Flight Path maybe should have been called Flight Risk. It’s kind of where all of us seem to be hanging these days. There’s so much turbulence out there, it’s hard to chart a course to get us where we’re going. And where is that? That might be the hardest question to answer of all.
EAP is going through some changes. The turbulence of the last few years with the takeover of our wonderful distributor, Consortium, by the powerhouse Ingram left us cautiously in the hangar most of the time—although we went out for a spin or two in fair weather. Now we’re regrouping, with the help of Ingram, and are hoping we’ll be able to publish more than we have been recently, in years to come.
Disappointing news with the Ashland Literary Arts Festival. We didn’t get the grants we applied for, and I am wearing too many other hats these days to keep chasing the cash. We just can’t do it without a budget, that’s flat. So we turn to other things, and we have lots of gratitude that the entire exercise drew Cascadia Publishers closer together. We all have the same battle to fight. It’s easier to do it together.
Or rather, it’s easier to fly in formation than to fly alone
That said, this issue is chock full of pieces that look at all the different options for flight, from which airports, and to which landings. Personal favorites: “Piano Man,” by Jim Meirose, a crazy salad of a piece spinning in the air but still managing to land. “Mountain Words,” by Nick Engelfried—read it to the end. I had tears in my eyes. Whatever flights we take, we need to pass the coordinates down to the younger generation so they have as much information as we can give them, yes? “The First Death,” by EAP newcomer Mindi Meltz, who is so on point with EAP in her myth-making that we hope she’ll join us frequently from now on. And of course there’s something for Brian Griffith fans, and for lovers of our gentle poetry goddess Marissa Bell Toffoli, her own “Giddy Ditty.”
Speaking of poetry, I’m so glad Chris Farago found us. Have a look at “Rough Astronomy,” and see if it enters your dreams.
Dream of flying. And of landing safely among friends.
Welcome back.