After twenty years at Ashland University in Ohio, River Teeth will now be housed in the Department of English at Ball State University.

What is River Teeth?

River Teeth is a portfolio of literary editing projects anchored by one of the top literary nonfiction magazines in the country. It includes a bi-annual, print magazine (River Teeth: A Journal of Nonfiction Narrative), a weekly online magazine (Beautiful Things), and a nonfiction book contest with an annual winner published by the University of New Mexico Press.

Founding editors of River Teeth Joe Mackall and Dan Lehman wished to find a new home for the literary journal after their retirement from teaching at Ashland University.

Why Ball State?

The two approached Ball State Professors Jill Christman and Mark Neely with an offer for the university to adopt the magazine and all associated projects. The Department of English and the College of Sciences and Humanities supported the adoption with Christman and Neely as Senior Editors and Professor Todd McKinney as the Managing Editor.

That’s how Ball State University became the official institutional home for River Teeth.

What will this mean for #bsuenglish?

“This acquisition is tantamount to a twenty-year acceleration of Ball State’s resources and reputation in creative writing, literary editing, and publishing,” Professor Christman remarked. “As educators, we recognize that we are presented with a unique opportunity for our students to practice hands-on skills in writing and publishing, contribute to a nationally ranked magazine, and thus earn the right to list this experience (and prestigious publication) on their resumes when they seek employment.”

River Teeth is entering its 21st year and will be publishing its 41st issue, 21.1, this upcoming fall. Their online affiliate, Beautiful Things, will continue its weekly publications, and the River Teeth Literary Nonfiction Book Contest will remain open to submissions from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31, 2019.

Want more information?

You can follow River Teeth on Facebook and Twitter.

You can read Joe Mackall’s letter about this transition on the River Teeth website, which will remain: www.riverteethjournal.com