Prime Number Magazine

Prime Number Magazine

is a publication of

Press 53

PO Box 30314,

Winston-Salem NC 27130

ISSN 2160-4207

Welcome to Issue No. 23 of Prime Number:

A Journal of Distinctive Poetry & Prose

Letter from the Editors (or jump to the Table of Contents)

Dear Readers,

We’ve got a great new issue for you—Number 23 is the first issue of our THIRD YEAR—but first we want to welcome our new Book Review Editor, Heather Lee Schroeder. Heather has loads of experience with book reviews, including a stint as Books Editor of the Madison Capital Times. If you are a small press looking for reviews, or if you would like to write reviews, please be in touch with Heather via our Staff page.

Speaking of books, our Editor, Cliff Garstang, has just published his second book, a novel in stories, WHAT THE ZHANG BOYS KNOW, with Press 53. People have have been saying some very nice things about the book, and we think you should pre-order a copy right now.

In Number 23, we continue to bring you distinctive poetry and prose: short stories by Susan Lago, L. McKenna Donovan, Ryan Meany, and Joe Samuel Starnes; essays by Leslie Tucker, TT Jax, Vanessa Blakeslee, and Wendi E. Berry; craft essays by Heather Magruder and Josh Woods; poetry by Jan Bottiglieri, Devon Miller-Duggan, and David Salner; a storyboard by Emily Edwards; a review of Susan Woodring’s new novel; and a review of a poetry collection by Katrina Vandenberg.

We are currently reading submissions for the Issue 23 updates, Issue 29, and beyond. Please visit our Submit page and send us your distinctive poetry and prose. We’re looking for flash fiction and nonfiction up to 1,000 words, stories and essays up to 5,000 words (note that this is an increase from our previous limit), poems, book reviews, craft essays, short drama, ideas for interviews, and cover art that reflects the number of a particular issue (we’re looking for a “29” right now). If we’ve had to decline your submission, please forgive us and try again!

A number of readers have asked how they might comment on the work they read in the magazine. We’ll look into adding that feature in the future. In the meantime if you are moved to comment I would encourage you to send us an email (editors@primenumbermagazine.com) and we’ll pass your thoughts along to the contributors. Similarly, if you are a publisher and would like to send us ARCs for us to consider for reviews, please contact us at the above email address. We’re especially interested in reviewing new, recent, or overlooked books from small presses.

One more thing: Prime Number Magazine is published by Press 53, a terrific small press helping to keep literature alive. Please support independent presses and bookstores.

The Editors

FICTION