Umbrella Factory Magazine Issue 40

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Issue 40 December 2019

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Umbrella Factory Magazine

We are a small press determined to connect well-developed readers to intelligent writers and poets through virtual means, printed journals, and books. We believe in making an honest living providing the best writers and poets a forum for their work.

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Issue 40 December 2019

Our cover image was taken in the heart of the city of Kuala Lumpur by Sharyce Winters.

"A Walk with Cas"

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Issue 40 December 2019

S u b m i t to U s fi cti on Sized between 1 ,000 and 5,000 words. Any writer wishing to submit fiction in an excess of 5,000 words, please query first.

Please double space. We do not accept multiple submissions, please wait for a reply before submitting your next piece.

In the body of your email please include: a short bio—who you are, what you do, hope to be.

Include any great life revelations, education and your favorite novel.

Your work has to be previously unpublished. We encourage you to submit your piece everywhere, but please withdraw your piece if gets published elsewhere. p oe try We accept submissions of three (no more and no less) poems. Please submit only previously unpublished work.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw your piece immediately if it is accepted elsewhere.

All poetry submissions must be accompanied by a cover letter that includes a two to four sentence bio in the third person. This bio will be used if we accept your work for publication. a rt Accepting submissions for the next cover of Umbrella Factory Magazine. We would like to incorporate images with the theme of umbrellas, factories and/or workers. Feel free to use one or all of these concepts. Image size should be 980×700 pixels, .jpeg or .gif file format. Provide a place for the magazine title at the top and article links.

We also accept small portfolios of photography and digitally rendered artwork. We accept six pieces (no more and no less) along with an artist’s statement and a third person bio.

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Umbrella Factory Magazine

Our Pushcart Prize Nominations 201 9 This is the 45th year of the Pushcart Prize. We have nominated one writer and one poet since 201 2.

H ol l y D a y "Old School," "These Days" and "Black and White" Issue 36.

Ka te S t. G e rm a i n "Unconditional" Issue 35. pushcartprize.com

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Issue 40 December 2019

Table of Contents A note from an editor ...............................................8 Another note from another editor.............................9 Poetry Alicia Lawrence......................................................1 0 “Brighter Flame” “The Glade” “Snowdrop” Richard Luftig.........................................................1 4 “Why I Probably Won’t Become a Monk” “Winter Comes to the Heartland” Heather Sager .......................................................1 8 "Eye" "The Word for Soul" "Journey to the Mountaintop" Robert Stout...........................................................22 “The Girls from My High School” “Eight A.M. Joggers” “Grandfather “ Fiction Julia Gerhardt ........................................................26 “Whisperer” Gary Rogowski.......................................................32 “Me and Cece”

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Umbrella Factory Magazine The leaves are shriveled, turned to dried detritus. The once vibrant chroma, that litter the ground in dulled reds, yellows, and browns, are destined to be swept away with the winter winds. What little remains will soon be buried beneath an alabaster quilt of brilliantly unique snowflakes. My fellow authors, artists, and readers from all walks of life, this December marks our tenth year of publication, and the coming of grand, exciting, new changes - and not just the coming of the cold!

I am ecstatic to introduce myself as the new Editor-in-Chief of the Umbrella Factory Magazine! I never imagined that an intimate magazine with as much love, care, and time put into it as this one has, would fall into my lap! After much time spent abroad, this opportunity to take the wheel and steer this ship onward has reminded me of my deep love of language and the written word.

At my core, I am a traveler. I lust for adventure and thrive on immersing myself in cultures unlike my own.

Though, at its most profound level, I hunger for connection. To me, words are the doorway to the soul and the mind. I long to see the cogs in the machinery, the things that make people tick. And at the end of it all, I crave a good story. During these next few cold, dreary months, I hope you'll allow this modest magazine to continue to warm you up with the same wonderfully crafted pieces brought to you by your fellow creatives around the world and to continue to bring you good stories. I invite you to come celebrate alongside us as we bid a fond farewell to our beloved Anthony ILacqua. With issue 40, join us as he turns the key over and says "goodnight" to the Umbrella Factory Magazine.

I endeavor to provide the same kind of delectable reading that Anthony has for these past 10 years. It is my vision to see this magazine, in all its humbled glory, rise to the modern century - a phoenix born out of the fertile ashes of Mr. Anthony ILacqua's hard work. These past years have been delicious and ripe with poetry and stories carefully selected by your most-beloved creative, teeming with the works of brilliant authors, poets, and artists.

With the passing of an era brings about excitement! Innovation! Out with the old and in with the new, as they say!

Not to say Mr. ILacqua is old ;) It is my dream to bring this magazine into the new age, to fill it with life and color, and to paint my readers’ lips in smiles.

In this issue, jointly curated, we present to you poetry by Alicia Lawrence, Richard Luftig, Heather Sager, and Robert Stout on thrilling topics such as the joys of life and sex, human connection, stories about 'the journey,' and - rather appropriately - the passing of the seasons. Our Featured Fiction this issue is presented to you by Julia Gerhardt and Gary Rogowski. Furthermore, I am proud to present to you this year’s Pushcart nominations! This year’s Pushcart nomination for poetry goes to Holly Day for her poems published in Issue 36, “Old School,” “These Days,” and “Black and White.” The Fiction nomination goes to Kate St. Germain for her story published in Issue 35 called “Unconditional.” Congratulations and we hope to see more great work from the both of you!

With this in mind, I hope you continue to follow along on our own journey and satiate your love of words. And so, my dear readers, without further ado, welcome to the Umbrella Factory Magazine - revamped!

I invite you all to read, submit, tell everyone you know. But most importantly, stay dry!

Sharyce Winters

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Issue 40 December 2019

Hello readers, writers and those who just happened by accidentally. Welcome to issue 40 of Umbrella Factory Magazine.

I’m pleased first and foremost by the issue itself, and the wonderful content we have been able to procure and curate. We have new poetry this issue from Heather Sager, Robert Stout, Alicia Lawrence and Richard Luftig.

Notably, we have feature both Richard Luftig and Alicia Lawrence before in issues 13 and 18, respectively. When I first got involved in the literary magazine business, ten years ago, these sorts of relationships were what I wanted to gain in my time as an editor. I’m also excited about the fiction in this issue from Julia Gerhardt and Gary Rogowski.

Secondly, I am pleased with this issue for the simple fact that issue 40 of Umbrella Factory Magazine is the tenth year anniversary edition. We have been at this for an entire decade. When I think about this magazine and the last ten years, I feel so lucky and bless to be a part of this humble portion of the literary world. I have a few stories, some strange, some scary that have happened over the years. I once got an email from someone who wanted to sell us a “manufacturing process manual” complete with consultation and training on how to make our factory more productive. Even after several emails, the person selling this program still did not understand that we were an online literary magazine and none of us are into manufacturing anything much less umbrellas.

And the last reason I’m especially pleased with this issue is that it is my last. Since November of 2009, I have functioned as the editor in chief for Umbrella Factory Magazine. I have been fortunate enough to work with wonderful people over the years: Janice, Mark, Jana, Julie and Amanda. We all got to talk philosophy, books, writing and on occasion—shit, while working here at UFM. And as was the case with Mark, he and I talked those things daily for the entire first year as an incidental to gin in every honky tonk in the greater Capitol Hill neighborhood of Denver. It’s been a good time, and I have enjoyed every minute of it. There are 5,259,600 minutes in a decade. That’s a lot of minutes.

I am honored and excited to introduce Sharyce Winters as the new editor in chief of Umbrella Factory Magazine.

She spent three years in Asia after finishing her degree in creative writing at Colorado State University. Her experiences and her vitality certainly fall into our sensibilities at Umbrella Factory Magazine but it’s her vision that will ensure the success of this next decade of UFM. Reach her at sharyce@umbrellafactorymagazine.com In the meantime, I can be reached at anthony@umbrellafactorymagazince.com.

Read. Submit. Tell everyone you know Stay Dry. Anthony ILacqua

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Realms of the Mothers: The First Decade of Dos Madres Press

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Richard Luftig

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