Editor’s Note

Welcome to the Albany / Troy / Upstate NY issue of Hobo Camp Review! I’ve wanted to do a hometown issue for a while, but it has never been more prescient to do so, at least from a personal standpoint. When I moved back to the Albany area not long ago, I didn’t know what kind of lit scene I would find, especially after being used to NYC’s continual string of readings, signings, talks, workshops, and conferences. But I’m elated by what I discovered.

Albany, Troy, and the surrounding area have far more happening than one might think. From surrealist poetry/film mash-ups hosted at local art galleries to cozy salon readings featuring local and far-flung writers visiting the area, from Monday night readings in Troy’s trending downtown to monthly gatherings in pubs, dive bars, and churches all over the map, there is rarely a lack of something literary to do on any given week, with artists, musicians, poets, comedians, and thespians galore.

This issue is the smallest of fractions of the talent I’ve witnessed in the area, with whole circles of writers and reading regulars I haven’t come close to meeting. But I hope it affords you a fascinating and inspiring cross-section of what the Capital Region offers, and that you enjoy the poems, interviews, art, comedy, and reviews in this issue. It’s nice to be home, and it’s even better to see it thriving.

See you down the road…

James H Duncan

Editor