Santa Monica College’s national literary arts journal, published twice yearly, showcases the literary voices of established authors and emerging writers, with a focus on California writers. Founded by SMC English instructor Jim Krusoe (Blood Lake, Iceland), the Review has presented readers experimental, thoughtful, and funny works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interviews, and essays—including works by well-known authors such as Gary Soto, Lynn Freed, and Diane Lefer—during its nearly 20 years of publication, and has achieved a reputation as one of the West Coast’s leading journals.
The Fall 2007 issue of Santa Monica Review, edited by Andrew Tonkovich, includes work by frequent local contributors and prizewinning Southern California authors, a Santa Monica College creative writing student, and first-time-in-print writers. Monona Wali and Diane Gurman make encore appearances with funny and touching short stories. Christopher Buckley, poet and memoirist, provides a short personal essay. Tod Goldberg (Living Dead Girl and Fake Liar Cheat) tells the story of a father on the run who lives with his kidnapped kids in model tract homes. Gary Amdahl, whose Visigoth won last year’s Milkweed Prize with stories that first appeared in SMR, offers a long piece set alternately on the freeway and behind the counter of a legendary Westside bookstore. O’Connor Prizewinner Gary Fincke (Sorry I Worried You) delivers a short story typical of his stylized experiments in perspective. The issue also features work by playwright Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, a student in Jim Krusoe’s creative writing workshop, and long short stories by first-time-in-print writers Rav Grewal-Kök and Christopher Bunch. Cover art for the Fall 2007 edition is by local collagist Rafe Mandel of the band Polar Goldie Cats.
Santa Monica Review is available for sale online through the SMR website (www.smc.edu/sm_review), as well as at the SMC Bookstore, Dutton’s Brentwood Books, Beyond Baroque in Venice, and other local and national booksellers. Copies are also available by mail and by subscription through Santa Monica Review, Santa Monica College, 1900 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90405.
For information, including reading events, past issues, links, and recommended reading, please visit our website (www.smc.edu/sm_review) or call (310) 434-3597.
Santa Monica Review • $7/issue • $12/year subscription