We at White Wall Review were pondering the perennial question of how to discuss love on Valentine’s Day without recreating the same old sugary tale. The answer was clear: love can take many forms. It can be fleeting or long-lasting, ambiguous or crystal clear, and a day that celebrates this feeling in all its complexity surely shouldn’t focus just on romance. With this in mind, we’ve carefully selected works that we think showcase this sentiment. We hope you read something you love.
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“The fiction team was very pleased with the creativity shown in the Valentine’s Day submissions, but four pieces really stood out to us. All very different in style and theme, these short stories showed us that love is everywhere: in the little things, in our animal companions, in growing old together, and in our relationships with those who make us feel like we belong.”
– Deena Stahl and Alexander MacIsaac, Fiction Editors
“Love isn’t always perfect. It can be messy, fickle, and sometimes take more from you than you have to give. But it can also be unexpected, joyous and wonderful. For this issue, we chose to review two books and a concert that highlight a few of the many different ways love can come into our lives. Whether it be the romantic love of a budding romance, the fanatic love between an artist and their fans, or the radical self-love of overcoming trauma and transforming yourself, these texts all show us that love can be so much more than what a bowl of candy hearts might have you believe.”
–Faye Hamidavi and Alicia Beggs-Holder, Reviews Editors
“In curating the poems for this special love inspired issue, we looked to share works that recollect instances of love unrepeatable. The poems we have selected experiment: they challenge conventional ways of recounting intimacies and fondness, and some explore other forms of love apart from romance. Our collection of works are passionate, meaningful, poignant and visceral.”
–Lannii Pettiford and Ashleigh Brown, Poetry Editors
“Lisanne Rogers’ My Fairy Tale explores a love that doesn’t typically rush to our minds when we think of that little four letter word. It explores a love that is deeply intimate and natural. Rogers’ telling of maternal love reveals deep presumptions that are often shelled out too quickly, without regard for the bonds that lay between mother and child. Non-fiction is happy to present My Fairy Tale as our submission to White Wall Review’s “All Kinds of Love” issue. Our collective hope is that this text allows us to take a second look at our lives, as all great non-fiction does.”
–Natalie Cito and Nitin Dhupar, Non-Fiction Editors