StartleBloom: The GCU Literary Review in its Third Volume

By Jessalyn Johnson

Past issues of StartleBloom

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is thrilled to release its third edition of the literary review first released in spring 2016. Over time the editorial board has changed, but the heart and passion put in to the creation of the journal has stayed the same.

This year’s board includes returning members Marina Alvarez, Jessalyn Johnson and editor-in-chief Cymelle Edwards. As usual, the board is advised and overseen by faculty members Diane Goodman and Heather Brody, who assist the student-run board. New faces to StartleBloom include GCU students Nathan Alberts, Sidney Rascon and Josh McGuire.

This past year, the editorial board has enjoyed working together to design and compose the third piece of this collection, consisting of GCU student work in the form of prose, poetry, photography and artwork.

In February, the board was invited to attend the Southwest Editor’s Forum at Arizona State University, where students and faculty of their creative writing MFA program hosted a talk on their experiences in the publishing industry. This event was a joy to attend, allowing board members to peer inside of the industry we have all found an interest in and gain insight that might become useful in the future.

On April 5, a distribution party was held for the release of the book, as students gathered to get free copies and listen to live readings of the published works. The event lasted for several hours on the promenade, with music, refreshments and a live harpist. Contributors and board members enjoyed complimentary pizza while helping pass out copies and talking to those who stopped by about the journal.

Next year’s board will be co-led by Jewelea Trujillo, joined by future members and incoming sophomores Ally Richmond and Kaylor Jones, as several current members are graduating and moving to the next stage of life.

Look forward to volume four of StartleBloom in spring 2019, and for current students, watch for the submissions call during the fall 2018 semester for your chance to be featured in the publication.

Grand Canyon University offers many student-led clubs and organizations. For more information on the English department, visit the College of Humanities and Social Sciences or click the Request More Information button on this page.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grand Canyon University. Any sources cited were accurate as of the publish date.

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