The inaugural issue of The Dolomite Review is now available to read open access online and also offers e-subscriptions so readers will not miss each new quarterly issue of poetry, short stories, and essays. The Dolomite Review welcomes writers of every level of experience, from novice to master. “We seek out writers, primarily from the Midwest,” says Managing Editor Maryann Lawrence, “but welcome writers outside the Midwest as long as the writing has some relation to the region — be that setting, plot, or character.”
“We would love to hear someone say, I just read a random story in The Dolomite Review and was blown away,” Lawrence shares. “And, in fact, we are delighted that someone said exactly that! Considering this is our first issue, we are tickled with the feedback we are receiving. We hope every issue gets this response.”
Representing Readers & The Midwest
That kind of reader response is key to the mission of The Dolomite Review. “We noticed a need for a literary journal that appeals to readers primarily,” says Lawrence. “So many magazines are written for authors, other publishers, editors, and those in the publishing community, bogged down with reviews and how-tos and appeals to writers. We want to bring readers into the fold and provide them a space online that is free of writer-centric content. Additionally, we just feel like there is not enough Midwest representation in publishing. And by Midwest we mean sensibilities and lifestyle.”
Readers first encounter that Midwest sensibility in the name of the publication. Lawrence notes, “We considered the word dolomite might mislead people into thinking we were named after the Dolomite mountain range in Italy.” While Lawrence does have Italian roots, the name actually refers to the limestone rock formations on Michigan’s Drummond Island. “The island is the most easterly point in the U.P.,” she explains, “and, while Canada is just beyond, it’s the views of Lake Huron that really ignite the imagination. We think the atmosphere of those rocks looking over the vast lake, alternately brutally cold and awesomely beautiful, a place that takes your breath away, is what we are trying to achieve with the literary works we publish, reflecting the beauty and the brutality of life in the Midwest.”
Masthead Expertise & Submissions
The masthead of The Dolomite Review includes Managing Editor Maryann Lawrence, who lives in Michigan and is an award-winning journalist and author of two books, Season of the Great Bird and Uneventful. For the past thirty years, her short stories, poetry and essays have been published in journals and magazines throughout the U.S. Joining Lawrence is Lead Technician Sarah Penrose, who keeps the website up and humming while also studying User Experience Research & Design at the University of Michigan. She has experience with web and mobile design, user research, and site development. Rounding out their expertise is Editor Katherine Bird, who has also worked with Mayapple Press [once based in Michigan; currently upstate New York] and Sky & Telescope.
For writers wanting to find a home for their works, submissions can be sent through The Dolomite Review website (no direct email submissions). They first go through the managing editor who decides which will be accepted. Next, they go to the editor for line editing and proofreading. “We wish we could provide feedback, but there are just too many submissions and too few staff to make that happen right now,” says Lawrence. “As for response time, we aim for two weeks.”
Storytelling for Readers
Readers clicking over to The Dolomite Review can expect a welcome mat! “We have purposely created The Dolomite Review with simple, clean lines for a comfortable reading experience,” says Lawrence. “We are ad-free, so no disruptive side bars. We offer subscription, but you don’t have to subscribe to visit. There are no pop-up blockers. Just excellent writing. Storytelling is our niche so narrative form poetry is generally featured. We don’t go for enigmatic poetry or any kind of poem that requires an explanation. The short stories and essays we publish are engaging; we generally do not publish genre-specific work such as horror or romance. Just plain old great storytelling.”
Contributors to the first issue include Diane Scholl, Darcy Hicks, Steve Gardiner, Melissa Crandall, Grace Fabbri, John Lennon, Susan Swartwout, Elisabeth Crago, Brian Cronwall, and JoAnne Tillemans.
Surprises & Goals
Reflecting on the start-up for The Dolomite Review, Lawrence considers what she has learned, which can also include pleasant surprises. “Finding enough people to subscribe to a magazine that isn’t published yet was a lesson I did not expect to learn. Same for contributors. It’s a lot to ask a writer to submit to a magazine that (1) doesn’t pay and (2) hasn’t been published/proven. I am really surprised by how many people did one or the other or both.”
Going forward with The Dolomite Review, Lawrence is hopeful for continued growth and mutual support. “We want to, of course, increase our reach, and draw in more excellent writers. We are hoping to create an anthology every couple of years. We would love to have a homebase – a physical office to call our own so that we might also be able to offer residency programs, readings, writer workshops, maybe bring in guest editors. We are thinking about a podcast or creating audio for each issue. The sky is the limit, really, as far as future goals.”
