Letters From the Editors, Issue 8

              Happy birthday to us!

              In February 2008, Blood Lotus turned two years old!  We celebrated with friends, readers, and former contributors at Faces & Names Bar & Lounge in New York City on February 1, which just happened to be the second day of the 2008 AWP Writer's Conference.  Thanks to everyone who stopped by to see us, either at our party or at the New Sins Press table at the book fair, where the generous co-founders of NSP shared some table space with us.

              And while at AWP, did you get a poetic license?  Chalk it up to BL being now in our terrible two stage, but we felt the need to be gutsy and straightforward with our self-promotion by reminding all writers, all artists in general, that they have the right to say anything they want.  YOU have that right.  The general consensus among the four of us is that these are chaotic and troubled times, and it is the duty of poets and novelists and essayists to take pictures with words in an effort to raise awareness and name names.  As writers ourselves, we find comfort in knowing that we aren't the only ones trying to write truth, and as editors, we are inspired by what we perceive to be our contributors' increasing interest in political and social affairs.  We are emboldened to look around, dig deeper, and present the best, most well-crafted writing about things that are important.  That's it!  If it's important to you, write it--but write it well.  Craft without concept is often pretentious and emotionally distant, but concept without craft is an empty, shapeless rant.

              "Empty" and "shapeless," however, you will not find in this, our second anniversary issue.  Poems by Glenn Sheldon are tight, sensual stanzas that ground us in our own, everyday humanity--the pleasures of food--while providing a controlled space in which to contemplate the world going on amid the tables and chairs in a restaurant.  We’re honored to have a lovely poem by Eloise Klein Healy, a poet we greatly admire for two kinds of work—the written kind and the kind for writing.  Please follow the link on our homepage to learn more about Healy’s Red Hen Press imprint, Arktoi Books, which promotes the work of lesbian writers.  On a similar note, check out Sankar Roy’s links to his multimedia site and Poets for Humanity—and, of course, his poem “Lies.”  R.D. Coleman’s poem “katrina” is moving and probably the best we’ve read yet on the New Orleans tragedy; another poem by Naomi Glassman laments that “Everything is // made of wire after a suicide.”  Rachel Kellum’s poem simply couldn’t be passed up, and not only because we’re so glad to have an extra hour of daylight this time of year, but because the long lines and repetition of H-words lull us into an idea of time as fluid, connecting daily events from the colossal to the mundane.  A sonnenizio by Jennifer Campbell is expertly crafted to unfold a woman’s emotions regarding her partner’s affair, and Jackie Bernardo’s “Auto repair at 8 o’clock” feature’s another woman’s very different frustration…and when the speaker begs “Fix this, just fix / this please,” is she talking about a car or life?

              The fiction and nonfiction in this issue, as usual, have similar things to say.  All three nonfiction pieces this time are about female hardships—and these females are brave to tell us these stories.  Our new nonfiction editor, Allison Taj, whom we recently welcomed as successor to Liz Nethery, can tell you more about the stories and herself here.

              Without planning it, a large majority of the writing in this issue coheres to promote a discussion of women’s issues, and #8’s fiction is no exception.  The story by Naomi Leimsider’s piece “Cannibals” touches on the hunger—and risk of being utterly consumed—that accompanies relationships.  Brinley Davis’s story, though very different in tone of voice, also illustrates domestic instability.  Matt Jenkins’ piece “Roommates” is the humorous twist on this theme, but with two college guys in a dorm room. 

              To come full circle to what was mentioned earlier about our mission and poetic license(s), please take a look at this letter on internet publishing by fiction editor John Steele.

              And visual art—you can’t miss the colorful complexities of prints and paintings by by Sean Morrissey.  They brighten up this issue like the coming spring!

              Last but certainly not least is the music column by Rane Arroyo.  His words about the lyrics and music of artists Levi Kreis and Waz, titled “Sex Isn’t a Sin,” will speak for themselves.  Please heed them, and remember, when you write and live, that “the body is an important part of all discourses, or should be.  The heart, as always, provides the rhythm.”  We want to publish art that touches both, that is a conversation between very real people.

              As always, thanks for reading and listening, and we hope you enjoy our second anniversary issue!

Best,

The Editors

PS—If you want a poetic license, email us!  We have leftovers!