We are SO EXCITED to share this new issue with our readers!! This is an incredible collection featuring authors close to home, as far away as Sweden, and from across the US—thank you so much to the poets and writers for trusting us with your words! And thanks to the unstoppable team of assistant editors—you talented people are amazing publishers!!

We are thrilled to share the 28th volume of our beloved literary magazine. Thanks to the assistant editors for their dedication and enthusiasm, and to our poets and writers for their trust and inspiration. We are so grateful to publish with all of you.

…our 27th volume, 2023!!

So many thanks to the amazing assistant editors who worked to publish this year’s issue. Your enthusiasm was inspiring! Thanks to the CCC English faculty who volunteered their time as associate editors. And thanks to the remarkable poets and writers who trusted us with your words. We publish for you. We publish because of you. Thank you!!

Dear friends,

The 25th volume of our Clackamas Literary Review has arrived! 

Our thanks to Brook Johnson for gifting us Cloud Nine for this year’s cover!

And thanks to our incredible assistant editors for their tireless work and commitment to publish another issue of our beloved literary journal! Thanks also to the CCC English faculty, staff, and publishing alumni who volunteered their time as associate editors.

Our thanks especially to the writers and poets for sharing your remarkable work with us—this year, especially, your words keep us going. Contributors include:

Ken Autrey, Diane Averill, Devon Balwit, Nathan Bas, Trent Busch, William J. Cobb, Nicole Cortino, Riley Danvers, Hannah Davis, Susanne Davis, Adam Day, Linda Drach, Bernard W. Duffy, Meli Broderick Eaton, Andrew Rader Hanson, William Heath, Madronna Holden, Wynne Hungerford, Marc Jampole, M. Jennings, Jeffrey Kingman, Robert Krut, Jeffrey Letterly, Mary Makofske, Steven Mayer, Melissa McKinstry, Colton Merris, Cecil Morris, Scott F. Parker, Ricardo Pau-Llosa, Barry Peters, Daniel Pié, Geoff Polk, Vivienne Popperl, Bruce Pratt, Levi Rogers, Mary Rohrer-Dann, Karen Sandberg, Mark Simpson, Geo. Staley, Jeanine Stevens, Robert Stone, Stephanie Striffler, Anannya Uberoi, Peter Vertacnik, John Walser, Francis Walsh, Alanna Weissman, and Darlene Young.

Finally, and as always, thank you to our readers. The 2021 issue of the Clackamas Literary Review is our gift to you. Enjoy!

Friends,

Please help us say hello to the 24th volume of our Clackamas Literary Review!

Our cover artist is Sophie Estrada. Thank you, Sophie, for Healing Hands—it makes for a beautiful cover!

Thanks to our student editors—your hard work and exuberance is why this book exists in the world! Thanks also to the CCC English faculty, staff, and publishing alumni who volunteered their time as associate editors on this incredible issue.

And thanks especially to our authors: the writers and poets who, year after year, trust us with their wonderful words—your work is what drives our commitment to publish. This year’s contributors include:

Chris Anderson, Jacob M. Appel, Rachel Arteaga, Bruce Barrow, Rachel Barton, Nathan Bas, Ace Boggess, Andrea Campbell, S.W. Campbell, Geoff Cannard, Marisa P. Clark, Thomas Cooper, Brian Cronwall, Riley Danvers, Michelle DeLiso, Judith DeVilliers, Erin Doyle, Birch Dwyer, Jack Eikrem, Sharon Goldberg, John Grey, Hilary Harper, Joseph Harris, Suzy Harris, Lisa Higgs, Romana Iorga, Marc Jampole, John P. Kristofco, David Langlinais, Jeffrey Letterly, Sherri Levine, Jennifer Lothrigel, Michael Milburn, Susannah B. Mintz, Cecil Morris, Greg Nicholl, James B. Nicola, Nancy Nowak, Simon Perchik, Paulann Petersen, Vivienne Popperl, Corey S. Pressman, Joel Savishinsky, Alicia Schmidt, Dave Seter, Chet Skibinski, Darcy Smith, David Spiering, Matthew J. Spireng, Elizabeth Stoessl, John Struloeff, Adam Tavel, Jacob D. Thompson, Marty Walsh, John Sibley Williams, and Henry Wise.

Finally, thanks to our readers—simply: you are why we publish.

So, once more, say hello to the 2020 issue of the Clackamas Literary Review! It’s a book made just for you. For just right now.

The 23rd volume of the Clackamas Literary Review is available for purchase!

Links to purchase online:

Submittable

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Editors Note:

“Few things bridge distance quite like the written word. Writing can carry ideas beyond cultures, generations, and borders. For writers, those impossible optimists, this journey involves ideas too stubborn to relinquish, shaped by long nights before page or screen-smudged ink, sweaty keystrokes, picky edits, fleeting inspiration, quiet doubts, and even quieter resolve-all to get ideas out to the world.

Some of the writers’ ideas have made their way to us, the editors of Clackamas Literary Review. For the past several months we have come together to read and re-read, discuss, debate, and wrestle through each submission, spending hours dissecting pieces we were unsure about and fighting for the stories and poems we loved. Our discussions stirred deeper thought, challenging us in unexpected ways as we reconciled differing perspectives. Often this allowed us to see things in a new light, as beloved pieces were turned away and ones we did not first appreciate became favorites. Slowly, something that began as many individual efforts became a collaborative experience, reminding us that dissonance and diversity are part of a written work’s journey.

In this world that feels increasingly disconnected and isolated, each piece you are about to read was created by a soul seeking connection. A connection to someone like you. Countless hours have been spent in service of the book you now hold in your hands and the connection is creates. Enjoy the variety of works in this volume; let them sink in and become a part of who you are-part of your journey through the messy, chaotic, wonderful world we live in. And may the experience lead you to find something new of yourself along the way.”

Our published authors this year include:

Jeffery Alfier

Dianne Averill

Simon Anton Niño Baena

Chad Barlett

Larry Beckett

Ace Boggess

Jeffery S. Chapman

Douglas Cole

Nick Conrad

Holly Day

Christine DeSimone

Will Donnelly

Nancy Flynn

Taylor Gaede

Jesse Gardner

Tim Gillespie

LaVonne Griffin-Valade

Suzy Harris

Marie Hartung

Madronna Holden

James Croal Jackson

John P. Kristofco

David Mihalyov

Cecil Morris

Linda Neal

Daniel J. Nickolas

Francis Opila

Ty Phelps

Corey S. Pressman

Will Radke

Susan Bruns Rowe

Mark Rubin

Peter Serchuk

Tara K. Shepersky

Ben Slotky

Matthew J. Spireng

Hollyn Taylor

Chelsea Thiel

Evan Morgan Williams

John Sibley Williams

The Clackamas Literary Review hosted a reading at the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City, Oregon this week! It was a great success! Thank you Paulann Petersen, John Sibley Williams, Joe Ballard, Nick Conrad, and Miranda Schmidt for helping to make this evening memorable!

Come support student publishing on Wednesday, May 25^th, from 7-8. Paulann Petersen, Stacey Allen Mills, and Margaret Malone will be reading from their work. Parking is limited, and the reading space is not wheelchair accessible. Light refreshments will be provided. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

We can’t wait to see you there!