LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

October 2, 2018, 8:17 PM I opened my notes app and began a list titled “words.” It begins with treacherous, prose, whisper, voluptuous. Words I heard in conversation and wrote down, usually following a “that’s a good one” comment. It was never about the definition, but the way it feels in your mouth as it crawls from your chest to the tip of your tongue and rests on your lips. I wanted to capture words that were physical, moldable and real. What better way to decide on my theme for Klipsun’s fall 2026 edition than go through this list?

Thirty-one words down, between “extrapolate” and “recapitulation” was “cusp.”

My pencil started moving before I knew what was happening. Out of me and into my composition book poured stories I needed to read. There’s a level of provocation I wanted to pull out of writers that we hadn’t touched on in years. How far were we willing to go? What is the cusp of reality? I wanted to find out.

I’ve spent most of my life feeling like I was on the precipice of something huge — butterflies in my stomach at the peak of the rollercoaster, I have prepared for a drop in any way I can. Instead of running from this feeling of uncertainty and anticipation, I learned through my wonderful staff that I need to plunge into the deep end. This edition is supposed to make you feel like you’re on the top of the world looking down.

What you’re about to read is striking and immeasurable. To be on the cusp is to be a raw edge and that is what we have here for you: unsanitized, unbridled truth. As humans, it’s natural to be afraid of change. We are creatures of habit, tending to our daily lives; we crave gentleness and routine. As I leave over a year of the ever-familiar Klipsun, I needed to subvert expectations.

On a late night in March while combing through the archives, I learned that in the 1970s, Klipsun had galleries within the magazine to showcase art and photography. This discovery, along with the incredibly talented team of creatives on staff, is why Klipsun opened submissions to artwork for the first time ever. We are proud to showcase four pieces.

Whether it’s moving out of the country or taking a new road home from the grocery store, I wish you luck and joy in your endeavors. Thank you to the writers, who pushed themselves to bring something spectacular to this edition. Thank you to Abby Milton and Allie Van Parys for our last-minute late night editing sessions. Thank you to my staff, who gave what they could, when they could — your passion is inspiring. Thank you to the artists who tried something new with me to see if it would work. Thank you to our audience for loving art and voice enough to open this edition.

Let’s go on this rollercoaster together. I present to you, Klipsun fall 2026: Cusp.

With butterflies in my stomach,