The word "kenning" refers to a metaphorical name for something—two nouns, neither one the name for the object, identifying that same object. An example of a kenning is the phrase “world-candle” which refers to the sun in the old English epic Beowulf. At Hanover College, Kennings means a literary magazine. Because what liberal arts college would be complete without one?
Kennings was not the original name we had for our publication, which goes as far back as 1941. Our previous name was Hill Thoughts, we changed the name to Kennings around 1967. Regardless of the name Kennings is, and always will be, a forum for short stories, poetry, artwork, and creative nonfiction. Over the years it has sported satire, indignation, sloppy sentiment, religious fervor, revulsion, truth, beauty, horror, love, existential questions, the concept of good and evil etc. Nearly any emotion in any literary or art-ish form has found a place here in Kennings.
In our submissions, we look for anything from the use of experimental creativity to classic literary techniques. Kennings Literary Journal is staffed and ran by students from Hanover College, which is a small private liberal arts college in Southern Indiana. In a typical year, approximately 70% of our accepted works come from the student population, though we welcome and would love to read, submissions that do not come from the students of Hanover College. Please review our submission guidelines before submitting work.
Editorial Board: The folks that Help Kennings Happen
Editor in Chief
Co-Editor in Chief/Web Editor
Co-Editor in Chief/Web Editor
Chloe Baker (she/her)
Class of 2023
Chloe Baker is a senior this year at Hanover College, majoring in Psychology and double minoring in Journalism and English. She is an avid bookworm, a lover of travel and of meeting new people, and enjoys thrifting in her free time. She probably has a coffee mug in hand and is ready to jump into a convers
Chloe Baker (she/her)
Class of 2023
Chloe Baker is a senior this year at Hanover College, majoring in Psychology and double minoring in Journalism and English. She is an avid bookworm, a lover of travel and of meeting new people, and enjoys thrifting in her free time. She probably has a coffee mug in hand and is ready to jump into a conversation about books, at any point. She holds leadership positions in more than one club on campus and is hoping to publish her own novel soon.
Co-Editor in Chief/Web Editor
Co-Editor in Chief/Web Editor
Co-Editor in Chief/Web Editor
Meredith Shepherd (she/her)
Class of 2024
Meredith is a self-proclaimed nerd, a caffeine enthusiast, a great reader, and an ok(ish) writer, and is a current student at Hanover College studying English and minoring in creative writing. She has a few published poems and short works (Molecule Lit Magazine Vol. 6)
Co-Fiction Editor
Co-Editor in Chief/Web Editor
Co-Fiction Editor
Jaina (Jay) Lewis (they/them)
Class of 2024
Jaina Lewis is a junior at Hanover College, they are majoring in English and minoring in creative writing. They are a member of ADPi sorority, they love to write and talk, and have always wanted to learn to surf.
Co-Fiction Editor
Co-Copy Editor and Assistant Web Editor
Co-Fiction Editor
Ethan Rather (he/him)
Ethan is a Secondary Education and English major with a strong passion for creative writing and all forms of literary art. He has spent more years of his life than he cares to admit pursuing various forms of artistic expression: Programming, Art, Creative Writing. Although he claims he was never a theatre kid, Ethan l
Ethan Rather (he/him)
Ethan is a Secondary Education and English major with a strong passion for creative writing and all forms of literary art. He has spent more years of his life than he cares to admit pursuing various forms of artistic expression: Programming, Art, Creative Writing. Although he claims he was never a theatre kid, Ethan loves to pull the dramatics out in his classroom to make learning more fun and engaging. Ethan is currently working on writing a novel, a twisted fairy tale of the classic Rapunzel set within a fantasy world, title pending as Where You Belong. And yes. That is butter on Ethan’s head.
Co-Copy Editor
Co-Copy Editor and Assistant Web Editor
Co-Copy Editor and Assistant Web Editor
Allison Jones (she/her)
Class of 2025
Allison Jones is currently a sophomore at Hanover College studying Creative Writing with a minor in Latin. She is designing her own major in Creative Writing with a focus in Gender and Sexuality. She is a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority and often has a book in her hand.
Co-Copy Editor and Assistant Web Editor
Co-Copy Editor and Assistant Web Editor
Co-Copy Editor and Assistant Web Editor
Lexi Traylor (she/her)
Class of 2025
Lexi is a sophomore at Hanover College, double majoring in English and Communication. She is a lifelong reader and loves to dabble in creative writing. Lexi hopes to work in the editorial and publishing field, hence feeling perfectly at home at the Kennings Journal. She also serves on the Editorial Boar
Lexi Traylor (she/her)
Class of 2025
Lexi is a sophomore at Hanover College, double majoring in English and Communication. She is a lifelong reader and loves to dabble in creative writing. Lexi hopes to work in the editorial and publishing field, hence feeling perfectly at home at the Kennings Journal. She also serves on the Editorial Board for the Hanover Historical Review. At nearly any given moment, you can find Lexi studying and snuggling with her beloved cat, Penny.
Poetry Editor
Visual Arts Editor
Co-Poetry Editor
Lydia Goebel (she/her)
Class of 2024
Lydia is an English major on the creative writing track at Hanover and is very excited to be a poetry editor for Kennings! She is an INFJ ! In Lydia's free time you will often see her coloring, watching movies, or star gazing. She has a poem published in Wordmongers (2019).
Co-Poetry Editor
Visual Arts Editor
Co-Poetry Editor
Andi Spring (She/They)
Class of 2023
Andi Spring is a lifelong lover of writing and a non-traditional poet, who in their free time loves exploring nature and drinking tea.
Visual Arts Editor
Visual Arts Editor
Visual Arts Editor
Allie Speas (She/her)
Class of 2023
Allie is a spooky human who appreciates all art forms. She is currently a senior at Hanover College and is majoring in Music and minoring in creative writing. She is best described as a baffling music cryptid to those who get to know her as her music taste is definitely eclectic. She loves reading far
Allie Speas (She/her)
Class of 2023
Allie is a spooky human who appreciates all art forms. She is currently a senior at Hanover College and is majoring in Music and minoring in creative writing. She is best described as a baffling music cryptid to those who get to know her as her music taste is definitely eclectic. She loves reading far too much and writing any and all genres. Allie also enjoys drinking copious amounts of various teas. She can also play a mean kazoo solo when asked.