literary magazines – Page 12

Friday Five: Q&A with Natalie Welsh, editor of Syncopation Literary Journal

‘If we listen to each other’s stories—whether told through music, poetry or prose—we may realize that there is so much that connects humanity.’

Those who know me well know I have a deep affection for music. Many other writers share this interest. Natalie Welsh is one of them. She loves music and writing so much that she created a literary magazine that celebrates the fusion of music and storytelling called Syncopation Literary Journal.

Cover of the inaugural issue of Syncopation Literary Journal.

With a Bachelor of Arts in anthropology and a Master of Arts in humanities from York University, Natalie brings a rich academic background to her editorial work. She’s also a multi-talented artist. Both writer and musician, she is proficient on piano and guitar, and has had her short fiction published in New Sociology: Journal of Critical Praxis, Indelible Literary Journal, and Duck Duck Mongoose Magazine. Based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Natalie launched Syncopation in 2021 as a platform for musicians and writers to explore the rhythmic interplay between sound and narrative. The first issue went live in January 2022. I was thrilled Natalie saw fit to include my essay “Not Fade Away” in volume 4, issue 1 of her journal, and I’m happy that a couple more pieces I wrote will appear in volume 4, issue 2, later this year.

In this Friday Five, on the final Friday of Women’s History Month, I’m happy to introduce readers to Natalie and her labor of love.

Friday Five: Q&A with flash fiction writer/litmag editor L Mari Harris

‘The Ozarks are full of all-cap CHARACTERS. I never tire of listening in on people’s conversations …’

On her website, L Mari Harris describes herself simply as a “Writer, Reader, Ozarks Dweller.” But like the tales she spins, the simple description is sneakily deceptive. It belies a more complex and nuanced character. As I continue to feature outstanding literary women in this month’s Women’s History Month Friday Five series, I’m delighted to introduce this brilliant creator of short fiction and creative nonfiction to readers.

I first got hooked on L Mari’s prose after reading “Baby,” a tiny piece that packs a wallop — one of those stories that sticks with you for a long time. She’s written many other great pieces before and since; find them here.

L Mari is also the managing editor of trampset, a literary magazine you should have on your reading list. Read what she has to say about her writing life, editing trampset, and life in the Ozarks.

Friday Five: Q&A with Tiffany M. Storrs, Roi Fainéant editor-in-chief

Where “knockoff Wes Anderson meets snarky pinup girl”

In recognition of Women’s History Month, I’m devoting each Friday Five this March to shine the spotlight on women who are doing cool stuff in literature these days. This celebration begins with Tiffany M. Storrs, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Roi Fainéant Press (RF for short). This online literary magazine, established in 2021, publishes a diverse range of voices in fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, and it is one of the most enjoyable online litmags I’ve discovered over the past year.

Photograph of Tiffany M. Storrs, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Roi Fainéant Press — Tiffany M. Storrs, co-founder and editor-in-chief of *Roi Fainéant Press*

If you’re curious about the litmag’s name, Roi Fainéant is French for “lazy king” or “do-nothing king.” It refers to the seventh- and eighth-century kings of France’s Merovignian Dynasty — kings who didn’t have much power given the way things were going in that country at that time, according to Wikipedia. On the RF website’s about page, Tiffany refers to herself and co-founders Kellie Scott-Reed and Marianne Baretsky Peterson as “3 lazy kings living the best of their worst lives.” Judging from the quality of their litmag and the works they publish, however, I would not take that description seriously. No doubt the three of them sift through scores of submissions to find just the right pieces for their publication. But as the name, the site design, the accompanying artwork, and overall vibe suggest, RF is a platform where irreverence, playfulness, and a broad range of literary voices and styles can thrive. (I’m honored to have two pieces published in RF: “Narcissus on the Deck” and “No Point.” If you’re looking for a home for your work, quirky, irreverent, or otherwise, I suggest you give RF a try.)

Read on for Tiffany’s take on RF, her suggestions for writers, her sources of inspiration, and more.

Friday Five: the end of Black History Month

This week I started reading Erasure, Percival Everett’s 2001 novel about how African-American literature is perceived and discussed in the literary mainstream. (This 2001 novel was adapted into the film American Fiction, which was nominated for an Oscar last year, and which I wrote about here.) I find the title of this novel especially relevant at this time of year, as the annual celebration in the U.S. known as Black History Month draws to a close, and as attempts to erase our nation’s Black history continue. At all levels of government, in schools, colleges, and universities, and in the corporate world, Black History Month celebrations have been “muted,” as Forbes puts it, due to a rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives and practices. One highly visible example: on the eve of Black History Month, newly appointed Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth barred the DoD from using “official resources, to include man-hours, to host celebrations or events” related to Black History Month and other “cultural awareness months.”)

Friday Five: Q&A with MoonLit Getaway founder and editor Brandon Nadeau

‘We are a doom-scrolling alternative. A mixed bag of mixed metaphors where … the only common denominator is quality.’

As I and my fellow Missourians emerge from the vicious grip of a polar vortex from the north, where heartier types deal with these sub-zero temperatures and wind chills more frequently (and where thermometer readings are even lower, thanks to the Celsius scale), it seems fitting that today’s Friday Five highlights the work of a writer from north of the U.S. border, Brandon Nadeau, and the phenomenal literary magazine he launched last fall, MoonLit Getaway.

MoonLit Getaway founder and editor Brandon Nadeau

Brandon is a veteran of the Canadian Army (twice deployed to Afghanistan) originally from northern British Columbia, where he “snowboarded, played guitar in a metal band, and got bad grades in school.” He now lives, writes, and edits in Edmonton, Alberta. He serves as executive editor and fiction editor for MoonLit Getaway, which publishes fiction (including flash), poetry, and visual artwork every two weeks. He and his editorial team also publish book reviews and interviews with featured authors and artists on the website’s blog.