Letter from the Editor

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2016 was a tough year for some of us. Yes, there was the usual tug-of-war between small victories and stumbling blocks. There were the people who left our lives and those who came in. But we also lost an inordinate number of entertainers: people who could whisk us away to wilder worlds, make us grin or cry. And we were tested in other ways too. Our ideologies, our passions, our fundamental knowledge of ourselves were not spared. We felt hopeless. We felt motivated. We remembered who we were.

This past year may have kicked us in the teeth a bit, but it’s in the rearview mirror now; we’re leaving it behind. I know that art and literature are refuges in times of trouble, and we should seek them out, but let’s not hide away, under the covers. Let us regroup, fill 2017 with our creativity, bring out the essential goodness within, and populate the world with our weirdness, sad hearts, introspection, snark, communal spirit, and respect for one another. Let’s cheat loss by leaving pieces of ourselves behind.

This issue is brimming with self-exploration, sadness, and joy. I wish you all that same richness, and the strength to translate it into art. Be well, friends. Thanks, as always, for reading.

-Craig

Craig Ledoux
Editor in Chief
Madcap Review