Touchstones is Utah Valley University’s premier bi-annual publication for poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, drama, and visual art. The journal’s first issue was published in the fall of 1997, under the direction of Dr. Laura Hamblin. Since then, the scope and breadth of the journal has increased dramatically.

As Editor in Chief, I sought to distinguish the Fall 2020 issue first by giving it a theme that would determine how the collection was curated, then by making the journal accessible online. Neither had been done before. Through the combined creative efforts of my editorial staff, the theme chosen for the Fall 2020 issue was “In Crisis, In Communion: We Were Here.”

During an unprecedented time, my principal goals as Editor in Chief were fourfold: Attend to the current historical moment, provide my staff with clear creative vision and direction, highlight diverse perspectives in the journal, and ultimately, provide readers with solace and connection. Follow the link below to read the issue.