Issue 1 of The Blend International. (www).theblendinternational.com.au for those interested in the publication. The journal publishes short story and poems from all over the work in an effort to show cultural as well as fictional differences. This is a reading journal published twice a year with approximately 5 to 10 stories and poems in each edition. This issue is the first tentative steps into a brave new world and while the best is often aimed for sometimes editorial sight may be different from what a reader expects. Issue #1 will always be the hardest to produce, but when you get to work with artists like Conny Valentina the struggles become worthwhile. Enjoy The Blend and look out for our next issue. This issue finds itself struggling with the loss of the artist's house to a catastrophic fire along with her cats Lucy and Mina, she lost her entire art collection and Victorian furniture. We dedicate this issue to Conny Valentina.