PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED

Our publication of “Valentine’s Day” by Jess Mize illustrates three things about us.

First we’re out to publish new talent. We aim to own the literary future. That means presenting to the world exciting, edgy young writers.

Second, we’re eager to be different. If we publish what everyone else is publishing, then what’s the point?

We especially seek writers who operate outside “the box” of establishment literature. Yes, there are scores, hundreds, thousands of well-smoothed and tamed conformist literary stories fabricated every year by MFA factories. Very refined. So much alike they’re interchangeable. They’re commodities. What they lack is the unique, daring voice.

Jess Mize has a unique voice. We’re publishing her story without the kind of changes other editors would demand, because we love the reality of her story. Jess Mize gives us not some consensus-safe parlor talk out of a New Yorker magazine boardroom, but instead, the way we live and speak today.

Which brings us to our third point. In this constipated century of political correctness, safe zones and the like, we remain committed to open expression and free speech. If writers and publishers don’t defend speech, who will?

In the famous words attributed to Voltaire, “I may disagree with everything you say, but will defend to the death your right to say it.”

But enough of us. Please read “Valentine’s Day.”

Violet should have known something was up. They were the kind of assholes who would order food and send it back five times because it didn’t taste right. Of course it didn’t taste right. They had been smoking crack for three straight days and they were hungry but couldn’t eat because of the drugs.

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(Watch for our “Lit Question of the Month” answers, coming soon at our “Interactive” blog, linked at “Extras!”)