Meet the Interns: Kimberly Singleton, Nonfiction Editor

Kimberly Singleton is a sophomore at ASU studying English and Public Relations.

Superstition Review: What is your position with Superstition Review and what are your responsibilities?

Kimberly Singleton: As one of the Nonfiction Editors, I’m responsible for researching and creating a list of nonfiction authors to solicit. After the solicitations, I read the incoming submissions and respond to the postings. My responsibilities also include writing interview questions for two different nonfiction authors.

SR: How did you hear about Superstition Review and what made you decide to get involved?

KS: Through e-mail I received the notice that Superstition Review was seeking interns for the spring semester. As an English and Public Relations major, I wanted to gain as much job experience within my areas of study, so SR seemed like a great opportunity to do this. I was excited about the firsthand experience SR offered to their interviewees.

SR: What are you hoping to take away from your Superstition Review experience?

KS: SR has already been a rewarding experience in terms of learning about the publishing industry. Moreover, I have especially gained insight into how an online literary magazine works. This is great a great experience for getting a taste of publishing careers on a foundational level. I am honored to be working with such a nationally recognized and respected magazine.

SR: Describe one of your favorite literary or artistic works.

KS: One of my favorite works of literature is EM Forster’s A Room with a View. This is an enchanting story that constantly reminds me why I’m an English major. These are the artifacts of our culture that are worth remembering…ones that transport us to a world outside our own. And it is such with A Room with a View. Its rich story and breathtaking narration draw me in at every moment into another time and place.

SR: What are you currently reading?

KS: I’m currently reading Azar Nafisi’s memoir, Reading Lolita in Tehran. From my nonfiction author research, I became very interested in the nonfiction genre and have been reading many pieces in that area.

SR: What is your favorite Superstition Review section, and why?

KS: I’m really liking the nonfiction section so far. Before working with SR, I would have said fiction every time, but I have learned a lot about the nonfiction genre that makes me like it more and more.

SR: Who would be the Superstition Review contributor of your dreams?

KS: Let’s see…I think Lorrie Moore would be fantastic for the fiction section. She has a unique voice that makes ordinary life beautiful.

SR: What other position(s) for Superstition Review would you like to try out?

KS: Probably Solicitation Coordinator and Interview Coordinator would be interesting to try. I like working with people and practicing my professional communication skills.

SR: Besides interning for Superstition Review, how do you spend your time?

KS: School, school, and more school…I’m taking a pretty heavy load this semester, so I don’t have a lot of free time. In my very spare moments, I like to read, watch old movies, and hang out with my sister.

SR: What is your favorite mode of relaxation?

KS: During the school year my relaxation is mindless television entertainment. Reality TV for those really awful days: Project Runway, Millionaire Matchmaker, America’s Next Top Model. Then there’s Bones, Burn Notice, and Gilmore Girls re-runs for the Friday nights in.

Meet the Interns: Dustin Diehl, Nonfiction Editor

dustinDustin Diehl is a Senior at Arizona State University majoring in English Literature and minoring in Religious Studies. He is also pursuing a LGBT Certificate.

Superstition Review: What do you do for SR?

Dustin Diehl: I solicit work from nonfiction authors to be considered for publication. I then read through submissions (both solicited and submitted) and decide which ones I think should be included. Together, with Liz, we decide which ones to include, then send out rejection/acceptance e-mails.

SR: How did you hear about or get involved with Superstition Review?

DD: Trish is my Honors Thesis advisor and asked if I would like to participate…I said yes!

SR: What is your favorite section of SR? Why?

DD: I really enjoy fiction; however, I’ve been earning a deeper appreciation for nonfiction…seeing how people can take ordinary circumstances (or even not-so-ordinary circumstances) and convey them in a creative and readable form is fascinating to me.

SR: Who is your dream contributor to the journal? Talk about him/her.

DD: I would love for Michael Stackpole to contribute a short fiction story. I love his Star Wars novels and he’s a local writer!

SR: What job, other than your own, would you like to try out in the journal?

DD: I think it would be fun to be a part of the marketing team. I work for an online ad agency, so getting to apply my job skills to something fun like SR would be pretty cool.

SR: What are you most excited for in the upcoming issue?

DD: I’m really excited to read the submitted work…it’s always fun to read people’s work, especially when you find a diamond in the rough!

SR: What was the first book you remember falling in love with and what made it so special?

DD: The first book I fell in love with was The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare. I loved how it deftly juxtaposed religious history, political history and fiction into a very readable and timeless story. In high school, I adapted the book into a play script and would still love to produce a stage version of the book.

SR: What are you currently reading?

DD: Currently reading the Star Wars: X-Wing series by Michael Stackpole and Aaron Allston. Reading should be fun, and these books are fun!

SR: What are some of your favorite websites to waste time on or distract you from homework?

DD: I’m a huge movie buff, so I’m constantly on WorstPreviews.com, a movie news blog.  I’m also an avid Star Wars fan, so I enjoy TheForce.net as well.

SR: Do you write? Tell us about a project you’re working on.

I do write; usually fiction, but I’ve found nonfiction to be very satisfying as well. I’m working on a collection of creative nonfiction essays for my Honors Thesis as well as a LGBT-themed modern fantasy novel.

Meet the Interns: Elizabeth Anderson, Nonfiction Editor

elizabethanderson_0_1Elizabeth Anderson, one of our Nonfiction Editors, is a senior majoring in Creative Writing and working on a minor in Art History.

Superstition Review: What do you do for SR?

Elizabeth Anderson: I find nonfiction literary writers across the country and solicit them for work for SR. I also choose a few nonfiction writers that speak to me and solicit interviews.

SR: How did you hear about or get involved with Superstition Review?

EA: I first got involved with SR after taking a poetry class with Trish. Last year, I was the Solicitations Coordinator, where I kept track of the editor’s e-mails, created spreadsheets, created documents of responses, and added names to the Solicitations List.

SR: What is your favorite section of SR?

EA: My favorite section is the Art section because of Karen Green’s work, which I find not only unique, but also very inspirational.

SR: Who is your dream contributor to the journal?

EA: Currently, my dream contributor would be Mary Cappello (whom I sent a solicitation e-mail out to!), because I absolutely loved the idea behind her narrative, “Awkward: A Detour.” She not only covers touchy familial subjects, but she has a fluid way of talking about normal, everyday life.

SR: What job, other than your own, would you like to try out in the journal?

EA: I would love to be one of the Art Editors because it is so outside of my realm of the written arts. The visual arts can excite so many emotions without saying anything, and I would love to learn how to capture these emotions.

SR: What are you most excited for in the upcoming issue?

EA: I am so excited just to hear back from the nonfiction writers that I solicited. I think that their feedback will be the biggest pay off for all of my hard work thus far.

SR: What are you currently reading?

EA: I am currently reading My Friend Leonard, by James Frey. No matter what the media says about him, Frey will always hold a special place on my bookshelf.

SR: What are some of your favorite websites to waste time on or distract you from homework?

EA: To distract me from homework, I love to read Democratic Underground, The Onion, and of course, playing Waka-Waka on Facebook.

SR: What would be your dream class to take at ASU? What would the title be and what would it cover?

EA: My dream class at ASU would be a poetry class that not only focuses on forms (I am currently in ENG 490 Forms class), but also incorporates actual student readings of the poetry outside of class. The title would be ENG 490.5 “Forms and Presentation.”

SR: What are some of your favorite literary links?

EA: My favorite literary links are poets.org, azpoetry.org, zeroland.