From the Editors
Welcome to Big Ugly Issue #7, the "Fight or Flight" issue. Get ready for some great writing about fights and flights, and that unnerving gray area in between. Where else can you find out what it was like to be the first doggie in space, from the dog's perspective? Or how the theorems of physics can explain the chaos of the human heart? You'll only find it here. Pick any story, fiction or nonfiction, and you're sure to be entertained.
But don't stop there. Our music section will knock you out (a fight or flight metaphor, get it?). We suggest you click on a song or two and listen while you read. Be sure to check out our killer photo-essay on female boxers by Bayeté Ross Smith, and watch our short films about the gritty battlefields in Iraq and the decorous battlefields of the Henley Regatta boat race in England.
Also new this issue: you can listen the authors read their stories! Click on the icon and you can hear selected readings that were recorded by our partners at dublit.com at the Sept. 28 release party. We'll be adding audio versions to more stories in coming weeks, so be sure to check back again.
Affectionately yours,
– Editors
SHORT STORY:
The Visitor by Daniel Alarcón
Work in Progress by Kristin Kearns
Panther in the Woods by Karen Bjorneby
AND SO IT BEGINS:
The Mishearing Game by Eric Schniewind
Black Holes by Nina Schuyler
FLASH FICTION:
Make-A-Wish by John Jodzio
When We Are Going to Be There by Chris Colin
For the Love of Flight (from Exult) by Joe Quirk
Straight Outta Marin by April Sinclair
Laika in Flight by Caroline Paul
New Girl (from Jesus Land) by Julia Scheeres
Shadow Weight by Jonathan Rice
The House in the Meadow by Emily Raabe
The Sanatorium at St. Paul de-Mausole by Wendy Drexler
Coyotes by Wendy Mnookin
Iraq by Ron Najor
Henley Regatta by Dave Young
Breakdown by Sick of Sarah
Spongy by Giving the Table a Name
Running with Knives by David Hopkins
Fly by Emily Zuzik
The Great Escape by Amelia
Who Killed Michael Vaughn by Adam Zwig
Lady Like by Bayeté Ross Smith
Admit it. We look fantastic. I mean, just look at us! We're still big and we're still ugly, but my God. We can hardly stop looking at ourselves.
This issue was a "first time" for us in many ways. It was our first contest - each category of The Contest Issue had a different judge and the winner took home a prize, and the theme was a free-for-all.
Apparently our readers have lots to hide, because we got hundreds of great submissions for The Hidden Agendas Issue. We're very excited about what we have for you inside.
Losing yourself in the world, and trying to find your way back.
Picking up the pieces, shaking what doesn't work anymore to see if it's really kaput.
The premiere Big Ugly Review looks at launches, debuts, rocky and triumphant starts.