WHITEFISH, Mont. (October 22, 2009) - The submission period for the winter issue of the Whitefish Review has ended, but one piece of writing the journal recently received will help the non-profit raise money through grants, as well as encourage more individual, tax-deductible donations. The IRS recently granted the Whitefish Review official nonprofit tax-exempt status from section 501(c)(3) of the tax code.

Since its debut issue with literary legend William Kittredge and NFL superstar Drew Bledsoe in December 2007, the Whitefish Review has carved out its niche by publishing moguls of the literary world alongside emerging writers and students, while adding professional athletes to interest a broader audience. In each issue, a 12-page glossy color section showcases art and photography, accompanied by commentaries. In its next issue (#6), New York literati Isaiah Sheffer, the founder of NPR's "Selected Shorts" program at Symphony Space is featured on the same bill with extreme skier Scot Schmidt, one of the world's most recognized skiers.

"From the beginning, we wanted to see if we could create a non-commercial publishing venue for the increasingly sprawling network of artists, photographers, and writers in the interior American West," said founding editor, Brian Schott. "We have quickly expanded our reach across the United States, into Canada and overseas, paying for the publishing costs through the generous donations of individuals and businesses. After a year of working through the legal paperwork, we now begin the search for grants to grow our collective venture."

The 160-page journal is published twice annually and weaves a diverse mix of narratives from established and emerging authors through non-fiction, fiction, interviews, and poetry. The latest issue features Montana authors David James Duncan and Douglas H. Chadwick, with the art of Alaska's Ray Troll. Other acclaimed authors published in the first five issues include Rick Bass, Tim Cahill, Pete Fromm, Pam Houston, Annick Smith, and Terry Tempest Williams. National Geographic photographer Gordon Wiltsie has also been featured. Each spring the journal publishes the winners of The Authors of the Flathead student writing competition.

"We are really encouraged by the continued response to the journal," said Schott. "We've taken a modern twist on literature and art, trying to make it attractive to a larger audience interested in wide open spaces, tall peaks, and beauty -- both in the natural landscape and within the valleys and peaks of the mind. The submissions continue to be remarkable and we're thankful to all of the individuals, businesses, writers, photographers, and artists who have made it possible."

Copies of the Whitefish Review are available in bookstores across Montana and the Mountain West and online. Cost is $12, with back issues and subscriptions also available. For more information, read through this web site or call (406) 261-6190. Issue #6 is slated to be on the stands in mid-December, kicked off with an event and author reading.