Reflections on Ten Issues of Young Ravens Literary Review

I can't believe that what started out as a little passion project between two English majors has blossomed into the tenth issue of our biannual online journal, Young Ravens Literary Review!

I am honored that so many people chose to share their creativity with us over the years. In each issue, we explore a different concept:

Issue 1 Open Theme - Creative Scintilla

Issue 2 Fairy Tales

Issue 3 Science and Imagination

Issue 4 The Heart of Cyclicity

Issue 5 The Four Elements

Issue 6 Prayers for the Planet

Issue 7 So long, Farewell

Issue 8 Centering

Issue 9 Rarity and Scarcity

Issue 10 Sacred Spaces

Weebly is a great website for tech newbies like me, but I struggled to understand how to use it at first and even today I am still learning how to better clarify my formatting. I am grateful for everything I have learned in the process and hope that with each issue, the vision of Young Ravens will improve.

With the release of Issue 10, my co-editor Elizabeth Pinborough and I ask ourselves the question: What have we learned from editing ten issues of Young Ravens Literary Review?

Elizabeth:

I am so grateful to be part of this publication. My favorite part of editing Young Ravens Literary Review for these past 10 issues has been working with long-time friend and editor Sarah Page. Sarah writes our gorgeous calls for submissions, and I am always impressed by how she frames the topic, the many angles from which she sees any given theme. She knows how to ask important questions and how to invite others to think creatively. 

Reading submissions has revealed how incredibly diverse the work of poetry is today. Our authors have reinforced the idea that poetry is a powerful tool for solving the problems of this world. These nodes of individual creativity spread across cyberspace have the potential to revive a dying world, to inspire compassion, to accelerate creative problem solving for some of the truly baffling predicaments of our time, and to inspire the fellowship of verse. 

One of the most valuable lessons about creativity that I have learned is to just start! Creativity begets more creativity. Everyone is a creator, and everyone has the power to discuss their feelings, experiences, and ideas in verse. It refines and challenges you. I find that reading a good poem almost unconsciously begets a poem in me. If I am attending to the poetry I am breathing, I can catch a current of another poet's creativity and ride it to a verse or two of my own. My voice requires the uplift of other poets rhythms to be possible. I'm grateful to the poets and artists who have enriched our pages. 

Sarah:

Thank you, Elizabeth! I have greatly enjoyed working with you, too, these last several years! From the submission process to journal elements and introductions, I rely on your keen insight to refine each issue to a shine. There have been several times when I thought that our project would need to be put on hiatus or end because of challenges that came up in life from health to time constraints, but I am really glad we did not give up. 

I have been humbled and amazed by the beauty and variety of human creativity our contributors bring to every call for submissions. Poets, artists and writers take the theme of each issue, almost like a rough lump of stone, and polish it into a diamond of many-faceted verse and imagery. I think the most important thing I have learned is that I can never know or count all the facets of an idea; perception is in the eye of the beholder. We need each other's minds to truly illuminate the depths and angles of our universe.

So thank you, dear contributors and readers, for giving Young Ravens Literary Review ultimate shape and sparkle!

 

July Roses

A few of my garden beauties that survived the crazy thunderstorms of July:

A dewdrop adorns the bottom petal like a gem of liquid rose quartz

Tiny green bees flit over flowers

A bold rose captures the sun in its whorls

July Surprises! Fairy Tale Central Review and Fan-made Cover

I must confess that sometimes I regret taking the self-publishing route, as I have much to learn about being market savvy and I find it difficult to find reviewers for self-published works. So I was absolutely thrilled when Fairy Tale Central decided to interview me and review my latest novel, A Fair Account of the Traitors Snow White and Rose Red. I am very grateful for this opportunity, and amazed by the in-depth analysis of the book's strengths and weaknesses. Here are seven of my favorite snippets from Christine's review, with my emoji-enhanced commentary:

*"An intricate plot, a gorgeous fairy tale setting, beautiful writing, compelling characters—this novel was everything I want in a fairy tale retelling…and more!" (Aww, this scintillating snippet calls for sparklestars! 🌟⭐🌟)

 

*"S.E. Page can paint words like no other. Her description and prose is like stepping into a field of flowers, you just want to breathe it in and soak up the sights. I couldn’t get enough of it." (Not going to lie…totally crying English major tears of joy here. ⚘⚘⚘😭⚘⚘⚘ I am always getting into trouble for my efflorescent scribbles, so it is nice to get them right sometimes.)

*"I gotta say, though, my favorite character was probably Jack. Not only is he a magical elf (which, ya know, is the BEST) he’s also a total sass master. I do so love the snarky ones." (Everyone keeps telling me Jack is their favorite character!😎 Heh 😄 heh 😅 I guess I need to write him his own book). 

*"It was one of those novels that made me want to ART. If you’re a writer (or an artist!) you probably know what I’m talking about. It was just so inspirational. It filled up my creative soul." (It is my secret wish in life to write tales that take over people's imaginations🎨 and make them wonder up new futures, new art, and new paths for my characters. I just start the story. The readers do the rest.)

*"If you’re looking for a fluffy, romantic fairy tale…this isn’t it. This is the dark, creepy, dangerous kind." (Yay! I had to work hard for the danger vibe as my ink naturally tends towards the fluffy. 😆 Thanks, pesky little editorial sister for insisting on all those grueling revisions. I guess I owe you chocolate or something for putting up with all my griping! So much chocolate . . . . )

*"This was truly one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever read in my life. I felt like it took the meaning of a fairy tale to its core and brought it to life in such a vibrant way. I could seriously fangirl forever. Just…just read it, guys!

The plot had me enraptured, the world was so complex and fascinating, the characters’ emotions were tangible, the stakes were high, the writing style blew me away. It was a masterpiece of a novel."

(Thank you for taking the time and effort for such an incredibly in-depth review!😁 Insert: squees of  happiness☆★☆★☆)

When I begin a new novel, I feel like I start with a twig hut and painstakingly build up towards the dream of a cathedral. But no matter how grand or palatial the narrative, in the end, it is only the reader's imagination that lights up the jewel fire in the story's stained-glass windows.

I am so glad you decided to take a chance on Snow White and Rosavere's (and Jack's😊) misadventures, Fairy Tale Central.

And to top off this amazing week of wonderful surprises, artist Hannah S. J. Williams created a gorgeous fan-made cover of the book. I've always hoped that one day, a reader would love one of my stories enough to create fan art. Writer wish unlocked!🌟

And one last cherry on the random happy things sundae: this gorgeous music video "Snow White and Rose Red (featuring Ulli Perhonen)" by Blackbriar. It could totally be the main theme song for my story! Not telling how many times I have hit the replay button already . . . .