Breaking News – 2024 Arcturus Announces the Theme – After Image

The theme “After Image” has three meanings that apply to our chosen submissions and to our vision of Arcturus as a whole. The first idea derives from “after,” accrediting a piece of inspirational work. Also, “After Image” displays the consistent theme of contemplating oneself both physically and emotionally. The second meaning comes from the word afterimage:  an image that stays within a person’s eyes after initial exposure. Not only can this be descriptive of several of the pieces, but presenting works that stick with readers long after they experience reading or gazing at the work . Finally, “After Image” implies what’s beyond mere self-image. The use of image within writing is an important step in pulling us into the experiences of others whose lives differ from our own.