Table of Contents: Issue 5 – Roadrunner Review

Note: all genre editors also participated as part of the broader editorial board to make final selections in fiction, flash fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art.

Poetry editor Oliver Brainerd has been writing for most of his life, and some of them have even been good. He’s interested in understanding how the publishing industry works from the inside, because of a deep-seated drive to get writers paid. When he isn’t writing or otherwise obsessing about stories, Oliver likes learning about subjects that he barely understands, like quantum mechanics.

Poetry editor Symonne Burkart is a sophomore at MSU Denver pursuing a degree in English. A fan of poetry and the emotion and challenge it presents, she joined the editorial team to get practice in editing, as editing and publishing is a career she would love to engage in. In her free time, she likes to learn about philosophy and the human experience, play tennis, and dance to live music.

Fiction editor Erynn Fifield will be earning her Bachelor’s degree in English and History, with a particular passion for medieval studies, in Spring 2023. When she is not composing essays, she spends her time reading and writing fantasy and horror fiction, painting, horror films, a wide variety of video games, and DnD. Upon graduation, she aims to dedicate more time to her writing, and may even attempt to publish her own works.

Poetry editor Misty Kicklighter is a senior at MSU Denver, majoring in English with a film minor. When she is not in school, she is ringleader to her circus of three boys and two fuzzy cats, or teaching her elementary students new ways to learn outside the box. She has a passion for learning and experiencing new things. Travel and any form of art make her happy; she will never turn down tickets to the opera! Her motto is: it’s never too late to start something new, don’t ever settle—keep learning. You can rest when you’re dead!

I live in a world of words. I believe they are one of the most dynamic forces in the universe with the power to create or destroy. I’m a student, a writer, a mother, a wife, and an estate planning paralegal, so I understand the importance of choosing and using words wisely. I am honored to have played a part in shaping and curating this edition of the Roadrunner Review. When I’m not studying, working, reading, or writing, I can be found bingeing the latest Star Trek creation or playing in the mountains with my husband and three children. — Megan McLean, Creative Nonfiction editor

Creative Nonfiction editor Erika Slatten is a fourth year student at MSU Denver. She is a Sports Management major. Her goal is to find a way to incorporate baseball and writing in her future job. She is a huge Dodgers fan and attends the Rockies game every time they are in town playing each other but loves going to Rockies games even when they aren’t playing the Dodgers. When she isn’t at a baseball game she can be found writing and relaxing with her pit-bull/boxer mix Daisy.

Flash Fiction editor Alyssa Williams is a Senior at MSU Denver pursuing her degree in English and film studies. Alyssa is a hobby horticulturist with a passion for feline welfare and the written word. Alyssa has a deep appreciation for the power of storytelling in film and loves to indulge in the magic of cinema.

Fiction editor Austin Williams is a third year English and Philosophy student at Metropolitan State University of Denver. Austin is passionate about the written word in the way that it experiments with our language as well as what these experimentations say about the world around us. Austin hopes to be a professional writer and complete an MFA in Creative Writing when the time comes.

Flash Fiction editor Rae’Kwon Willis is a junior at MSU Denver. He is an English major with a concentration in secondary education with a minor in Africana studies. After he graduate, he plans on becoming a teacher. He wants to teach in the Denver area. He hopes to be part of a change that uplifts students who are traditionally underserved and left behind in our educational system. Besides teaching, his passion is writing. He grew up watching his dad write a book, and he been in love with writing since then.

Cover Art: Jacob Kemple

Faculty Advisors: Dr. J Eric Miller and Dr. Cynthia Kuhn

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