Dearest Readers,

This May at The Rumpus, we're giving some special attention to National Mental Health Awareness month. Our editor Anna Held has curated a series of new essays on how we get through, and we're pulling some old gems from the archive. You can read more about Anna's editorial process here.

The first essay she's selected is a doozy—"A Big, Mangy One"—about living with OCD. Follow along with us this month, and please read and share widely. It's our hope that this month's selections in particular will help us feel less alone, even when, especially when, it takes absolutely everything we've got just to get through it.

<3
alysia

In Rumpus News

Submissions

In September, for back-to-school, we'll be publishing pieces themed around disability in education. The full call is available here, and we'll be open for submissions via Submittable from June 1- June 30.

Starting next month, our members will be the first to hear about this type of news! Sign up for exclusive content and to continue getting the early scoop.

Letters in the Mail

Want to know more about month's LITM contributors? We asked for the best advice they've received on writing and on cultivating creativity in children.

Letters in the Mail Authors: Kemi Alabi, Paige Clarke, and Eloisa Amezcua
Letters for Kids Authors: Tracy Badua, Tamara Girardi, and Anika Fajardo

Our Next Book Club Picks

New Shit

Even though May is a themed month, we're still publishing our regular content. For your reading pleasure, here are three of our recent interviews with . . .

abolitionist and poet Christopher Soto
Ben Shattuck, who makes an argument for re-reading Thoreau in your 30s
and clock time losing all meaning with Jos Charles

Got Rage?

Us, too. We're an indie mag and barely break even, but this week we're donating 50% of the profits from our store sales to our local abortion fund (the Carolina Abortion Fund, if you'd prefer to donate directly).