Marsh Rabbit
Florida’s Anthology for Historical Fiction
Welcome to Marsh Rabbit.
Welcome to Marsh Rabbit.
History comes packaged with silences. When you investigate who’s telling the story, and with what motivation, something is always left in the dark.
Think about the Tocobaga people, whose culture was decimated by European intrusion and left largely unrecorded. Think of the anonymous men and women who built roads, rollercoasters and wharfs in the swamp. Think about the real Florida stories preserved by WPA writers like Zora Neale Hurston and historians like Charlton W. Tebeau.
How many other accounts have faded into obscurity? These “silences,” as Michel-Rolph Trouillot calls them, are everywhere.
While historical fiction stems from real history, it operates in both the plausible and fantastical. Consider the Floridians who live around you, whose families may have forgotten (or hidden) a thing or two. Consider histories that make us uncomfortable or joyful.
We want you to write a historical fiction story that investigates one of these silences. Like the elusive marsh rabbit, follow the tracks from the library, an archive, or tales from a family member, and go from there.
Your fictional story should focus on some place, manner or time in Florida prior to 1970. How it unfolds is up to you.
What are you waiting for? Jump down the rabbit hole!
Submissions close January 20, 2025. At least 10 stories will be chosen for publication in our anthology.
About
The Marsh Rabbit is an initiative led by Svommer Publishing, based in St. Petersburg, Florida. It began as a student-led project to explore the possibilities of historical fiction as a platform for underrepresented history.
Jump Down the Rabbit Hole
Writers must focus on a history related to Florida. How you reflect the past is up to you. Selected writers will receive a copy of the published Marsh Rabbit anthology.
Three outstanding writers will be awarded $100.