Issue #31 Spring 2026
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Dear readers,
Welcome to the 31st Issue of Jet Fuel Review! The editorial team is ecstatic to showcase the inspiring and intricate collection of writing and artwork encased in this issue. After months of reading over 900 international and national submissions, the editors have carefully selected pieces that truly resonate with our mission statement. As a result, this issue highlights a variety of voices and artwork that converse with the world we live in, underscoring the complexities of the human experience. Housed at Lewis University in Romeoville, Illinois, Jet Fuel Review is a student-run, Faculty-advised, seven-time CMA Pinnacle Award-winning literary journal that publishes writers and artists from around the world. We are honored to provide a creative platform for people’s voices, producing a journal that is hopefully impactful to those who read it. Our featured cover piece for this issue, “Feminine Intuition” by Catherine-Esther Cowie, is a piece that touches on “trauma, memory, and immigration,” as Cowie explains in her artist statement. Cowie uses her art to express the versatility of collage work and explores its different materials and subject matters. The poetry section of this issue highlights an imaginative and captivating set of voices, such as the work of Kathryn Petruccelli, a diversely published and accoladed author whose poem, “American Childhood,” expresses the subtle realities of growing up in America through the perspective of a child’s eyes to convey incredibly powerful messages. The work of Kiyanna Hill, a Black poet based in Virginia, whose poem “What the Child Daughter Carries” describes the burdensome struggles of a young girl, is told using a list structure. You may also read the works of Rebe Huntman's “Zinnias in My Mother’s Vase,” in which she portrays an extended metaphor to depict the loss of a parent, and “My Dead Mother Keeps Her Dying Sister Up All Night,” which features a nuanced voice behind a bittersweet story commenting on familial grief. In these pages, you’ll also find pieces from our previous contributor, Mike Puican, whose works continue to astound us. We’re also delighted to showcase the works of Jennifer Sperry Steinorth, Anna Leahy, James Miller, Alexandra Gilliam, Satvika Menon, Carole Symer, and so many more exceptional poets. The fiction section features a variety of topics and voices, including the work of Lucy Zhang, writer and software engineer, who wrote “Eczema,” which creates a detailed depiction of what it is like to grapple with grief, as well as the impact eczema has on one’s life. You may also read Beth Kanter’s “Salty Old Lady (c. Day Three-present),” a thought-provoking microfiction that pushes its narrative forward through its reference to characters from the Bible in comparison to modern day, as well as Francisco Uribe’s “5th Grade History,” which tells the story of domestic abuse through a child’s perspective. Hannah Nathanson’s “New Year” swiftly captures a reader's attention through the clever use of metaphors and intentional repetition. In this journal, you’ll also find Joanna Theiss’ “Piano Tuner,” a dark and haunting narrative that engages its reader through its ability to leave things up to interpretation. You’ll also see the work of fiction writer, poet, and visual artist Catherine-Esther Cowie in “Love Stories,” a short story that comes alive through its blend of powerful narration and descriptive imagery. Our creative nonfiction section comprises one narrative: it is the work of Chris Girman, a licensed Texas immigration attorney and an associate professor of nonfiction writing at Point Park University, who humorously connects self-identity with the concept of changing as an individual over time in his piece, “What to Do with a Cocksucker Tattoo.” In addition to the artwork created by our cover artist, Catherine-Esther Cowie, our art section showcases other artists' spins on collage work, including Janina Aza Karpinska and high school student Huwon Suh. Jet Fuel Review also features Terry Vitacco, whose work takes on a new twist in photography by creating surreal composites that leave the viewer entranced by her fantastical images. Within these pages, you will also find the wonderful works of Leonardo Mancini, Roger Camp, and Lewis alumnus Devin Ingram. The literature and artwork throughout this journal reflect the diverse perspectives and experiences that build on the definition of what it means to be human. This collection is a testament to the voices that are both candid and genuine. We invite you to listen and delve into our 31st issue, and we hope that you appreciate the works that make up this issue as much as we do. Read on! Katharine Svehla, Jimena Araiza, Jada Law, and the Jet Fuel Review editors |