Dear Reader,

Welcome to The Bloomin’ Onion’s fourth issue—Issue Four: Outsiders.

It’s officially been over two years since we began accepting submissions, and so much has happened in that time: staff has come and gone, we’ve expanded into longform and poetry (having started with short fiction only), experienced social media drama, held our first contest, and started an internship program. It’s a lot for two years—but we’re only getting started.

The “outsiders” theme came to me quickly this time around, as the work we were accepting as early as February 2026 fit the mold perfectly. This collection includes both new and veteran writers, as is our calling card, and we’re especially happy that is the case this time. Just as The Bloomin’ Onion came onto the scene in September 2024 and started doing things, so too are these authors. Keep an eye on them in the future. I personally also view this collection as some good social commentary. It was thrilling to be able to read such good work by some really young people who clearly see the world for what it is. This, to me, is one of the best parts of reading: You get to see things through the eyes of others, experience things in new ways, and see the world differently.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful collection of art and will consider submitting your work to us in the future!

Sounding my Barbaric Yawp,

Daniel Groves