Acceptance: Boston Literary Magazine

http://www.bostonliterarymagazine.com/

http://www.robinstratton.com/


It’s a tremendous honor to me that Robin Stratton, editor of Boston Literary Magazine, has decided to take my poem “Truman” for the fall issue. BLM is an extremely fine venue, which alone makes this acceptance wonderful; but what truly adds to my joy is that Stratton is a marvelous, special person.

First of all, Blue Mustang Press recently published her first novel, On Air. It already has splendid (5-star) reviews on Amazon. I purchased a copy and look forward to the read. I have know Stratton for years as a distant acquaintance (she published me a few years ago), and I can’t think of anyone more deserving of a book contract. She works ferociously and also (here’s the kicker) spends a lot of time helping and advising other writers. Her kindness is outrageous. I don’t know anyone as giving as her in the literary world.

She runs BLM as Editor-in-Chief (with the assistance of Managing Editor Lucy Spinetti), and what a job she does! For instance, when I submitted a few years ago, she responded within 5 minutes. It was a witty, memorable and slightly ribald acceptance note--nothing boilerplate, but instead original and personalized. This was my fastest acceptance from a professional journal, not one of those pay-us-$20 kind of scams that hit you with an auto response. I will never forget this fantastical and a little eccentric introduction to Robin Stratton. Her vivacity, intelligence and discernment were apparent right away and took me by sudden storm.

On top of all I’ve said above, she has a good heart. She is always working to help others, to spend time with her family, and somehow, miraculously, to nurture her own projects. She is much more talented than the vast majority of folks; and yet she is humble and generous to all. If there is an angel in disguise on this planet, it must be Stratton. No one is more worthy of having their novel published and I am thrilled vicariously for this great moment in her life.

Check out BLM! And then go to Robin Stratton’s website to learn more about this scintillating person, one of those magical outliers who makes the rest of us raise our heads up out of our own selfishness and stare at a nascent star.

Owl