Submissions are Coming In!

I am happy to say that so far, we have received a good number of submissions. And we still have two months left till our last day. This must mean a few different things: 1) This means that the journal made some kind of impact this winter, and prompted other people to wish to be a part of it 2) This also means that there are even more writers than we originally knew about, somehow connected to Lawrence, yet floating out there in the world, and now they have a place to connect and 3) This also means that we, of course, rock. The Blue Island Review prides itself on making others feel at home, at helping people realize that writing doesn’t always have to be a lonely and dreadful experience. BIR is a place to showcase that idea of community – to say, hey look over here! There are writers hiding in the corners of coffee shops and I have never met you. There are others hiding in the sociology department at KU, and I had no idea. There are even more of you, others, wandering away from Lawrence and missing us, and hoping to find a way to connect.

What is a Blue Island?

To me, it’s like water, but contained. Islands are surrounded by water, but Blue Island is immersed in the changing and moving world of language. Yet, it’s contained because of space, because of shared memories and histories. Blue Island is a gentle place that sits there like a horizon, waiting.

Or that could be too dramatic. Maybe it’s a band. Or the name of your grandma’s dog in 1902. Or maybe it just sounds good, the long “u” and “i” sounds forcing your mouth into new and strange positions. We can only hope to see you mouthing our name from across a crowded room.

Keep the submissions coming. Tell your friends and tell your friends to pass it on. While we have received a lot – we need more, and we want quality work. Blue Island work. The kind of writing that speaks to communities. Language that is surprising and challenging and new. Images that strike like wicked dreams.

Send. This summer, in all its blue skies, waits.