Walker Tracker

The big news for me is getting my first story published.  As many of you know I've been submitting my stories in a somewhat foolhardy fashion, starting from the top of the literary world and working my way down, collecting rejection slips on top of my bookshelf in a little but growing pile.  I organized my hierarchy by how often a particular literary journal is anthologized (having a story from its pages appear in Best American Short Stories or receive a Pushcart Award).  Lo and behold,  my story, originally entitled "Member" and now entitled "The Golem of Orla Shalom"  will appear in the November issue of ZYZZYVA.  So my methodology paid off even better than I hoped.  Out of over 1000 literary journals in the U.S., of which there are perhaps 400 high quality literary quarterlies,  ZYZZVA is in the top 12 with regards to Best American Short Story appearances and top 30 for Pushcart Awards.  Not too shabby!  They have published big names (Charles Bukowski,  William Vollman,  Isabelle Allende, Haruki Murakami,  Edward Abbey,  Sherman Alexie, Aimee Bender, Gary Snyder, and F.X. Toole, the writer whose stories became the movie Million Dollar Baby) but they focus more on discovering newer writers. 

About the name.... ZYZZYVA is the last word in the dictionary.  And ZYZZYVA, the literary journal,  aspires to be the last word in West Coast writers and artists. 

The editing process was both educational and painful.  The editor takes an active and involved part in editing the story which was quite interesting to partake in. 

Why haven't I heard of this publication before you ask?  Sadly most literary journals, even ones with large circulation (Glimmer Train,  Zoetrope)  are mostly read by writers, and aspiring writers (and agents I suppose).   Thus, they could certainly use the support of anyone who likes to read stories. 

If you want to subscribe to ZYZZYVA or you want to order the november issue you can do so at ZYZZYVA.  You probably should wait to order an individual copy, until the end of November, however, if you want to get the one with Golem of Orla Shalom in it.