EDITORIAL REMARKS by M.R. Branwen
“IF THERE WAS NO DESIRE, there would be/ no regret, but I’ve seen grief redden/ the lips and, soon enough, part them…”
World, meet Wendy McDowell. I know that I get excited about the work I find for Slush Pile, but listen: if you read one thing this issue, read her poem “Glossary of What You’d Sooner Forget.” Wendy and I had not spoken in some years when I woke up at five o’clock one morning thinking of this poem, specifically. So I tracked her down and asked her to be our featured poet. Luckily for you, she said yes.
In fiction this issue, I did some more “tracking down” to obtain Nic Brown’s story "Friend of the Sick," which was well worth the effort. We also have a piece of nonfiction this issue, from adventurer J.D. Riso, who takes us to the remote jungle, replete with small, scary planes and hairy spiders the size of fists. It’s called "And You Will Like It," which is funny because when it arrived in my inbox the subject read: Nonfiction submission from J.D. Riso And You Will Like It. Turns out I did!
The other three stories are pretty wicked as well (as we say here in Boston) so don’t overlook them.
And last but not least, I am pleased to introduce our featured artist this month: Jamie Powell, a Brooklyn-based painter who makes bright, delightful paintings. If you find them suggestive, well, yeah.
— M.R. Branwen