SEPTEMBER 2025
Dear Readers,
Another day, another school shooting.
When will we protect our children more than our guns? When will we care about our kids more than the profits of gun makers? When will we stop electing politicians bought by the gun makers?
We can make, we can demand change.
Thanks for continuing to read us, and thanks to all our great contributors.
--Mitchell & Diana
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Poetry Editor Diana May-Waldman's book A Woman's Song has received strong praise for its raw emotional power and unflinching honesty. The poetry collection explores the complexities of womanhood—touching on themes like violence, inequality, love, lust, and resilience—with a voice that is both fierce and tender.
What one reviewer has said:
A Woman's Song by Diana May-Waldman is a gorgeous collection of poetry that is as exciting as it can be, a collection that uncannily captures the essence of womanhood. In these poems, readers will hear echoes of longing, feel drawn into the currents of passionate encounters, understand the ache of wanting a man or seeking revenge, savor the beauty of friendship, and be pulled into a place — in the deep recesses of the heart — where a woman finds her strength and her weakness. The poem "Penis" sets the tone for the raw emotions that are noticeable in Diana May-Waldman's poetry, and she says it as she feels it: "I want a penis / I want to give birth to it / So I can teach it to be nice. / Teach it to be gentle..."
She examines family connections and memories. For instance, in "Granny," the speaker reflects on the life and passing of a grandmother and what happens after she passes away. Friendship is celebrated in "A Phone Call to My Best Friend," in which the speaker narrates her experience speaking to a friend from a phone booth, drawing parallels between this experience and a sexual encounter: "And if chicks had dicks / and the crisp little shells of nuts / I would love her more than you."
This collection handles mature themes, including rape, insecurity, violence, inequality, and more. The lyrical writing captured my heart, and the imagery, the oh-so-wonderful imagery, will fill the imagination of readers — from the tangled legs after sex in bed to the pain of loneliness, May-Waldman invites readers into the psyche of the personae and compels them to relive their moments of longing and intimacy. In one moment, one feels carried away with a destructive tide of hatred; then there is the exquisite lure of lust and then the tenderness of a loving heart. A Woman's Song is poetry that will appeal to mature women; it is raw and tender, infused with sensual imagery and rhythms that mimic the climates of the heart.
- Brenda Baiocci at THE BOOK COMMENTARY
You can check Diana's book out here.
And check out Fiction Editor Mitchell Waldman's new novel, The Visitor, now available from ATTM Press.
The Visitor is a unique blend of science fiction, social commentary, and human drama, with dystopian and literary elements. It explores identity, alienation, social and political conditions, and government overreach in our current society from the viewpoint of an outsider--an alien spirit which has replaced that of a human after an automobile accident--or is he really just a human soul affected by a traumatic brain injury?
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What readers are already saying about The Visitor:
If you’re into sci-fi stories with a heavy dose of introspection and an imaginative plot, this one’s for you. Five stars from me, and a quiet thank-you to the author for writing something truly memorable!
This is perfect for reader's seeking literary sci-fi with a psycholinguistic endeavor. It's bizarre and thought-provoking with a subtly striking conclusion.
A transformative experience for those who appreciate well-rendered speculative fiction.
Though it’s science fiction, the story is emotional and thoughtful, exploring what it means to be human. The pacing and atmosphere are well done, and the ending feels satisfying. A good read for fans of thoughtful, imaginative stories.
The friendly yet eerie writing style would appeal to anyone who cherishes psychological realism where reality and the self are constantly called into question.
Blending speculative fiction with psychological depth, this thought-provoking novel explores themes of consciousness, trust, and what it truly means to belong in a world that feels anything but familiar.
You can check it out on Amazon here.
You can see all our books and anthologies in The Bookstore.
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