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Editor Interview: Larina's Lit Lounge

Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.

Thoughtful and fun

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

Strange Horizons, The Sun Magazine, Uncanny Magazine, Speculative Verse, The McNeese Review, Oregon Humanities

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

TJ Klune, Tamsyn Muir, Tara Campbell, Kathie Giorgio, Joe Hill, Stephen Graham Jones, Martha Wells, Ursula K Le Guin, Eavan Boland, Stephen Dobyns, Joy Harjo

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

I'm eclectic in what I choose. It may be genre. It may be literary. It may some combination of the two. I choose pieces that speak to the human condition (and the writing prompts) in interesting ways.

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

Write to the prompts. The most recent four prompts are always in the call.

Describe the ideal submission.

It follows the guidelines, connects to a prompt, and is both thought-provoking and fun.

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

They send things that aren't at all connected to the prompts.

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

I like to hear about submitters' identities if they are comfortable sharing that information. I am committed to publishing underrepresented voices. I am less interested in publication credits. The cover letter should always say which prompt the piece is responding to.

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

I read everything to the end. If it makes me think, smile, cry, or otherwise feel something, I'll read it again. Otherwise, I reject it immediately.

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

Every piece I accept has been read at least three times.

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

I read things in the morning before I go to my day job. Then I reread them after work if I'm interested in them. A few days later, I read them again. If the piece still makes me think or feel, I accept it. Rarely, I accept a piece on the first read, but it has to be REALLY good.

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

I rarely edit pieces I accept, and if I do, it is only for grammar. I want the writer's voice to shine through.

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

I nominate for Best of the Net, the Pushcart Prize, Riselings, and Dwarf Stars.

How is your project funded?

Larina's Lit Lounge is self-funded. I do have a tip jar option, and I use those funds to pay contributors.

How do you promote your project and published authors/artists?

I'm on Substack, and I promote on Facebook and other social media channels.

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