PUBLISHER'S NOTE

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Dear Readers,

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It’s summertime in the Pacific Northwest and the sun does not set until late. Deep into the evening, we seek high places free from light pollution and behold the beauty of the night sky. Constellations cast their light and lore upon us humans, and I think of how when we put together each issue of Weird Lit, we’re effectively constructing our own constellations—terrestrial in nature, but cosmic in their own right. 

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Connecting hearts and minds through a shared weirdness results in our own sort of co-created star cluster, unique in its shape. For this issue, I picture the form of a galactic salmon swimming up a cosmic stream of consciousness, driven to spawn a legacy of weirdness.

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The points in this constellation shine like psychedelic sky-stories, visible to the naked eye. These works serve as navigation tools, guiding us as we traverse the globe, doing weird, human things: contemplating skinlessness, counting things we likely do not need, exploring ways of undying, using lies as currency, diving for artifacts of the lost, vacating crawl spaces, considering conformity (for brunch, at least), cultivating controversial protein sources, crafting meandering tales as sales copy, anticipating end times, spawning ’til we die.

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Following these star-maps of the weird, we encounter new dimensions and perspectives. We’re reminded that art, science, and philosophy are the stuff of humanity. Despite our flaws and flounderings, we do get things right when we pursue the human drive for discovery of ourselves and each other. 

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We present this ninth issue of Weird Lit with gratitude for you, readers, as our fellow points of light that make up this summertime constellation of humanity, weirdness, and fish puns.

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Yours in summertime weirdness and wonder,

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September Herrin

Editor in Chief

Weird Lit Magazine