First, I want to say that I was so honored to be passed the CNF torch for this excellent and progressive online journal.  Liz had done such a great job for our readers and writers, I can only hope to do as well as she. 

With that said, I am very excited to have such a great debut.  There were some really great pieces submitted, and I was grateful to have such a hard choice ahead of me.  For this issue, though, I decided to go with a couple pieces that were more progressive and edgy. 

Priyanka Sacheti is an accomplished writer whose work is woven with beautiful imagery and a natural energy that brings the reader into the heart of India. Her featured piece “A Kite Falling” is both universally moving and enjoyable, even to those unfamiliar with India, which is a testament to her carefully supple imagery and sophisticated voice.  Gretchen Clark is an educator who brings the voice of a wise feminist to her work.  With brief but captivating details, her essay “Sweet Nothings” paints the picture of a woman coming of age in a distant and emotionally reticent household.  She leaves the reader with a wistful image of a young woman trying to recapture innocence.  Finally, in her piece “Olive-Skinned Girl,” Karen K. Perkins bravely steps forward to tell us about what happened when she exercised her reproductive right of choice.  She does so in a way that gives the reader insight into the emotional cycles one goes through following difficult and life-altering decisions. 

In closing, I hope our readers enjoy the work of these three women, and can see the value of craft all three have employed in their work. I am already looking forward to reading for our next issue, and invite our would-be contributors to be brave yet calculated in their creative nonfiction.  Be courageous with your content, but do not forget about craft!

Best,

Allison