Issue #28 Fall 2024
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Dear Readers,
Welcome to the 28th Issue of Jet Fuel Review! The editors are excited to showcase the exquisite curated works featured in this issue. After months of reviewing over 900 submissions, the editors have thoughtfully selected a collection of poetry, prose, and art that comes together to present a diverse and intriguing array of experiences reflecting the complexities of the human condition. As a result, this issue highlights various voices and artwork that speak to the world around us while creating an emotional resonance within the audience. Housed at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, Jet Fuel Review is a student-run, faculty-advised, six-time CMA Pinnacle Award-winning literary journal that publishes writers and artists from across the globe. We are proud not only to create a space for people to express themselves but also to publish a journal that leaves a meaningful impact on its readers. Our featured cover piece for this issue, “Mythical Landscape #1,” by JooLee Kang comes from her series of works that concentrate on “the change in ecological environment through her interpretation of the complicated interaction between humanity and nature.” JooLee Kang urges her viewers to seek out an understanding to find their capabilities and distinguish our fulfillment through the cross-hatching technique used to show the complexity of this relationship. The poetry section of this issue highlights a fascinating set of topics and voices, such as the work of Shannon K. Winston; a poet living in Bloomington who interweaves memory, trauma, and form to highlight the erasure of the self that comes with loss, time, and grief for innocence lost. You may also read the stylings of Isaac Richards, a PhD student in Pennsylvania who posits wit and lightness into mundanity and squalor, saving the habitual every day. We’re also thrilled to showcase Christopher Shipman, Alex Tretbar, Svetlana Litvinchuk, Mary Lou Buschi, Robyn Schelenz, and so many other wonderful poets. The fiction section opens with “Barbie in Hill Country” by Morganne Howell, whose character-driven style draws the audience into the sensory focus of the story and makes the reader recognize philosophical questions about the character’s identity. “Comma + Conjunction” by James Sullivan continues the character-driven style but with a different dynamic by giving the reader a lesson about writing while telling a humorous, clever story. Gabriella Pitts follows with her hauntingly engaging piece, “The Devil Drives a Cadillac” which wickedly highlights the predatory dynamics females experience, immersing the reader in the tension and anxiety of the situation. Our fiction section also features “Untethered” by Matt Paczkowski which navigates sexism and tragedy while emphasizing isolation. Our final piece in the fiction section, Joe Baumann’s “Donations,” highlights grief through vividly used symbolism and explores the inseparability of healing and humility in moving forward after a tragedy. In addition to the artwork created by our front and back cover artist, JooLee Kang, our art section features realistic and embellished pieces developed by Sean Layh, as well as the abstract and vibrant conceptions created by Robb Kunz in his paintings “In Need” and “Between Worlds.” The work of Matthew Fertel can be best described as his lens into the abstractions of the world around us, specifically that of metals. Along with the daring set, “Visual Representation of a Busy Mind” by Eric Calloway, created through his use of distinguishable strokes of the brush in different directions to create this embodiment of ADHD, our art section features various perspectives of the world around us through diverse yet daring techniques that demonstrate the inexhaustibility and ubiquity of unique lived experience. The literature and artwork within these pages reflect a rich tapestry of perspectives and experiences present in our society, expressed with honesty and authenticity. We invite you to immerse yourself in our 28th issue, and we hope you enjoy these pieces as much as we have! Read on! Samuel McFerron, Katharine Svehla, & the Jet Fuel Review Editors |