HFR March Newsletter: Community and Connection
Dear Readers,
Salutations! My name is Emad Jabini, and I have the distinct pleasure of serving as HFR’s Nonfiction Editor this year. Over the past few months, we’ve been hard at work finalizing the 76th Issue of Hayden’s Ferry Review, an issue so teeming with brilliant work, all other issues of our esteemed journal will tremble in its wake. I may be somewhat biased, but I think have a particularly strong selection of literary essays from emerging writers—works that tackle with lucidity and vulnerability the nuanced dimensions of grief, our relationship with nature, love, and parenthood. On top of that, there will be, as always, remarkable works of art, fiction, poetry, and translation from our breathtakingly talented contributors! We are also currently reading through submissions for our annual Fiction and Poetry Contest, judged by Gwen E. Kirby and Hieu Minh Nguyen.
This was a particularly strong submission period for our journal, with so many unique and captivating voices, some of which will also appear in our upcoming Maximalism Folio, a special section of the print issue dedicated to literary excess, exuberance, details, detours, references, and repetitions. But if you, like me, simply cannot wait for the printers to finish a-printing, I invite you to check the HFR website, where we have loads of exclusive content to peruse, and where you can order any of our other 75 issues, available for your reading pleasure!
Finally, if you happen to share the “Valley of the Sun” with us, we will be hosting an Open Mic Night at Cartel Roasting Co. in Tempe this Thursday! See below for full details, and stop by to connect with fellow writers or, if gallant enough, dazzle the crowd with your work. Be sure to keep a look out for other events on the horizon too!
Sincerely,
Emad Jabini, Nonfiction Editor
HFR Announces 2025 Anthology Nominees
HFR was thrilled recently to announce our nominees for several wonderful 2025 anthologies. These writers submitted spectacular work and we’re honored to have published their powerful pieces. Our nominees include:
Best Literary Translations
Will Pewitt’s translation of Signal Fire by Al-Buhturī
Sharon Dolin’s translation of Listen by Gemma Gorga
Melisa Cahnmann-Taylor and Kuo Zhang’s translation of Homebound Geese by Nianxi Chen
Susan K’s translation of Byeokje Flower Garden by Soran Park
Siavash Saadlou’s translations of two untitled poems by Garous Abdolmalekian
Ali Asadollahi’s translation of The song of Torqa that goes blind by Milad Kamyabian
Best Small Fictions
Fatema Haque - Five Things She Brought With Her to the End of the World
Jesse Wallis - Smoke and Ash
Marianne Kunkel - Knock, Knock
Noemi Scheiring-Olah - Concrete Worm
Sebastien Luc Butler - Tell Me I’d Look Pretty Pinned on Your Wall
Best American Essays
Sana Wazwaz - How to Say ‘Survival’ in Latin
Anaya Marei - Desert(ed)
Jordan Walker - Rally
Shalini Singh - Iowa=Gujarat (?)
Congratulations to our nominees and thank you to these anthologies for helping us spotlight incredible writers and translators.
Cartel Open Mic
Calling all local storytellers! Show up and show out for HFR’s Open Mic night at Cartel Roasting Co in Tempe on March 20th. Share your words and support fellow creatives, all while enjoying a great cup of coffee. Sign-ups start at 6:15 and the first thirty participants will receive a free copy of HFR to take home with them! This is a night you won’t want to miss.
When: March 20 | 6:30-7:30 PM
Where: Cartel Roasting Co, 810 S Ash Ave, Tempe, AZ
HFR is at AWP!
HFR will be at AWP’s annual conference and book fair March 27-29 in Los Angeles, California! If you’re making it out to LA, come visit us at table 337 on the convention center floor. Stop by to connect in person, meet our editors, buy an issue, grab some awesome merch, or just pick up some cool freebies! We’ll have discounts and special offers throughout the weekend. Hope to see you there!