Dear Readers,
I am delighted to share with you the latest issue of Illinois Central Review! It's hard to believe this literary journal is already on its fourth issue.
Starting Illinois Central Review was a suggestion right before the shelter-in-place and shift to everything online during the COVID-19 pandemic. While some things in life have returned to "normal," there is an adapted normal that we live in now. The work in this issue is very much a reflection of how we have adapted and what we continue to endure post-COVID.
You will see we have quite a bit of poetry in this issue. I have Jim Sullivan and his students in the spring 2023 Creative Writing: Poetry class to thank for that. I tell my students all the time that writing needs readers. The best way to get your writing read? Submit it to a literary magazine.
Illinois Central Review is currently accepting submissions for its next issue, which will be published in January 2024. The deadline to submit is December 1, and you can do so here: Volume III/Issue I Submission Form.
I hope you enjoy this issue. Thank you for taking a look!
In writing,
Melissa Grunow,
Associate Professor, English