Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.
A: Beautiful eclectic mix.
Q: What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?
A: There's too many to list right now. With closure of some big names, and some new beautiful publications, our favorites cover some serious ground!
Q: If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?
A: Ray Bradbury, Toni Morrison, Raymond Chandler, H.G. Wells and Maya Angelou just to name a few.
Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?
A: We don't have a specific theme or genre. Rather we span the gamut with our only requirement is the work being of high quality. We also focus on trying to print underrepresented voices from all categories. This includes work from different races, nationalities, genders, sexualities, neurodivergencies, disabilities, religions, and so on. Part of the way that we facilitate this is not only to look for that work, but to also go out and actively solicit it.
Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?
A: As everyone else says, try and read the magazine before submitting. However, as creators ourselves we understand that there can be a lack of time to do so, and therefore what we want is good, clean, tight writing and artwork. Don't try to send us what you think we want, but send us what makes you sing. Take a chance on us, we publish a wide mix.
Q: Describe the ideal submission.
A: One that is clean and proofread, with the contact information in the submission. We want something that grabs us from the beginning and doesn't let go. Also, something unexpected.
Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?
A: Forgetting to add contact information on the submission, but that is a small one. Our biggest problem is that people send us things that have been posted online, including social media, which counts as being published. This happens even though there is a box submitters have to check on the submission form that states it has not been published anywhere.
Q: How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?
A: We like to see a cover letter with the name of the author and the title of the piece just because it makes it a little more personal. Publication credits are nice, but they don't influence our decisions. We don't need a summary of the story in the cover letter.
Q: If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?
A: We can usually tell within the first few paragraphs if it is a short work, or a few pages if it is longer, but we still read every submission all of the way through.
Q: What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?
A: For most pieces they will be reviewed thoroughly by one editor, but anything that catches their interest is reviewed by multiple eyes.
Q: What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?
A: Reading submissions wherever there is time in the day! This can include reading them on my laptop in a coffee shop, reading them on my iPad at work, or reading them on my phone just before I go to sleep.
Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?
A: We feel it is critically important. Modern technology enables us to easily accept and keep track of our submissions, discuss and decide on works between editors, and of course put out the magazine. We also understand how much easier this makes the submission process for authors as well, so it is a win-win all around.
Q: How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?
A: We edit all pieces for grammar and spelling and the like. We do work with authors if we feel a piece needs some changes when we accept it, and any major changes are always sent to the author for approval.
Q: Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?
A: The Pushcart Prize.