Issue #13 ~ Autumn 2023
Editor’s Note
Dear Literature Enthusiasts and Sweater Weather Lovers,
I must confess… Autumn is far from my favorite season. It feels way more satisfying to daydream about sitting around a fire pit, roasting marshmallows than to actually do it. When I think about swapping my summer wardrobe for warmer clothing, I cringe. I just don’t want to do it. Summer is my favorite season and I hate to see it go. I also know that autumn’s bountiful color is a harbinger of what’s to come. Pretty soon, those red, brown, and golden leaves will fall (or be blown) from the trees and we’ll be left with bare branches and months of cold weather. What doom. What gloom. What could possibly turn this autumn frown upside down?
The latest issue of The Good Life Review, of course!! And this one is truly a treat because it’s lucky. Lucky #13 – The fourth autumn issue we’ve released since the inception of the journal four years ago and the first volume of our next cycle around the sun.
Call it luck or good fortune or being blessed, but whatever it is, I’m excited for the opportunity to introduce two poems by the illustrious Bob Hicok, “Fire” and “Green Thumb” alongside another “Amazing” poem by our admired and respected Nebraska State Poet, Matt Mason. Having poems by two rock stars poets in one issue is something I never imagined for TGLR, and it’s validation that we are on the right track and getting noticed. I’m grateful to both for allowing us to showcase their work!!
Rounding out the poetry scene, we have three other gems: “Limerence” by Levi Cain, “Mosaic” by Muiz Ọpẹ́yẹmí Àjàyí and “La Niña” by Gathondu Mwangi. All three convey a unique voice created by deft utilization of imagery, rhythm, and tone.
For nonfiction, we’re featuring one flash piece, “Grandfathered,” by Haley Larson. Haley’s essay poignantly explores the effects dementia has on a person as it takes hold of a body and mind and organically ties that to the nature of how all living things have a lifecycle and body that will eventually fail. The language in this piece is lyrical and her vignettes of thought, compelling.
This issue also has two longer nonfiction essays. “Radio” by Chelsea Yates is a story about a woman who is able to make it through isolation and trepidation of Hurricane Ike because of memories she has of her father. She draws us into the event, to experience it with her, and to experience the connection that she felt with her father across space and time.
Cynthia Landesberg’s essay “Life Must Go On” weaves together thoughts of grief, adoption, and identity through a narrative about the loss of her grandfather. Each section begins with a quote from him that beautifully connects the threads of her journey and leads her to find a measure of peace with complex circumstances.
In flash fiction, we have two very different stories. “Rock, Shore, Thunder” by Maria S. Picone is a fast-paced and gripping tale about a woman working in a lighthouse that is pushed to the brink by a storm, both literally and figuratively. By contrast, “Moon” by Mrityunjay Mohan is a kind of lyrical wandering where the writing is separated into five brief sections of beautiful imagery.
For longer fiction, Jason Arias’s story “Clam!” is a must-read about a father’s struggle to reconcile how he feels about the death of his wife while trying to maintain a relationship with their son. This is one of those stories that gets ahold of you and won’t let go. It ends like a punch to the gut and promises to linger in your brain long after you’ve finished reading.
That lingering is a trademark of really good writing and one that makes the decision to publish an easy one. It is one of the things that all the poems, stories, and essays in this issue have in common. The same is true for the artwork that was selected to accompany each piece. In this issue we have three stunning pieces by Ann-Marie Brown, including “And Yet” which was selected for the cover of the issue. Matt Mason’s poem has been paired with “Colt of the Ecocide” by María DeGuzmán. And two other stunning images, “Fire Ring II” by Barbara Sarvis and “Fish Tail” by Leslie Brown, have both been paired with poems as well. I’d encourage anyone spending time with the issue to check out what these artists said about their work on the Issue #13 artwork page.
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Though I may have a distaste for autumn, the changing of the seasons is inevitable and a good reminder that without change, we would not have the opportunity to learn and grow. Without that first autumn issue, and the second, and the third, we would not have made it to this point. Without each departing team member, we wouldn’t have the amazing team we have today. And without all of our contributing authors and artists, we would not be able to compile our first ever “Best Of” anthology, coming in Winter 2024. More on that in the weeks ahead.
Until then, dear readers, thank you for spending your precious time with us and for believing in the arts. I hope you find something you love in this issue and that you decide to return for more. That’s it for Lucky #13, Autumn 2023.
Embracing the Pumpkin Spice,
~Shyla
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