The September issue of THE CHESTNUT is out - with an announcement...

“If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored. One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things.”

― Henry Miller, Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch

I went on a journey this summer, a journey that made the concept of “the journey is the destination,” come alive in me. It’s true for life, this meaning - if you just look at life as a journey everything becomes a bit simpler. Live, - and never stop living, don’t stagnate and then go spend some time by the sea. If there is anything life has taught me lately, it’s that and that is a bit what the story in this issue of THE CHESTNUT is all about, but before we get into that I have a not so small announcement.

It makes me a bit sad to have to do this, but it still makes sense in the larger scheme of things. THE CHESTNUT was, when I started it exactly a year ago, something wonderful to make a bullet out of my short stories, instead of keeping the slingshot I had been using before (forgive my poor metaphor). Now I have new powers running through my veins and so I need to re-focus yet again, make my stories even sharper and so while this is not the last issue of THE CHESTNUT, it might be the last one for a while. When I feel I have a short story that would be perfect for it, I promise I will make a new issue and if I know myself right those will come, somewhat regularly too, but I will no longer be promising one issue a month. Instead I will let the stories come and if they fit THE CHESTNUT (and belong in here and not somewhere else) I will make a new issue. I am sorry if this saddens anyone but me.

The story in this issue is a CINDERELLA story. I wrote this before I set on my trip to California and when I got back I rewrote it a little, sharpened it a bit and changed the ending quite a lot. This is a Cinderella story like you have never read before, and it seems fitting to put it out as the nights start to become longer and the weather gets colder. Fitting to make it the one that changes the future of this zine as it is a story of change and of resilience, …I hope.

I want to thank you who have stuck with THE CHESTNUT for doing so, for inspiring me to continue and I hope you will keep on checking in from time to time. I will be sure to do the same and though it will be irregular, it will hopefully be better for it. You will be sure to get a notification through Facebook if you follow THE CHESTNUT there.

I hope you’ve had a great summer and that the fall will bring you great tasting hot chocolate and cozy, warm sweaters!