Intern Update: Alisha Allston

We are pleased to present Alisha Allston for this Intern Update! Allston worked as a Poetry Editor on one of Superstition Review’s first issues, as well as the Reading Series Coordinator for a later one, promoting authors through press releases and page proofing on websites as well as in text. She was with S[r] for a year and graduated with a degree in English Literature. Currently, Allston continues her writing career as a Copy Writer for Global Sources, an online marketplace with its headquarters all the way in China. She’s certainly come very far in more ways than one!

If you’d like to know more about Allston, you can visit her LinkedIn page here.

Intern Updates: Brooke Stevenson

We are pleased to feature Brooke Stevenson, a Poetry Editor all the way from the very first Superstition Review issue! Having graduated from ASU with a degree in English Language/Literature and a concentration in Creative Writing, Brooke currently works as a Senior Proposal Content Specialist at Atkins, a company specialized in engineering and design. She has been at Atkins for ten years and counting, and she not only remains skilled in editing, but also in marketing communications. An amazing transition!

If you’d like to learn more about Brooke’s accomplishments, you can visit her LinkedIn page here.

Meet the Review Crew: Winona Manrique

Each week we feature one of our many talented interns here at Superstition Review.

Winona Manrique, Social Networking intern at Superstition Review, is a graduating senior at ASU. Having worked on Issue 8 of Superstition Review as Content Coordinator, she came on board for a second semester with the magazine to learn even more about the process of publishing.

Winona writes fiction as a hobby, which is how she first came to be interested in the publishing world. She has participated in NaNoWriMo four times in the last two years (twice in summer) with a 50% success rate. The writing community in the East Valley has allowed her tremendous opportunities both as a writer and a reader. She won the Glendon and Kathryn Swarthout Award for fiction with her first ever short story.

Born in New England, Winona has moved more times than she cares to count. She studied abroad in England and fell in love with Stonehenge, Beowulf, and Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. She is currently applying to postgraduate programs in the United Kingdom to study Medieval History, something her English Literature major has allowed her a unique opportunity to specialize in.

Meet the Interns: Tyler Hughes

Advertising Coordinator Tyler Hughes is a senior at Arizona State University. He will be graduating in 2011 with a degree in English Literature. After graduation he would like to be able to apply his skills and experiences learned at ASU and interning for Superstition Review into a career in publishing and editing. He also has a passion for writing fiction and hopes to be able to find a home for his writings. This is his first year working for Superstition Review.

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

My position at Superstition Review is Advertising Coordinator. I am in charge of the Superstition Review Blog. Some of my responsibilities include managing the blog, writing posts, and editing the posts that our editors write for the blog.

2. Why did you decide to get involved with Superstition Review?

My interests include writing, both creatively and for an audience, and along with that I am interested in pursuing a career in the publishing field. I thought that Superstition Review would provide some great hands-on experience.

3. How do you like to spend your free time?

In my free time I enjoy reading and writing, spending time with my friends and family and hiking with my dog.

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

I would love to try out the position of Fiction Editor. They get to do a lot of fun stuff like review submissions and read pieces from great authors.

5. Describe one of your favorite literary works.

This is a hard question as there are so many great stories out there. One of the stories that I have always loved is Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Card. Ender’s Game is a science fiction story about a boy named Ender who is sent to a military run space station to train in tactical warfare in preparation for an alien encounter. It has some great characters and writing and the premise is pretty unique. It is hard to pick just one but Ender’s Game is definitely in my top five.

6. What are you currently reading?

I am currently re-reading World War Z by Max Brooks. It is an account of the zombie apocalypse through interviews with people from around the world. It is all treated very seriously, but not too seriously, and is a really fun read.

7. Creatively, what are you currently working on?

I have been a little bit swamped recently so I haven’t really had time to work on anything. However, I am in the early stages of brainstorming a short story project as well as editing some old stories.

8. What inspires you?

I am inspired by stories about people. People and their experiences are fascinating and I never get tired of hearing people’s stories.

9. What are you most proud of?

Right now, I am very proud of my accomplishments in school and being so close to earning my bachelor’s degree in English Literature.

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I hope to be working in a job that I enjoy, hopefully something in publishing or editing.

Meet the Interns: Ashley Carter

Content Coordinator Ashley Carter is currently a junior studying English Literature at Arizona State University. She is also working on a minor in Media Analysis, a Writing Certificate, and an LGBT Certificate along with her degree. In her free time, Ashley reads, writes, spends time with friends, and participates in Gamma Rho Lambda activities, where she is Head of Public Relations. After graduating, she plans to move to New York, attend graduate school, and pursue a career as an editor for a publishing company. This is her first semester with Superstition Review.

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

I am the Content Coordinator for Superstition Review. My tasks include regularly updating the submissions spreadsheet, assign material to genre editors to read, and make sure materials get responded to in good time. I like to think of myself as the “professional organizer” for the editors of Superstition Review.

2. Why did you decide to get involved with Superstition Review?

I had an extremely encouraging professor, Judith Van. As soon as I expressed interest in a summer internship program in New York, not a day went by that she didn’t ask if I had applied to SR to jump-start my experience. It was that wonderful encouragement on top of all the good things I had heard about the online magazine that got me to finally apply.

3. How do you like to spend your free time?

Last semester, I rushed for the sorority Gamma Rho Lambda. It has been one of the best decisions of my life. I gained 18 sisters and a whole lot of responsibility as the head of Public Relations for GRL. I spend most of my free time hanging out with them, or fulfilling my sorority responsibilities. When I’m not doing that, I spend time with my roommates and my girlfriend, write, read, and dabble in photography.

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

I’d like to try my hand at being a Fiction Editor. My future goal is to be an editor for a book-publishing house, which will entail a lot of reading and evaluating of possible books. Fiction Editor seems like the small-scale version of that.

5. Describe one of your favorite literary works.

My favorite literary work of all time is The Fionavar Tapestry series by Guy Gavriel Kay. This series has been compared to J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic The Lord of the Rings by many and with good reason. Kay is a genius, one of the best I have ever read. The way he spins stories and creates such beautiful worlds and dynamic characters cannot be matched.

6. What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Becoming a Visible Man by Jamison Green for one of my classes. It’s an autobiographical work that describes Green’s own experiences as a transsexual man and offers a deeply insightful approach to all of the challenges transsexuals can still face today.

7. Creatively, what are you currently working on?

As of right now, I’m not working on much. My creative juices have become stagnant thanks to a little thing I like to call the world of academia. While school is in session, I like to focus all of my attention on my studies. As soon as summer break starts, I plan to revitalize some of my old stories. With a little bit of editing, they may be ready for publication. We’ll see.

8. What inspires you?

My grandmother, Sarita Mullin. She’s strong, independent, intelligent, hard working, caring, unbiased, and so many other great things. She has always been around to give me a hug or a swift kick in the butt when I needed it. She is by far one of the greatest women to ever walk the planet. If I’m half of the grandmother she has been to me, then I’ll be happy.

9. What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of how hard I work. I devote a lot of time and energy into everything I do, be it work, school, my sorority, or this internship. I refuse to give anyone sub-par work, and I think that people appreciate it.

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I will have obtained my M.S. in Publishing from NYU and have a job as an editor for a book publishing company. Hopefully, at this point my girlfriend of three years (so far) and I will have gotten married and be able to adopt kids.

Meet the Interns: Emily Beckley

Poetry Editor Emily Beckley is entering her senior year here at Arizona State pursuing a bachelor’s degree in English Literature. Upon graduating in December, she plans to utilize her degree to get herself into graduate school to study publishing. Originally from Chicago, Emily hopes to move to the northwest after graduation to follow her dream of working in the editing/publishing field and also hopes to one day publish her own poetry for the masses. This is Emily’s premier semester at Superstition Review.

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

I am a poetry editor for Superstition Review. I handle poetry submissions along with my fellow poetry editor, April Stolarz. This process involves reading submissions and giving my personal feedback in terms of quality and vision as it pertains to the finished product of the upcoming issue of Superstition Review. Outside of content editing, I participate in spreading the word about Superstition Review and increasing awareness for future writers who wish to submit.

2.   Why did you decide to get involved with Superstition Review?

I am graduating in December, and I am really trying to get myself some real world experience in the field in which I intend to seek employment. I want to work in the publishing industry; this internship will definitely give me the advantage when seeking a job. Also, I will be applying for graduate school and any internship will set me apart from other applicants.

3.   How do you like to spend your free time?

I like to spend my free time reading and writing poetry. Being a literature major, I tend to always be reading something that is assigned to me. So, I cherish the times I have to read works of my own choosing. I also love seeing shows around the valley with friends or taking day trips around the state on the weekend. I am also a thrift shopping addict, yikes!

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

If I were to have another position, I think being an art editor would be really exciting. I don’t have any experience with art, other than my own personal interests. But, handling submissions of people’s artwork would be really exciting and interesting.

5.   Describe one of your favorite literary works.

My favorite poet of all time would have to be Gary Snyder. All of his work speaks to me on a very personal level; the calm that ensues from reading his poetry lifts my mood instantly! “Rip Rap” is by far my favorite poem of his. I think I have learned a lot from his writing, and have carried a bit of Snyder into my own style.

6.   What are you currently reading?

Currently, I am reading Shopgirl by Steve Martin and Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë.

7.   Creatively, what are you currently working on?

I try to fit in as much time as I can every week to allow myself to write freely. I love writing poetry; it’s a very cathartic experience for me. I keep a portfolio of my work and try to update it every month with some solid pieces that I think will be worth someone’s time in the future when I explore writing as a career.

8.   What inspires you?

I feel that every day holds moments of beauty and poetry. I challenge myself to notice these moments and treasure them. Often, I write lyric poems praising small and seemingly insignificant occurrences or objects, even images and realizations that I think will bring a smile to my face one day going back and reading my own work. I also tend to write a lot of confessional style poetry. It can feel very cleansing when experiencing struggles in life.

9.   What are you most proud of?

I am proud of my positive attitude and appreciation for life. Not everyone can say that they are truly happy, and I take pride in knowing that I have taken the right steps to be just where I want and need to be in life.

10.   Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I hope to be working in the publishing industry and have published some of my own poetry. I would love it if I had the opportunity to share my work with the public and make a career out of something I am so passionate about.

Meet the Interns: Stacie Fraser

Interview Editor Stacie Fraser is in her senior year at Arizona State University. She is studying English Literature and will be graduating in May. All of the years spent attending classes at ASU she has also been working for Sparky’s Stadium Shop located on the Tempe Campus. After graduating, she hopes to apply her skills learned throughout college and her time at Superstition Review, to a career in editing and publishing. This is her first semester working with Superstition Review.

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

I am an Interview Editor at Superstition Review. I am responsible for selecting authors to interview for our page. My position has me selecting authors, emailing them and asking them if they would be willing to be interviewed for our magazine. I then create a list of interview questions specifically for that author.

2. Why did you decide to get involved with Superstition Review?

I applied to Superstition Review because it is a great learning opportunity. It also allows me to become more familiar with lesser known authors.

3. How do you like to spend your free time?

I love spending my free time outside in Arizona’s beautiful sunshine, running and swimming. I also love going to the movies with friends and reading novels.

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

I would also like to experience everything that the fiction section editor’s have to do at Superstition Review. I am very interested in editing novels for a career.

5. Describe one of your favorite literary works.

I am a huge fan of Salman Rushdie. His novel The Moor’s Last Sigh is one of his best works. Moraes Zogoiby, also called Moor, is the narrator who ages twice as fast as normal humans. The novel is full of magical realism, hybridity and allegory.

6. What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Blood on the Forge, by William Attaway, for a Protest Literature course. When school is not in session, I enjoy reading books by Janet Evanovich. Her works are much lighter and easier to read than most of the novels recommended for my college courses. Even though I am an English Literature major, I have not read some great classics. Once I graduate I plan to start at the top of my list and read many famous authors like Emily Dickens and J. D. Salinger.

7. Creatively, what are you currently working on?

I am currently toying with the idea of writing fiction short stories. In the past I have written poetry, but all of my writing has been for personal accomplishments, not publication, and will most likely continue that way for a while longer.

8. What inspires you?

My personal drive for success and happiness is my biggest inspiration. I want to be able to handle whatever life throws at me.

9. What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my college education. Graduation in May will be the best achievement I have accomplished so far. I cannot wait to continue with life and hope to be on a successful career path.

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I hope to be working in San Francisco, or some west coast city, for a publishing company as an editor.

Meet The Interns: Brandy Winchester

Brandy Winchester is a senior at Arizona State University. She plans on graduating in May of 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology with a focus on culture. After her graduation she would like to attend a law school in Arizona. Her long term career goals consist of graduating from law school to then go on to practicing in family law; specializing in divorce cases. This is her second semester interning for Superstition Review.

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

This semester my position is Art Editor which consists of finding and reviewing artists for our upcoming issue 7. After the review process I will be responsible for viewing and rating the art submissions and staying in contact with the artists.

2. Why did you decide to get involved with Superstition Review?

I decided to get involved with Superstition Review last semester as a way of exposing myself to the art of publication. After last semester I grew very fond of the program and decided to return for another issue.

3. How do you like to spend your free time?

I enjoy spending my free time outside as much as possible. I like to hike and experience new places. I’m a dreamer and can easily spend an entire “free” day planning new trips and adventures to conquer.

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

If I were to intern with Superstition Review for a third semester I would like to try out the submissions coordinator position because I think it would be a challenge and in the end I would walk away with a lot of good experience.

5. Describe one of your favorite literary works.

My favorite literary work is Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. This piece is my favorite because it is a touching story that takes the reader through a trip “to the other side.” The issues presented in the book are raw but also life altering. It is a book for every reader.

6. What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Mama Might Be Better Off Dead By Laurie Kaye. This novel addresses the health care issues that the United States has by putting it into perspective through an African-American family.

7. Creatively, what are you currently working on?

I am currently working on learning how to play the guitar. I had formal guitar lessons as a child but I never followed through with it. A few days ago I went and purchased a cheap guitar with the intent to pick it back up and this time actually follow through with it.

8. What inspires you?

People inspire me. I have always been a people watcher. I enjoy sitting and observing others. This is what inspires me to write because I strive to capture my visions.

9. What are you most proud of?

I am most proud of myself. I shock myself on a regular basis with the new things I try and that I accomplish. I try to never stop dreaming, and with that I plan to never stop doing.

10. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I see myself with a B.A. in English Literature, a B.A. in Anthropology, and a J.D. in law. I will be practicing family law, specializing in divorce cases. And I hope that I am still living life to the fullest every day!

Meet The Interns: Maria Holguin

Maria Holguin is in her fourth year at ASU studying English Literature and minoring in Transborder Chicano/a & Latina/o Studies. Upon graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in magazines writing documentary articles. She is excited to have a hands-on editing experience as Interview Editor with Superstition Review.

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

I am one of the Interview Editors with Superstition Review. We are responsible for formulating a list of authors to interview, researching them, coming up with interview questions and then interviewing them.

2. Why did you decide to get involved with Superstition Review?

The magazine field is something I always wanted to do but never knew what it was like. I am very excited to have a hands-on experience with Superstition Review since it is one of my interests.

3. Besides interning for Superstition Review, how do you spend your time?

I attend classes at ASU, read and compute for academic purposes. I enjoy hiking, walking my dog and being with my friends and family.

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

Another position I would I like to try out would be Nonfiction Editor. I love nonfiction, especially memoirs, documentaries and historical nonfiction.

5. Describe one of your favorite literary works.

One of my favorite literary works is Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. I absolutely love the metaphors in that book and the Japanese culture.

6. What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading The Latino Reader for my Latina Literature class which is excerpts from many Chicano/a authors. I love it because it is a great way for me to look at authors of a genre I enjoy, reread favorites and take a look at Chicano history.

7. Creatively, what are you currently working on?

I enjoy knitting, especially for my nieces. Recently, I made them sundresses: one looks like a watermelon with rose for the main color and green trimming. The other dress is yellow with blue flowers stitched on the front. My last knitting project was a scarf and two beanies which I donated.

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I see myself well-traveled and hopefully living in cooler temperatures.

Meet The Interns: Brandy Winchester

Brandy Winchester is a senior at Arizona State University. She plans on graduating in May of 2011 with a Bachelor in English Literature, and a minor in Anthropology. After her graduation she would like to attend a law school in Arizona. Her long term career goals consist of graduating from law school to then go onto practicing in family law; specializing in divorce cases. This is her first intern position at Superstition Review and she looks forward to the experience.

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

My current position is Poetry Editor, and my responsibilities consist of composing a list of poets to contact for submission, receiving and reviewing poetry submissions, maintaining contact with the poets, and assisting with the finalizing of the selected poetry for publishing.

2. Why did you decide to get involved with Superstition Review?

I have always had a passion for poetry, and I found Superstition Review to be a great way for me to become involved in the publishing of poetry.

3. Besides interning for Superstition Review, how do you spend your time?

Being a full-time student I spend most of my time on campus, and when I am not on campus I enjoy spending my time with friends and family, and volunteering on the weekends at local animal shelters.

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

I would be interested in trying the fiction editor position because of my love for creative writing.

5. Describe one of your favorite literary works.

My favorite literary work is Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. This piece is my favorite because it is a touching story that takes the reader through a trip “to the other side.” The issues presented in the book are raw but also life altering; a book for every reader.

6. What are you currently reading?

I am currently reading Dante Alighieri’s Inferno.

7. Creatively, what are you currently working on?

I am currently working on my personal statement for my applications to law school.

8. Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

In 10 years I see myself with a B.A. in English Literature, and a J.D. in law. I will be practicing family law; specializing in divorce cases. And I hope that I am still living life to the fullest every day!