Delmarva Review, a national literary journal with local roots, announced publication of its 16th edition presenting new poetry, short stories, and creative nonfiction from 72 authors in 23 states, the District of Columbia, and four foreign countries. The review publishes the most compelling new writing selected from thousands of submissions during the year.
“Through the author’s voice, we discover new truths about ourselves,” said Wilson Wyatt, executive editor, from St. Michaels. “Perhaps more than anything this describes our connections with literature and the reasons to pursue the best.”
Since its beginning in 2008, Delmarva Review has published new literary prose and poetry from 550 authors in 47 states, the District of Columbia, and 19 foreign countries. Almost half are from the Chesapeake and Delmarva region. Including 2023, ninety will have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Some have attained attention in “best of” anthologies or received public acclaim from other literary critics and editors.
This year’s cover photograph is called “Eye of the Beholder.” It is a fitting description for the Red-tailed hawk’s large “eye,” on the cover, that allows the raptor to focus on its prey with spatial clarity from great heights at high speed.
The review’s editors cull through thousands of submissions to find the best new writing for publication. They read every submission, without regard to an author’s home region or any other factor except the writing quality that makes one gem rise above the rest.
There is no single theme except for the “uncomfortable reality of change.” Topics naturally include dealing with grief, sickness, death, acceptance, love, human freedoms, aging, and life’s uncertainties. Storytelling is always about change.
Delmarva Review was created to offer authors a valued home to publish their best writing at a time when many commercial publications were reducing literary content or closing their doors.
Announcing the Talbot Arts High School Mentorship-Scholarship Winner:
The editors are pleased to include the 2023 winner of the Delmarva Review-Talbot County Youth Writing Scholarship award. In partnership with Talbot County Schools and supported by a grant from Talbot Arts, the review selected a personal essay by Mia Mazzeo, a junior at Easton High School, in Easton, Maryland.
The winning student collaborated with the managing editor, as a writing mentor, to prepare for publication in this issue, and she received a monetary award.
Announcing The Best of the Delmarva Review; Submissions are paused for 2024:
The review is pleased to announce “The Best of the Delmarva Review” anthology will be published in 2024. It will include the editors’ selections of the best poetry, short fiction, and nonfiction published in the review since its founding sixteen years ago.
The normal submissions period will be paused now through 2024 allowing editors to focus on selecting the best work of the 550 writers who have been published in the Delmarva Review since 2008.
Information about the anthology and future submissions will be made periodically on the website.
In addition to Wyatt, the journal’s editorial staff includes Bill Gourgey, managing editor, of Washington, DC, poetry editor Anne Colwell, of Milton, DE, poetry assistant editor Katherine Gekker, of Alexandria, VA, fiction senior editor Harold O. Wilson, of Chester, MD, fiction coeditors Lee Slater, of Norfolk, VA, and Judy Reveal, of Greenville, MD, nonfiction editor Ellen Brown, of Duluth, MN, Gerald F. Sweeney, book review editor, of Easton, MD, and student intern, Sawyer Gourgey, assistant website manager, from Washington, DC.
Biographical information on each member of the editorial staff is listed on the review’s website (see below). All are volunteers who are experienced in their fields.
As an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit literary publisher, the journal greatly appreciates the financial support it receives from individual tax-deductible contributions and a public grant from Talbot Arts, with revenues from the Maryland State Arts Council.
The Delmarva Review, Vol. 16, is available in paperback and electronic editions from most major online booksellers. The print edition is also available at regional specialty bookstores. For more information, see the website: DelmarvaReview.org
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