Editor's Note
Philosophical thought buoying through the medium of literature need not necessarily be high brow or even inaccessible; and the works in the first issue of SSL stand testimony to it. If there is one word that could sum up all the works selected here, it would be 'simplicity' - simplicity of language, and simplicity of rendering thought through that language.
When I first put out an open call for fiction and poetry that had philosophical quests at their heart, I tried to approach it without many pre-conceived notions of what I could expect. Death, love, art, history, feminism, space and time, religion, undercurrents of politics were all expected and are glimpsed in the works. A pleasant surprise for me was that the submissions of poetry far surpassed that of fiction; considering the theme of the magazine, I had somehow expected to receive more prose work with characters and plots dealing with life's questions. Another surprise was the brevity of the fiction pieces that were received.
And what a joy it has been to revel in the ease and the clearness of lines; and the layered profundity that can be contained in a soulful combination of 7 to 8 words or in works that seem unassuming at the outset was what has stayed with me.
I am proud and delighted to present nine writers from various walks of life and various stages in their career in this issue.
There is much on offer here for all. I do hope you enjoy reading their lines and thoughts as much as I did, and take back something precious to carry in your mind for a while.
ANVI PRABHU
Editor, Soul Sauce London
When I first put out an open call for fiction and poetry that had philosophical quests at their heart, I tried to approach it without many pre-conceived notions of what I could expect. Death, love, art, history, feminism, space and time, religion, undercurrents of politics were all expected and are glimpsed in the works. A pleasant surprise for me was that the submissions of poetry far surpassed that of fiction; considering the theme of the magazine, I had somehow expected to receive more prose work with characters and plots dealing with life's questions. Another surprise was the brevity of the fiction pieces that were received.
And what a joy it has been to revel in the ease and the clearness of lines; and the layered profundity that can be contained in a soulful combination of 7 to 8 words or in works that seem unassuming at the outset was what has stayed with me.
I am proud and delighted to present nine writers from various walks of life and various stages in their career in this issue.
There is much on offer here for all. I do hope you enjoy reading their lines and thoughts as much as I did, and take back something precious to carry in your mind for a while.
ANVI PRABHU
Editor, Soul Sauce London