Tag: new intern

Meet our new editorial intern, Jane Huffman!

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I was born and raised from the suburbs of Detroit, and strayed a few hundred miles West to attend college. I am currently a junior at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI, (which despite its silly name, is a place that does in fact exist and has a pretty thriving literary community.) I am a theatre arts and creative writing double major, and find that my academic work is dominated by a profound and ever-growing love for language, be in on the stage or on the page.

Though I consider myself a poet, I have found joy and success in a variety of genres and styles of writing. Recently, I’ve had a play I wrote produced at a festival, seen my fiction in the pages of an international literary journal, and attended a national conference for theatre journalism and advocacy that allowed me to test my criticism chops. But whether I’m working in verse or in prose, in fiction, drama, or journalism, directing, acting, or dramaturgy, it seems what keeps me writing is my desire to be a storyteller. My plans for after undergrad are fuzzy, but I hope to pursue creative writing professionally. I love teaching, sharing my love for poetry with others, and combining my love for performance. I hope that in my career, as I continue to develop and hone my own creative voice, I can also continue to be an advocate for the written word and those who love it as much as I do.

I am so glad to have joined the team at Sundress Publications as the editorial intern. I hope I can continue to grow as well as give. I believe that the strongest communities are composed of people who celebrate one another. Although I am a newbie at Sundress Publications, I have already been inspired by the commitment to community. I can’t wait to see what the future has in store.

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Jane Huffman is a poet and playwright who reads and writes from a variety of bedrooms in the Midwest. She is currently studying poetry with Diane Seuss at Kalamazoo College in Kalamazoo, MI, which is a small town with a big literary scene. This week, her favorite poets are Salvador Plascencia, who is actually a novelist, John Darnielle, who is actually a songwriter, and Eduardo Corral, who sometimes answers her Facebook messages. Her work has been featured in a variety of journals in print and online, most recently RHINO, theNewerYork, Galavant, and A Bad Penny Review.

Meet Our New Intern, Chris Barton!

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I feel a little odd narrating myself in this context, but I will say a few things. Lately, I have tried to write things that explore/meditate on the events, activities, and interests in my life in a way that promotes awareness, while also trying to understand more complex systems of social and economic influence. If for no other reason, so I can better understand the world surrounding me, and create an aesthetic of daily experience that may allow me to connect with, inform, or bring happiness to other people.

As a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee, my knowledge base has mostly been shaped by academia. While my social/intellectual capital has benefited from this education, I also realize the structural inadequacies of concepts like the cannon, and the need to be openly aware of how this type of instruction can limit/subjugate certain other perspectives. I am excited to be interning with Sundress Publications, because it has allowed me to connect with a diverse artist-community. I currently view Sundress as a new type of instruction for myself and others, which is an exciting thought.

Mostly, I am trying to navigate the social climate of growing up in East Tennessee as a post-graduate, in a way that may promote kindness or bring more happiness to people. I mainly write poetry. I generally enjoy poetry that’s casual, connective, and creates a sensation of ‘involvement’ that allows the reader to help construct a meaning. I am feeling somewhat anxious about ending this post. So, I’ll say that I am still trying to understand what Ginsberg meant when discussing a “lost America of love”. That there are three Chinese restaurants in a walking distance of my apartment. That I sometimes like to eat avocado and carrot pita sandwiches. Thank you for reading this post.

Chris Barton is a 2013 graduate from the University of Tennessee. His work has appeared in Still and Polaris. Books he has enjoyed recently are Begging for It by Alex Dimitrov, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy by Tao Lin, and Selected Poems, Frank O’hara. He currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.