Dear Readers,
I always enjoy the fall issue as it launches just before Thanksgiving—and reminds me of how grateful I am for the work of writers and artists. This fall, I have much to be grateful for! Our featured artist is Aleta Jacobson, whose watercolors make up our cover art. We have work both from inland Southern California and around the world.
We have a new feature, one that I hope will continue in future fall issues. I’ve been thinking about the awareness that ‘shopping local’ helps communities to thrive. We should extend this consciousness to our favorite thing—books. And that means not just shopping in local bookshops, but buying from local creators. In the article “Literary ‘Shop Local’–Regional Authors and Presses,” I’ve highlighted some wonderful Inland Valley writers and presses. These are just a small number of the works available from our region. I hope you’ll explore these and others. If you know of local books launching in the next year, email me about it. I’d like to feature them next fall when they are available.
Lastly, I’d like to thank the Inlandia Institute, the journal contributors, and you, the reader, for the opportunity to bring you the wonderful poetry, prose, and artwork in this journal for the past five years. I am now stepping down from the position of managing editor to pursue other projects. I hope to continue with the journal as a prose editor.
Happy reading. Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you have much to be grateful for.
Victoria Waddle
inlandiajournal 