In the decade since, Wild Violet has published poetry, fiction, humor, short pieces, essays, artwork and photography from more than 500 contributors, as well as dozens of reviews and interviews of those in the arts.

Despite the rumors, we are still going. As the current main force between Wild Violet, I’ve had difficulty keeping up over the past year. I am a first-time mom and had no idea how all-consuming my mothering duties would become. Fortunately, with my toddler now entering a stage of newfound independence, I’m finding it easier to catch up. I’m also finding ways to distribute the work amongst others. (If you would be interested in helping, please e-mail me.)

The contributors in this issue — Passion (Vol. X Issue 1, Fall 2011) — have waited far too long for their work to see the light. They are passionate about their work, and it deserves to be enjoyed.

I hope to continue providing a positive space for the arts for another 10 years (or more).

Issue Title Page

Passion Contents

Whether it’s tributes to a poet who died on the beach (“Ballad of the Skylight Diner” and “Run Down By a Dune Buggy on Fire Island”) or memories of a first kiss at summer camp (“Kissing Peter Tork”), these pieces evoke summer’s warmth, its bright light, and its impermanence.

The artwork and photography in “Heat Wave” take us outside (“River Girl” and “Woman in Hutong”) and use the hot colors of summer (“Solar Eclipse” and “Fire Sky”). One of the youngest contributors we’ve ever had, Aditi Laddha, depicts her version of summer heat in a piece created especially for this issue.

My own summer has been busy, as I’ve spent it getting used to my newborn baby, now a little more than three months old. In order to get this issue out more quickly, I’ve used my own photographs for most of the graphics, rather than creating digital collages for each piece, as I usually do. Hopefully, my choices, which were all made with care, will be appreciated by the contributors.

And now, as summer gasps its last, join our contributors to commemorate it with one final “Heat Wave.”

Heat Wave Contents