Painted Bride Quarterly’s Slush Pile

This week, the editors review three poems by Nick Lantz:  “An Urn for Ashes,”   “Starvation Ranch,”  and  “Ghost as Naked Man.”   As a child, Nick Lantz was obsessed with paranormal phenomenon and the unexplained, from cryptids to aliens to ghosts… For the first and possibly only time, we were in a recording studio within Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business, which made us feel like we we...

On this week’s episode of Slush Pile, the editors consider three poems by John Blair:  “Degrees,” “Pink Noise,”  and  “The Giving Tree.”  John Blair has published six books (most recently Playful Song Called Beautiful, University of Iowa Press, 2016) and several articles on the dangers of oak wilt in the Texas hill country. He is a professor… On this week’s episode of Slush Pile, the editors consi...

We review two poems by Alana Folsom:  “Anatomy of a Dream”  and  “Mirroring”  and one poem by Sarah Stickney:  “Guest.”    Alana Folsom  would genuinely like to thank The OC for giving her pre-teen self her first taste of poetry a la Death Cab for Cutie (which she will insist is poetry with anyone who wants to argue)… This week from the slush pile, we review two poems by Alana Folsom:  “Anatomy of...

Our latest episode of Slush Pile features four poems by Marcia LeBeau titled  “Instead of Cornering Jericho Brown by the Wine and Cheese, After His Talk on Racism, I Whisper to Him in My Head,” “Ode to Flossing,”   “Letter to Myself at Eighty,”  and  “After You Tell Me You and Your Wife Have ‘an Agreement.’”  Our latest episode of Slush Pile features four poems by Marcia LeBeau titled  “Instead of...

We discuss two poems by two authors:  “elegy”  by Jessica Hudgins and  “Daddy Box II”  by Rebecca Baggett. Jessica Hudgins is a poet and teacher who has just moved to Ednor Gardens from Charles Village, is working with her roommate on their backyard, and thinking about adopting a dog… On this week’s episode, we discuss two poems by two authors:  “elegy”  by Jessica Hudgins and  “Daddy Box II”  by...

This week at the editorial table, we discuss three poems by Matthew Kelsey,  “Confessions of a Giant,”   “Giant Gets Adopted,”  and  “Giant Loses His Virginity.”  Matthew Kelsey, at 6’7”, is something of a giant and, as can be gleaned from his poems, is also his own uncle…   This week at the editorial table, we discuss three poems by Matthew Kelsey,  “Confessions of a Giant,”   “Giant Gets Adopted...

This week’s episode features three poems by two authors:  “As Snow”  by Pam Matz and  “Solu-Medrol”  and  “Words”  by Michael Levan. Pam Matz reads poems to get some real news and writes poems to find out what she means. The previous sentence is almost true…. This week’s episode features three poems by two authors:  “As Snow”  by Pam Matz and  “Solu-Medrol”  and  “Words”  by Michael Levan. Pam Mat...

Due to a miscommunication, we discussed Matthew Perini’s short story,  “Martha’s Rule ,” without knowing that it had been published by Summerset Review.  We had such a great time discussing this piece, and we think the conversation still has value. With the permission of the author and the Review, we share… Due to a miscommunication, we discussed Matthew Perini’s short story,  “Martha’s Rule ,” wi...

This week, we’re back at the table discussing a fiction piece by Frank Scozzari, titled  “In the Valley of the Dry Bones.”   Scozzari hobo’ed his way across America at age eighteen, twice trekked the John Muir Trail, backpacked through Europe, camel-backed the ruins of Giza… This week, we’re back at the table discussing a fiction piece by Frank Scozzari, titled  “In the Valley of the Dry Bones.” F...

This week’s episode features special guest Adrian Todd Zuniga, creator and host of the  Literary Death Match , in our discussion of art, politics, and the relationship between the two…  This week’s episode features special guest Adrian Todd Zuniga, creator and host of the  Literary Death Match , in our discussion of art, politics, and the relationship between the two. Zuniga and the editors discus...

On this week’s podcast, we review three poems by two authors:  “The Riddle of Longing”  by Faisal Mohyuddin and  “Pyramids”  and  “American Wedding”  by Shayla Lawson. Faisal Mohyuddin teaches English at Highland Park High School in suburban Chicago, is a recent fellow in the U.S. Department of State’s Teachers for Global Classrooms program, and received an MFA… On this week’s podcast, we review t...

This week we look at two poems by two authors, “Drink Like Fish” by Alexa Smith and “pine” by Shabnam Piryaei. Alexa Smith is a poet, actor and visual artist born in Washington, DC and based in South Philadelphia.... This week we look at two poems by two authors, “Drink Like Fish” by Alexa Smith and “pine” by Shabnam Piryaei. Alexa Smith is a poet, actor and visual artist born in Washington, DC an...

For the first time ever, we review a piece of nonfiction, “ The Art of Fishing ” by Keith Rebec. Keith has been backpacking around the world since October 2015. He is the editor-in-chief of  Pithead Chapel , an online literary journal of gutsy narratives and small print press, and he’s currently working on a novel…    For the first time ever, we review a piece of nonfiction, “ The Art of Fishing ”...

This is a special podcast episode with some help from the folks over at One Book, a signature program of the Free Library of Philadelphia that promotes literacy, library usage, and citywide conversation by encouraging the Philadelphia area to come together through reading and discussing… This is a special podcast episode with some help from the folks over at One Book, a signature program of the Fr...

Last week, Painted Bride Quarterly made its way down to the 2017 Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference in Washington D.C along with an estimated 12,000 individuals and 800 presses, journals, and literary organizations. AWP is always the highlight of our year…   Last week, Painted Bride Quarterly made its way down to the 2017 Association of Writers and Writing Programs Conference i...

In this episode, our lovely and larger-than-usual editorial table discusses “ Vultures ,” a work of fiction written by Alex Pickett. In the winter of 2010, Alex Pickett volunteered for six months at a state park in Alaska, which is where he got most of the information for this story...   When Tim reads! (via Wikimedia)    In this episode, our lovely and larger-than-usual editorial table discusses...

PBQ is back with the first episode of 2017! In this episode we talk about two poems by Taylor Altman and one by Heather Sagar. First, we discussed Taylor Altman’s poems, “How to Break Without Falling Apart,” and “Contra Mundum.”   PBQ is back with the first episode of 2017! In this episode we talk about two poems by Taylor Altman and one by Heather Sagar. First, we discussed Taylor Altman’s poems,...

This week, we have a holiday special for you all! Just a few months ago, we had the privilege of hosting an event for Philalalia, a small press festival. We had a great reading at the Pen and Pencil Club in Philadelphia with a superbly talented group of writers, and we know you’re gonna love them as much as we did! This week, we have a holiday special for you all! Just a few months ago, we had the...

Today we talk about “ White ,” fiction by Aggie Zivaljevic! Aggie Zivaljevic’s fiction ​has appeared or is forthcoming in The Literary Review,  Cosmonauts Avenue ,  Narrative Magazine ,  Joyland , Crab Orchard Review and Speakeasy…  Today we talk about “ White ,” fiction by Aggie Zivaljevic! Aggie Zivaljevic’s fiction ​has appeared or is forthcoming in The Literary Review,  Cosmonauts Avenue ,  Na...

For this episode, we look at three poems by Laura Sobbott Ross. She’s taught English to students from dozens of countries, and has two poetry chapbooks: A Tiny Hunger (YellowJacket Press) and My Mississippi (Anchor & Plume Press.) For this episode, we look at three poems by Laura Sobbott Ross. Laura Sobbott Ross  lives in a rural, hilly part of inland Florida where horses and hothouses of orchids...

In reaction to the events of November 8, this week’s episode begins with local Philly poet Cynthia Dewi Oka reading “Post-Election Song of Myself.” We first heard it at our Reading at the Black Sheep Pub on Monday, November 12, and we were so moved we had to ask her to share it with you.   In reaction to the events of November 8, this week’s episode begins with local Philly poet Cynthia Dewi Oka r...

In Episode 017, we spoke to Jim Hanas about the value and perhaps impracticality of today’s slush piles. This week, M. Rachel Branwen, editor of Slush Pile Magazine , was happy to talk about her thoughts on what the slush pile is really about, disagreeing with Hanas unapologetically.   Welcome, welcome, welcome to Episode TWENTY of Slush Pile! We thank all of our listeners, writers, and guest spea...

For this episode, we have two “creepy” poems submitted for our Monsters Issue by Sarah Kain Gutowski.   Welcome to Episode 19 of Slush Pile! For this episode, we have two “creepy” poems submitted for our Monsters Issue by Sarah Kain Gutowski.       Sarah Kain Gutowski can't keep succulents alive and is easily distracted by all things blue and shiny. Find her on Instagram @sarahkaingutowski to foll...

This episode is extra special because we had Erika Meitner, winner of the National Poetry Series and professor at Virginia Tech. She is currently working on a “documentary poetry project” on the 2016 Republican National Convention...   Welcome to Episode 18 of the PBQ’s Slush Pile! This episode is extra special because we had guest, Erika Meitner, winner of the National Poetry Series and professor...

Instead of discussing submissions from our own slush pile, we talked about whether a “slush pile” is even the best way to find writing and writers at all! Joining us is Jim Hanas, author of the essay “ Let’s Kill the Slush Pile ”... Today we have a very different episode; instead of discussing submissions from our own slush pile, we talk about whether a “slush pile” is even the best way to find wr...