The American Heritage Dictionary provides two definitions of the word.
touch 'stone
- A hard, black stone, such as jasper or basalt, formerly used to test the quality of gold or silver by comparing the streak left on the stone by one of these metals with that of a standard alloy.
- An excellent quality or example that is used to test the excellence or genuineness of others.
Like its namesake, Touchstone Magazine selects the "gold" in literary work by graduate and undergraduate students. Touchstone is Kansas State University's student-edited literary arts magazine, published annually each Spring by the College of Arts and Sciences with assistance from the KSU Creative Writing Faculty, the KSU Fine Arts Council, and the KSU English Department.
In 1975 Touchstone, Kansas State University's literary magazine, was established to serve as a standard of excellence, presenting the best creative writing from our undergraduates. In 1998, competition was opened to graduate students in creative writing programs nationwide. Then in 2011, the magazine expanded to online publication. We encourage you to check back in the fall for information on Touchstone's 2012 edition!
To order a copy of Touchstone, please contact K-State's Bookstore and Mail Center. Print copies are $9.66 (plus tax and shipping).
If you would like to submit your work, please check our 
We would like to thank our sponsors, the 
The Editor-in-Chief for Touchstone 2011 is Lindsey Givens. She is a second year master's student in children's literature and she received her bachelor's in creative writing from the University of Arkansas in 2009.