Whitefish Review launches 'Crossroads' issue

Whitefish Review will celebrate the publication of its 30th issue, “Crossroads,” on Friday, May 9, with an event featuring Lee Stockdale, the winner of the 2025 Montana Prize for Humor and Mark Schoenfeld, a Missoula writer, educator and storyteller. Cassidy Randall, will read from her new book, “Thirty Below.” 

“We are at a crossroads in our society in many regards,” said Brian Schott, founding editor of Whitefish Review. “Artists, writers, poets, and musicians can help lead the call for a new narrative outside the current political arena, where many people feel helpless and afraid.” 

The thirtieth issue features 26 writers and artists selected from hundreds of submissions from across the globe. Special features include the work of Montana ceramic artists Adrian Arleo and Stephen Braun. Photographs by Panamanian Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Essdras M Suarez and Belgian-based photographer Kenny Deuss are also featured. 

The celebration will take place at 101 Central Ave. in Whitefish. Live music by Nick Spear begins during cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m., accompanied by a rotating slideshow of Adrian Arleo’s ceramic work. Spear’s songs draw from American folk to contemporary music, weaving an intricate tapestry of storytelling. Arleo’s sculptures combine human, animal, and natural imagery to create an emotional and poetic power. Readings start at 8:00 p.m. The evening will also be livestreamed on Whitefish Review’s YouTube channel. 

Cassidy Randall is the author of the new survival epic “Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women’s Ascent of Denali.” She details the 1970 expedition when Alaskan doctor and mountaineer Grace Hoeman led a team of six women in the first all-female attempt to summit Denali.  

Mark Schoenfeld is a recovering middle school English teacher from Missoula and a born-again agnostic, who will be reading from his essay, “What Would Jed Do?” Before spending over a decade as an educator, Schoenfeld worked as a public radio host, screen printer, youth pastor and window washer.  

Lee Stockdale won The Montana Prize for Humor by Molly McNearney, the executive producer and co-head writer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Stockdale has won the United Kingdom National Poetry Prize and the Sidney Lanier Poetry Prize, and his work has appeared in The Poetry Review and The Guardian.  

The cover of “Crossroads” is a visionary painting of a major wildlife crossing bridge by Montana artist Monte Dolack. 

The evening is sponsored by The Whitefish Community Foundation, Whitefish Credit Union, 101 Central, Underscore Art, and Averill Hospitality. A $10 entry donation is suggested to support the nonprofit journal. The Firebrand Hotel is offering a 30% discount with their “Friends in the 406” deal. Check their website for details.  

For more information, visit www.whitefishreview.org.