Allied Editors 12
Monologue by Ryan Dennis
Continuing a tradition we began in our Autumn, 2020, “Metanoia” themed issue, the Allied Editors series arose from our outreach to other publications. In our quest to celebrate the work of artists and writers across diverse platforms and to spotlight unique creative processes, our team recognizes that the esteemed editors who select content and provide the wanting polish to any worthy piece, are absolutely integral to publishing. Without their devoted efforts there is no curation or meaningful discourse. Undoubtedly, all outlets of publishing have come under enormous strain these past years. Thankfully, our colleagues persevere. As a testament to their courage throughout our fraught epoch, please enjoy the monologue remarks of our featured editors, as they reflect on some of the most moving, and timely pieces as well as critical themes that they’ve explored in 2023.
Ryan Dennis grew up on a farm in Canaseraga, NY. He taught creative writing at the University of Education Schwäbisch Gmünd, rode a bicycle from Boston to San Francisco, and was awarded a Fulbright to write about farmers in Iceland. Afterwards, he received a PhD from the National University of Ireland, Galway, and has lived in the west of Ireland for 8 years. The first story he wrote, at the age of 14, was about the area myth of the Hairy Women of Klipnocky. It was published in the Canaseraga Creek Crier, the monthly flyer for the residents of the 500-person town. The experience taught Ryan the value of telling someone’s story and giving voice to their experience. Since then, he has published fiction, essays, and poems in highly-recognized literary journals, as well as published the novel The Beasts They Turned Away (2021) with époque press.