Dear Readers,
Welcome to Issue 24 of Jet Fuel Review! The editors are excited to share with you the wonderful collection of writing and artwork that is encapsulated in this issue. After months of reading through over 800 national and international submissions, the editors have carefully selected pieces that are representative of our mission statement. As a result, this issue highlights a variety of voices and artwork that speak to the world we live in and the prismatic nature of the human condition. Housed at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, Jet Fuel Review is a student-run, faculty-advised, four-time CMA Pinnacle Award-winning literary journal that publishes writers and artists from across the globe. This semester Jet Fuel Review was awarded its fourth Pinnace Award for 1st place in the “Best Literary Magazine” category by the College Media Association. We are honored not only to provide a creative platform for people’s voices, but also to produce a journal that is impactful to those who read it. This issue features the most artwork Jet Fuel Review has ever published. Examples of this eye-captivating work can be seen on this issue’s front and back covers, featuring artist Ursula Sokolowska’s works titled Self Portrait 143 and Self Portrait 106, respectively. Sokolowska uses film and digital camera formats to create unique self-portraits that speak to the complexity of human existence by challenging viewers to see what is beyond the physical body of the subject. The poetry section of this issue highlights an expansive and engaging set of voices, such as the work of Will Cordeiro, who is an Able Muse Book Award winner, Portuguese-American award-winning writer Millicent Borges Accardi, and Konstantin Kulakov, whose work highlights their experiences with being born in Zaoksky, Soviet Union. The fiction section features a variety of stories that showcase the hidden struggles that many face over the course of their lifetime, including the arresting piece by Hannah Harlow, titled “The Migraine.” This piece takes readers through a provoking journey that highlights the silent battles that chronic migraine sufferers fight each day. Through elegant and compelling diction, Harlow reminds us that not every condition is recognizable to others. In addition to the artwork created by our front and back cover artist, Ursula Sokolowska, our art section showcases dynamic pieces by Harryette Mullen and Irina Greciuhina, who both make powerful statements about our contemporary moment through lustrous colors and striking juxtapositions. Jet Fuel Review also features the work of Jezzelle Kellam, a graphite artist from England whose pieces evoke an emotional understanding of the human body, and Mark Yale Harris, an award-winning sculptor, who creates work from serpentine limestone and steel. These are just a few of the many amazing authors and artists who grace our pages. The literature and artwork in these pages are a testament to the diverse perspectives and experiences that are currently present in our society and to voices that are both candid and sincere. We invite you to dive into our 24th issue, and we hope that you appreciate the works that make up this issue as much as we do. Read on! Alexciana Castaneda & the Jet Fuel Review Editors |