Stork Magazine Issue 18

Three years ago, my staff application to Stork Magazine was rejected. Three months ago, I started my tenure as Stork’s sole editor-in-chief, and this, frankly, was terrifying. But I didn’t do it alone: this book would not exist without the immeasurably passionate, intelligent, and articulate staff listed on the previous page, and particularly our talented and tireless designer Emily Pfaff; without the logistically and morally supportive John Skoyles and Sharon Duffy; the endlessly helpful Joe O’Brien of Shawmut Printing; and, of course, the four brilliant writers published here. It has been a privilege to work with them throughout the semester.

However, this issue is also dedicated to the writers we didn’t publish. We loved reading their stories and often hoped to see them again—next semester, next year, or in some other lit mag a few years down the road.

Stork is about the process, not just the final product, and it’s what you don’t see—the workshops, the staff camaraderie, the late nights spent writing editorial letters, the heated debates over our final issue—that truly captures the spirit of our magazine.

I like to think these stories capture Stork’s spirit as well. They’re absorbing, nuanced, and beautifully crafted, and I find something new to admire each time I read them. I hope you’ll say the same.