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
Quarantines & Creative Communities
by Lowell Warren The severity of the Covid-19 situation seemed to hit us out of nowhere. One day we were told to wash our hands; the next day schools closed, … Continue Reading Quarantines & Creative Communities
The Way That Time Passes Through My Fingers
by Ave Jeanne Ventresca Ave Jeanne Ventresca (aka: ave jeanne) is the author of nine chapbooks of poetry that reflect social and environmental concerns. Her most recent collection, Noticing The Colors of … Continue Reading The Way That Time Passes Through My Fingers
The Little Blue Painting
by David Plimpton It was only about ten inches square, the little blue painting, an oil or an acrylic or some combination, with perhaps a medium added to give it … Continue Reading The Little Blue Painting
The Nostalgia Contest!
Hello, everyone! We are excited to announce that this spring The River will be holding a Nostalgia writing & art contest! These past 20 years we’ve witnessed some hilarious fads, … Continue Reading The Nostalgia Contest!
How Being Born in Jail Saved My Life
by Kate Rose My mom is coming. I haven’t seen her in, like, my whole life. Literally. Crazy, huh? She gave birth to me, then she was gone. I’m pretty … Continue Reading How Being Born in Jail Saved My Life
Thinking of You on My Way to Return Late Library Books
by Steven M. Smith My poems have appeared in publications such as Rattle, Poem, Old Red Kimono, Plainsongs, Poetrybay, Ibbetson Street Press, and Mudfish. When I am not spending time writing poetry and reading, I enjoy exercising, … Continue Reading Thinking of You on My Way to Return Late Library Books
Roadside Assistance
by Steven M. Smith My poems have appeared in publications such as Rattle, Poem, Old Red Kimono, Plainsongs, Poetrybay, Ibbetson Street Press, and Mudfish. When I am not spending time writing poetry and reading, I enjoy exercising, … Continue Reading Roadside Assistance
Modern Forces and the Meaningful Metaphor
by Mark Antony Rossi There are those convinced the fundamentals of writing hasn’t changed in a thousand years. An ink well, a parchment, an idea and quiet time are the … Continue Reading Modern Forces and the Meaningful Metaphor
Robert Mapplethorpe
by Lowell Warren I first read Patti Smith’s memoir Just Kids when I was seventeen. Just Kids chronicles Smith’s relationship with artist Robert Mapplethorpe after they meet as twenty-one year … Continue Reading Robert Mapplethorpe
Warmth
by Edward Lee
Red Dawn
by Sarah Marquez
Fall
by Edward Lee
Waiting
by Fred Cheney From the window of the barnloft, the girl watched him hunt in the big field each morning. Watched, as he succeeded at once and went home early. … Continue Reading Waiting
All Upon the Rising Sun
by Abasiama Udom Abasiama Udom is a poet and writer. She currently is studying Education and has interests in matters of the afterlife, human nature, politics and creativity. When not writing Abasiama is sleeping, … Continue Reading All Upon the Rising Sun
Broad With A Blog
By Journey Bubar “It will never rain roses: when we want to have more roses, we must plant more roses.” These words were spoken by the great English Victorian Novelist, … Continue Reading Broad With A Blog
The Artist is Present
by Lowell Warren When I hear someone say “performance art,” I picture actors, singers, and dancers prancing around a stage, reciting dramatic monologues, belting high notes, and tap dancing to … Continue Reading The Artist is Present