Issue #3 ~ Spring 2021
Editor’s Note
Dear Readers,
Spring has arrived in Omaha and with it, the promise of daffodils, tulips, and iris pushing through the newly thawed ground, rain to wash away winter grey, and this—The Good Life Review’s first Spring issue.
Our aim from the start was to create a space worthy of the myriad of voices that surround us. For our third issue, we attempted to draw in a larger, more diverse population of writers, and were pleased by the number and quality of submissions we received, some of which found us from half a globe away. I was personally touched by the submission letters from students in South Korea, who were hoping to publish their work in order to build their portfolios for school. I could not help but think what amazing times we are living in, that such connection and communication are possible.
This issue includes poems, stories, and personal essays by a group of incredible writers from the likes of Nebraska, Georgia, New York, Oregon, California, Michigan, Illinois, Washington, the Philippines, London, and Australia. It’s truly more than I could have hoped for and a wonderful representation of what The Good Life can be. Thank you to all of our contributors for making this issue fabulous!
I’m also thrilled about the addition of stage and screen plays to what we are offering our readers. This would not have been possible without our two skilled script editors, Jacob Lawson and Joe Atkinson. I am thankful that they were willing to join our team and spend their time and effort with us. I’m also pleased as punch to have the lovely Tacheny Perry joining our flash fiction team. Welcome Jake, Joe, and Tacheny! And similar to our previous issues, I’d also like to extend my gratitude to the rest of our staff who continue to dedicate their time and talent to our organization.
In producing this issue I developed a greater understanding of the potential impact that our publication could have on an individual as well as the literary community we support. Quite a responsibility, indeed, and one that I don’t take lightly. It is one thing to state that we are working toward becoming a more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming space, and another altogether to be active in pursuit of this goal. There are a number of challenges that we need to work through in order to hold true to our mission and vision. How we approach these challenges and the actions we take to amplify marginalized voices, support other local and national organizations, and fairly evaluate the writing that we receive will solidify who we are as a publication. I’m excited to see what 2021 will bring and hopeful that we can continue to grow and learn together.
To our readers, thank you for visiting, for reading, and for your support of the arts. We hope you enjoy all of what this issue has to offer and that you will return again and again!
That’s it for Issue #3 Spring 2021.
Cheers to Sitting on Patios and Sipping from a Full Cup,
~Shyla
Issue 3 Good Stuff:
