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Lunch Ticket is a production of the Antioch University Los Angeles MFA in Creative Writing program.

Masthead

Issue 13: Summer/Fall 2018

Brian Cirmo, The Weight, 2015, Oil on Canvas, 48''x36''

The Weight by Brian Cirmo

Editor-in-Chief: Jessica Abughattas
Managing Editor: Melissa Benton Barker
Associate Managing Editors: Adrian Ibarra, Korilynn Kessler
Staff Advisor:
Natalie Truhan
Faculty Advisors:
Steve Heller, Bernadette Murphy
Faculty Translation Advisor:
Daniel Bellm
Web Designer & Consultant:
Sky Esser / GoodWebWorks

Blog Editor: Meredith Arena
Bloggers: Tim Cummings, Diane Gottlieb, Noel Ortega, Jerry Parent, Nikki San Pedro, Jesus Sierra, Lily Semel

Interview Editor: Melissa Benton Barker
Interviewers: Andrea Auten, Shaneka Jones Cook, Korilynn Kessler, Jennifer Mahoney, Jesus Sierra

Marketing and Communications Manager: Adrian Ibarra
Outreach Supervisor: Jahzerah Brooks
Outreach Team: Lily Caraballo, Christy Garvey, Alexis McCadney
Social Media Team: Jessica Abughattas, Donielle Shepard, Christine Waloszczyk
Graphic Design Team: Christy Garvey, Alexis McCadney, Jordan Nakamura

Web Team Manager: Korilynn Kessler
Associate Manager: Sara Voigt
Assistants: Christy Garvey, Kristina Ortiz

Proof Edit Manager: Sara Voigt
Assistant: Amanda Lopez

Genre Editors:

  • Amuse-Bouche Spotlight: Andrea Auten
  • Creative Nonfiction: Nikki San Pedro, Lily Semel
  • Diana Woods Memorial Award: Mary Birnbaum
  • Fiction: Jahzerah Brooks
  • Flash Prose: Jerry Parent
  • Gabo Prize: Jennifer Mahoney
  • Poetry: Brennan DeFrisco
  • Translation: Jennifer Mahoney
  • Visual Art: Tyler Pierce
  • YA/Young Adult: Kristina Ortiz

Assistant Editors:

  • Amuse-Bouche: Brennan DeFrisco, Jesus Sierra, Cristina Van Orden
  • Creative Nonfiction: Malia Gaffney, Diane Gottlieb, Rossana Perez
  • Diana Woods Memorial Award: April Brucker, Alexis McCadney, Nikki San Pedro, Lily Semel
  • Fiction: Tyler Pierce, Yvonne de la Cruz Sanchez, Christine Waloszczyk
  • Flash Prose: Erica Floyd, Chanel Salazar, David Thibodeaux
  • Gabo Prize: Adrian Ibarra, Rossana Perez
  • Poetry: Barbara Fant, John C. Fitzsimmons, Amanda Lopez, Garuda Love, Jordan Nakamura, Dorothy Winslow
  • Translation: Adrian Ibarra, Rossana Perez
  • Visual Art: Malia Gaffney, Jordan Nakamura, Cristina Van Orden
  • YA/Young Adult: Tim Cummings, Noel Ortega, Shanay Russell, Adri Sdao

MFA Program Chair: Steve Heller
MFA Faculty and Staff: Victoria Chang, Howie Davidson, Bernadette Murphy, Natalie Truhan

Lunch Ticket Staff

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Genre Archive

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  • Lunch Specials
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Friday Lunch Blog

Friday Lunch! A serving of contemporary essays published the second Friday of every month.

Today’s course:

The Many Drafts of My (Writing) Life

September 4, 2026/in Blog / Caren McDonald
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Headshot_Caren-McDonald-scaled.jpg 2560 2048 Caren McDonald https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Caren McDonald2026-09-04 12:05:032026-09-02 15:06:55The Many Drafts of My (Writing) Life

A Love Like No Other

August 7, 2026/in Blog / Claudia Vaughan
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Headshot_Claudia-Vaughan.jpg 1641 1440 Claudia Vaughan https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Claudia Vaughan2026-08-07 12:05:092026-08-05 11:29:19A Love Like No Other

Being A Girl is Hard

November 28, 2025/in Blog / Shawn Elliott
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https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Headshot_Shawn-Elliott_1500x2000.jpeg 2000 1500 Shawn Elliott https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Shawn Elliott2025-11-28 11:00:252025-12-11 17:48:50Being A Girl is Hard

More Friday Lunch Blog »

Midnight Snack

Take a bite out of these late night obsessions.

Tonight’s bites:

The Lilac and The Housefly: A Tale of Tortured Romanticism

October 24, 2025/in Midnight Snack / Nikki Mae Howard
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Headshot_Nikki-Howard_1770x2000.jpg 2000 1770 Nikki Mae Howard https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Nikki Mae Howard2025-10-24 23:55:032025-10-20 10:59:03The Lilac and The Housefly: A Tale of Tortured Romanticism

Dig Into Genre

May 23, 2025/in Midnight Snack / Lauren Howard
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Lauren-Howard-credit-Terril-Neely-scaled-773x1030-1.jpg 1030 773 Lauren Howard https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Lauren Howard2025-05-23 23:59:492025-06-17 18:29:02Dig Into Genre

The dreams in which I’m (not) dying

April 25, 2025/in Midnight Snack / paparouna
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/paparouna-photo.jpeg 960 720 paparouna https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png paparouna2025-04-25 23:55:312025-08-14 16:18:41The dreams in which I’m (not) dying

More Midnight Snacks »

Amuse-Bouche

Little bites every third Friday to whet your appetite!

Today’s plate:

Tulip Garden

August 28, 2026/in Amuse-Bouche / Cassandra Baliga
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/CassandraBaliga.jpg 640 438 Cassandra Baliga https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Cassandra Baliga2026-08-28 12:01:202026-08-10 13:01:09Tulip Garden

“Live from the 054 bus in Athens” and “Violanta Biscuit Factory Blast”

August 14, 2026/in Amuse-Bouche / Athena Melliar
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Athena.jpg 1122 688 Athena Melliar https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Athena Melliar2026-08-14 12:05:312026-08-10 12:58:55“Live from the 054 bus in Athens” and “Violanta Biscuit Factory Blast”

Till Death

May 15, 2026/in Amuse-Bouche, Translation / Lorea Canales, translated by Lia Galván
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/galvan_headshot_translator-scaled.jpg 2560 1887 Lorea Canales, translated by Lia Galván https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Lorea Canales, translated by Lia Galván2026-05-15 12:01:552026-04-30 16:34:25Till Death

More Amuse-Bouche »

School Lunch

An occasional Wednesday series dishing up today’s best youth writers.

Today’s slice:

I’ve Stayed in the Front Yard

May 12, 2021/in School Lunch, School Lunch 2021 / Brendan Nurczyk
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SL-Insta-Brendan-Nurczyk-2.png 1500 1500 Brendan Nurczyk https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Brendan Nurczyk2021-05-12 10:18:392022-02-01 13:24:05I’ve Stayed in the Front Yard

A Communal Announcement

April 28, 2021/in School Lunch, School Lunch 2021 / Isabella Dail
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SL-FB-Isabella-Dail.png 788 940 Isabella Dail https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Isabella Dail2021-04-28 11:34:132021-04-28 11:34:13A Communal Announcement

Seventeen

April 14, 2021/in School Lunch, School Lunch 2021 / Abigail E. Calimaran
Read more
https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SL-Insta-Abigail-E.-Calimaran.png 1080 1080 Abigail E. Calimaran https://lunchticket.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/lunch-ticket-logo-white-text-only.png Abigail E. Calimaran2021-04-14 11:22:062021-04-14 11:22:06Seventeen

More School Lunch »

Word From the Editor

Readers,

On December 23rd, 2024, I lost a dear friend of mine, Valerie Goldstein. She was a fellow teacher and writer, and she spent her young adult life being a voice for change. Valerie had organized protests, and her dream was to get into educational policy. When I heard the news of her death, I was grief-stricken. She was so full of life and happiness, and I thought that the world had lost another good one.

More from the current editor »
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