Editorial Staff


​Editor in Chief
Katie Budris holds an M.F.A. in poetry from Roosevelt University and is a Senior Lecturer in Writing Arts at Rowan University, where she also serves as Program Coordinator for the M.A. in Writing. Her poems have appeared in over a dozen literary magazines, and her two chapbooks, Mid-Bloom and Prague in Synthetics, are both available from Finishing Line Press. Previously, she served as editor and marketing intern for Oyez Review. Find Katie online at katiebudris.com

Aesthetically, Katie believes Peter Cooley said it best: "poetry is instant access to emotion." She is drawn to poems that use concrete imagery and may appear simple, but utilize metaphor and layers of meaning to create a larger emotional impact.

​Managing Editor
Cate Romano earned both her B.A. in English and her M.A. in Writing from Rowan University, where she now teaches full-time in the First Year Writing Program and the Writing Arts major. She has also worked at the Rowan Writing Center as both a peer tutor and a faculty administrator and currently serves as Assistant Director.
 
Cate enjoys poetry and prose that use language playfully, tell the truth, and offer readers more to discover with each pass. She especially looks for work that promotes connection rather than alienation.
Associate Editors

Ellie Cameron looks for poetry that explores the complexity of life and language, twisting expectations and evoking magic from the mundane. They love works that delve into unique experiences and find a commonality, that find darkness in light or light in the dark, and that speak not just with poetic language, but through it.

Kelli Hughes (she/they) looks for stories that speak to the diverse experiences of being human. She loves when protagonists are messy and complicated, and speak to the nuances of existence. She is particularly drawn to writing that explores themes of generational trauma, identity in all forms, and the impact of historical and political change.

Sofia Kolojeski (she/her) is a lover of pieces that explore the things people are afraid to say out loud. She is drawn to metaphoric and dynamically charged stories and poems that will keep a reader wondering and wanting more. Works that linger on the mind long after having finished reading are ones that make the strongest impression on her.

Emilee McIntyre loves a story that can truly luxuriate in the weird and wonderful. There are few things she enjoys more than a character whose point of view is so singular that it makes her sit up and say "Oh!" and of course, read over that passage just one more time to bask in it again. She finds stories that speak from the author's inner child continue to tinkle like wind chimes in her mind.

Mel Springfield enjoys reading explorations of real feelings, ideas, experiences, and moments. With an emphasis on perspective, narrative, sequence, and voice -- she loves when a writer imbues their own Dickinsonsonian "slant."

Coney Zhang (she/they) is fond of stories that leave more questions than answers because in her mind, a story may end but it lives on in the reader’s head. They also adore stories which feature characters who are as tragic as they are funny. She is drawn to works containing discussions of identity and navigating the difficult obstacle called life. Vivid descriptions of imagery and nature also happen to be some elements they enjoy in writing. Her hope is that there is always a happy ending waiting at the end despite the pain one must overcome to find it.
Fiction Editors

Ethan Gross looks for stories that don't shy away from the wonderous moments in life. He loves grounded, natural-sounding dialogue that reflects real manners of speech, no matter how grammatically incorrect it is. Tales of people wrestling with complex emotions are a particular pleasure for him.

Sophia Nigro (she/her) enjoys stories that completely immerse her and let the rest of the world fall away. She's fond of character-driven stories and loves to see how characters interact with one another. Sophia is always on the lookout for some good dialogue and is a sucker for plot twists. Overall, she seeks pieces that were written with passion and leave the reader feeling something once finished. 

​Rachel Yuro enjoys reading work that encapsulates the complexities of life and human existence. To her, there is nothing greater than a story that bewitches you from beginning to end and enlightens your mind. She feels that while stories can be an escape from reality, they can also be a resource that offers unique, new, and deep perspectives that leave a lasting impression on the reader -- the most worthwhile are ones that change you.
Nonfiction Editors

Jordan Avery loves her narratives with a little bit of magic. She gravitates toward essays that stick with her for days, weeks, or even months, and which inspire her own writing. When a writer's love for the craft shines through in their work, she's really in love. 

Stephen Harrison is endlessly curious about people and their experiences. He is enthralled by stories that speak to where a writer comes from, where they are, and where they'd like to go. A consistent and emphatic voice grabs his attending and doesn't let go.

Joshua Wilson is interested in nonfiction works that free their words from mere reiterations of fact or mechanisms for transmitting a stale recollection, and instead uses them to revitalize the narrative with vivid colors that assail the senses, infiltrate into even the most closed considerations, and add stain to the picture of our ongoing realities. He loves when a writer can take even their most personal experiences and bravely hoist them into the light of the sun so that they may create an enveloping shadow that affects the vision of all readers who find themselves underneath.
Poetry Editors

Alexa Diamant (she/her) loves a poem that emphasizes the cynical actuality of repressed emotions. As a lover of all things philosophical, she gravitates toward poetry that peels back the layers of these veiled struggles, revealing the pressure and depth of being human. She seeks out works that explore the gravity of melancholy, heartbreak, and the power of metaphorical double entendres. 

Briar Nwankwor (they/he/she) enjoys poetry that delves deep into human experiences and psyche. They love when poets traverse through their own experiences and how it has shaped them as a person. He is looking for a wide array of voices that they can connect with on a deeper level. 

Jamie Roes believes that poetry has the unique ability to tell an intricate and layered story while using clear and simple language. She enjoys poetry that allows readers to escape their busy worlds by diving into nature and the physical world.