Amaranth is AACC’s annually published journal of literature and the arts. Since 1984, students have published their poems, stories, screenplays, photography and artwork. This year marks the 50th edition, and the following letter from the editor reflects on the journal’s history, the creative work that goes into each issue and the impact "Amaranth" has on the campus community. The letter offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the journal is made and why it matters. If you enjoy writing, art or reading great student work, we invite you to check it out. The full journal is available upon request.
Letter from the Editor
In the very first edition of "Amaranth," published in the spring of 1984, then Editor-in-Chief Margo Mase Thiele wrote: “An amaranth is a legendary undying or unfading flower, exactly our hopes for this unique publication of Anne Arundel Community College.” It brings me immense joy to say that their vision for this journal has carried on throughout 41 years and 50 fantastic editions.
I first joined "Amaranth" as a staff member for Volume 48, and I fell in love with the work we do here. I climbed up the ranks, becoming Managing Editor for Volume 49, and now hold the great honor of being the Editor-in-Chief for the historic Volume 50. Over these three wonderful years, my favorite part of each week has been the hour or two (or three) spent pouring over my peers’ work alongside the staff. Each piece we that anonymously review allows us to facilitate discussions about our interpretations of the work, if and how it moves us, and our opinions of them. It is incredibly rare for us to all agree on how we feel about any particular piece, with discussions lasting as long as 30 minutes when they’re really contentious. What we gain from these conversations isn’t just coming to a decision on whether or not we will accept a piece, however. I believe that we also gain more insight into writing and creating our own art than a simple workshop could ever provide.
Learning from the work of professional writers and artists is certainly a necessary and often exciting aspect of studying the arts. Their work always seems perfect, though, in a way that can make you feel like you’ll never be able to compare. Often times, it’s been workshopped, proofread, or hand-selected by other professionals in their field. On the other hand, the work submitted to "Amaranth" is by students for students and seeing just how good it can be is inspiring. Through our discussions, we learn more about our likes, dislikes, and our loves, we broaden our perspectives through careful consideration of dissenting opinions, and we fall in love with the work of our peers. Furthermore, the anonymous submission process provides staff members with the unique opportunity to hear the rawest feedback on their work possible. Altogether, being a part of "Amaranth" has been an invaluable experience for me—and for many others—to grow.
During my time as Managing Editor, I went through our collection of previous editions and became curious about the very first editorial staff. Though I wasn’t able to find much about the other staff members, I did come across the obituary of Margo Mase Thiele, who passed away in 2020, and I found myself quite emotional. It mentions that she founded "Amaranth," and that it still runs to this day. I remember re-reading her editor’s note, then her obituary again, and then her piece on the very last page of the journal, titled “Remembering ‘Mom.’” As it turns out, the first edition of "Amaranth" was dedicated to a faculty member who had passed away, Diane “Mom” Phelps. After discovering this rich history behind our beloved journal, it feels right to dedicate Volume 50 of "Amaranth" to Margo.
Though I never had the chance to meet her, Margo Mase Thiele seems to be a legendary undying, fading flower herself. Alongside being a writer, a mother, grandmother, and a wife of over 50 years to her loving husband Dick Thiele, her obituary states: “Margo trained to be a Stephen Minister, offering love and support to women in crisis. She spent her summers doting on her grandchildren, Erin, Richard, Lauren, and Ryan. She loved to tend the flowers that encircled her house. She was an excellent cook and gracious hostess to all who knew her. She greeted everyone she met with a warm smile. When asked how she was doing, her response was ‘PRACTICALLY FABULOUS!’ After the grandchildren grew up, Margo and Dick explored the Chesapeake in their sailboat ‘Margos.’ They traveled by sea and air as far west as Taipei and as far east as Rome.” I sincerely thank Margo for her everlasting contribution to our community. She, and her work as the very first Editor-in-Chief, will continue to live on through the publication of "Amaranth."
As we sought to honor Margo and the history of "Amaranth," we found inspiration within the design of the first edition. We have returned from the smaller, book-style of recent editions to the original 8 ½” by 11” magazine-style for Volume 50. Additionally, we were very partial to the double-column formatting of short stories, their usage of doodles to accompany written work, and the overall “zine” feel that the first edition had. We also took inspiration from the rest of our "Amaranth" collection, seen in details like our all-red pages and the usage of consistent colors and motifs throughout. New to this edition are our themed spreads and our scans, in which we have gone outside of Adobe InDesign to add our own artistic flare—either digitally or through physical means.
I want to thank each and every Anne Arundel Community College student and alum who submitted this year. Without your amazing contributions, "Amaranth" wouldn’t be possible. I am also immensely grateful to Professor Ward for leading us as our faculty advisor. His gentle guidance and support has given us the space to dream of what "Amaranth" could be and to grow as writers and artists. Thank you to our sensational staff for exceeding every expectation I ever had for this journal, especially to our talented graphic designer, Mara Austin, and to our diligent jack-of-all-trades and Managing Editor, Tomi Brunton. Special thanks to Dr. Brown, the Creative Writing Coordinator for reigniting my passion for writing, encouraging me to join "Amaranth," and being a mentor to not only me, but to our whole staff. Lastly, I want to once again thank Margo Mase Thiele and all of the other founding members of "Amaranth," including Paige Willard, Paul Blaze, Elizabeth Howser, and former Faculty Advisor David Hilton.
Without further ado, I hope you enjoy Volume 50 of "Amaranth."
Best,
Zoë Sharp
Editor-in-Chief