WE ARE STILL STOKED BUT WE NEED A BREAK

The past year has been incredible and rewarding and fun and STOKED. We can’t thank anyone enough, though we try sometimes by shouting and such (yeah, that’s what that was all about). We are overwhelmed by the love and support shown for Stoked. Our proud meter is knocking the hat off that thing for our first four issues.

However, we have decided to take a little break. It’s clear Stoked needs to step it up a bit, but we aren’t sure which set of stairs to take. So, we are gonna hangout away from Stoked for a bit, taste test some options, and see what we’re feeling in the fall.

Layne just moved out to the beach in North Carolina, and I’m gonna do some traveling stuff (read more about that here if you wanna). We won’t be reading submissions, but would still love to hear from you, exchange work, check out the stuff you’ve published, etc. So add us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, email us, invite us to your house, whatever.

This has been so wonderful and we hope to keep it going in the fall.

We’re really just two dummies but we love you lotz,

Tyler and Layne

Bonus Material: David Snyder

Following each volume, Stoked offers its contributors a chance to provide us with some bonus material that further showcases their talent and stoked-worthiness. Today’s bonus material comes from David Snyder, in the form of a couple rap songs.

 

 

Bonus Material: Russ Woods

Following each volume, Stoked offers its contributors a chance to provide us with some bonus material that further showcases their talent and stoked-worthiness. Today’s bonus material comes from Russ Woods, in the form of two music videos his wife, Meghan Lamb, made for his band, Pretty Swans. Also, download their full-length concept album about being on fire for free at http://cllct.com/release/wegothotdied and the companion ep at http://cllct.com/release/embers.

Bonus Material: Rose Hunter

Following each volume, Stoked offers its contributors a chance to provide us with some bonus material that further showcases their talent and stoked-worthiness. Today’s bonus material comes from Rose Hunter and a CT Scan of her head. HOW NEAT

Bonus Material: KJ

Following each volume, Stoked offers its contributors a chance to provide us with some bonus material that further showcases their talent and stoked-worthiness. Today’s bonus material comes from KJ, in the form of a cool handwritten poem.

Bonus Material: Peter Davis

Following each volume, Stoked offers its contributors a chance to provide us with some bonus material that further showcases their talent and stoked-worthiness. Today’s bonus material comes from Peter Davis, in the form of a video he made for his rad poem “emily dickinson.”

STOKED VOL. IV

Released: 3/15/12

Read Vol. IV

Add it on Goodreads 

Featuring work by Colin Winnette, David Snyder, KJ, Russ Woods, Brandi Wells, Peter Davis, Peter Schwartz, Edward Mullany, Diana Salier, Robert Duncan Gray, Joseph Goosey, Zach Arnett, Rose Hunter, Matt Rowan, and KMA Sullivan.

If you like this issue, feel free to donate to Stoked Journal:

bonus material: Brett Elizabeth Jenkins

Following each volume, Stoked offers its contributors a chance to provide us with some bonus material that further showcases their talent and spirit. Today’s bonus material comes from Brett Elizabeth Jenkins, in the form of a poem she wrote in first grade.

What Layne Is Stoked About

Book-to-Movie Adaptations:  There are two I’m frothing at the mouth about:  The Hunger Games and The Hobbit.  First, The Hobbit, duh.  Read that + LOTR when I was twelve and hooooo boy.  Second The Hunger Games.  Here’s the thing:  I grew up on/am still growing up on unconventional YA fantasy; Philip Pullman and Madeleine L’Engle rocked my world in early teenagerhood.  What I’d heard about The Hunger Games made it seem like it’d be comparably appealing – and it was.  Past the first book, though, it’s apparent that Suzanne Collins is terrific at moving forward an engrossing plot, but isn’t as able to 1) expand and develop setting details and 2) engage with philosophical issues directly relevant to her story as authors like Pullman and L’Engle, who’ve pulled off both with flying colors in their best-loved YA works.  Anyway, I’m interested to see what Collins’ world will look like onscreen and to cheer on Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen as she shoots a bow and protects the people she loves like a total badass.

Books That Aren’t New But I Haven’t Read Yet And Therefore Am Looking Forward to Reading:  Design With X by Dean Young.  The Bee-Loud Glade by Steve Himmer.  Not Merely Because of the Unknown That Was Stalking Toward Them by Jenny Boully.  If I Falter at the Gallows by Edward Mullany.  Ayiti by Roxane Gay.  The Pajamaist by Matthew Zapruder.

Albums:  Why? is supposed to release their fifth album this year but info’s scarce.  Same deal for Sigur Ros.  I can’t think of other new things coming out at this second.  You should probably tell me a couple.

Events With Words:  The Big Big Mess reading tomorrow I’m doing with Tyler, Nate Slawson, and Christopher “ARMS” Newgent has me climbing the walls with positive feelings.  I can’t wait to pet Nick Sturm’s cat beforehand for good karma.  I can’t wait to yell things at people.  Also, mothafuckin’ AWP, which will be OH MY GOODNESS,  which will be my first time going, which will be YES and GOD CHICAGO BLOWS IN FEBRUARY but still YES.

What We’re Stoked About

In addition to the What Are You Stoked About? Section of the journal, we’re gonna post occasionally about what Layne and I are stoked about.

What Tyler Is Stoked About

Savages by The Bonesetters: So rad to finally see this album jangling against ears. Featuring former Stoked contributor, Ryan Rader, this album is nonstop memorable.

New issues of Diagram (especially this poem by Jenny Gropp Hess), Red Lightbulbs (especially these erasures by former contributor Nick Sturm and Sonnets by Seth Oelbaum), PANK’s Science and Fiction Issue (especially this piece by Mary Buchinger), Sixth Finch (especially this short poem by Ted Powers), and Jellyfish (featuring more goodness from Sturm).

Former Stoked contributor Sean Lovelace’s story in the My Protagonist is Matthew Salesses contest. 

BIG BIG MESS READING with myself, Layne Ransom, Christopher Newgent and Nate Slawson: This will be my first “out of my comfort zone” reading, so I’m really stoked to see how it goes. Plus, the other three readers are majorly rad!

Cheerwine: The soda of my youth! 8 years without you! You’re back in my pantry!

Cottage cheese and Applesauce: has officially passed Mac and Cheese as my favorite side dish; gotta be unsweetened applesauce and small curd/1% cottage cheese; gotta be mixed up.

Positive by Short Hand: Been waiting on these songs for a long time. Peter Davis does it all and WELL and for FREE. Run-DMC is YES.