Independent online & print journal based in Pittsburgh, PA (USA) that publishes writing & art from anywhere in the world, in all genres (& blends, blurs, or hybrids thereof). Run by a workshop group, the editors often work with authors to polish work they love into its best form. 

The Hour After Happy Hour workshop was founded in October 2013 by a group of creative writers who met in the basement of the Big Idea Bookstore every other week to encourage each other’s craft. As the group grew, they had the thought to publish some pieces from the workshop alongside local and national writers, and the After Happy Hour Review was born.

In the summer of 2019,  after four years and 11 issues, the journal separated from the Hour After Happy Hour workshop and was adopted by a different workshop group, the Rahnd Table, which has been meeting for many years in the same Pittsburgh neighborhood as the Hour After Happy Hour.

Today, every piece published in After Happy Hour comes from our open submission calls, and includes work sent our way from all over the world. We publish 2 unthemed online issues a year, along with a print issue that includes work from our annual themed contests. 

Jess Simms

Nathan Kukulski

Shawn Maddey

Liz Abeling

Daniel Parme

After Happy Hour Review

Reprints

Even an excellent literary magazine doesn't necessarily last forever. There are quite a few journals the After Happy Hour editors used to read (or were published in) that now no longer exist--and that's a shame, because they published great stuff that people should still be able to read. We'd like to help fix that with a special online issue dedicated solely to work that was published in now-closed markets. The issue is tentatively planned for release in spring 2025.

Reprints from defunct journals only 

For fiction of all lengths, with no upper word count limit. Send a single work of 1,000 words or longer, or up to 3 works of under 1,000 words in a single file. All genres and blends/blurs/hybrids thereof are welcome and encouraged! 

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors generally prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Please double-space all submissions 1,000 words and longer (unless you're doing something weird with form like a story told in emails or blog comments or whatnot, in which case do whatever fits the work). Flash and micro can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion.

Free Open Call - Fiction 

For creative nonfiction of all lengths, with no upper word count limit. Send a single work of 1,000-6,000, or up to 3 works of under 1,000 words in a single file. Narrative essays that incorporate elements of journalistic reporting or research writing are welcome, but we're only looking for work with a story--no criticism, research papers, or reported articles, please.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors generally prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Please double-space all submissions 1,000 words and longer (unless you're doing something weird with form like personal essay told in letters or Twitter posts or whatnot, in which case do whatever fits the work). Flash and micro can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion.

Free Open Call - Creative Nonfiction

For poetry of all lengths, with no upper line count limit. Send 1-3 poems in a single document to be considered individually. We also accept suites of up to 5 linked poems in the "suites" category.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. We prefer reading poems that are single-spaced and non-centered, unless the centering/double-spacing are an intentional part of the form, in which case go wild. 

Free Open Call - Poetry

For suites of up to 5 linked individual works to be considered as a set. These works can be poems, flash fiction or creative nonfiction (under 1,000 words per piece), graphic narratives, art, or any combination of the above.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Spacing of prose segments can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion. We tend to prefer poetry that's single-spaced and non-centered.

Free Open Call - Suite

We consider visual art of all forms and formats, as well as comics and graphic narratives ranging from single-panel to multi-page stories. For graphic narratives, you can send up to 5 works of 3 pages or fewer each, or a single work of 4 or more pages. Visual art is considered both for the cover and interior art. 

Formatting info: Send files that are ready for publication (sufficiently high resolution for online publication, no watermarks). While we consider work anonymously, we know that signatures are a key part of artists' work, and will consider art works that include them. However, please don't put your name in the title of the submission.

Free Open Call - Visual Art & Graphic Narratives

Expedited submissions get a guaranteed response within 14 days (more details on the submission form on our website). For fiction of all lengths, with no upper word count limit. Send a single work of 1,000 words or longer, or up to 3 works of under 1,000 words in a single file. All genres and blends/blurs/hybrids thereof are welcome and encouraged! 

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors generally prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Please double-space all submissions 1,000 words and longer (unless you're doing something weird with form like a story told in emails or blog comments or whatnot, in which case do whatever fits the work). Flash and micro can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion.

Expedited Submissions - Fiction

Expedited submissions get a guaranteed response within 14 days (more details on the submission form on our website). We consider visual art of all forms and formats, as well as comics and graphic narratives ranging from single-panel to multi-page stories. For graphic narratives, you can send up to 5 works of 3 pages or fewer each, or a single work of 4 or more pages. Visual art is considered both for the cover and interior art. 

Formatting info: Send files that are ready for publication (sufficiently high resolution for online publication, no watermarks). While we consider work anonymously, we know that signatures are a key part of artists' work, and will consider art works that include them. However, please don't put your name in the title of the submission.

Expedited Submissions - Visual Art & Graphic Narratives

Expedited submissions get a guaranteed response within 14 days (more details on the submission form on our website). For suites of up to 5 linked individual works to be considered as a set. These works can be poems, flash fiction or creative nonfiction (under 1,000 words per piece), graphic narratives, art, or any combination of the above.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Spacing of prose segments can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion. We tend to prefer poetry that's single-spaced and non-centered.

Expedited Submissions - Suite

Expedited submissions get a guaranteed response within 14 days (more details on the submission form on our website). For poetry of all lengths, with no upper line count limit. Send 1-3 poems in a single document to be considered individually. We also accept suites of up to 5 linked poems in the "suites" category.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. We prefer reading poems that are single-spaced and non-centered, unless the centering/double-spacing are an intentional part of the form, in which case go wild. 

Expedited Submissions - Poetry

Expedited submissions get a guaranteed response within 14 days (more details on the submission form on our website). For creative nonfiction of all lengths, with no upper word count limit. Send a single work of 1,000-6,000, or up to 3 works of under 1,000 words in a single file. Narrative essays that incorporate elements of journalistic reporting or research writing are welcome, but we're only looking for work with a story--no criticism, research papers, or reported articles, please.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors generally prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Please double-space all submissions 1,000 words and longer (unless you're doing something weird with form like personal essay told in letters or Twitter posts or whatnot, in which case do whatever fits the work). Flash and micro can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion.

Expedited Submissions - Creative Nonfiction

Feedback submissions are considered for publication like a normal submission, but get at least 250 words of guaranteed critical feedback from the editors if their work is rejected. The cost is a donation of any amount to our current target charity. For fiction of all lengths, with no upper word count limit. Send a single work of 1,000 words or longer, or up to 3 works of under 1,000 words in a single file. All genres and blends/blurs/hybrids thereof are welcome and encouraged! 

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors generally prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Please double-space all submissions 1,000 words and longer (unless you're doing something weird with form like a story told in emails or blog comments or whatnot, in which case do whatever fits the work). Flash and micro can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion.

Feedback Submissions - Fiction 

Feedback submissions are considered for publication like a normal submission, but get at least 250 words of guaranteed critical feedback from the editors if their work is rejected. The cost is a donation of any amount to our current target charity. For creative nonfiction of all lengths, with no upper word count limit. Send a single work of 1,000-6,000, or up to 3 works of under 1,000 words in a single file. Narrative essays that incorporate elements of journalistic reporting or research writing are welcome, but we're only looking for work with a story--no criticism, research papers, or reported articles, please.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Please double-space all submissions 1,000 words and longer. Flash and micro can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion.

Feedback Submissions - Creative Nonfiction

Feedback submissions are considered for publication like a normal submission, but get at least 250 words of guaranteed critical feedback from the editors if their work is rejected. The cost is a donation of any amount to our current target charity. For suites of up to 5 linked individual works to be considered as a set. These works can be poems, flash fiction or creative nonfiction (under 1,000 words per piece), graphic narratives, art, or any combination of the above.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. Use standard manuscript formatting generally--editors prefer Times New Roman or equivalent serif fonts. Spacing of prose segments can be single- or double-spaced at your discretion. We tend to prefer poetry that's single-spaced and non-centered.

Feedback Submissions - Suite 

Feedback submissions are considered for publication like a normal submission, but get at least 250 words of guaranteed critical feedback from the editors if their work is rejected. The cost is a donation of any amount to our current target charity. For poetry of all lengths, with no upper line count limit. Send 1-3 poems in a single document to be considered individually. We also accept suites of up to 5 linked poems in the "suites" category.

Formatting notes: We read anonymously so please remove your name from the document before sending. We prefer reading poems that are single-spaced and non-centered, unless the centering/double-spacing are an intentional part of the form, in which case go wild. 

Feedback Submissions - Poetry

Christine C. Rivero-Guisinga works for a humanitarian organization. A member of the SEA Lit Circle, her writing has appeared in several publications including Exist Otherwise, Pinhole Poetry, and Seaside Gothic. Her piece in the After Happy Hour Review earned a Pushcart Prize nomination. She shares her travel photos with short poems on Instagram @storyseamstress.

2024 Standard 

Christine C. Rivero-Guisinga works for a humanitarian organisation. A SEA Lit Circle member, she shares short haiku-like poems on Instagram @storyseamstress. Her piece in the After Happy Hour Review earned a Pushcart Prize nomination.

Brief

Christine C. Rivero-Guisinga works for a humanitarian organisation. A SEA Lit Circle member, her work has appeared in several journals including Pinhole Poetry, the After Happy Hour Review, Briefly Write, and The Ex-Puritan. She shares travel photos and micropoems on Instagram @storyseamstress.

2025 Brief

Christine C. Rivero-Guisinga works for a humanitarian organization. A member of the SEA Lit Circle, her writing has appeared in several publications including Pinhole Poetry, the After Happy Hour Review, and The Ex-Puritan. Her piece in Briefly Write was recognized with the publication’s 2024 Poetry Prize. She shares travel photos and micropoems on Instagram @storyseamstress.

2025 Standard

Nominated for Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net

Forgotten

Sick Days

what other bones do we collect? none so intimate
as teeth I think but when my father met his age replaced
his hip with another my mother the physical therapist

convinced the nurse to smuggle the original joint out...

what my mother does for a living

Gliding cormorants
& what togetherness must
be: winged time, clear
reflecting sky, rocks & stones
& pebbles & the glinting...

Tankas Written at Pebble Beach While Samantha Naps on her Towel

I see myself in the backseat, my parents in the front. They talk; they
do talk, don’t they? They can’t have been quiet the whole ride home…

Back When Our Gas Had Lead and Everything Was in Fact Poison

In hopes of quelling both their loneliness, a suburban woman takes a coyote as a roommate.


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