Below you'll find what I have deemed, in my nigh-queenly and unerring correctness of opinion, to be the best...
- Lit mags!
- DC-area literary events!
- Books released in 2025!
- Short pieces (fiction, CNF) that appeared in lit mags in 2025!
- Books I read in 2025 that did *not* come out in 2025!
- Podcasts for writers!
- Plus a *special category* for all those miscellaneous souls worthy of a shout-out!
- Exclamation mark!
...Without further ado!
First up, my favorite literary publications that I've come across or continued to enjoy during the past year!
For the most part, these lists aren't in order — but ARTWIFE really does hold a special place in my heart. It's run by wife-and-wife duo Hannah & Erica Harlee, regularly runs the most expertly curated mix of exquisite prose and art (short stories, essays, visual art — even video art!), hosts a (free!) online "Creative Hour" on Tuesday nights for creators who enjoy a laid-back sort of accountability, and even has a fun podcast featuring interviews with authors and other colorful characters. They recently launched these amazingly helpful editorial services, too! The perfect mix of high art and warmth, stylish and truly inclusive. Outstanding lit mag, nice folks.
For the most part, these lists aren't in order — but ARTWIFE really does hold a special place in my heart. It's run by wife-and-wife duo Hannah & Erica Harlee, regularly runs the most expertly curated mix of exquisite prose and art (short stories, essays, visual art — even video art!), hosts a (free!) online "Creative Hour" on Tuesday nights for creators who enjoy a laid-back sort of accountability, and even has a fun podcast featuring interviews with authors and other colorful characters. They recently launched these amazingly helpful editorial services, too! The perfect mix of high art and warmth, stylish and truly inclusive. Outstanding lit mag, nice folks.
Another new discovery for me this year was the wonder that is Weird Lit. Speaking of ARTWIFE, it was at one of their Creative Hours that I met an editor for Weird Lit. Intrigued, I checked out the site — and promptly gobbled up the then-current issue. I'm talking Thanksgiving-dinner freaking DEVOURED it, had to full-on Homer Simpson my top pants button afterward, I was so full of such delicious oddball words in fascinating configurations. I was so energized by the magazine's stated preference for stories with "non-realist settings" that I started playing around with some myself!
In fact, nearly all the publications listed here are lit-mag "crushes" of mine that directly inspired me to create new work based on their *vibes*. "Inspired me to write new pieces" = the highest compliment from me!
I'll try not to wax too ecstatic about all the stunners on this list, because we'd be here all day, but briefly:
Blood+Honey — I saw an "Open for Submissions" post from these folks, a whacked-out photo of black-lipsticked lips and a blackberry, saying they were "hungry for your word candy!" and BOOM, I wanted to submit to them. I felt like these were my kinda people, and I adore Mileva Anastasiadou, one of their flash-fiction editors (check her out below in my "Books I Read in 2025" section!). When I finally got around to submitting my writing in earnest, in October, Blood+Honey was one of my first stops. Sure enough! They ran my flash piece "Poultice" at the end of November — giving me my first byline in a while (since before a three-year hiatus spent working on my novel!) and a confidence jolt as I start to put my work out there. Forever grateful for that.
(Oops, that wasn't brief.)
Ghost Parachute — This top-notch monthly collection of flash pieces has featured many of my favorites (Kathy Fish! Claire Hopple!), so I was humbled to join their ranks when my piece "Early Intervention" was selected for the December 2025 issue! I was also blown away by the dignity and perfection of the image they ran with my piece, beautiful artwork by staff artist Brett J Barr.
Hex — This one made the list the *instant* I finished reading an astonishing piece of fiction by Whitney Collins, "Truth or Consequences" (more in the section below titled "Short Pieces (Fiction & CNF)"). They're friendly on Instagram, too!
Fractured is another beloved home of flash fiction, much of it nice 'n' bleak or eerie, some of it realistic and some of it speculative-tinged. The editor-in-chief is Tommy Dean, a *fantastic* flash writer himself so you know he knows his stuff.
HAD — Hoo boy, how to explain the obsession among writers I know for this idiosyncratic-to-the-max home of excellent short-short stuff? I first saw this piece by Kristin Gustafson and was *hooked*. They only open briefly and sporadically for submissions, and I know folks who've *set their alarms* for the wee hours just to take a crack at their themed-submission windows.
X-R-A-Y —This one is newer to me, but Claire Hopple is one of their fiction editors, and I would pretty much follow her, Pied-Piper style, into hell (I wrote my first-ever book review about her wonderful whackadoodle novel "Take It Personally!), so I plan to get to know them more in the new year.
Wigleaf — Another new-to-me one to explore in the new year, but they've published "(very) short fiction" by Claire Hopple and editors of HAD, so I feel like they are probably my kind of people.
Not exactly under the radar, but I really would be remiss if I didn't give a big ol' hearty nod to The Sun, which has an otherworldly knack for highlighting writers and lives that enrich my own, and somehow seem to make my heart grow bigger (like the Grinch in that one scene) with every issue. See pieces by Na Mee, J.D. Mathes, and Emily Mitchell enshrined in my "Short Pieces" section below!
Barrelhouse puts out a great lit mag, brilliant books (including "Ethan Hawke & Me" by Andrew Bertaina), a highly-regarded-among-my-peers conference (that I plan to attend! April 18 at American University in DC! join me!) — but I particularly love their book reviews, and have discovered so many new "MUST-READ-NOW" titles there... including the fascinating-sounding "Q and A for the End of the World," a conversation about sci-fi between two poets, one knowledgable about sci-fi (Michael Gushue) and one less so (Kim Roberts), which is out of print — hook me up if you know where I can get a copy!
Also not remotely under-the-radar (in fact, at "The Lit Show" this past fall, during a trivia moment, there was a question focused on how hard it is to get a piece accepted there!) — I wanted to give a shout to The Kenyon Review for its cool themed "Folios," including a recent "Cinema" one that writers interpreted in surprising and wildly imaginative ways (read "Stations of Flȃnerie" by Irene Bakola and "Cry Room" by Kelsey Ronan), because I do love a good theme.
Up next!
2025 was the year *I got the heck outta the house*. I've had several folks thank me for my "literary citizenship" and been called a "gal about town" — I've become the "Where's Waldo?" of group photos taken at DC literary events. It's been a fun new dimension to my writerly life. Like in "The Wizard of Oz" when Dorothy steps out of her black-and-white tornado house and into Technicolor. I could write a whole long post (or essay!) about what this has meant to me, so let me swiftly move along!
804 Lit Salon — How to describe what this event — a monthly reading series held in the home of DC writers Andrew Bertaina and Lauren D. Woods — has come to mean for me? Welcoming and enthusiastic hosts, friendly and thoughtful audience, an INSANELY TALENTED lineup of readers each month, the Best Lit-Salon Cat (yep, there's an award for that; scroll down to my "miscellaneous" section at the bottom!). Recently I got to hear my dear friend Lacey N. Dunham read from her novel "The Belles" whilst I wore a "Bellerton College" ball cap from the fictional school where her book takes place, and reunited with our JMM 2020 classmate Yuko on the same night. This is where I first discovered Claire Hopple, a new hero of mine. I went in August, then went back in September (and did a much better post-reading write-up; sorry, August folks), October, and November. You know I'll be back in December, January, February, and beyond. And — I'm *on the list of readers* for March! To say I'm honored to be anywhere near such dazzling company is an understatement.
Fox City Lit seasonal literary salons — Another favorite of mine, with a slightly different vibe (the last few times I've gone, it's been at Kelly's Oyster House in downtown Fairfax, a fun *nautical* scene) and started by three GMU English Department professors and their local poet friend. This is another series that cosistently spotlights incredible talents (such as my new friend, the brilliant writer Candice Wiswell!) and somehow magnetizes such nice folks to the audience seats. These organizers are also welcoming to those of us who, ahem, can't exactly point to anything with our name in it on the bookstore shelf. Case in point: I'm reading at their winter salon in January! Special shout-out for being that rare local event that is *not* in DC. NoVA pride!
Foggy Bottom Book Crawl — I had the pleasure of attending the first (of more, I hope!) Foggy Bottom Book Crawl, an event organized by Lauren D. Woods (one of the 804 folks!) and spotlighting the Lit Box, a novel vending machine (in more ways than one!) you can use to buy books from local authors! The Lit Box is also a Lauren creation! For three hours on a pleasant Sunday morning in September, a bunch of us strolled around Foggy Bottom where featured authors were stationed by category: memoir/essay/young adult at Western Market; fiction at Taqueria y Tequila, where they gave us free mini margaritas!; poets; and "DC Past and Present." I got to hear one of my heroes — Randon Billings Noble! — read for the first time!
Washington Writers' Publishing House "America's Future" anthology reading series and workshops — WWPH co-presidents Caroline Bock (also fiction editor of their literary journal, WWPH Writes) and Jona Colson (WWPH Writes poetry editor) deserve a standing ovation for the robust slew of high-quality events they've been holding to celebrate the release of their anthology, including readings all over the DMV area and craft workshops. I don't know when these co-presidents sleep; I went to two of their events (a reading/workshop at Politics & Prose; and a reading featuring my talented friend Sally Toner at Reston Used Bookstore), and as of my writing this... they're still going! (Last event is Dec. 11!)
Diane Zinna "Magic Circle" (and other) writing classes — Diane Zinna is the instructor, mentor, guru, literary icon, role model, editor, advisor, cheerleader, friend (I could go on) of my dreams — the perfect combination of "SERIOUSLY gifted writer" and "genuinely kind human being," the rare person who can provide clear and constructive advice on your work while also somehow magically getting you pepped up to write *more*, to work on your piece *more* because you're just so jazzed about the ideas she's started circulating in your brain, the clarity of vision her view has induced in you.
I was in Diane's year-long "Novel in a Year" workshop through The Writer's Center, and it was *so* productive and inspiring that I didn't hesitate to sign up for additional offerings as they cropped up — a two-week publishing class featuring visiting literary agents and publishers; a "Summer Magic Circle" month-long generative class; and I'm now eagerly awaiting the start of her February Publishing Circle, which includes visits from lit-mag editors and folks talking about that scene! I also snag one-on-one video chats with Diane when I have perplexing career or craft issues. She is, objectively, *the best*.
ARTWIFE "Creative Hour" — I've gone on a bit about my undying love for ARTWIFE, so I'll just add here that their weekly (Tuesdays, 8:30 p.m. ET!) generative "Creative Hour" has become a (free!) bright spot of my week. Laid-back but motivating, co-founder Hannah Harlee leads us in an hour of focused work on our own projects, checking in with the group at the start and finish of the hour. Not only do I get a lot done at these, but I've met some wonderful folks who join on a regular basis. It's just another way that ARTWIFE truly "walks the walk" of fostering a warm, in-touch, inclusive community with its readers.
The Writer's Center classes and workshops — My experience here is limited to the "Novel in a Year" workshop I took with Diane (mentioned above!), but it's no stretch to say it was life-changing, and it's a wild stroke of luck to have this resource located right here in the DC area (Bethesda, MD) for us local writerly folk.
Inner Loop Readings — Speaking of literary institutions I feel blessed to have here — the Inner Loop is a *goldmine*, with their popular monthly reading series (I plan to sign up for their waiting list to read!), cabin-tastic retreats, and... *so so much more* that I will let their comprehensive website do a better job of explaining for you. I went to my first Inner Loop Reading only recently, and had a freaking *ball* — met new writer friends, heard the wonderful Hannah Harlee (co-founder of ARTWIFE!) read, and enjoyed a slab of Sonny's pepperoni pizza and a warming cup of "Good Cheer" (cider and chai cocktail) while immersed in the work of an impressively wide range of writers. (Puts on my "Terminator" voice like the cringe-worthy Gen Xer I am): "I'LL BE BACK."
The Lit Show — And speaking of the Inner Loop, I had a blast at the first-ever "Lit Show" they put on with PEN/Faulkner at the Keegan Theatre this past fall. It was so much fun to see beloved DC authors up on stage against that plush red curtain, being interviewed talk-show-style then teaming up for *literary trivia*. My kinda nerdy good time! Major points for originality to the event's creators; I'd love to see more stuff like this!
Lost City Books seasonal literary salons — Lured by the prospect of seeing Rax King, a goddess so sublime she penned an entire ode to all things "Tacky," I attended Lost City Books' Summer Literary Salon in July. (Fun fact: The first time I saw the word "salon" used in conjunction with "literary" was in online flyers for this event, outside of a Gertrude Stein mention I heard somewhere.) Scheduling shenanigans conspire to keep me home in the 'burbs most evenings, so I haven't yet attended more of these — but I was impressed by the readers, the hearty turnout, and even ran into not one but *two* of my JMM pals.
Politics & Prose book launches — I've now had the experience several times of seeing a hardworking, talented pal in the *seat of honor* before a standing-room-only crowd, ready to charm the audience with interview *repartee* and thoughtful responses to Q-and-A queries before graciously signing a big ol' stack of their books, sometimes for a line that wends nigh to the door. It's stirring to see all that grit and brilliance pay off, that palpable sense of "I've made it!" as we celebrate with the author of the night. I love these events so much. And Politics & Prose has a healthy calendar full of 'em.
Kramers book launches and classes — I've also gotten to attend book launches — and a workshop led by the excellent Nikoletta Gjoni! — in the intimate upstairs space at Kramers, and I adore their cozier, living-room vibe as well for friends' book launches and events.
...If you're still with me (go get a snack; I'll wait!), I'll *actually* try to be brief with the rest of these, sticking to links only EVEN THOUGH IT PAINS ME. Next up, it's... my Top 20 Books of 2025! (These all came out in 2025! I read a lot this year!)
"Helen of Troy, 1993" by Maria Zoccola
"The Silver Book" by Olivia Laing
"The Imagined Life" by Andrew Porter
"An Oral History of Atlantis: Stories" by Ed Park
"Who Killed One the Gun?" by Gigi Little
"Audition" by Katie Kitamura
"Ethan Hawke & Me: The Before Trilogy" by Andrew Bertaina
"Sister Creatures" by Laura Venita Green
"The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe" by Lauren D. Woods
"The Slicks" by Maggie Nelson
"Blue Openings: Poems" by Chet'la Sebree
"Articulate: A Deaf Memoir of Voice" by Rachel Kolb
"The Belles" by Lacey N. Dunham
"Of Time and Punishment" by J.D. Mathes
"Sloppy, Or: Doing It All Wrong" by Rax King
"Mouth: Stories" by Kerry Donoghue
"A History of Existing Life" by Shelagh Powers Johnson
"America's Future: Poetry & Prose in Response to Tomorrow" by Washington Writers' Publishing House
"Hot Girls with Balls" by Benedict Nguyen
Up next is a category near and dear to my heart: my favorite short pieces published in lit mags during 2025! I loved *so many of these* that I'm not going to take up all your time and say much about them, and will instead let them speak for themselves.
Short Pieces (Fiction & CNF... and a video!)
“Do Not Allow” by Diane Zinna
ARTWIFE
“Moon Boots” by Na Mee
The Sun
“Legally Speaking, Sheetz Is Required to Put
Whatever You Want on a Salad”
by Kristin Gustafson, HAD
“Rough Road” by J.D. Mathes
The Sun
“The Harvester” by Justin Taroli
Weird Lit
“The Saddest Fuckers of All” by Kathy Fish
Ghost Parachute
“The Whale Dreams” by Andrew Bertaina
The Dodge
“The Mother and the Whore” by Sarah Bess Jaffe
ARTWIFE
“Being Sensitive About Being Sensitive”
(from “Married Love: Five Micro Memoirs”)
by Beth Ann Fennelly, Oxford American
“Portrait of Big John the Football Manager”
By Dina Dwyer, Midway Journal
“Nine Hundred Miles to Tampa” by Lauren D. Woods
Cutleaf
“Truth or Consequences” by Whitney Collins
Hex
“Mismeasured” by Linda Kotis
The Write Launch
“Trudy” by Sally Toner
Gargoyle
“Last Night at the Dollar Store” by Jim Wright
Weird Lit
“Thread” by Emily Mitchell
The Sun
“The Audubon Society’s Guide to the
Luckiest Birds to Be Shit On By”
by Christian Fuller, HAD
“Cake” by Laura van den Berg
The Baffler
“Boys in Boxes” by James Montgomery
Fractured
“Accidents + Emergencies” (Video) by Mischa Jakupcak, ARTWIFE
And now for my favorite books I read this year that were *not* released in 2025, a quick li'l snapshot:
Short Pieces (Fiction & CNF... and a video!)
“Do Not Allow” by Diane Zinna
ARTWIFE
“Moon Boots” by Na Mee
The Sun
“Legally Speaking, Sheetz Is Required to Put
Whatever You Want on a Salad”
by Kristin Gustafson, HAD
“Rough Road” by J.D. Mathes
The Sun
“The Harvester” by Justin Taroli
Weird Lit
“The Saddest Fuckers of All” by Kathy Fish
Ghost Parachute
“The Whale Dreams” by Andrew Bertaina
The Dodge
“The Mother and the Whore” by Sarah Bess Jaffe
ARTWIFE
“Being Sensitive About Being Sensitive”
(from “Married Love: Five Micro Memoirs”)
by Beth Ann Fennelly, Oxford American
“Portrait of Big John the Football Manager”
By Dina Dwyer, Midway Journal
“Nine Hundred Miles to Tampa” by Lauren D. Woods
Cutleaf
“Truth or Consequences” by Whitney Collins
Hex
“Mismeasured” by Linda Kotis
The Write Launch
“Trudy” by Sally Toner
Gargoyle
“Last Night at the Dollar Store” by Jim Wright
Weird Lit
“Thread” by Emily Mitchell
The Sun
“The Audubon Society’s Guide to the
Luckiest Birds to Be Shit On By”
by Christian Fuller, HAD
“Cake” by Laura van den Berg
The Baffler
“Boys in Boxes” by James Montgomery
Fractured
“Accidents + Emergencies” (Video) by Mischa Jakupcak, ARTWIFE
And now for my favorite books I read this year that were *not* released in 2025, a quick li'l snapshot:
And now for some fun ones!
Connector Award
I hereby bestow the "Connector" award upon... Andrew Bertaina, for his kindness and inclusiveness, extending invites to new-to-the-scene writers like myself to events such as the 804 Lit Salon he and his wonderful wife, Lauren D. Woods, run from their home each month. (That cartoon crown with the word "Excellence" plastered beneath it was the best I could do with my free Pixlr account and lack of photo skills, but you know, it turned out quite majestic, if I may say so myself.)
(Story time!) I have to give props to the genius writer Ed Park: At the book signing for his (hilarious!) collection of short stories, "An Oral History of Atlantis," at Politics & Prose, I worried for a sec when people seemed too shy to approach the mic for Q-and-A time. I didn't want Ed to feel bad! Also, it just so happened that, for once, a decent question had popped up in my mind during his interview with (also genius writer) Angie Kim. So when a man then unknown to me stood and strode to the mic, I got in line behind him. As a gesture of solidarity, in acknowledgement that we two lone souls were venturing forth from what I assumed to be our introvert shells — when the then-unknown-to-me man glanced over his shoulder at me, I no-joke gave a little fist pump and whispered the word: "Brave." Yeah, I really did that. Turns out... the man was Matthew Klam, a famous writer who has been laureled with just about every writerly accolade under the sun, whose name I knew but whose corporeal form I somehow did not. I realized this later when I saw folks tagged in event photos.
But the Ed part! So, my question for Ed was about "dream logic," and how several of his characters appear in multiple stories but in slightly different permutations, and I said this reminded me of the awesome novel "Anagrams" by Lorrie Moore. Ed loved the question! He said he hadn't thought of "Anagrams" in quite some time, and seemed pleased to be reminded of it. But the best part (for me) is that when I got in the autograph line and handed my book to him — he remembered my question, and was quick-thinking enough to sign it: "Anagramatically"! Which — WOW — turns out to contain yet *another* level of genius to it, because I swear to you as I type this I *just now realized* it also refers to the first story in the book, a letter signed "Hans de Krap"... the last name is an anagram for Ed Park! Dude is next-level brilliant. And as a Pulitzer nominee, I'm sure he is thrilled to now have a "Christie" award to his name. Hmm, wonder which he'll put first in his bio?
Best Anthology Printed in Two Languages
During the conversation between Ed Park and his (excellent!) interviewer, novelist Angie Kim, there was some chitchat about Korean/Korean-American culture. These two would likely have been tickled to join me in the spring at the celebration of "Songs in a Second Language: An Anthology of Korean American Literature," which includes a section of essays by my JMM classmate Sarah Song!
During the conversation between Ed Park and his (excellent!) interviewer, novelist Angie Kim, there was some chitchat about Korean/Korean-American culture. These two would likely have been tickled to join me in the spring at the celebration of "Songs in a Second Language: An Anthology of Korean American Literature," which includes a section of essays by my JMM classmate Sarah Song!
Best Lit-Salon Cat
So these next two are going to smack of cronyism, given Andrew in the crown up there, but that's showbiz for you, baby! (What?) The award for Best Lit-Salon Cat goes to this regal beauty who holds court at 804 Lit Salon and always seems indifferent/vaguely annoyed at the writerly hubbub occurring in the vicinity.
Best Bookstore Cocktail
The award for Best Bookstore Cocktail goes to... Kramers, for its delicious "Autumn Prologue," a concoction made up of apple cider, cinnamon simple syrup, apple vodka, lemon juice, and Sprite. I'm one of those people who's a sucker for a *fun* name on a menu, and I first imbibed it while at Kramers for the launch of "The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe" by Lauren D. Woods (who happens to also be the wife of Andrew, and happens to also reside with the Best Lit-Salon Cat). I ordered it because her (beautiful) book of short stories won the Autumn House Fiction Prize. The homage paid off, and I wound up enjoying the drink on another occasion as well. Recommend!
This topic really deserves its own long post, so I'll just quickly give a shout to "the core," the group of women from the Fall '24 cohort who have continued to meet each month even though our JMM workshop ended a year ago. We designate a leader each month and gather at someone's house, or sometimes a room at the library. We typically bring (lots of good!) food, and we workshop two members' writing (discussion + formal critique letters & in-doc notes), and discuss the assigned reading and related prompt, sharing what we wrote sparked by the prompt. (This is where the idea for my Blood+Honey piece "Poultice" came from!) Lately we've been linking our meetings to various members' readings throughout the region. *Wonderful* group, and I know we'll be lifelong friends. Best Writing-Group "Core" goes to Linda Kotis, Lisa Rabasca Roepe, Sarah Song, Sally Toner, and Kate Wichmann.
Best Literary City
Totally unbiased here, not swayed in the slightest by the many beloved souls I personally know in the region who rise each morning and go about their days, juggling work and art, family and art, "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" and art, here in this oft-overlooked-in-the-arts place in the shadows of buildings where decisions of vast-reaching significance are made; where people come from all over, braving the humidity and traffic, in pursuit of making the world a better place; this still-beating heart of America... the "Christie" for Best Literary City goes to Washington, DC. Love you folks. Never stop being you.
The award for Best Bookstore Cocktail goes to... Kramers, for its delicious "Autumn Prologue," a concoction made up of apple cider, cinnamon simple syrup, apple vodka, lemon juice, and Sprite. I'm one of those people who's a sucker for a *fun* name on a menu, and I first imbibed it while at Kramers for the launch of "The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe" by Lauren D. Woods (who happens to also be the wife of Andrew, and happens to also reside with the Best Lit-Salon Cat). I ordered it because her (beautiful) book of short stories won the Autumn House Fiction Prize. The homage paid off, and I wound up enjoying the drink on another occasion as well. Recommend!
Most Life-Changing Opportunity
Some of you have seen me type the letters "JMM," usually right before launching into a wistful ode. What does that stand for? The George Washington University English Department's every-other-year Jenny McKean Moore Community Workshops! These are free and open to non-GWU-student folks in the ~DC area. You submit a writing sample, then roughly a dozen writers are selected by the visiting JMM writer-instructor for that year. "The chosen ones" get to attend a semester-long workshop on campus (um, unless it's 2020!) at GWU, in their English Department building where you can see pictures of celebrated faculty such as Edward P. Jones (a former JMM participant!) on the walls. I've now been in three of these (Fall 2020: creative nonfiction with Cutter Wood; Fall 2022: fiction with Johannes Lichtman; Fall 2024: creative nonfiction with Kat Chow). A semester's worth of GWU-caliber instruction for free! (Basically, this is what I have in lieu of an MFA — the Fall 2020 one was my first-EVER creative-writing class or workshop of any kind! I was 42 at the time!)
Some of you have seen me type the letters "JMM," usually right before launching into a wistful ode. What does that stand for? The George Washington University English Department's every-other-year Jenny McKean Moore Community Workshops! These are free and open to non-GWU-student folks in the ~DC area. You submit a writing sample, then roughly a dozen writers are selected by the visiting JMM writer-instructor for that year. "The chosen ones" get to attend a semester-long workshop on campus (um, unless it's 2020!) at GWU, in their English Department building where you can see pictures of celebrated faculty such as Edward P. Jones (a former JMM participant!) on the walls. I've now been in three of these (Fall 2020: creative nonfiction with Cutter Wood; Fall 2022: fiction with Johannes Lichtman; Fall 2024: creative nonfiction with Kat Chow). A semester's worth of GWU-caliber instruction for free! (Basically, this is what I have in lieu of an MFA — the Fall 2020 one was my first-EVER creative-writing class or workshop of any kind! I was 42 at the time!)
This topic really deserves its own long post, so I'll just quickly give a shout to "the core," the group of women from the Fall '24 cohort who have continued to meet each month even though our JMM workshop ended a year ago. We designate a leader each month and gather at someone's house, or sometimes a room at the library. We typically bring (lots of good!) food, and we workshop two members' writing (discussion + formal critique letters & in-doc notes), and discuss the assigned reading and related prompt, sharing what we wrote sparked by the prompt. (This is where the idea for my Blood+Honey piece "Poultice" came from!) Lately we've been linking our meetings to various members' readings throughout the region. *Wonderful* group, and I know we'll be lifelong friends. Best Writing-Group "Core" goes to Linda Kotis, Lisa Rabasca Roepe, Sarah Song, Sally Toner, and Kate Wichmann.
Best Literary City
Totally unbiased here, not swayed in the slightest by the many beloved souls I personally know in the region who rise each morning and go about their days, juggling work and art, family and art, "It's The End Of The World As We Know It" and art, here in this oft-overlooked-in-the-arts place in the shadows of buildings where decisions of vast-reaching significance are made; where people come from all over, braving the humidity and traffic, in pursuit of making the world a better place; this still-beating heart of America... the "Christie" for Best Literary City goes to Washington, DC. Love you folks. Never stop being you.
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