A Note from the Editors

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The staff at Under the Madness Magazine is proud to present Issue 2, featuring an array of excellent teen writing! Our contributors sent work to us from their desks and writing spaces, this time as far apart in mileage as Texas, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, to name a few geographic regions.

Teens have had a lot of madness to write under this winter and spring: just as we seem to be exiting the pandemic and parts of our lives returning to a semblance of normal—leaving Zoom for classrooms—the atrocities in Ukraine filled our TV screens and newsfeeds. Writing can be difficult, especially with the world as tumultuous as it is now, but it’s also an outlet and an inspiration for teens. Our primary goal is for teens to feel confident and empowered in sharing their work with the world, and maybe even helping word-by-word the world to become a more united place. Our place.

This spring, we sponsored our second contest of the publishing year, this one in fiction: the Bruce S. Atkinson Fiction Contest. We’re grateful for the efforts of judge Gregory Norris, prolific writer and resident of Berlin, NH, for his donation of the prize money and his expertise and time in judging the contest. The winning fiction pieces by Kim Heinzelmann, Rachel Pullino, and Emily Blackwelder are published in our second issue! 

In February, we held a virtual creative nonfiction workshop. In April, our Publication Reunion, with Jenzo DuQue reunited with one of his earliest publications, the editors at Teen Ink, for a very well attended reading and lively Q & A. (See Poetry Editor Grace Frink’s blog post write-up of the event.) We are also hosting a Round Robin discussion with publication tips for teens with editors at Blue Marble Review, Cast of Wonders, Flare Journal, The Jupiter Review, and Parallax. On the Under the Madness Magazine blog, check out their answer to the question: Why is teen publication? It’s the first of three parts in this Round Robin publishing series!

This Friday, we’ll be celebrating our contributors’ work at our Release Party, happening in-person (registration closed) and on Zoom. Eight contributors from Issue #1 and #2 will be reading from their published pieces and the editors will give a preview of what’s to come for the magazine and its reader and writers in the Fall.

‍If you are joining us virtually, registration is required through Zoom:

Register in advance for this meeting:

https://salemstate.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwofuGrrTsqH9YidR7YwzzxTnQZ5HcEopad

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

A huge thank you to all who submitted to our second issue. It is through your courage that our magazine thrives. 

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--By Rebecca Colby (Managing Editor) and Alexandria Peary (Editor-in-Chief)

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