We are open to submissions for a new anthology of writing inspired by the films of Laurel and Hardy. The anthology is entitled Pardon Me, My Ear is Full of Milk and will be edited by Aaron Kent (The Working Classic) and Simon Barraclough (Divine Hours). It is tentatively scheduled for publication in late 2025.
 
The anthology, inspired by the editors’ lifelong love of Laurel and Hardy films, will explore writers’ responses to, relationship with, and the inspiration drawn from the films (sound or silent) of these two immortal performers who straddled sensibilities on both sides of the Atlantic and reshaped cinema comedy and cinema history for all time.
 
The anthology is open to anyone, from the most meticulous of film historians to casual viewers who grew up watching them on BBC 2 at Christmas. Maybe you have gotten blotto on a bottle of water you thought was hooch? Did you ever sneak to a convention and pretend that you ship-hiked home after floundering in a typhoid? Did you once own a dog named Laughing Gravy, sing of the lonesome pine in the Wild West or go hungry for three days—yesterday, today and tomorrow? Can you glimpse their shadows in the theatre of Samuel Beckett? Have they saved your life in times of depression? What do you make of their powerful wives and their antagonistic yet eternal fraternal love? There are so many layers to be explored and no, your work doesn’t have to be funny, but without humour “Life isn’t short enough” as Stan Laurel might say.

 

Royalties will go the The Cinema Museum in London and, as ever, we are keen to hear from groups that are traditionally underrepresented, such as writers of colour, working class writers, or LGBTQ+ writers, and we aim to provide a diverse representation of perspectives and include a broad range of forms. Poems, flash fiction, and short stories are welcome, as are personal essays, creative non-fiction, and critical pieces.
 
Please send no more than 5 unpublished poems and no more than 3 pieces of flash fiction/short stories/essays (maximum 5,000 words) to submissions@brokensleepbooks.com with the subject line ‘My Ear is Full of Milk’.
 
All submissions considered, regardless of location. Simultaneous submissions are okay, but please indicate if this is the case in your email. Collaborative submissions are also welcome.
 
Submissions are open from March 1, 2025, to April 30, 2025. We aim to respond to all submissions within 6 weeks of the closing date.
 
Suggested email format:
 
To: submissions@brokensleepbooks.com
Subject: My Ear is Full of Milk
 
Include a short biography and cover letter in the body of an email, and attach your work either as a Word document or PDF. Do not send external links to work as these will be disregarded. Now, Why don’t you do something to help me?!