Unleash Alum Writing Wins Spring/Summer '24

Congrats to the following Unleash Writers…

Photo by Adi Goldstein

Mary Paulson

Most recently, I've had poems appear in the Cafe Review and The Rumen. So far in 2024, I was awarded third prize for my poem, “Pantoum at Sixteen” by the Kent and Sussex Poetry Society. I was also a joint winner in The Letter Review’s Poetry Contest and Tulip Tree Publishing’s Wild Women Contest for my poems “Dinner” and “Re: My Continued Tardiness (respectively).

Christopher Meeks

“Of the manuscripts I've sent you, five stories have been published in literary journals. The first story, "Dietmar and His Very Bad Week" will appear in Rosebud Magazine next month--available in all Barnes and Noble stores.”

Jay McKenzie

Last year, my novel Mim and Wiggy's Grand Adventure was released with Serenade Publishing (July 2023). I was shortlisted for the Exeter Novel Prize, the Commonwealth Short Story Prize, the Alpine Fellowship, The Wenlock Olympian Society Story Award and the Fish Short Story Prize. I was longlisted for the Bedford Prize, Bath Flash Fiction and the Smokelong Mikeys. I have been published in Paper Road, adda, The Ulu Review, Roi Faineant, and Flash Fiction Magazine.

Khanh Ha

Recipient of the Sand Hills Prize for Best Fiction, The Robert Watson Literary Prize in Fiction, The Orison Anthology Award for Fiction, The James Knudsen Prize for Fiction, The C&R Press Fiction Prize, The EastOver Fiction Prize, The Blackwater Press Fiction Prize, The Gival Press Novel Award, The Red Hen Press Fiction Award, and The Unleash Press Fiction Prize.

Brice Maiurro

The Heart is an Undertaker Bee was published by Middle Creek Publishing. A collection of nature poems.

Debra K. Every

My debut psychological horror novel, DEENA UNDONE, won gold in the 2023 PitchWeek XXIX competition and was just shortlisted for a 2024 Hawthorne Prize. It will be traditionally published by Woodhall Press with a release date of 10/8/24. "ABSOLUTELY STOMACH-CHURNING"-KIRKUS REVIEWS

Terry Watada

The Mask, poetry book, Mawenzi Publishers (Toronto ON - Dec 2023); Hiroshima Bomb Money, novel, NeWest Publishers (Edmonton Alberta - fall 2024)

Douglas Cole

Since publishing in Unleash Press's On Work anthology, I have published or have work forthcoming in Ginosko, Taos Journal, Acumen, Sand Hills Literary Magazine, Last Stanza Journal, The Orchards Poetry Anthology, Journal of Compressed Creative Arts, Renaissance Review, Copihue Poetry, Banyan Review, Cider Press Review, Blue Unicorn, Literary Yard, Atticus Review, 2River, Great Weather for Media, Westchester Review, Abandon Journal, Southword and The Rumpus. Three works of mine: (“What We Talk about When We Talk about Kinda Blue,” Jerry Jazz Musician; “Place is the House of Being,” Tipton Poetry Review; and “Sunday on a Whim,” Red Rock Review) were nominated for the Pushcart Prize. I have two poetry books in the process of publication this year with Unsolicited Press and Finishing Line Press.

Laura Esther Sciortino

My debut poetry chapbook collection, Remote Control has been published by The Poetry Box and was released on May 9. It includes 16 poems, 3 of which were first published by Unleash Lit. The work in this collection is a practice in ordinary love, both longing for and celebrating connection. Here, we may partake in reading as if a friend speaks to us directly. This friend that--despite mistakes and overreaching--invests herself with unabashed earnestness in the greenest of hope, imagination, freedom, beginner's mind, surrender, and renewal. To learn more and purchase, please visit: ThePoetryBox.com/bookstore/remote-control

Rosalie Hendon

Recent poetry publications: "Trust fall" in Subliminal Surgery); "Dinner at Allie's" in coalitionworks and "Inferno" in the Literary Times.

Maddie Lock

The essay Family Portrait was published in STORIES THAT NEED TO BE TOLD by TulipTree Press; upcoming this month the essay What Sam Has Taught Me will be in the first anthology by Every Animal Project called THE DOG WHO WOOED AT THE WORLD; my memoir ILLEGITIMATE is forthcoming from Vine Leaves Press.

Peter DeMarco

I had a piece called "Now Playing!" published in Flash Fiction Magazine on Jan. 12th. I just had a non-fiction piece called "Trophy" published in the May edition of Pithead Chapel.

Rae Diamond

My hybrid book of poems, drawings, and an essay, floating bones, was published by First Matter Press in September 2023.

Jonathan Chibuike Ukah

Shortlisted, Minds Shine Bright; Grand Winner, Wingless Dreamer Poetry Prize 2024; Longlisted in The Black Fox Poetry Prize, Rhapsody of Regret in 2024.

Joseph Hardy

Since beginning to submit poetry for publication, in 2019, Joseph has published more than one hundred poems in independent journals, but it is his self-published picture book, "At the Reading of the Will; and a Boy's Life Thereafter," that has given him the most joy. The dazzling pictures of Illustrator Ed Hose and layout genius of Charles Royce, (his dear friends), made its creation a loving collaboration, and the book itself magical.

Lesley Mapstone

Lesley Mapstone published a story about dog rescue in Kathmandu, Nepal, in the Globe and Mail and was the recipient of a writer's grant from the Ontario Government in Canada.

Eileen Trauth

All of the published poems were published in my chapbook, Ordinary Time, which was published in 2023 by Kelsay Books.