Jonathan Messinger

From back cover: "In 2011 and 2012, while more than 900 people were being murdered on the streets of Chicago, creative-writing students from DePaul University fanned out all over the city to interview people whose lives have been changed forever by the bloodshed. The result is this extraordinary and eye-opening book. Told by real people in their own words, the stories inside are at turns harrowing, heartbreaking and full of hope."

ACM has released its 50th issue, an issue dedicated to our hometown of Chicago. To be perfectly honest, we never thought we’d make it to a 50th issue. ACM has never been known for fundraising skills, financial acumen, or an airtight organizational structure. Mostly we’ve just been known for being independent since 1977 and for publishing young and exciting writers as frequently as we can manage it on a shoestring budget. We like it that way. So when we realized that we were in fact still around and viable and putting out our 49th issue, it struck us that the best way to celebrate that nice, round number was to set about celebrating our roots and publishing a Chicago issue.*

Other Voices was an independent literary magazine affiliated with the University of Illinois at Chicago dedicated to publishing fresh, original, diverse stories and novel excerpts. No. 47, with a special focus on Chicago writers, was the final issue.

"Playful and empathetic tales of misguided lonely hearts."

A short story about a girl born with wings who doesn’t understand the meaning of flight.