Josh Storey Interview

Josh Storey graduated from Kent State's English Master's program in 2006. He now works for Autumn House Press as a special events coordinator and grant writer. He is founder and technology editor for Coal Hill Review, as seasonal online poetry journal. For the past year, he has worked as an associate administrator for Quantum Theatre, a nonprofit theatre company in Pittsburgh.

LW: What were your duties when you worked for the Wick Poetry Center?

JS: I began as the Wick Assistant and eventually became the Wick Fellow. My duties ranged from maintaining records and making reading fliers, to moving heavy boxes of books, to organizing poetry contests, to listening to renowned poets give amazing readings, to attending AWP conventions and to being exposed to wonderfully imaginative, innovative, amazing people.

LW: How did these prepare you for a job at a press?

JS: I used my experience with running poetry contests to initiate an online chapbook competition for coalhillreview.com. I should note, though, that I only volunteer at Autumn House. I work full time for Quantum Theatre, and every day, I use almost every single thing I learned about arts management from Wick. From every-day office work to organzing arts events and dinners to talking intelligently with artists of all sorts. All thanks to Wick.

LW: Can you talk about what a job as Special Events Coordinator for Autumn House Press entails?

JS: My role at Autumn House was, for a while, rather fluid, and as the Special Events Coordinator, I created the Young Poets Reading Series -- a sister series to AH's annual reading series that combined emerging poets with established poets. This goal eventually morphed into Coal Hill Review, which I helped found and edit. Now, I moving away from editing the Review (though I continue to be the technology advisor) and moving towards creating and maintaining a poetry blog for Coal Hill Review.

LW: Can you tell our readers a little about Coal Hill Review and how they can submit?

JS: As I said, Coal Hill Review is a place for emerging and established poets to come together and be published side-by-side. We have an open submission period going on right now, and our submission guidlines can be found at www.coalhillreview.com.

LW: Do you have any favorite Wick memories?

JS: Definitely David's orange pants. In all seriousness, I'd say my favorite Wick memories involve going to Ray's after readings. It was then that we could talk, one on one, with the poets we brought in, and getting to know them was always a great time.