BOONE, N.C. — Cold Mountain Review (CMR), the longest-running continuous publication at Appalachian State University and one of the oldest college literary journals in the country, is celebrating 50 years in 2022.

Published annually by App State’s Department of English, CMR publishes work that is informed by and attempts to engage with eco-justice and social justice issues and experiences. The journal welcomes work from both established and unpublished contributors of all backgrounds and identities, including those who have been historically underrepresented by the traditional publishing industry.

Since its inception, the journal has navigated many changes, namely a conversion from a print to an online format in 2020 to conserve resources and contribute to reducing the university’s carbon footprint.

Earlier this year, CMR debuted Cold Mountain Press — a new wing that will produce one book of prose and one book of poetry annually through the Cold Mountain Press Book Contest. In May, CMR released volume 50, the 2022 Special Issue on Identity, which featured a book review, creative nonfiction, fiction, interviews, poetry and visual art from a diverse collection of creators.

CMR was founded in 1972 by Rod “R.T.” Smith ’75, a Department of English alumnus and the recipient of the 2016–17 College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Alumni Award, in collaboration with his cohorts Donald Secreast ’72, Jo Anne Eskridge and Charles Frazier ’75. The journal was named after Gary Snyder’s translations of poems by Chinese poet Han-Shan, whose name, in English, means “Cold Mountain.”

Today, CMR remains a collaborative effort, co-edited by Department of English associate professor Mark Powell and lecturer Katy Abrams, with graduate assistant Jessie Gada ’19, of Mooresville, serving as the journal’s assistant editor and associate professor Zackary Vernon serving as nonfiction editor.

For more information about CMR, including how to submit work electronically for the journal’s 2023 issue, visit coldmountainreview.org.

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App State’s Cold Mountain Review relies on donations, grants and subscriptions to remain viable. Tax-deductible contributions can be made via the Appalachian State University Foundation, Inc.

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About the Department of English

The Department of English at Appalachian State University is committed to outstanding work in the classroom, the support and mentorship of students, and a dynamic engagement with culture, history, language, theory and literature. The department offers master’s degrees in English and rhetoric and composition, as well as undergraduate degrees in literary studies, film studies, creative writing, professional writing and English education. Learn more at https://english.appstate.edu.

About the College of Arts and Sciences

The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) at Appalachian State University is home to 17 academic departments, two centers and one residential college. These units span the humanities and the social, mathematical and natural sciences. CAS aims to develop a distinctive identity built upon our university's strengths, traditions and locations. The college’s values lie not only in service to the university and local community, but through inspiring, training, educating and sustaining the development of its students as global citizens. More than 6,800 student majors are enrolled in the college. As the college is also largely responsible for implementing App State’s general education curriculum, it is heavily involved in the education of all students at the university, including those pursuing majors in other colleges. Learn more at https://cas.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.