Dear Readers, Contributors, and Supporters,
The chaos of the present moment compels me to first acknowledge the suffering our kin are experiencing across the world and in our own backyard. A human crisis has unfolded in Gaza and Israel, Ukraine continues to fight for sovereignty, and a mass shooting in Lewiston, ME has left a community in shambles. But let us also not forget the countless stories of victims of armed conflict in remote regions forgotten by news outlets, and the multitude of refugees who are risking their lives to cross the U.S. border in search of safety. As someone who lived through similar atrocities in childhood, I ache for the children who will unequivocally suffer the aftershocks of violence throughout their lives. I dedicate this issue to you!
Our 2023 Winter Issue features a diverse range of voices and perspectives from U.S.-based and international writers alike. It is clear that these writers, too, are well aware of the impact such devastating news has on ourselves and humanity in general. The sentiment felt in their stories, essays, poems, and other creative work, which explore themes of identity, culture, family, love, loss, and hope, is palpable. From Abdallah Nasrallah’s despair in his essay “Palestinian Narnia,” to the richly embodied descriptions in Nadia Bongo’s prose “Another Farewell” and Lauren Camp’s poem “After the Funeral, I Spend Two Weeks in Montana” about the complex ways in which we grieve, I am reminded of the resilience––both amazing and remarkable––of the human condition. Their work fills me with optimism for their ability to create beautiful and powerful art in the face of suffering.
I am deeply grateful to our contributors for sharing their work with us and with you: Grace Talusan, Rob Arnold, Deborah Derrickson Kossmann, Chris Arthur, Elisha Emerson, Caitlin McGill, Abdallah Nasrallah, Kathleen Aguero, Joy Arbor, Meghan McClure, Kiara Letcher, Taylor Mckinnon, Christine Jean Blain, Elliot Cardineaux, Daragh Hoey, Amy Genova, Jess Skyleson, Nikki Ummel, Marjorie Power, Camille Carter, Gregory Djanikian, Lauren Camp, Valerie Duff, Halyna Kruk, Xin Qiji, Krystyna Dąbrowska, Meta Kušar, Dzvinia Orlowsky, Ali Kinsella, Bill Porter, Karen Kovacik, Ana Jelnikar, Stephen Watts, Michael Pearce, Estela González, Laurie Foos, Nadia Bongo, Tamas Dobozy, JJ Amaworo Wilson, Elizabeth Searle, Aline Smithson, Sydney Lea, and James Kochalka.
I would also like to thank our dedicated staff for their hard work and commitment to the magazine: Managing Editor, Annaka Saari; Editors: William Betcher, Ewa Chrusciel, Robbie Gamble, Richard Hoffman, Lee Hope, Barbara Siegel Carlson, Andrai Whitted; Associate Editors: Jill Frances Johnson and Karen Halil; and Readers: Linda Button, Angie Chatman, Eileen Cleary, Jenifer DeBellis, Rebecca Faulkner, Jennifer Gentile, Cassandra Goldwater, Amy Grier, Heather Labay, Jessica Martinez, Ruth Mukwana, Meg Senuta, and Michelle S. Ramadan. Also a big thank you to all of our Contributing Editors. Without them, this issue would not be possible.
Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to our supporters. We are able to continue publishing thanks to your generosity.
Welcome to our 2023 Winter Issue of Solstice Literary Magazine. I hope you will be moved by the exceptional work within these pages.
Saludos,
Lorena Hernández Leonard
Editor-in-Chief
