Sharing Space in Foreshadow

My VCFA colleague and friend Nova Ren Suma is part of an Internet labor of love, Foreshadow, a project of the heart dedicated to offering "a unique new online venue for young adult short stories, with a commitment to showcasing underrepresented voices, boosting emerging writers, and highlighting the beauty and power of YA fiction."Years ago, I worked with a student who wrote short stories all semester long. From her very first packet, I knew I'd struck gold with Rachel Hylton. Rachel was one of those intuitive writers with an unerring instinct for revision. I'd send her long letters detailing all my questions and listing all the points at which I'd wondered where she might be taking me. She'd fix a word or two and the entire story would settle into place, with all my bullet points magically addressed.I'm more than happy to be sharing space with Rachel Hylton in the current issue of Foreshadow. Her story, Risk, was selected by none other than Laurie Halse Anderson. You have to read it. It is one of those pieces that needs every one of its words to express its essence. You couldn't sum it up. It's Kafkaesque in the manner of David Cerny's sculpture.[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUp7fIf4PsE]Right away we find out--this:

We were there for Marnie Vega long before she became a lobster.

And then there's this line:

Marnie was different—she wasn’t fake, she was authentic.

That's Rachel. Each word perfectly laid out, crafted with loving care. Authentic to the bone. I hope some editors are paying attention.There are two other stories in this issue: Pact by Mark Oshiro, and my story, Affinity.Thank you, Nova Ren Suma, Emily X.R. Pan, managing editor Diane Telgen and all the wonderful writers and editors who help give life to this project.