"That Which is Ingrained." A Chat With Allison Blevins, Editor of museum of americana

Editor of Americana-themed lit mag takes us into the world of her magazine

Our first interview of 2022 has wrapped!

Today I had the pleasure of speaking with Allison Blevins, Editor of museum of americana. This is an online magazine that publishes fiction, flash fiction, nonfiction, poetry, reviews, interviews, art and music. They seek work “that examines, revives, or repurposes the old, the dying, the forgotten, or the almost entirely unknown aspects of Americana.”

If you’re like me, “Americana” makes you think of antique stores, bluegrass music and the rolling hills of Virginia. Or something along those lines. Allison and I spent some time talking about this popular idea, and how her magazine aims to do more. museum of americana not only wants to look back in celebration toward the American past, but also with a critical lens.

To this end, Allison and the editors are actively seeking work from writers of color and from marginalized communities. They occasionally solicit work in order to ensure a greater variety of voices appear in the pages of the magazine. In this magazine, Allison explained, American history ought to be “held up to the light.”

How do you know if your piece is Americana-y enough for this journal? Read past issues of course. Also, says Allison, if your piece is set in America, if it deals on some level with a sense of place and/or American identity, if it has something to say about the American experience, then it’s worth a try.

In addition to editing the journal, Allison is a poet, adjunct professor at two different colleges, and home-schooling mom of three. Naturally, we talked about burnout and how she juggles so many different demands. Allison was lovely enough to open up about her experiences, and to talk about how our new zoom-based lifestyle has actually opened up new possibilities for her.

She also gave some fantastic advice about writing and submitting. Such as…? You’ll have to watch the video to find out!

museum of americana is open for submissions in April, August and December. Issues are published in summer, fall and winter. All submissions are free.

Thank you to everyone who came out today to participate. Your beautiful New Year faces bring me such joy!

And, of course, thank you to Allison for taking the time to peel back the curtain of another fabulous little magazine.

Happy viewing!