Each year, after the previous year's issue is on its way, I publish a notice outlets inviting articles, creative writing pieces, and art to be submitted for consideration in the next issue. There is always a deadline. A few pieces arrive by the deadline. I end up taking pieces almost up until the time it is ready to go to editorial board for final review. A strange thing happens in those last weeks as the material arrives.
Themes emerge on their own.
One article unknowingly complements another. A flow of ideas from one submission to another becomes apparent. In this way the journal seems to piece itself together. My job becomes one of smoothing out the transitions and getting the final product to the printer. This is especially the case with this issue of Umanid t .