Meet the Fall 2019 River Editors!
As the greenery of summer begins to shift into the fiery colors of autumn, two new editors make their way into the River. We are Rowan Bagley, a Creative Writing … Continue Reading Meet the Fall 2019 River Editors!
The River Stalled for Summer
The end of the semester is upon us and that means that it’s time for a change for the summer. The River is going to be stalled for the summer … Continue Reading The River Stalled for Summer
Aurelia of the Crows
This piece is the winner of the The River’s 2018 Dramatic Works Contest! AURELIA OF THE CROWS by Carter Aimone The setting is 1900 New York and centers on the … Continue Reading Aurelia of the Crows
Prompts for Every Genre!
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies for … Continue Reading Prompts for Every Genre!
The Door
This piece is a runner up in The River’s 2018 Dramatic Works Contest. THE DOOR by Hannah Calkin Characters: ALLISON MILLS: Late 20s. Plain, eccentric, anxious. JASON FISHER: Mid … Continue Reading The Door
The Revision Process and Knowing When Your Work is Done
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies for … Continue Reading The Revision Process and Knowing When Your Work is Done
Radical Kinship
by Amy Baskin —dedicated to the staff of Homeboy Industries and Fr. Greg Boyle Tell me again all about my roots. Swab my cheeks. Can you see my … Continue Reading Radical Kinship
Breaking Boundaries: The Relationship between Writer and Genre
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies for … Continue Reading Breaking Boundaries: The Relationship between Writer and Genre
Adoration
by Gale Acuff When Miss Hooker calls on me to tell her and my classmates here in Sunday School just who killed the giant Goliath with his sling I answer Jesus and everyone laughs. No, … Continue Reading Adoration
Reading Across Genre
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies for … Continue Reading Reading Across Genre
The Green Line perseveres
by Amy Baskin —for Ricky Best, Taliesin Namkai-Meche, Micah Fletcher and the young women they defended on on the train in Portland, Oregon on May 26th, 2017 notice how platforms … Continue Reading The Green Line perseveres
What Writers can learn from Role-Playing Games
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies for … Continue Reading What Writers can learn from Role-Playing Games
The Scream
by Caitlin Waltz “The color shrieked.” -Edvard Munch I walk along a bridge with no beginning and no end, the sunset reflected in the faded streaks of color in the … Continue Reading The Scream
The Cat and the Ox: Finding Your Process and Staying Engaged
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies for … Continue Reading The Cat and the Ox: Finding Your Process and Staying Engaged
Place: Writing What You Know
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies for … Continue Reading Place: Writing What You Know
Dark Night, Bright Sky
by Tamar Anolic It was winter when Father Cillian O’Leary realized he had lost his faith. He spent the morning in penance, trying to get his whip across … Continue Reading Dark Night, Bright Sky
3 Reasons to Submit Your Work
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies … Continue Reading 3 Reasons to Submit Your Work
Rimbaud’s Last Stand
by Rick Viar Porters unlash you after the desert, your breathing a brittle, sweat-faded book you decide you’ll keep. It is time to be forgiven for lies, absinthe, … Continue Reading Rimbaud’s Last Stand
What Does your Character Want?
by Willy Doehring, River co-editor The “Writer’s Workshop” blog posts are meant to be a collage of writer’s tips, tricks, and strategies, including the first steps to publishing, writing prompts, strategies … Continue Reading What Does your Character Want?
A User’s Guide to Escaping the Chimney
by Jonathan Sload Admit that you’re stuck in the chimney. Stop using the phrases “sliding down” and “squeezing through.” You stopped doing those ten minutes ago. Stop … Continue Reading A User’s Guide to Escaping the Chimney
The New Editors of Spring 2018
A new season is here, and with it comes a new wave of submissions along with the introduction of the Spring 2018 editors. We’re both looking forward to publishing new … Continue Reading The New Editors of Spring 2018
Meteor Shower
By Anne Whitehouse We lie on blankets in the grass grateful for the scratchy wool in the sudden chill of night deep within the virgin forest at a family reunion … Continue Reading Meteor Shower
The High, the Low, the Essential
By James Callan A mop and bucket. Warm, soapy water. Even as an advanced, extraterrestrial life form, a member of an elite, illustrious race of spacefaring beings, Friand was a … Continue Reading The High, the Low, the Essential
“I Age”, “Crypt in the Sky”, and “Priscilla, Let’s Dance”
By Michael Lee Johnson Arthritis and aging make it hard, I walk gingerly, with a cane, and walk slow, bent forward, fear threats, falls, fear denouement— I turn pages, my … Continue Reading “I Age”, “Crypt in the Sky”, and “Priscilla, Let’s Dance”
Lament for Piano
By Ev Dearborn Song carves through the lounge in disharmony,Collapsing in the foyer, to lay down on its belly by the stairwell. Her spine, feline.She convulses, coughs, grits her teeth … Continue Reading Lament for Piano
Secret Sauce
By Venus Wright When I was young, from about two years old until around my fourth or fifth year on earth, my mum fibbed every time I’d ask for juice. … Continue Reading Secret Sauce
Lucas
By Venus Wright I walked out the front door of my apartment building, stopping on the stoop to look up and down the street. Millennial mothers with strollers power walked … Continue Reading Lucas
Motherhood: An Ocean of Love and Change
By Vera Sandronsky Breasts ache, tightness, and pain. Another infection. Why does this keep happening? Nothing else about breastfeeding has been hard. I am hungry in the middle of the … Continue Reading Motherhood: An Ocean of Love and Change
“The Canyon” and “At Recess
By Mark Belair The Canyon This row of old, soot-blackened buildings holds dark despite being directly struck by sun, each Structure rising, unusually, to the same height, their cornices creating … Continue Reading “The Canyon” and “At Recess
Guilt Made Me Do It
By Venus Wright A small silver bell above the door made a twinkling sound as I pushed through the door. “Good mornin’, how’s it going?” Said a lazy-voiced man behind … Continue Reading Guilt Made Me Do It
“Daughters” and “The Collector of Angels”
By Mike Piero Daughters for Halle She checks in on me each month, dutiful like clockwork, taking account of the numbers, the signs, and the relief from self-assumed guilt while … Continue Reading “Daughters” and “The Collector of Angels”
A Love Poem
By John Tustin The moon touched no room but ours, our bodies made alabaster and when we finished I found your hand and then parted your lips with my own. … Continue Reading A Love Poem
FAITH
By Lakshya Anant Faith, Not Hope, Not Religion I don’t have faith in hope Hope is a beggar walking through the blaze, Faith is the resilience that leaps over it. … Continue Reading FAITH
For My Ancestor Who Had Her First Baby Alone on the Floor
By Carolyn Sperry I’m sorry I don’t know more about you— I only heard some basic facts— but I can make it up. Maybe when you were preparing for your … Continue Reading For My Ancestor Who Had Her First Baby Alone on the Floor
To M.W.
By Gabriella Garofalo Hers was the sort of kindness born out of fear,The soul was a scared lady:Particularly when in the morning the grudge of the lightWas quite a piece … Continue Reading To M.W.
Untuned
By Robert L. Penick It’s three A.M. and Tommy Womack is on Youtube, being a genius that few have ever heard. Outside the window, the rain is tapping its way … Continue Reading Untuned
“Daddy and Uncle Bobby” and “Unpacked and Unpolished”
By Carol Parris Krauss Daddy and Uncle Bobby Daddy and Bobby would plant pennies on the track. Hide behind the azaleas waiting for the two a.m. Narrow Gage Rail to … Continue Reading “Daddy and Uncle Bobby” and “Unpacked and Unpolished”