Originally formed in 1971 by a cadre of university professors, writers and poets to support the literary arts, it closed its doors in 1999.
“Professor Dr. Jay Gamble actually approached the university’s creative writing association if there was interest in bringing it back,” said managing editor Rylan Spendroth, who said approximately 25 people came to a meeting about resurrecting the magazine.
“We didn’t know if we were going to bring back Whetstone or of we were going to start a brand new literary magazine,” he said during the official relaunch party at Henotic, Dec. 12, which featured a handful of of potential contributors reading their selections of prose and poetry as well as the music of Jesse and the Dandelions and Jordan Clermont. There were several copies of earlier editions of the magazine, which featured poetry, prose, lithographs of art and even musical notation written.
“We don’t want it to just be university writers, we want it to be local writers and because it will be online, it can be worldwide,” he said adding the new Whetstone will begin with an online presence and develop into a print edition available through their site or through subscription.
Submissions of poetry and prose will be accepted until Dec. 31 for the new issue.
“For the first issue we’re just looking at prose and poetry. Later on we’ll look at visual art,” he said.
“We’re still looking for submissions,” he said adding the deadline can be extended if necessary. So far they have received three submissions of poetry and a feature from Robert Krouch. Submissions should be 3,000 words or less and material which is misogynist, sexist or racist will not be accepted.
Submissions can be made at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
—By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
