profile

Sunstroke Press

Letter 5: Community

Published 19 days ago • 4 min read

Letter 5: Community

By Cassidy Howard
​Managing Director

Howdy! Hey! A lot of exciting things have happened since one of these went out, and we’re hoping to keep that momentum going into the Year of the Horse.

Thank you to Birdy for my intro in the last newsletter. In case you missed it, I officially joined the Sunstroke team a few months ago as their Managing Director, helping with everything from operations to marketing. I’m excited to learn more about publishing and distribution, along with everything in between. I’ve been so impressed with this team’s expertise and dedication to their respective crafts.

I’m from Utah, and I loved being an English major in Salt Lake City before leaving to see what New York had to offer. That was five years ago. Since then, I’ve had the blessing of being involved in many readings, writing projects and creative collaborations. I started working within the world of reproductive rights journalism at a small media company, assisting feminist writer and activist Jessica Valenti with Abortion, Every Day. Basically, I’ve been absorbing all things writing and media oriented 24/7. One of my favorite things, and what I’ve helped with most at Sunstroke thus far, is putting events on and bringing people together.

Word Art has been the title on our lips. I’m happy to report that both our fundraiser and launch party were a success. Before the end of 2025, we held the fundraiser at Selva in Bushwick, with readings from local legends such as Brooke Finegold, Kaylee Jeong and Juan Camillo Garza, as well as a raffle and literary open mic. The event made “community” feel like more than just a buzz term.

That same energy came through when we held Word Art’s launch party last January 31st at Honey Moon Coffee. The event being the day after a national strike protesting widespread acts of terror at the hands of ICE meant collective action and resistance was top of mind. I think I can speak for the whole team when I say it gave a glimmer of hope to be able to come together and share resources to support immigrant communities. Thanks again to Honey Moon for extending a hand and donating a portion of their proceeds from that same weekend!

The launch also featured experimental and humorous readings from Word Art editors Alex Moreno and Claire Richards, designer Lauren Cassiano and contributor Katja Grober. The team traveled east from Los Angeles and Seattle, so this reading was extra special. In case you missed it, we officially have Word Art up for purchase in our shop. It’s the first volume of hopefully more editions to come.

Finally, Sunstroke will be opening our next reading period and call for manuscripts very soon. We’ll be keeping an eye out for finished literary works (as well as photo and art books, to a lesser priority) that challenge and inspire us. Stay tuned.

With gratitude,
Cassidy

In Our Orbit

In Our Orbit is Sunstroke Press’ recommendations section. This is a snapshot of stuff we like right now, whether that’s an old movie or a new poem. Each link directly gets you to where you can listen, watch, purchase or learn more about the recommendation. Enjoy!

Heated Rivalry

Stream on HBO Max and Crave​

I know! You’ve read the reviews and think pieces; you’ve seen the edits and fancams. Still, Jacob Tierney’s treatment of Heated Rivalry is one of the increasingly rare, very successful book-to-screen adaptations we have in the streaming era. Much of the show’s writing is straight off the page, so Tierney's direction and cinematographer Jackson Parrell’s visual storytelling—along with stellar performances (and chemistry!) from Hudson Williams' Shane and Connor Storrie's Ilya—do a lot of the heavy lifting when building on the simple premise of two rivals falling in love. Heated Rivalry is anything but simple, though. It’s a great example of what genre romance can accomplish when taken seriously, not at face value, when attention and emotional depth is afforded to stories that center the romance itself. –Alex Ramos, Creative Director

Resurrection, dir. Bi Gan

Find a theater screening near you

Resurrection is a science fiction film set in a future where humanity has given up dreaming in order to achieve immortality, yet there are a few in society who continue to dream and become monstrous “Deliriants.” The film follows a dying Deliriant as he relives 100 years across four dreams. The film is meant to be an ode to the beauty and power of cinema, as well as a testament to the meaning of life and humanity. It’s a surreal, visually stunning work that easily made its way into my list of all-time favorite films, and it will be hard to unseat as my favorite watch of the year. If you’re a fan of Andrei Tarkovsky, Terrence Malick, Jean Cocteau or Luis Buñuel, you should definitely check out Resurrection. –Kristen Williams, Photo & Marketing Director

SLC Punk, dir. James Merendino

Stream on Tubi​

I recently revisited SLC Punk, a movie that’s one of a few to shape my life the most. I was raised by a Gen X’er punk born in Salt Lake City, Utah, so needless to say, this film is coursing through my veins. I live for movies about teens in the 1980s and 90s, wandering around their small town’s third spaces—ones that don’t quite exist like they used to, and likely never will. I once attended the 20th anniversary screening, in the heart of Salt Lake City, at Tower Theater, seated in front of numerous rows of Gen X’ers who had been extras in the film and returned to reminisce. SLC Punk isn’t just for lovers of music, but for anyone looking to challenge their heart and intentions toward counterculture. –Birdy Francis, Founding Publisher

“White Feather Hawk Tail Deer Hunter” by Lana Del Rey

Stream on Spotify or Apple Music​

Y’all know I had to do this one! Ugh. –Cassidy Howard, Managing Director

If you enjoyed reading this newsletter and want to support what we do, find out how on our website. ☀

Sunstroke Press

Sunstroke Press is an independent publishing house igniting the spark of printed matter. By signing up to our newsletter, you'll be the first to receive notice of new titles, projects, events, recommendations and more.

Share this page