INK-OCEAN PRESS & MAGAZINE, reading: Stay in the know, following BIO on social media Instagram & Tiktok @ blkinkocn  Bluesky @ blackinkocean.bsky.social Email blackinkoceanpress@gmail.com We are excited to hear from you! Submissions to be featured in BIO are accepted through Google Forms ONLY! Submissions by DM or Email will not receive a response. We look forward to reviewing your projects, xoxo, BIO
August 11, 2025 at 1:02 AM
blackinkocean.bsky.social
Run of the mill southern gothic mag. Meet Black Ink Ocean Press & Magazine. #literary #
August 9, 2025 at 8:51 PM