Who Reads Lit Mags? We Do!...Spotlight on Does it Have Pockets, Gone Lawn, Flash Fiction Online, Bloodletter, and Hippocampus
December reads
Welcome to our weekly column offering perspectives on lit mag publishing, with contributions from readers, writers and editors around the world.
Here is another series installment that happens every first Thursday of the month, where we share what we’ve been reading in lit mags. I have been keeping a list of all the poems, essays, and stories we have mentioned collectively on Bibliocommons, and it’s really something amazing. This list has become an ever-growing bouquet of brilliance, and I’m delighted to add to it this month with your input.
As I started reflecting on the lit mags I have been reading, I kept thinking about Becky’s recent post about our community. Most of the journals I’ve been reading and exploring as of late are discoveries I found right here at Lit Mag News. There’s something undeniably invigorating about the way our regular connections transform reading into a shared experience, especially when I need it most.
Parenthood, for me, especially during the busy month of December, is chock full of “have-tos” and social gatherings and oh my gatos, how does anybody show up on time with a toddler?! My brain is overloaded with all this pine-scented to-dos and the sad chaos of the times and my poor dog needs a really good walk. Scrolling on my phone or poring over words printed out feels like an escape, though I do feel a twinge of guilt knowing there’s so much on my plate.
But now, when I immerse myself in the world of lit mags, it doesn’t feel like a solitary act. When I come across a gorgeous poem or a zing of brilliance in a piece of flash fiction, I don’t have to keep it to myself—I know I have a community to share it with. This sense of connection with like-minded humans from all over the globe that share my passion with writing and the written word has made all the difference.
One lit mag that I have been greatly enjoying is Does It Have Pockets. Many of you are probably familiar with this one, especially because it has been discussed in our comment section, and one of the “slush pile” readers attended a Lit Mag News Q & A, an interview that I greatly appreciated especially because it humanizes the process of submitting your work. One of the reasons I especially love this magazine is that there is so much evidence of care, right from the fun of the title that dares to ask a question and does not require a question mark, leaving it open-ended, like a pocket.
When I come across a gorgeous poem or a zing of brilliance in a piece of flash fiction, I don’t have to keep it to myself—I know I have a community to share it with.
The website is visually stunning, featuring artwork paired with each piece in a soothing and harmonious way. Each story is neatly framed within an aligned box, while the complementary colors of the images create a balanced aesthetic that keeps the brain engaged without feeling overwhelmed. It is much appreciated that each piece is presented in white text with a brown background, which helps with readability. (Side note: I am currently writing this on Word using a dark blue page color and white text—it has really helped my eye fatigue. If you find yourself with an eye twitch after staring at your screen for too long, you should definitely give this a try.)
I also love knowing that this journal welcomes the “uncategorizable,” because this adds to the excitement of opening each of their pieces, never sure what will be found but reassured that it was thoughtfully selected.
I am captivated by two pieces of flash fiction by KM Baysal. The first, “Pink Camellias (Longing),” is breathtaking—its imagery of flowers growing on a body is vivid and mesmeric, and it beautifully captures the emotional journey of a couple. I was also delighted when I figured out the title’s meaning, which at first glance seemed obscure.
The second piece, “Aftermath,” is about the aftermath of a tornado that hit a small town during prom night. It’s a little over 600 words, and I’m in awe of how much depth Baysal conveys in so few words, especially how it explores secrets and the emotional weight of objects, leaving an impact as profound as reading an entire novel.
Another journal that I learned through the Lit Mag News community is Gone Lawn. I read lit mags for the pure pleasure of knowing what’s out there, but as a writer, I must admit that I am forever looking for places that would make good homes for my own work. Because of this, I am always trying to figure out the particular “flavor” of a magazine, and I appreciate a journal that has a clear understanding of what they’d like to publish.
From what I can tell, Gone Lawn publishes words in the speculative, magical realism vibe pertaining to our connections with the natural world. In their description, the editors write that they are “partial to odd garden animals,” an evocative phrase that I have tucked away in the creative folds of my story-generating mind. Here is one thing to note: although they do not provide a word limit, everything I have read in their issues is relatively short, giving that feeling of taking a gander at a neighbor’s intriguingly peculiar garden sculpture as you drive by.
Although short, three prose poems by Jo Gatford published in the latest issue of Gone Lawn (issue 57, Hunter’s Moon—the next one comes out December 15th!), packs a punch that is both huge and profound. Gatford’s first poem, “Something Serpentile,” is truly an experience when read out loud, because as your mouth forms the hissing sound of the repeated “s” alliteration, the reader embodies a serpentine transformation, much like the girl in the poem as she sheds skins of inhibition and dives into the primal depths of her being.
“Hypoarousal” made me feel everything all at once, aware of my body and my breath and my solitude and my connections, especially because it begins with commands, pulling me in, making me culpable. This poem invokes the heaviness of existence through metaphors of roadkill and fish, where water becomes both a place of vulnerability and solace.
Lastly, “I talk to god at the planetarium” (note the lowercase of the title), begins with an m dash, which feels both disorientating and immediate, as if catching the narrator in mid-reverie. This poem intertwines the vastness of the cosmos with the intimate, sensory experiences of art such as listening to Don Mclean’s Vincent.
I could talk about each and every one of the word-things published in Gone Lawn, but I’ll just talk about one more author’s work. I love the two pieces by Onyekachi Iloh profoundly, especially because they make sense as if by dream logic instead of adhering to the constraints of conventional reality. Word-things is Gone Lawn’s word for the genre that they publish, and I think that is perfect because I think Onyekachi Iloh’s work is uncategorizable.
Honestly, I just re-read Iloh’s “A Quest to Heal” and I’m finding it hard to describe it in a one-sided conversation because it feels alive, as if it’s meant to be experienced in a bookstore with warm lighting, shared in a moment of mutual wonder. This piece invites a kind of collective dreaming, challenging the reader to see the world through personified objects and consider our place within that perspective.
“Nocturne” also creates an incredibly surreal narrative, starting out as a piece about musicians but then personifying the musician’s instruments, which is something that blew my mind in the best way, especially because I know that there are people out there who would protest: You can’t do that! It defies plausibility! Ah, but you can, you can, and with that confidence you can produce something truly sublime.
One piece that was shared in the comments of another of my posts was published in Flash Fiction Online. It is called “Within the Dead Whale” by Spencer Nitkey and I wanted to include it here to make sure everyone has a chance to read it.
Out of all the pieces I have read this year, this one might be my favorite. This story is a masterclass on writing a story about something that happens while at the same time using the story to grapple with a theme. This story brilliantly balances two contrasting elements: the brief, immediate experience of children and their parents discovering a beached whale, and the drawn-out, melancholic weight of divorce, both during the unraveling and its aftermath. The vivid imagery makes the story come alive, unfolding so clearly in my mind that in my memory I felt as I had witnessed it firsthand.
Another piece shared in the comments that has stayed with me is from Bloodletter Magazine. Bloodletter Magazine describes itself as a “feminist magazine showcasing personal and analytical perspectives of the horrific by women, trans, and non-binary writers,” which alludes to a commitment to the type of writing I truly believe our world needs right now. Bloodletter has a website that is incredibly pleasing to the eye, with a subtle touch of animation (love the blood spatters over the published pieces!) and a gratifying adhesive color palate.
The Bloodletter story that was recommended is called “Keep Your Hunger Close” by Lia Mulcahy. Even though I greatly enjoy their website, I ended up printing out the story because I wanted to sink into it and enjoy the mounting suspense. It is such a doozy of a story! And it so perfectly fits into the genre of feminist horror—as it grapples with the very real horrors of doctors mistreating their vulnerable patients, the story takes a sharp turn into camp in a surreal and exaggerated way. I want to write more about it, but the turn is so fun I just don’t want to give anything away.
The final magazine I’ll share this month is Hippocampus Magazine, a magazine I sought out because it publishes incredible creative nonfiction. As you might have noticed, I do not normally gravitate towards CNF, but I think that this speaks to the power of this community, in that I feel encouraged to venture further afield in the world of lit mags. I would also love to hear from you all about what journals you read for essays and creative nonfiction, because I am eager to read more.
While exploring Hippocampus, one thing I was struck by is the way it provides a space for community as well. Not only does it publish cnf, it also hosts readings, teaches workshops, and provides a space for writers to learn from each other by writing about craft and the every day reading life. This adds to the personal nature of creative nonfiction, helping us to feel a part of a larger, supportive writing community where vulnerability and shared experience can spark growth and inspiration.
One essay published in Hippocampus that I am still thinking about is “Don’t Ignore the Ashes” by Alison Colwell. Here is a piece about community, or lack thereof, as it reflects on the concept of bystanders and those who look away from violence and suffering. It contrasts personal experiences of abuse with fairy tales, using these comparisons to ask uncomfortable questions about the role of those who witness but do not intervene, like why the hell did Cinderella’s dad stand by and let her daughter sleep in ashes in his own home? The writing is raw and emotional, illustrating the narrator’s sense of isolation and the emotional weight of unacknowledged pain. It explores the themes of silence, and by sharing her story, she brings her truths to the surface, ensuring that her voice is heard and her experiences are no longer ignored.
So, now it’s your turn! I very much look forward to reading what lit mags you’ve been reading, and the pieces that have captured your attention, especially during this busy time.
As always, please note that, while I look forward to reading our Lit Mag Brags each month and seeing what and where everyone has been published, I’d like this to be a resource for what we’re reading, not what we’ve written.
Cheers, friends. Here’s to stories that connect us and the people who help us find them.
 | A guest post by
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I love Gone Lawn! “Self-Soothing is for the Birds” by Bethany Jarmul is one of my favorites. https://gonelawn.net/journal/issue55/Jarmul.php And thanks for the introduction to Does it Have Pockets! I can’t believe I’ve missed that one.
I’ve also recently loved “My Daughter Asks Me to Write an Honest Poem” by Todd Dillard in The Ex-Puritan. https://ex-puritan.ca/my-daughter-asks-me-to-write-an-honest-poem-and-whats-new
I learned about Does It Have Pockets? from the LitMagNews Q&A video I watched and submitted a piece there. They accepted it! So thanks, Becky, for including new and wacky journals in your programs as well as the venerable, prestigious ones.