Issue 5: Fate
For our fifth issue, you will find poetry that reflects our destiny, prose that highlights our journey, and art that explores our possibilities. Here you will find pieces that answer this age-old question: is our fate written in the stars?
Sloane Angelou is a storyteller & writer of West African origin; passionate about learning of human existence by interrogating human experiences. They exist in liminal spaces.
Shaurya Arya-Kanojia authored his debut novella, End of the Rope (https://amzn.in/eZ0EUss), in 2019. He likes sports (cricket, mostly), eating out, and watching reruns of The Office and Everybody Loves Raymond. His social media handles include @shauryaticks (Twitter) and @main.hoon.ek.sharara (Instagram).
Shaurya Arya-Kanojia authored his debut novella, End of the Rope (https://amzn.in/eZ0EUss), in 2019. He likes sports (cricket, mostly), eating out, and watching reruns of The Office and Everybody Loves Raymond. His social media handles include @shauryaticks (Twitter) and @main.hoon.ek.sharara (Instagram).
Lorelei Bacht (she/they) is a person, a poet, queer, multi-, living in Asia. When she is not drawing sad little sketches, she writes - too much. Her work has appeared / is forthcoming in Visitant, The Wondrous Real, Quail Bell, Fahmidan, Abridged Magazine, Odd Magazine, Postscript, PROEM, SWWIM, Strukturriss, The Inflectionist Review, Slouching Beast Journal, Hecate, and others. She is also on Instagram: @lorelei.bacht.writer and on Twitter @bachtlorelei
Leslie Benigni is a current MFA candidate at Bowling Green State University in Ohio though she originally heralds from Pittsburgh, PA. Her work has been published in Perhapped Magazine, :Lexicon Literary Journal, and Athenaeum. Find her on instagram and twitter, respectively: @benignileslie and @lbeni894.
Evan Burkin (he/him) is fond of Russian authors: Dostoevsky, Sokolov, Shiskin, Nabokov, Akhmatova, among others. He works as a development writer at his alma mater, where he studied creative writing. His work has been published or is forthcoming in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Feral, and Sur. He is on Twitter: @e_burkin.
Sarai Davila is a lifelong reader and writer from the Pacific Northwest. She has a soft spot for trees, rain, really good pie, and animals. She has worked as a children's librarian, and has previously published creative nonfiction.
Jason de Koff is an associate professor of agronomy and soil science at Tennessee State University. He lives in Nashville, TN with his wife, Jaclyn, and his two daughters, Tegan and Maizie. His chapbook, “Words on Pages”, is currently available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/3eookJk.
Aria Emerson (she/her) started writing aged 4 and sent off her first (terrible) story to publishers at 10. She doesn't think she's changed much since then. As a writer, she draws from personal experience, mythology and dreams, and in her spare time she can be found harmonising to anything in earshot and caring for her bonsai. Twitter: @EmersonAria
Kelly Esparza is an editor and author who holds a B.A. in English and a B.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. Her writing has appeared in Dwelling Literary, 433 Magazine, Five Minute Lit, and others. In early 2021, Kelly co-wrote a screenplay for a feature film, and she has an anecdotal vignette forthcoming in Cardigan Press's debut anthology, BYLINE LEGACIES (Sept. 2021).
Attracta Fahy lives in Co.Galway, Ireland, works as a Psychotherapist, and has three children. She completed her MA in Writing NUIG ‘17. She was October winner in Irish Times; New Irish Writing 2019, Pushcart, and Best of Web nominee, shortlisted for Over The Edge 2018 New Writer, Allingham Poetry both 2019 &’20, and published in several journals at home and abroad. Attracta was a featured reader at Over The Edge Reading in Galway City Library, Cultivating Voices, and read with poet Paul Muldoon and Adrian Rice at The Poetry Salon with the Irish American Society of New Mexico. Fly on the Wall Poetry published her debut chapbook collection Dinner in the Fields, in March’20. She was recently one of ten emerging poets chosen for the first-ever Dedalus Press Mentoring Programme.
Ja’ Licia Gainer is a writer based in Missouri. You can find her new work on Rigorous Magazine.
Rhianna Levi is a 22-year-old BA Hons English Literature graduate and teacher in Secondary English/PSHE and Citizenship, beginning her MA in Education from September 2021. Outside her career in education and academia, Rhianna is passionate about mental health advocacy, the Humanities and the Arts. Additionally, Rhianna has a strong social media following, which she uses to spread awareness of prominent social issues, education, and kindness. Rhianna lives in Worcester, England.
Dominic Loise is open about and advocates for mental health awareness as seen with his essay writing for F(r)iction. His work has appeared in Alchemic Gold Poetry Society, Alt.Ctrl.Jpg, Analogies & Allegories, Calm Down, Clementine Zine, Collective Realms, Emotional Alchemy, Frances, Goat's Milk, Innsaei Journal, Mulberry Literary, October Hill, Ouch!, Push up Daisies!, Raven Review, Re.Collective, Refresh and Silent Auctions. Dominic was a finalist in Short Editions' "America: Color it in" contest.
Eva Lynch-Comer holds a B.A. in Creative Writing from Hamilton College. Her poetry has most recently appeared in Capsule Stories Magazine and is forthcoming from Peach Velvet Magazine. A former poetry editor of Red Weather, she now works in children’s editorial at a publishing company in New York City. When she’s not fully immersed in the book world, you can find Eva singing, journaling, drinking chai tea, or walking her dog Osito.
John Maurer is a 26-year-old writer from Pittsburgh that writes fiction, poetry, and everything in-between, but his work always strives to portray that what is true is beautiful. He has been previously published in Claudius Speaks, The Bitchin’ Kitsch, Thought Catalog, and more than sixty others. (johnpmaurer.com)
Adekile Mayowa is a contemporary visual artist. You can find him on Instagram at @the_chosen_art1.
Adekile Mayowa is a contemporary visual artist. You can find him on Instagram at @the_chosen_art1.
Maria McLeod writes poetry and prose. Honors include the Indiana Review Poetry Prize, the Robert J. DeMott Short Prose Prize, WaterSedge Chapbook Contest Winner 2020, and three Pushcart Prize nominations. Her winning poetry chapbook, “Mother Want,” was published in 2021. Her second chapbook, "Skin. Hair. Bones.," is forthcoming to be published by Finishing Line Press in 2022. McLeod has been widely published in literary journals such as Painted Bride Quarterly, The Brooklyn Rail, Critical Quarterly, Crab Orchard Review, Sonora Review and others. Originally from the Detroit area, she currently resides in Bellingham, Washington where she works as a professor of journalism for Western Washington University.
Emily Murman is a poet & educator from Chicago. She holds an MFA in poetry from National University. Her debut chapbook, "SHRIVEL AND BLOOM," was published via Dancing Girl Press in June 2021 and her chapbook "I want your emergency" is forthcoming via Selcouth Station Press in July 2021. She can be found on Twitter @emilymurman.
Born and raised in India, Mandira Pattnaik writes fiction and poetry. Her poetry has been published by Press 53, Variant Lit, West Trestle, Feral Poetry, OpiaLit, Not Very Quiet, Analogies and Allegories, Thimble Lit, ResideZine, The Shore and others.
Damien Posterino (he/him) is a poet currently writing full time in Mexico. Damien is Melbourne born but has also made London his home. His poetry explores themes of characters, commentary and capturing moments in time. He has been published in recent editions of BOMBFIRE, Jupiter Review, Fairy Piece Magazine and Poetic Sun Journal. You can find him on Twitter at twitter.com/damienposterino.
Oormila Vijayakrishnan Prahlad is an Indian-Australian artist, poet, and pianist. She holds a Masters in English and is a member of Sydney's North Shore Poetry Project. She has been painting and exhibiting for over twenty years and her art and poetry have been widely published in both print and online journals.Her recent artworks have been showcased in Otoliths, 3 AM Magazine, and The Amsterdam Quarterly, and on the covers of Ang(st) the body zine, Pithead Chapel, Uppagus, Periwinkle Literary, The Rat’s Ass Review, and elsewhere. She is a chief editor for Authora Australis. She lives and works on the land of the Ku-ring-gai people of the Eora Nation.
Sanjana Ramanathan is an English student at Drexel University. She enjoys playing video games, cracking open a new book, and daydreaming. Her work has been published in The Front Porch Review, Horse Egg Literary, FAIRY PIECE MAG, and elsewhere. You can find her on Twitter @sanjubilees.
Karen Richards is a Tasmanian born and bred poet. She is the published author of ‘The Way My Words Fall’ and her second collection ‘Wrapped in Folds of Midnight’ will be released August 23rd. You can find more of her work @kalou_poetry on Instagram.
Matthew Schultz teaches creative writing at Vassar College. He is the author of two novels: On Coventry and We, The Wanted. His poems have recently appeared in Rust + Moth, Thrush, and Juke Joint. His chapbook is forthcoming from ELJ Editions in May 2022.
A writer and an artist, Ankita Sharma resides in India. She has authored five titles. Her poems and stories have been published in various anthologies and lit mags including 3moonmag, BRAG, Versification, Green Ink Poetry, Sunnyg (radio show) and others. Her artworks have appeared on the cover pages of a few Indian and international books.
Zena Spiers grew up in Southend-on-Sea, a seaside town on the Essex coastline, and relocated to Scotland in 2018 where she now lives with her boyfriend. She studied in London graduating with a BA (hons) in English and History followed by an MA in the History of Political Thought and Intellectual History at UCL. Zena’s work draws on her own experiences of loss in particular that of her father and stepmother who both passed away in their 40s. She writes graphically and intensely about the impact of loss on mental health as well as her experience of domestic abuse. Zena can be found on Twitter @zenaeloise.
Melody Wang currently resides in sunny Southern California with her dear husband. In her free time, she dabbles in piano composition and also enjoys hiking, baking, and playing with her dogs. She can be found on Twitter @MelodyOfMusings.
Lisa Wright is a freelance writer, content creator, and book reviewer. She enjoys reading, writing, photography, baking, cooking, and British crime dramas and panel shows. While she generally avoids social media, Lisa can be found on Twitter and Instagram @dolphy_jane.
Lisa Wright is a freelance writer, content creator, and book reviewer. She enjoys reading, writing, photography, baking, cooking, and British crime dramas and panel shows. While she generally avoids social media, Lisa can be found on Twitter and Instagram @dolphy_jane.