A Pair of Pleasantries
Some thoughts that I hope you find inspiring as this journal enters its twenty-third year—
In July, at a street fair in Park Slope, copies of a literary magazine were spiritedly given away for free. Imagine that. In the Editors' Note of The Brooklyn Review (Brooklyn College of the City University of New York): "None of the writing in this issue was solicited; all of it came from online submissions. These pieces stood up and announced themselves, leaving the editor or reader they collided with giddy to share with the rest of us, not so unlike whispering a fresh secret to your friends."
How nice it is to work diligently at something you love, shake out all the bias and favoritism, be proud of your accomplishment, and then generously and passionately share it.
Also in this No. 38 issue was an interview with author R. O. Kwon on her latest book. She says, "I would love for somebody to read my work and think, Oh my god, you too?" It's comforting to know that authors are not just putting words out there with the wish and hope and dream of getting rich; some may actually care very deeply about connections to their readers.
I recently stumbled upon the news that Midnight Mind is being revived. This was an engaging literary magazine running about twenty years ago that I first discovered (about that time) as I was browsing the shelves of a small bookshop on Sixth Avenue. The bookshop, like many others of its kind, is no longer there, but Midnight Mind's seventh volume is planned to be released in the coming months, after many years of hiatus.
Preordering the issue, I included in the purchase order a note saying that I loved the magazine years ago and was happy to see it back. Editor Brett Van Emst wrote me and asked for confirmation of my mailing address; he said he had a few copies left of an old issue and would be happy to send me one with his compliments. Imagine that. I consequently mailed him one of Summerset's print volumes.
Generosity and kindness breeds more of the same. And isn't it wonderful to see that even after years of inactivity, some people will go back to the things they truly love and adore, things that need and cry out for their attention?
Have a nice fall season and enjoy this issue, for free.
— J Levens
