THE LATEST FROM OUTSIDE THE BOX PUBLISHING

SOUND AGAINST FLAME
The Process of Yoga and Atheism in America
By Derek Beres

Sound Against Flame is an insightful and inquisitive look inside two emerging cultural ideas gripping the modern American consciousness: yoga and atheism. While seemingly opposed in numerous contexts, author/yoga instructor Derek Beres uncovers a common foundation as startling as it is revelatory to practitioners of any, or no, faith. Using the concept of neti-neti as a bedrock—the idea of “not this, not that” that is the foundation of yogic philosophy—Beres looks beyond the inherent duality proposed by many religious traditions to drive to core teachings. Knowing that belief is actually a lack of experience, and that once the individual has had an experience there is no need for belief, this thoughtful survey of modern consciousness and religion is a call to do away with abstract idealizing. Instead it offers an opportunity to turn toward what is real and accessible at this very moment. Coming June 2008. Click here for more information.

THE NIGHTMARE AND THE DREAM
Nas, Jay-Z and the History of Conlict in African-American Culture
By Dax-Devlon Ross

America is an idealistic nation. Dreams are realized here. Cultural plurality is celebrated here. Freedom is cherished here. But America is also a place where all those who seek to fulfill the promise of opportunity aren’t embraced equally; where prejudice has been institutionalized, codified and thereby legitimized; where the freedoms that mark a democratic society have been stripped from far too many for there not to be an outcry of injustice. This is the contradiction of America itself—what draws us to love and loathe the nation, drives us to seek refuge either within (assimilation) or at a distance (separation) and caused us to embrace the Dream or dwell on the Nightmare. Coming June 2008. Click here more for information.



SUBMISSIONS NOW BEING ACCEPTED FOR FIRST OUTSIDE THE BOX ANTHOLOGY

What Do You Believe?
Derek Beres & Dax-Devlon Ross, editors

A while back we had an idea to put out an anthology called “What Do You Believe?” The idea was to ask a number of friends who are not necessarily writers (though they could be) to submit whatever came to mind when I asked them that very question: What do you believe? Originally we were to publish twenty essays, but a few people submitted other things: haikus, song lyrics, and the like. There are some longer essays. There are some shorter ones. And we realized that word count or style should not be a restriction. So it’s not going to be.

We are planning a December 2008 publication for this title. The quality of what’s been turned in already is amazing. The question, while seemingly simple, turned out to be rather challenging and even complex to those who have faced it thus far. Thing is, we never asked “What do you believe about…” We wanted to leave the “about” out of this. That’s up to you. Click here for more information, as well as where to submit.