Issue No. 2, 2008-09. Editor’s Notes

With the help of a devoted and talented editorial board combing through a slush pile of submissions as diverse as the population of Jamaica, Queens, we set out to make this second issue of West 10th worthy of its predecessor. The inaugural issue established West 10th as a journal without airs or strict specifications, one that hosted an incredible range of high-quality literary work. This year, we had to build on that strong foundation to create a successful sequel. In other words, we had to do what was done in The Godfather: Part II as opposed to what was done in Jaws 2 or Jaws: The Revenge.

But a literary journal doesn’t follow a single narrative. The material that made up last year’s “script” would be replaced. We would encounter different writers with different stories to tell and moments to portray. Instead of continuing a specific “plot” or adhering to a stringent aesthetic vision, we could only rely on our strong conviction that this year’s edition should provide a forum for writers of all academic backgrounds. Their works would be chosen based on our careful readings and honest reactions.

This issue is defined by what we discovered rather than anything we set out to find. The creative works that follow are valuable contributions to an ongoing and evolving “script.” We are proud to present them as a continuation of the story that West 10th began to tell a year ago and will continue to tell in the future.

I would like to thank Dean Matthew S. Santirocco, Deborah Landau, Scott Statland, Matthew Rohrer and Darin Strauss; Managing Editor Miriam R. Haier and the rest of the editorial board; Sam Potts for his exceptional journal design; Eileen Myles, our guest contributor; and Jonathan Safran Foer for answering our many questions.

Finally, I would like to thank all of the writers who submitted their poetry and prose. Without their courage and their belief in their craft, the “script” of this year’s West 10th could never have been so beautifully written.

Sara Lynch

Masthead

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Sara Lynch

MANAGING EDITOR

Miriam R. Haier

POETRY EDITORS

Zac Heyman

PROSE EDITORS

Sarah Dozor
Harry Leeds

ASSISTANT POETRY EDITOR

Lee Patterson

ASSISTANT PROSE EDITOR

Jessica Hearn