Hello Sphere readers,
Last night, Sphere hosted a party to celebrate the release of our 2023 edition of Sphere, and we were shocked to see how many of our peers, professors, and friends came out to support us. It seemed like everyone made it a priority to listen to our six amazing readings and eat some delicious cupcakes, to leave their studying and essay-writing behind for an hour to celebrate the hard work that went into the production of Sphere 67. To everyone who showed up last night, and to everyone who has supported Sphere this year, I want to express how thankful I am for you.
This journal is a collaboration between so many lovely and talented people, from our dedicated staff of editors to our unique and creative writers and artists. Sphere is special because it offers each and every one of these individuals an opportunity to learn and grow as writers, as editors, and as collaborators. I first joined Sphere as a fiction editor three years ago, and I have remained on the staff because of the opportunities the magazine has given me to not only develop editorial skills but also to make meaningful connections to peers who are, like me, interested and invested in literature.
Thank you to Ohio University, the Student Appropriation Committee, the English Department, and OU Printing Services for their continued support. We wouldn’t be able to publish the magazine without them. We would also like to thank Dr. Mark Halliday, our advisor, for his support, as well as Dr. Carey Snyder for helping us promote the magazine across the English department and incoming students.
I would like to thank each of the contributors published in Sphere 67. Although I haven’t had the chance to work with you directly, I have heard only the greatest of compliments from our editors who have, and your cooperation across the editing and production processes is very much appreciated by us all. Thank you for sending us your submissions. We wouldn’t be who we are without your unique voices and creative work. And congratulations on being published in Sphere 67!
Finally, I would like to express the utmost gratitude to my dedicated staff of editors. My job would have been a lot more difficult without your energy and enthusiasm this year. From August to May—and through all of the things we worked on in between, you were each incredibly helpful, quick to respond, and willing to do everything necessary to make Sphere 67 ready for publication. And more than that, you are all unique, intelligent, and talented people with the opinions, initiative, and care that will help you succeed as professional writers, artists, and editors. Colleen McLafferty will be serving as the managing editor of next year’s edition of Sphere 68, and I am so very excited to see the future of Sphere under her leadership. Working with you all has been a wonderful experience, and I am grateful for each of your individual efforts in making Sphere the best it can be.
Sphere is OU’s only and oldest undergraduate literary magazine. We publish the creative work of OU students in the genres of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and art. I am so excited to announce the print and digital release this year’s edition of our undergraduate literary magazine: Sphere 67.
Thank you!
Anna Garnai
Managing Editor
Sphere 67