In our December Web Exclusive story, "Flight," author Anton DiSclafani freezes a moment in the life of an aged John J. Audubon. It's a moment that allows us a bird's-eye view of the famed ornithologist/artist's exotic origins, his loss and his passion, and his rivalry with Alexander Wilson. It's elegiac without being mawkish, and you walk away feeling as though you've just been up close with a rare and brilliant specimen. Erin McReynolds: What drew you to Audubon, as a character? Anton ... [READ MORE]
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As the new year approaches, we look back with gratitude on the magazine's accomplishments and think about how we can grow in the years to come. Here are a few of our favorite highlights from 2017: - We published 22 stories, including our first issue dedicated exclusively to the work of emerging writers. We proudly offer competitive payment to all writers whose stories we publish. - Through "ASF Goes Back to School," we donated hundreds of back issues to creative writing classrooms across ... [READ MORE]
Web Exclusive Interview: Anessa Ibrahim
October's Web Exclusive story "Ray Charles Never Lost Anything Important" brings an ancient archetype, the soothsayer, to a group of teenagers in East Los Angeles in a funny and sweet, totally believable scene that could take place at almost any time. We chatted with Anessa Ibrahim recently about mysticism and belief and writing. Erin McReynolds: First of all, congratulations on your first publication! Personally, it's my favorite thing when we find a story we really like and then find out ... [READ MORE]
Texas Book Festival Interviews: An Austin Collection
With the Texas Book Festival coming up on November 4th and 5th, we caught up with a few authors featured in this year’s lineup for some mini–interviews. Deb Olin Unferth, Jardine Libaire, and Owen Egerton are a few of Austin's favorite local writers, while our other interviewees—Amelia Gray, Mary Miller, and Manuel Gonzales—have all recently called Austin home. We asked these six writers to share a few insights about themselves, their books, and the Lone Star State. Also, speaking of the Texas ... [READ MORE]
The Stars at Night: An Interview with Dan Chaon
I first came to Dan Chaon's work years ago via his celebrated story collection Among the Missing; even as a fledgling writer, I recognized that Chaon had the chops for beautiful writing and even greater empathy. Now, Chaon's newest novel Ill Will showcases a multi-talented writer diving into the deep waters of emotional hazards and physical violence, all set against the backdrop of contemporary America, where our greatest fears and darkest truths lie just beneath the surface. Tonight, he will be ... [READ MORE]
Announcing the Winners of the Insider Prize
Submissions to The Insider Prize—a writing contest for incarcerated writers in Texas, which we held for the first time this year—came to us in envelopes of many sizes. Most had been previously opened, with a red TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS stamp on the inside of the lip of the envelope that had been taped shut after an inspection. Some were composed on a typewriter. Others were handwritten. Like many literary journals, American Short Fiction accepts only electronic submissions. And while ... [READ MORE]