Welcome to Issue VII, Volume IX: August 2018 of Connotation Press an Online Artifact. As most of you reading this probably already know, here at Connotation Press we publish from September through July, which makes August the time for our year-in-review. And am I the only one or did the last twelve months rush by so fast that it’s kind of scary? Is it because of the giant orange shit-stick? Could it be possible that his constant displays of idiocy, arrogance, greed, and horrendous stupidity have caused time to somehow speed up for the rest of us? Makes sense. I mean, if you read the news at all we seem to be living in a near-constant catastrophic emergency all wrapped up in an absolutely-constant ball of poorly conceived and executed lies. That’d make time speed up for anyone, right? But no, he-of-tiny-hands-and-smaller-brain has no control of time. Hell, speaking of control, I’d be surprised if he isn’t incontinent, flaccid little disposable undie wearing wanna be. Let me just put this out there. If you’re pissed off about the lack of anything that could pass as even remotely like politics happening in this country; if you’re so completely fed up with all of this idiocy and oppression; if these things are finding their way into your art, PLEASE consider sending it to us. I find myself reading not nearly enough creative writing burning with outrage and disgust. I see more good, pissed off art in FB posts than I do coming across my desk.
And I don’t mean send us your rants, either. After nine years, believe me, we’ve seen enough bad ranting attempts at art. I mean, send your exceptionally crafted, on-point, incisive written art criticizing any aspect of the political washout we’re all trying our best to wade through. Believe me, we’ll fast track it.
But all is not lost, amigos. There are still far more lovely, kind people than not. For instance, I am thrilled to take a moment to say THANK YOU to all our amazing patrons who donated to the cause and helped subsidize our publishing year: Paul Beckman, Andrew Stancek, Jonathan Cardew, Stephanie Bordeaux, Nancy Bouwsma, Katherine E. Young, Emily Bertholf, Sarah Wheeler, Maryann Corbett, Richard Foerster (twice!), Nicholas Baker, Faye Rapoport DesPres, Kristen Kleist, Julie Brooks Barbour, Anthony Press, Katherine Reeves (twice!), Ellen Wheeler, Sharon Koffel-Weinstein, and our tax person Kimberly Robidoux, who, for the ninth year in a row, did our taxes at her own expense for the cause. THANK YOU friends, with all my heart.
And now that I’m recharged with love, let’s celebrate another year of vital, stunning, written art.
Below are links to our editorial staff choices for the work we published that, for whatever reason, stood out in their minds. Try to think of this as less of a “best of” collection and more of a set of stories and poems that in one way or another stayed with the editors. Personally, I like to think of this issue as the work we published that I’d most like to have written myself.
And with that, instead of our normal kicking of the pig, here are links to our editorial staff and the things they had to say about the work they are responsible for bringing to publication in Volume IX.
As always, my love and admiration goes out to all these folks, and to those not mentioned here, Davon Loeb and Ösel Jessica Plante from our Poetry column, Al Maginnes and his outstanding music column, Meg Tuite our Editor-at-Large, and my Co-Publisher and partner in crime Kaite Robidoux.
With all probability this coming tenth year will be our last. And if not, I will most likely shut it down at the end of August, 2019 for the better part of a year to do a complete overhaul of the website. One way or the other, it’s been a joy and privilege to publish and edit this magazine, and one I have never taken lightly. Thank you all for nearly a decade of love. And hey, don’t worry. These proposed changes are a year away—six more issues and a retrospective. Woohoo! Until then, onward & upward to Volume X!
All best,
Ken Robidoux
Publisher/Founding Editor-in-Chief