"Finding Something That is Surprising." A Chat With Amanda Scott, Editor of Porter House Review

Journal editor takes us inside her new and award-winning online mag

One more editor interview is in the books, friends.

When I first heard of Porter House Review I thought of beer. Something dark, earthy and pleasingly heavy on the palette.

Today, though, the delightful Amanda Scott set me straight (while kindly assuring me I’m not the only one to make that connection). In today’s interview, Amanda shared the origin story of the magazine, which is based out of Texas State University and is, in fact, a tribute to the writer Katherine Anne Porter.

Amanda shared many other interesting gems about this magazine. Porter House Review has been around for three years and is published online. The journal was a recipient of The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses’ Best Debut Literary Magazine. They seek work that reflects our life experiences, which is to say, messy, complicated, occasionally non-linear and not easily resolved.

I questioned Amanda about how the journal gives a fair shake to older writers when the journal’s readers are made up of MFA students. Amanda did a great job breaking down the screening process of submissions, which includes paying attention to cover letters, considering writers’ backgrounds, and aiming for a diversity of representation in both who is published and who they seek to reach as the journal’s audience.

This magazine has a grueling publishing schedule. They publish every week! Porter House Review publishes fiction, nonfiction, poetry, interviews, reviews and a “field notes blog.” They are open for submissions now.

Additionally, they are always open for pitches for the blog. They are also open to bringing on new readers. If you’d like to write something Field Notes or to be considered as a reader, you can contact Amanda here: PHR_Editor@txstate.edu.

To all who came out today to participate, thank you for attending! Your faces always make me smile.

And thank you to Amanda Scott for taking the time today to peel back the curtain of another exciting little magazine.

Happy viewing!