A Note from the Assistant Editor

AS WORK ON THIS ISSUE has progressed from concept and all the way to print, I’ve found that my thoughts inevitably settle back on the song “Message in a Bottle” by The Police.

It’s the image of someone chucking a bottle into the ocean—essentially sending out a request to no one in particular and having “a hundred billion bottles” make their back to you in response.

We had a narrow window (a month!) in which to gather material for this issue. We took our call for submissions and hurled it into the constantly moving ocean that is social media, hoping to connect with young writers, to find them and see what talent was growing. To our amazement and delight, we were overwhelmed with ‘young’ writers who heard the call and responded. We went in search of the “Next Wave” and found a tsunami.

Four of us went through the submissions: myself, PF’s managing editor, Janine Tschuncky, and former PF practicum students Melissa McIvor and Emilie Derkson Poirier. We wanted ‘youth’ working on the issue, as well as being featured in the issue. Together we selected the pieces for the “Next Wave.”

Writing can be a lonely occupation, but working on this issue has served as a wonderful reminder that we, as Sting put it, “are not alone at being alone.”

“The Next Wave” starts on page 41. We hope you enjoy “The Next Wave” as much as we do. Keep an eye out for these writers in the future, because this wave is just getting started.