Writers often ask what literary magazines are looking for when we choose the work
that we publish. At Bridge, our aesthetic litmus test winnows down to one word: irrevocability.
Irrevocability is the quality that renders a story, poem or memoir unforgettable,
and worth returning to. One could perhaps draw a parallel between our ideal and what
Aristotle describes in The Poetics as recognition and reversal; but Aristotle specifically refers to a change in a character’s
understanding of changed circumstances. At Bridge, we select writers that execute this transformation in both the text and the reader.
We seek writing that takes a leap, turns a corner, and takes us to a point from which
there’s no retreat, and no return. Work that is truly irrevocable is resonant and
unforgettable. This irrevocability propels us forward - and challenges us to be better.
This second edition of Bridge is a collection of transformative works by young writers that changed, shaped and
thrilled us. The work that young writers are doing — at age 14, 17, and even the ripe
old age of 23 — is enthralling and powerful. It humbles us that writers from around
Ohio and around the world choose to share these labors of love with us. I hope you
find these works as unforgettable and resonant as we do.
Jamie Lyn Smith, Editor
Student editorial associates
This volume of work has been selected, polished and presented by a crackerjack team
of student editorial associates, many of whom are writers themselves. The students
who built Bridge completed the usual duties of literary magazine staff.
SUBMISSIONS AND OUTREACH MANGER
AMBER EDWARDS is from Covington, Ohio. She studies English at Bluffton and plans to be a high school
English teacher. Her favorite book is Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. When she is not writing or reading, you can find Amber checking
out the stars with her telescope. If she had to pick one genre to read, it would be
the romance novel - she cannot resist its charms.
STUDENT EDITORIAL ASSOCIATES
BREEZIANA AMPEY-CARVER is from Redford, Mich. A psychology major, Breezi’s hobbies include knitting and
watching Netflix. Breeziana’s favorite book is The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.
BECKY BOBAN is from Madison, Ohio. Becky is majoring in art and writing, with a minor in chemistry.
Two of Becky’s favorite books are Death is a Lonely Business and Something Wicked This Way Comes, both by Ray Bradbury. Becky enjoys drawing, biking, checkers and badminton. She
writes poetry and fiction. Her work has appeared in Shalith and The Merrimack Review.
AUSTIN BUCHHOLZ is from from Holgate, Ohio. He is a criminal justice major and pre-law minor. He
plays men's basketball at Bluffton University, and is currently reading Pablo Escobar: My Father.
HANNAH CONKLIN is from Westerville, Ohio, and is majoring in convergent media. Hannah loves traveling,
thrift shopping, and listening to Diana Ross & the Supremes records. While she is
firmly a cat person, her favorite book is Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo.
BRISTA DRAKE is from Richwood, Ohio. She is an art and writing major, with minors in graphic design
and theater. Her favorite book is Looking for Alaska by John Green. Brista has self-published two novels to date and vlogs regularly on
her YouTube channel. Brista has also appeared in numerous stage productions at Bluffton.
Brista designed the art for the Fall 2017 edition of Bridge.
DANIELLE EASTERDAY is a first-year student from Barberton, Ohio. A writing major, Danielle is also pursuing
minors in both English and psychology. She is a defender on the women’s soccer team,
and writes for The Witmarsum, Bluffton’s news media outlet. Her favorite book is Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.
CARA ECHOLS is from New Bremen, Ohio. She’s an art and writing major with a minor in graphic
design. Cara’s hobbies include playing basketball and gaming. Her favorite books are
Isabelle Holland’s Man Without a Face and 1984 by George Orwell. Cara enjoys reading social science fiction and Utopian/Dystopian
fiction and building flyable model rockets. Cara’s graphic design work includes several
publications and promotional pieces for Bridge and Bridge events.
JONAH ECKERT is from Terre Haute, Ind. He is a psychology major, with a minor in public health.
Jonah runs track and cross country, is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes
and serves as Student Senate President at Bluffton University. His favorite book is White Fang by Jack London.
SHANON GALLAGHER is from Marengo, Ohio. A double-major in psychology and sociology, Shanon’s favorite
book is The House of the Night by the mother-daughter writing team of P.C. and Kristen Cast. She likes playing Skyrim on her laptop, reads science fiction novels, and serves on the Marbeck Center Board
at Bluffton where she plans and coordinates student activities.
ALISSA HAUKE is from Hillsboro, Ohio. She is an art and writing major with a minor in sociology.
She runs both cross country and track at Bluffton. Her favorite books are Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. Her favorite genres are creative nonfiction and poetry.
OLIVIA RAYLENE HUSS is from Bluffton, Ohio. She is a criminal justice major with minors in pre-law and
psychology. Olivia loves to sew, knit, hike, explore and travel. Her current favorite
book is Letters from My Father’s Murderer: A Journey of Forgiveness by Laurie Coombs.
KATHRYN ROTH is from Pettisville, Ohio. She is an English major at Bluffton University. Some of
her hobbies include knitting and sewing while binging shows on Netflix. Her favorite book is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
JAMIE LYN SMITH is an alumnus of Kenyon College and Fordham University. She completed her MFA in Creative
Writing at The Ohio State University. Her work has appeared in The Kenyon Review,
The Pinch, American Literary Review, The Low Valley Review, The Boiler, The Watershed
Review and Barely South. Jamie Lyn is working on two new projects - Ever After, a collection of short stories, and her first novel, Appalachia.
ARTWORK by Brista Drake.
SPECIAL THANKS to Lamar Nisly, Olivia DePalma, Alison King and Sara Kisseberth.