When H.K Hummel and Stephanie Lenox founded Blood Orange Review in 2006, they wanted to make an inclusive space in contemporary literature, "to create a home for emerging and established writers" where readers might discover narratives, voices, and forms that challenged expectations with bold and startling artfulness. They built the journal from their respective kitchen tables in Tempe, Arizona and Port Angeles, Washington, and quickly found an international reading audience. In 2008, Bryan Fry joined the editorial team and created an internship at Washington State University, establishing the journal as an educational tool and prompting the development of the English department's track in editing and publishing. In 2015, Hummel and Lenox transferred the journal's editorial operations to Washington State University, and they continue to serve as advisory editors. Meanwhile, Blood Orange Review maintains a penchant for boldness and a commitment to publishing historically and aesthetically underrepresented writers.