Introduction
The Lives You Touch Publications began with the development of our online literature journal Touch: The Journal of Healing. This press evolved from our wish to publish the finest in the written word made available to us. Our poets and authors are very important to us, and we strive to present their words with respect and in the best possible light.
When we assemble each journal, we endeavor to create a flow of words that allow our readers to move through a natural progression of emotions and experiences. Each poet sings a story with his or her own unique voice, and when these many stories blend together, they form a chorus. When we as editors listen to the voices of these stories, we select those we believe will compliment each other, achieving a greater experience than if heard alone. It is in the blending of these voices where the song of each issue of Touch: The Journal of Healing is created.
There are also times when we as editors are exposed to exquisite craft in poetics. Poetry also allows us the ability to experience unique and powerful imagery. Such is the work of a weaver of words. When these weavers come to our attention, we invite them to create a tapestry of their words in the form of an individual chapbook.
We recognize that many people today have turned away from reading literature in print. With the rapid development of online poetry and literary publications and the use of digital publication devices, the world can now access the works of many talented poets and authors instantly. You may then wonder why we have chosen to produce print versions of our journal and create new chapbooks for poets. The one thing that an online journal cannot offer is the experience of holding the printed word in your hands. There is something special about the texture of a page as it slides between your fingers or the sound it makes as it is turned. There is something special about the smell of a book, and the appearance of words when they are printed on paper. These things just can’t be duplicated with a computer screen. It is for those of you who feel as we do, that we create these printed treasures.
Unless you are a poet or an author, you may not realize that the poems and prose contained in a chapbook reflect years of effort on the part of a writer. They represent numerous rewrites and edits, hours of honing the craft, and the stroking of and bargaining with a muse. It is because we understand and have experienced this that we undertake this labor of love - for the poet and writer in each of us.
The Editors,
O.P.W. Fredericks and Daniel Milbo