Literature
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REVIEW — ‘I Could Be Famous’ by Sydney Rende
“A lot can happen in a year. I could become a whole new person. I could be famous by then.” This paragraph wraps up I Could Be Famous by Sydney Rende in a bow. This eleven-story collection is a darkly comedic and somehow timely book that touches on the lives of celebrities and those who…
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REVIEW — ‘Lake Effect’ by Hillary Behrman
“All the enchantments of the place were gone.” Hillary Behrman scours the human condition with no time to slip on rose-colored glasses in Lake Effect. This debut short story collection received the 2024 Mary McCarthy Prize for Short Fiction, a distinguished award firmly rooted in the indie literary world. Its recipient is chosen by a…
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In conversation with Srijani Mitra: reflections on the making of ‘Mantras of the Moon’
“It has always been my dream to publish a book of poetry,” said Srijani Mitra, a poet based in Bangalore, India. Now, with her debut collection, Mantras of the Moon, she can finally say it has come true. Born and raised in Kolkata, India, Mitra has been a poet ever since she was a child.…
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REVIEW — ‘Verity Guild’ by Mai Corland
What do you think of when someone says the word “romantasy”? Medieval worlds full of castles? Dragons and magical creatures? Warriors and queens? The popular subgenre that combines fantasy and romance has slowly become a monolith that promotes a singular aesthetic vision; yet, Verity Guild veers away and paves its own path. Written by Mai…
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REVIEW – ‘Mantras of the Moon’ by Srijana Mitra
Srijana Mitra’s collection of poems, Mantras of the Moon, reflects an appreciation and longing for one’s culture and past heritage. Mitra herself is a writer based in India who has spoken at many literary festivals (Mangalore Lit Fest and Shoolini University Literary Festival, to name a few). She’s been published previously in publications such as…
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In conversation with Kay E. Bancroft: examining generational ties and identity through pop horror in ‘Bloodroom’
“I think that I view the page as a playground,” Kay E. Bancroft said, describing their writing style. “And what I mean by that is I seek to understand what the limitations of the page are.” This writing approach has sustained Bancroft’s work since they embarked on their MFA in creative writing with a poetry…
