My involvement with Avery: An Anthology of New Fiction is kind of an example of being in the right place at the right time. Spring 2009, if I hadn’t been in a class that required a “market report” project, which required an interview with the editor(s) of said chosen market, I probably never would’ve “met” (it was an online, video interview, after all) Stephanie Fiorelli and Adam Koehler, Avery’s founding editors.
Not only were they willing to take time out of their Sunday morning for the interview, they were also kind, funny, and very informative and helpful. It was lucky that I connected with them then; they were swamped with submissions, and were considering bringing on a reader. A few weeks later, after sending my CV and cover letter, I was part of the Avery team. And I was ecstatic.
I had worked on literary magazines before, but all were connected with my college. It’s fine experience, but the idea is to then take that experience and apply it somewhere else, isn’t it?
Of course I’m biased, but I think we have a fantastic line-up for Avery 5. I am particularly fond of B.B. Sevilla’s ”He Seldom Deigns to Beat This Sickly Child.”
Pick up a copy of Avery 5 today, or support another small literary magazine. It’s the small, dedicated readerships that keep these enterprises alive.