Organizing

Issue 6 Launch: A Note from the Managing Editor

Superstition Review

One of my favorite Simpsons Episodes involves Bart, Homer and Lisa watching a TV program called “When Buildings Collapse.” The entire point of the program is to see building after building fall down, but during the show Homer comments “I didn’t think it was going to fall over.”

I now use that phrase when it seems like something is never ever going to happen: a car making a slow left turn, a waiter taking too long bringing food. “I didn’t think it was going to fall over.”

And I have to admit that phrase has applied to each of our six issues of Superstition Review.

Every semester I gather 15-20 undergraduate student interns with varying levels of experience. I put them through “lit mag boot camp,” and within a few weeks they are corresponding with authors, reading and rating submissions, designing advertisements, creating blog posts, gathering bios and headshots, editing endless web pages, organizing readings on and off campus. And maybe most importantly, they are learning how REAL deadlines work in the field of publishing. Like, if your building doesn’t fall over NOW the next building can’t go up.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I do this all online. Our work is done through Blackboard, Google Docs and Submishmash.

We take about 14 weeks to put together each of the issues, which we publish in December and May. By the time the end of the semester rolls around, I’m never quite sure that the building is going to fall over.

But thanks to the support of my Dean Fred Corey, my Department Head Ian Moulton, my faculty advisors Claire Lauer, Kristin Lacroix, Judith Van, Mark Haunschild, Rebecca Byrkit, and Sherry Rankins-Robertson; and also to my endlessly brave and diligent and kind students, we now have six pretty impressive buildings under our belts.

After each issue is published and I get a good deep breath, I get to enjoy what my students have accomplished. In this Issue alone we feature work from (and interviews with) 66 artists, poets and writers from all over the nation. I hope you will make a cup of tea, grab your laptop or iPad, and enjoy the hard work of my talented students and our esteemed contributors.

Sincerely,

Patricia Colleen Murphy

Managing Editor, Superstition Review

Meet the Interns: Michelle Leabo, Content Team Manager

Superstition Review

michelleleabo_0Michelle Leabo is a Senior in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences majoring in English with a concentration in Literature.

Superstition Review: What do you do for SR?

Michelle Leabo: As Content Team Manager, it is my job to keep SR’s content organized. I make sure that our spreadsheets are continually updated. One of my major responsibilities is to ensure that no work get lost. I remain in close contact with other teams and practice excellent communication between my teammates and other interns.

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

ML: I heard about Superstition Review last semester when I took a class with Patricia Murphy and answered her Call for Interns. This is the first issue of SR that I’ve been involved with.

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

ML: My favorite section is Interviews. They are so personal, honest, and candid; one really gains insight into the work of an author or artist by asking questions. I enjoy the intimacy that interviews allow for. I also enjoy forming interview questions and conducting them.

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

ML: Toni Morrison. She is such an established writer and I feel as if she could provide not only great material, but great strength to the magazine. I believe she still occasionally teaches courses; perhaps she would be willing to respond to a student-edited literally magazine.

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

ML: I would like to tackle the role of the editor.

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

ML: I am most excited to keep all of our content organized and to succeed in not losing any work.

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

ML: I remember reading Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt in 5th grade and absolutely falling in love with it. This book recounts a fictional family’s life throughout the Civil War. Through its characters, it taught me that people who lived even centuries ago experienced the same happiness and heartbreak as people today and that we can relate to them. Irene Hunt remains one of my favorite authors; other favorites of mine from her are The Lottery Rose and Up a Road Slowly.

SR: What are you currently reading?

ML: I am currently reading a collection of short stories. I love the art of the short story; I am a fan of Hawthorne, Faulkner, and Joyce.

SR: What artist have you really connected with, either in subject matter, work, or motto?

ML: Through subject matter, work, and motto, I have connected with Faith Hill. She sings about aspects of life and love that I can relate to. Her music expresses the importance of love, friendship, and family in life. She has a very classy composure, and least in my opinion, and I admire that; she’s hardly ever found on the cover of tabloids. She has a motto that family comes first and she always seems to honestly follow it.

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

LM: I’m a fan of Lucille Ball and I enjoy searching for information and memorabilia relating to her and ‘I Love Lucy’. I’m also a fan of the Duggar family from TLC’s ‘18 and Counting’ so I enjoy following them through clips on YouTube and sites of that nature. They’ve recently announced they’re expecting their 19th child!