Mississippi doctors R. Scott Anderson and Lucius M. “Luke” Lampton recently released their independent literary journal entitled China Grove on Aug. 28.
The journal features the submissions of writers from all around the country. In addition, the journal includes exclusive interviews and works from literary greats such as Ellen Gilchrist.
Overall, the journal focuses on recognizing excellence in writing and the work of emerging writers.
Through China Grove, Anderson and Lampton aim to take these emerging writers and juxtapose them against more experienced or former writers, such as Mark Twain. Anderson also said they aim to reflect a set of values that reflect Mississippi in China Grove.
The greatest benefit that Anderson has received from the journal is the joy he gets from reading writers’ submissions.
“It is an opportunity to work with young writers,” Anderson said, who has been a radiation oncologist for 25 years.
Anderson believes literature is one of the most important things in his life. He even considers himself to be a “cheerleader for literature.”
“The truth is that most of the writing that is coming out now is not of a great quality,” Anderson said. “You have to find the good pieces in the river of junk. Maybe China Grove can be a place for people to sort through literature without having to go through that river of junk.”
Because the committee tries to publish works of a certain standard, the selection process for China Grove is very competitive.
The pieces for China Grove are selected by a committee of editors. If a candidate receives three of the four votes from the editors, they are automatically published in the literary journal. Most candidates only receive two votes. After candidates with three votes are selected, then the candidates with two votes are considered for publishing.
“The challenge with China Grove is moving forward because we set such a high standard with the first issue,” Anderson said. “The first one was excellent. It will be hard to top its success.”
Currently, Anderson and Lampton are putting together the February issue. It normally takes two months to make literary selections and to put together China Grove.
Students around campus are excited about the next issues of China Grove.
“I think that this will be a wonderful opportunity for fresh writers to gain experience and much needed exposure,” said freshman journalism major Leah Gibson.
Freshman pre-pharmacy major Kristen Black also said the journal was a beneficial endeavor.
“I think it is great that the doctors are creating a literary journal to showcase and help improve the talents of emerging writers,” she said.
China Grove is expected to become quarterly in 2015. Two issues of the literary journal will be published in 2014. In addition, both paper and electronic versions of China Grove will become available to the public. Currently, only the paper version is offered.
In the future, China Grove will also be awarding prizes for the best submissions.
The Ellen Gilchrist Prize for Short Fiction will be awarded for the first time in August of 2014. There will also be a China Grove Prize for Outstanding Poetry awarded in the fall of 2015. Both prizes are worth $2,000.
All three issues of China Grove can be bought at the official website www.Chinagrovepress.com. In addition, the first issue is currently being sold at Square Books.
