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Editor Interview: The Blue Mountain Review

Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

A: We publish life in motion

Q: What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?

A: I am fond of Rattle, Porridge, Barren, The Pedestal, Foliate Oak, The Dead Mule, Crab Orchard Review, and Voices de la Luna. As far as publishers go, Copper Canyon is always on-point. 11:11 Press and the Calliope Crashes Media Group are doing beautiful things.

Q: If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?

A: My favorite writers are Ralph Ellison,Mary Shelley Fyodor Dostoevsky, Edna St. Vinvent Millay, Mark Z. Danielewski, Pablo Neruda, John Steinbeck, William Faulkner, Flannery O'Connor, Eudora Welty, Rainer Maria Rilke, Mark Twain, Robert Pinsky, Melissa Studdard, Frank Stanford, and Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
The stars of my art are Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Isabelle Gautier, Michael Parkes, Salvador Dali, and Joseph Stella.

Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?

A: The Blue Mountain Review is a journal of culture. We accept life - all of it. Prose, poetry, photography, and interviews with artists from all walks of life. We stay away from politics, opinion-making, and soapbox-standing. However, we welcome everyone to submit their point of view without reservation. We represent equally. Our editors are eager to publish genuine souls. Visual artists and musicians also play a big role in sculpting our pages. The Blue Mountain Review is an experience.

Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?

A: Please follow the submission guidelines closely. Be patient. Be kind. Do not take it personally if a submission isn't published. Raging on the editors never helps.

Q: Describe the ideal submission.

A: An ideal submission adheres to the submission guidelines. The cover letter is succinct and unique. The bio is brief with a hint of the author on a deeper level. The submission is edited, in the proper page/word count, and a note of gratitude is tucked into the email.

Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?

A: Some think that because the word "southern" is in the publisher's name that we only accept material from below the Mason-Dixon. That is not the case. Others send submissions without following the guidelines, and they're immediately rejected. A few follow up about the status of their submission every day with the evaluation time clearly stated on our website.

Q: How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?

A: Less is more. Mystery is good. Epic-length bios take up an enormous amount of room. The best bio contains a line about the author on a deeper level, four or five favorite previous publications, a note concerning existing books, and a link to the author's website.

Q: If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?

A: The weight of a submission finds me, or doesn't, quickly. I read each one to the end, but if it's a challenge to get there, that's not good. I suggest those who submit poetry to show range in subject matter and/or style. If submitting prose, look at past issues and see if there's a common thread you can weave into.

Q: What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?

A: Editors read the material accepted by each other and discuss how it will fit in the upcoming issue. This allows a full-range of perspectives on what we publish to prevent bias.

Q: What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?

A: It's rewarding. There are no complaints. I look forward to reading submissions, and consider it an honor that artists trust me with their material. Before I sit down I clear my head, shake off the day, and open each submission with a clear pair of eyes. It's humbling to read phenomenal work every day. It's a privilege to get solid writing out on today's literary scene.

Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?

A: I am whole-heartedly behind new technology in the submission of material and overall design. Submittable makes the submission process effortless. High-quality online magazines reach corners of our creative world that print cannot match.

Q: How much do you edit an accepted piece prior to publication?

A: We do not edit submissions.

Q: Do you nominate work you've published for any national or international awards?

A: We most certainly do. It's one of the benefits of our magazine. We want those we admire to be read by as many as possible. Nominations help the author, and shed light on the Blue Mountain Review. It is our responsibility to do all we can to sing praises of those we publish.