Cover: Photo (c) J. G. Betts. Snow-covered bench in Devon garden
Here comes the last LUPO of a turbulent 2019, a digital stocking crammed with intriguing and idiosyncratic offerings from voices old and new located all over the globe. There are pheasants, bears, frogs, rats, elephants, cheetahs, puffinurkeys and other strange fowl, as well as observations on ailments, careers, debt, Doc Martens, language, landings, life, light verse, love, lunacy and streakers, along with various flights of fantasy. In addition to the usual assemblages of brief encounters, there is a special Interval or Pen for an invasion of assorted canines, singing, whistling, and reprehensibly reeking, not to mention arguing with a rather superior cat.
Displaying their gifts in the Intervals are Damian Balassone, Michael Beadle, Jerome Betts, Jane Blanchard, Patricia Bradley, Susan Jarvis Bryant, John Briscoe, Terese Coe, Pat D’Amico, Graham Denby, Martin Elster, Richard Fleming, Peter Goulding, Max Gutmann, Robin Helweg-Larsen, Elizabeth Horrocks, Phil Huffy, Tonia Kalouria, Mandy Macdonald, Bruce McGuffin, Colin McKim, L. A. Mereoie, Leslie Monsour, Chris O’Carroll, Tony Peyser, Ellen Dooling Reynard, R.D. Ronstad, Shikhandin, George Simmers, Susan de Sola, Alex Steelsmith, Terry Tosh, Mark Totterdell, Peter Wallis, Robert West, Richard Westcott and Gail White.
Emerging triumphant from encounters with Daphne du Maurier and Thomas Hardy in Competition 47 is the select deft-fingered troupe of D. A. Prince, Joanna Bird, Julia Griffin, L.A. Mereoie, Karen Petersen, Ed Shacklee, Alex Steelsmith and Gail White.
Finally, nineteen new voices add to the seasonal ensemble for the first time, namely Michael Beadle, John Briscoe, Graham Denby, Ivanka Fear, Richard Fleming, Alexandra Josephy, Tonia Kalouria, Oscar Kenshur, Peggy Landsman, Mary Macdonald, Colin McKim, Leslie Monsour, Dan Morey, Karen Petersen, Ellen Dooling Reynard, R.D. Ronstad, Shikhandin, Terry Tosh, and Peter Wallis.
A warm welcome to them, coupled with greetings to the returning stalwarts, and, despite the looming shadow twelve days away, best wishes for the coming year to all contributors and readers.
