Fiction

Megan Okonsky is a ghostwriter, novelist, and murder mystery party host. Known for her conversational voice and wit, Okonsky specializes in helping business leaders uncover their “hero’s journey.” As a novelist, she writes about cats and queer joy. Her work has appeared in Reductress and Mantra Wellness. Her short story, “The Five Stages of Grieving My Attention Span,” was a finalist in Southern New Hampshire University's 2024 Fall Fiction Contest. Okonsky is a proud member of the Writers’ League of Texas and the Association of Ghostwriters. She lives in Austin, Texas, with her wife and their cat, Funny Business.

Hanna Blair is a writer and journalist from Los Angeles. She holds a Bachelor's in English and Creative Writing from UCLA. In 2024, she was awarded the second-place Shirle Dorothy Robbins Creative Writing Award by the UCLA Department of English. Her work has previously been published in Westwind Journal of the Arts and Myriad Creative Arts Journal.

Peycho Kanev is the author of 12 poetry collections and three chapbooks, published in the USA, Europe and India. His poems have appeared in many literary magazines, such as: Rattle, Poetry Quarterly, Evergreen Review, Cordite Poetry Review, Hawaii Review, Barrow Street, Sheepshead Review, Off the Coast, The Adirondack Review, Sierra Nevada Review, The Cleveland Review and many others. 

Kat Merrigan was born and raised in NY. She’s a published author and actress who recently made her feature film debut in the independent movie Tried By Fire from Broadwil Films. Her work has appeared in Bunker Squirrel, Spillwords Press, The Gilded Weathervane, Bluebird’s Scribe Review, Harrow House Journal, Soul, Poetry, Prose and Arts Magazine, Flights e-Journal and Instant Noodles. She has been featured in a Cloaked Press anthology, Calla Press, and Academy Of the Heart and Mind. She narrated one of her pieces for the Story Unlikely podcast. She hosts original content through IG: Kat Controversy and FB: Kathy Merry.

Monty Rozema (they/them) is a queer artist from Seattle, Washington. They enjoy reading the newspaper, listening to 2000s techno, and playing Jenga. Their writing has been published by great weather for MEDIA, The Ugly Radio, Hash Journal, Mag 20/20, Prismatica, and more. Their first full-length play, Disappearance at the Rocky Mountain Leatherdyke Snowpicnic, will debut at Annex Theatre in 2026. 

Harrison Zeiberg is a writer and photographer from Massachusetts. He is a recent graduate of Wheaton College (MA) and currently works at a non-profit in Boston. His previous creative credits include Havik, the Inlandia Review, the Washington Square Review LLC, the Northern New England Review, Wayne Literary Review, Journal X, and more. 

Melissa Witcher (she/ela) was born in Brazil, raised in the U.S. and has lived in São Paulo since 2011. She is left-handed and prefers cats. Her rejections far outnumber her acceptances but her writing can be found in the wild & wonderful literary hinterlands. She muses at atawdrymind.substack.com.

Cherry is currently studying for an MA in Creative Writing at Hull University. She is passionate about words, and how to create an emotional, engaging experience through fiction and memoir.  Her stories tackle dark themes and explore the intricacies of human relationships. Her work invites reflection. What does it mean to be human?  How can we make sense of our lives?  What is the best and worst of which humans are capable?  Cherry has a first degree in Psychology and lives in Wiltshire, UK with her two cats. When she is not writing, she is usually working on a DIY project.

Dale Scherfling is newspaper veteran of 30 years, serving as a sportswriter, columnist, editor and photographer and a retired Navy journalist and photographer. His work has been accepted by Third Act Magazine, Yellow Mama, Close to the Bone, Flash Phantom, Does it Have Pockets Magazine, Lost Blonde Literary, All Hands Magazine, Pacific Crossroads, Daily Californian, Naval Aviation Magazine, Propeller Magazine, and Buckeye Guard Magazine. He is the recipient of three U.S. Army Front Page Journalism Awards. He is also a college lecturer and photojournalism, photography and music instructor.

Nick Young is a retired award-winning CBS News Correspondent.  His short story "Strop" appeared in Mania. In addition, his writing has appeared in dozens of reviews, journals and anthologies. His first novel, "Deadline," was published in 2023.  He can be found on Bluesky @youngnick.bsky.social. He lives outside Chicago.

Sol Vitkin (he/him) lives in Brooklyn, NY with his wife and dog. He writes fiction, music reviews, and software applications for teachers. He is just starting out in his writing career.

Alan Swyer is an award-winning filmmaker whose recent documentaries have dealt with Eastern spirituality in the Western world, the criminal justice system, diabetes, boxing, and singer Billy Vera. In the realm of music, among his productions is an album of Ray Charles love songs. His novel 'The Beard' was recently published by Harvard Square Editions.  His newest film is "When Houston Had The Blues.

Jack is a queer writer and visual artist living in Brooklyn, NY. His prose and poetry can be found in YES POETRY, GHOST CITY REVIEW, OUROBOROS, THE DENVER QUARTERLY, and MASCULINITY: AN ANTHOLOGY OF MODERN VOICES (Broken Sleep Books).

Barry Fields is a retired psychologist who lives with his wife and dog in the mountains of North Carolina. Recent short stories have been included in Sundial: A Magazine of Literary Historical Fiction, New English Review, Ginosko Literary Journal,  Unlikely Stories, The Pennsylvania Literary Journal, After Dinner Conversation, Tulip Tree Review, and several others. Numerous nonfiction articles have appeared in a variety of magazines.

 Robbie lives in Manchester, UK and writes confessional poetry and philosophical fiction, exploring metamorphosis and memory. His short story Shedding won first prize in The Cosmographia Codex's Campfire Stories (2025). He's completing an MA in Creative Writing at the University of Manchester, and his work has appeared in The Bolton Review and Canary Collective.

Nick Young is a retired award-winning CBS News Correspondent.  His writing has appeared in dozens of reviews, journals and anthologies. His first novel, "Deadline," was published in 2023.  He can be found on Bluesky @youngnick.bsky.social. He lives outside Chicago.

JUSTIN MCDEVITT (he/him) is a writer from New York City. His plays HAUNT ME and HONEY FITZ have been presented Off Broadway for readings and workshop productions. His writing has appeared in Rue Morgue, Fangoria, and the Cobalt Review. Stream his six-part monologue series SEVERED HEADS on Youtube. @justinwritesplays

Keith Manos's stories have appeared in both print and online magazines like Aethlon, Storgy, October Hill Magazine, Wrestling USA, New Reader Magazine, and Attic Door Press, among others. He has also published twelve books to date, including his debut novel My Last Year of Life (in School), which was traditionally published by Black Rose Writing. Keith has been recognized as one of Ohio’s top writing teachers by the Ohio Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts. Check out all of Keith’s books at www.keithmanos.com.

 Millie Sullivan (she/they) is an MFA student. A New York native currently residing Pittsburgh, her work as been published in The Penmen Review and Flash Phantom, with upcoming publications in Fjords Review and UnleashLit.

Aged 23, Walker Watson, writing under a pen-name, has embraced a passionate pursuit for writing. To date, his poems have been accepted for publication in five literary magazines.

Alaina Hammond is a poet, playwright, fiction writer, and visual artist. Her poems, plays, short stories, philosophical essays, creative non-fiction, paintings, drawings, and photographs have been published both online and in print. Her novelette “Jillian, Formerly Known as Frog Girl” was published by Bottlecap Press. Over fifty of Alaina’s original plays have been produced off-off Broadway. As a playwright, she’s probably proudest of Goth Principal. For her role as Inez in No Exit, she was nominated for a BroadwayWorld Off-Broadway Award (Best Performance, Off-Off Broadway). She holds a BA from Marlboro College and an MA from Columbia University. She lives in California with her husband and son. @alainaheidelberger on Instagram.

Elizabeth Schoettle was born In Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. She studied at Gettysburg College for two years before transferring to Hunter College, where she graduated with a BA in film production. She currently lives in NYC as a full-time artist and writer. She is also the subject of a docu-series about her life as an artist.

She has been published multiple times on Mr.Beller's Neighborhood, and The Louisville Review.

Jack Arnold (he/him) is a student at the University of Colorado Boulder with altogether too much time on his hands. He’s previously been featured in Blue Marble Review and Clumsy Spider Publishing, but that second one doesn’t count because the website got taken down, but he promises it was there so please believe him. Other than writing, he enjoys making pixel art and staring into the void until it backs down.

Marc Hirrel has lived most of his life in Maryland in the Washinton DC area. After receiving an
MFA from the University of Maryland in 1992, studying with Joyce Kornblatt, he took time off
from writing to raise his two children. He began to put his efforts back into writing recently. His
short story, Bolts, was published in the fall 2023 issue of October Hill Magazine.

Kevin B. is a writer and poet from New England. His work has been published in Esoterica, New Plains Review, Molecule, Havik, and Qu. He is the George Lila Award Winner for Short Fiction, and the Barely Seen Featured Poet of 2023.

Mark Keane has taught for many years in universities in North America and the UK. Recent short story fiction has appeared in The Interpreter’s House, Paris Lit Up, For Page & Screen, Midsummer Dream House, Zero Readers, Avalon Literary Review, Bards and Sages Quarterly, Shooter, untethered, Night Picnic, upstreet, Granfalloon, Into the Void, and Firewords. He lives in Edinburgh (Scotland).

Nathaniel Krenkel lives in Portland, Maine. He is the host of Rhizome Radio at WMPG, and runs the record labels Team Love and Oystertones. His published work is at nathanielkrenkel dot com.

Gregory Smith is a retired medical social worker. He is the author of 14 published short stories, a memoir, and is completing another book about his life with Osteogenesis Imperfecta. Greg is active on social media, including Facebook, Blue Sky, X, and Instagram. Greg is married with two adorable dogs, Katie and Cocoa. He enjoys Sports, Music and Classic Movies in his free time.

Jensen Young is a writer of speculative and realistic fiction and has been published in Mulberry Literary and Bloodletter Magazine, among others. You can reach out at jensenyoungwriter@gmail.com.

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Tom Roth (he/him/his) teaches creative writing in Cincinnati, Ohio. His most recent publications are in Allium, BULL Magazine, and Litbreak. He earned an MFA from Chatham University. He has publications forthcoming in Bridge and Miracle Monocle.

Barlow Crassmont (Armand Diab) has lived in the USA, Eastern Europe, Middle East and China. When not teaching or writing, he dabbles in juggling, solving the Rubik’s Cube, and learning other languages. He has been published by British Science Fiction Association, Wilderness House Literary Review, Ghost City Press, and in the upcoming 41st anthology of Writers of the Future.

Pete Hadland exists, of this he is at least relatively sure. He has an MFA from the University of Arizona. His work has appeared in Borrowed Solace, EMBARK!, CommuterLit, Maudlin House, Brink, and is forthcoming in Firewords. He is the 2024 winner of the MWC Iron Pen. He is many things, but most importantly a dad to the greatest kids in the entire universe.

(Content Warning: death, abortion)

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Makayla Carmichael has spent most of her professional career as an accountant, but now spends her time writing stories and when not getting into the minds of her characters, she enjoys reading and being in nature, especially the Blue Ridge Mountains in her home state of North Carolina. Her first published short story was on D.U.M.B.O. Press’ website. Two of her other short stories are pending publication on The Broken Teacup’s website (September 2024) and The Taborian’s website (date pending).

(Content Warning: Car crash, panic attack, scars, blood, self-image issues, swearing)

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Bianca (she/her) is a creative writing MFA student at the University of Central Florida, the Fiction Editor of Wallstrait, and a lover of imaginative prose. She has a BA in English and a BS in Industrial Engineering. Her work has appeared in Blackwater Review. She lives in Orlando with her partner and their beautiful black cat, Tibby.

Amanda Bintz is a writer and editor living in Philadelphia. She completed her first novel, “Wolf Warrior,” in 4th grade and has been trying to top that achievement ever since. She is drawn to stories about women, environmentalism, folklore, legends, history, and magic. You can find her on Instagram @amandabintz and on amandabintz.com.

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Michael Chin (he/him) was born and raised in Utica, New York and currently lives in Las Vegas with his wife and son. He’s the author of six full-length books, including his novel, My Grandfather’s an Immigrant and So is Yours (Cowboy Jamboree Press, 2021) and his forthcoming short story collection This Year’s Ghost (JackLeg Press, 2025). Find him online at miketchin.com and follow him on Twitter @miketchin.

Jacob Orlando (he/him) is a queer young man of letters from small town Texas. His debut piece 'Molten' won the New Millennium Writings 55th Annual Award for Flash Fiction. Most recently, his piece ‘Modern Homo’s Guide to Making Fire’ appeared in After Happy Hour Review Issue 21. He works a day job and writes away his free time.

Robert Rosen has spent the better part of a life as a technologist and applied mathematician with a front row seat to the technology revolutions of our time -- and the attendant social convulsions. (Pronouns) is/are a member of the Historical Novel Society, The Burlington (VT) Writers Workshop, Grub Street, Writers Digest, has/have written essays and fiction for our local newspaper here in central Vermont, and has/have several stories published in speculative and literary magazines.

Anjianie Perez is a nonbinary latinx writer from New Jersey and they've been writing since the day they learned to hold a pencil. Anjianie's work has been published in independent literary magazines such as GLAZE and Beneath the Mask, and they currently run a weekly online newsletter. In their free time, Anjianie loves to compose instrumental pieces and spend time with their bunny named Professor.

Libby Cudmore is the author of The Big Rewind (William Morrow 2016) and the Martin Wade series at Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Her work has appeared in Orca, Monkeybicycle, Had, Reckon Review, Bleed Error, The Dark, Tough, The Coachella Review, The Normal School and Smokelong Quarterly. She is the 2018 recipient of the Oregon Writer’s Colony Prize and a four-year alumnae of the Barrelhouse Writer’s Camp.

Isaac is a sometimes-writer and amateur linguist from southern Indiana currently passing through the purgatory called a "gap year" after graduating from UE. Writing aside, his main passions are conlanging and going way too in-depth about the climatology of planets that don't exist.

Kate E Lore is a queer, neurodivergent, she/they, born to a single widowed mother. Youngest of four, second to graduate high school, first bachelor's degree, first MFA in the family. Kate E Lore is a writer of both fiction and nonfiction with many publications in various magazines such as Black Warrior Review, Orsum Magazine, Longridge Review, The Under Review, and Bending Genres, soon to include Under the Gum Tree, and Door is a Jar. A jack-of-all-trades Kate splits their time between fiction and nonfiction, screenplays, flash prose, full-length novels, painting, and comics. Kate strives to appreciate the small things in life but has been known to throw down hard at an EDM rave when it’s lit.

Wolfgang Wright is the author of the comic novel Me and Gepe. His short work has appeared in numerous literary magazines, including Short Beasts, The Collidescope, and Waccamaw. He doesn’t tolerate gluten so well, quite enjoys watching British panel shows, and devotes a little time each day to contemplating the Tao. He lives in North Dakota.

(Content Warning: Death, Mentions and Contemplations of Suicide)

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Grace Friona (she/her/hers) earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Southern Indiana in 2022. She is interested in world literature and folklore. Aside from reading, she enjoys drawing, playing board games, and watching period piece films.

(Content Warning: Graphic Depiction of Dead Corpse/Body)

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KeYanla Cleckley (she/her/hers) is an imaginative writer and acrylic painter, who grew up obsessed with reading books. She holds an MFA in Creating Writing from Full Sail University and a BS in Political Science with minors in History, International Studies, and Legal Studies from University of Evansville. When her head isn’t in the clouds, she knits with her two dogs.

Fen (they/them/theirs) is a Queer self-taught writer living in the UK with 4 housemates and 5 cats. By night they can be found deeply immersed in RPGs, or concocting short stories within miniature universes, and occasionally streaming both to a small audience on Twitch.