I am assisted with each issue now by a wonderful staff (thanks, Dan, Dave, Kristi and Sarah - you’re awesome).  I have had the pleasure of publishing the work of extremely talented photographers and writers from around the world. In October, the Lily staff and I selected Pushcart Prize nominees for the first time, having a year’s worth of literary excellence to choose from. Lily now has its own web address, lilylitreview.com (though it can still be accessed through the freewebs address as well).  I’ve made friends and have learned a lot, and Lily continues to grow in ways I never imagined. Thanks to everyone for a great year.

In this issue, you will have the opportunity to read the work again of Lily’s 2004 Pushcart nominees: Theresa Boyar, Craig Murray, Dana Sage, Sarah Sloat, Suzanne (Thomson) d’Corsey and Cyril Wong.  The Pushcart Prize - Best of the Small Presses series, published every year since 1976, is the most honored literary project in America.  Little magazine and small book press editors may make up to six nominations from their year’s publications by a December 1 deadline.  Selecting just six works out of so many wonderful ones wasn’t easy, but I’d like to say congratulations to Theresa, Craig, Dana, Sarah, Suzanne and Cyril.  It was an honor to publish these works, and an honor to nominate them to Pushcart as well.

Also in this issue is an interesting and in depth interview with poet and editor, Michael Paul Ladanyi, provided by Patricia Gomes.  I truly enjoyed learning about Michael and am pleased to share his views and his poetry with you.  Thanks, Michael.  And thanks to you as well, Patricia, for taking time out of your busy life to bring us another glimpse into the life of a writer.

Lily’s December offers poetry by Robert Bradshaw, Michelle Cameron, Chris Crittenden, Do Gentry, Taylor Graham, Craig Kirchner, Terry Lowenstein, Jessy Randall, and Don Schaeffer; short fiction by Sylvia Spruck Wrigley; and photography by Jill Burhans, Terri Lynn Graham, Maurizio Malangone, Erdogan Mebahar, Mitch Miller and Donnali Peters.

Note: It was hoped that Teen Lily would debut this month to coincide with Lily’s first anniversary.  Managing editor, Debra Curtis, and her staff have been working hard to make that happen.  However, we are discovering that it’s harder to start up a teen literary review than it is to start an adult literary review, particularly given the holiday season and the fact that there aren’t too many online teen literary ventures to have already blazed a trail for new ones.  So, the submission cycle is still open and the debut of Teen Lily is planned now for January.  Let the teen writers in your world know of this submission opportunity and look for a great issue of Teen Lily soon.

Thanks again to all of you. I look forward to 2005 and to sharing more work from more literary and photographic talents here.  Until then, keep those submissions coming, happy reading, and happy holidays to you.