I knew that in order to win the heart of Airman First Class Frances Green, I’d have to appear bookish, for she often spoke fondly of books as heavy and dense as cinder blocks. A plan formed, and was carried… Continue Reading
The holidays are coming up, and if you need a reminder that maybe, just maybe, your family isn’t the most dysfunctional one on earth, revisit these novels. Warning: contains spoilers! 1. We the Animals by Justin Torres Three brothers endure a… Continue Reading
5. Irish wolfhound Because you need a dance partner when you go to all your friends’ weddings and you’re still single and looking for a job. Besides, you also need someone to carry your owl if and when you’re actually… Continue Reading
We are delighted to announce our 2014 Fiction Contest Winners. Thank you for you patience with the unexpected delay. Fiction judge Roxane Gay has selected the following short stories: 1st Place: “Vox Clamantis” by Jennifer Down “Everything falls apart while a broken… Continue Reading
John Waters is known in the film world as the Sultan of Schlock, the ever-so-influential Pope of Trash. With his infamous acting troupe the Dreamlanders, Waters splattered filth and camp on movie screens all over America throughout his 50+ year… Continue Reading
The following five works have redefined the parameters of literary fiction, borrowing the lenses of disparate genres to evaluate and illuminate the human condition. All this while sidestepping the stamp of genre-fiction. 1. Jonathon Lethem’s Motherless Brooklyn Lethem’s lauded Motherless… Continue Reading
It’s no secret that the number of small-independent poetry presses is on the rise. The value is two-fold: the odds of a poet getting a collection published have greatly increased and poetry is getting more exposure in the non-poetry… Continue Reading
It is with great pleasure that we have the opportunity to announce our 2014 Poetry Contest Winners. Poetry judge Carmen Giménez Smith has selected the following poems: 1st Place: “Half-Elegy for My Mother’s Voice” by Sara Borjas “This is a classic elegy… Continue Reading
After reading BMR’s recent interview with Kristen-Paige Madonia, I started thinking about some of the young adult and children’s literature that I still cherish to this day. As Kristen-Paige said, there is something magical in young adult literature that is… Continue Reading
Full disclosure: Nick DePascal is a recent graduate of the University of New Mexico’s creative writing MFA, through which the Blue Mesa Review is also produced. That being said, if you look for his debut collection of poetry Before You… Continue Reading