Q: Describe what you publish in 25 characters or less.
A: Thoughtful Lit fiction
Q: What other current publications (or publishers) do you admire most?
A: Ploughshares, Glimmer Train Stories, Fiction International, Pushcart anthology, BOA publications, Paris Review
Q: If you publish writing, who are your favorite writers? If you publish art, who are your favorite artists?
A: Too many to list but Saramago, Ray Carver, Mark Brazaitis, Herman Hesse, etc.
Q: What sets your publication apart from others that publish similar material?
A: The work needs to catch our attention, sustain it and move toward more than just characterization, toward a message without hitting us on the head.
Q: What is the best advice you can give people who are considering submitting work to your publication?
A: Make sure the text is ready for us to read--avoid errors and make sure it is presented well. Then read for clarity and avoid excessive wording for the sake of adding words.
Q: Describe the ideal submission.
A: One that makes me want to read it again.
Q: What do submitters most often get wrong about your submissions process?
A: The story must not be a chapter from one's novel. It must be a stand-alone story.
Q: How much do you want to know about the person submitting to you?
A: A simple bio is read after we have read the stories we have narrowed from the pool. We do not read these before reading the entries.
Q: If you publish writing, how much of a piece do you read before making the decision to reject it?
A: Into the first 6-10 pages; then if it catches me to the end.
Q: What additional evaluations, if any, does a piece go through before it is accepted?
A: First reader, second reader, then the judge decides the winner from a pool of 10 finalists.
Q: What is a day in the life of an editor like for you?
A: Reading, reading, processing entries, catching up with emails, planning projects, planning ads, deciding award entries for published books, etc.
Q: How important do you feel it is for publishers to embrace modern technologies?
A: We are already doing this; to avoid this is counting the days to one's death.