Submerging, a review by Rachael Bindas

Submerging, a small literary magazine based in Patterson, NY, intricately weaves short stories, poetry, and photography together into one seamless publication. The nostalgic black-and-white photographs perfectly complement the writing, enhanced by publication’s glossy cardstock.

The Summer 2018 issue is titled, “Where are we in the story.” The issue focuses on characters and speakers at various stages of their lives, and the personal introspection that comes with each stage of life. In “Jobs and Teeth” by Jude Vachon, the narrator reflects on how jobs can spoil like bad teeth: “Sometimes they have to come out, they’re rotten.” The reader gains the sense that the narrator teeters on the edge of a precipice, craving a dramatic change but not quite fulfilling that desire.

Threaded together by feelings of loneliness, the stories and poems are intermixed, rather than being separated by genre. The result is an experience of harmonious, uninterrupted reading and appreciation. Each story and poem shares in a collective sense of uncertainty. You know where your characters are in their individual stories, but you do not necessarily know where their stories may lead.

Rachael Bindas is a freelance writer and editor from Pittsburgh, PA. She focuses mainly on fiction, but still harbors a deep love for poetry. Her work has been featured in Moledro Magazine, Aeons, The Curious Element Magazine, and The Holiday Cafe.