The Peak

Angie Kang, author of the comic “Birthmark” from volume 73.1, speaks with editor DW McKinney about having agency over her body in healthcare settings and writing herself into her stories.

K Chiucarello, author of Water Works featured in Volume 72.1 of Shenandoah, speaks about the aftermath of trauma and the journey to writing about it in the following essay.

Erin Hoover, the poet behind Barnburner, featured in the Fall 2021 edition of Shenandoah, answers questions about her new collection entitled No Spare People.

Janna Miller, the author of the nonfiction piece Better Homes and Gardens featured in Volume 72.2 of Shenandoah, writes about the relationship between writing, wild words, and invasive vines in this piece. Read Better Homes and Gardens here. Some words are true and grow wildly and without restraint. The wisteria vine will climb over the door […]

Arianne Elena Payne, the poet behind “The Contours of Marriage” and Clarie Gor, the author of Mother Hen, chat about their inspirations and creative processes for their works, both featured in the Spring 2023 issue of Shenandoah. Arianne: What is the title and story of your piece that is featured in Volume 72.2 of […]

Jennifer Schomburg Kanke, author of A Pleasant Loitering Journey, speaks about her writing process and inspirations for her novel in a conversation with Shenandoah intern Sam Masser. Read Chapter 14 of A Pleasant Loitering Journey, featured in Volume 72.1 of Shenandoah here. Sam: Thanks for talking with me today, and congratulations on making it into the […]

Manini Nayar, writer of “Triptych, With Interruptions,” featured in the Fall 2019 edition of Shenandoah, shares her thoughts on the power of immigrant stories and her experience writing Being Here, in the essay below. Read “Triptych, With Interruptions” here. Notes on Revisiting the ‘Immigrant’ in Immigrant Writing In writing my collection of stories, […]

April Yee, the poet behind “Motherhood,” featured in the Spring 2022 issue of Shenandoah, offers her unique insight on womanhood and poetry. In a conversation with Shenandoah intern Susannah Birle, April talks about the importance of language, her work as a journalist, and her own experience as a mother. Check out her poem, “Motherhood,” […]

David Siew Hii, our editorial fellow in poetry for issue 72.2, interviewed every poet in the issue. To better center their voices, they removed their questions, giving them more space to talk about poetry and life. The document that follows is a curated, compressed version of that conversation. Read Megan’s poem “V.” In […]

T.S Bender, author of “Bellarosa”, featured in Volume 72.2, explains the behind-the-scenes of several passages from his story, revealing his revision process and the characters’ inner sentiments. Where did you find inspiration for the detailed descriptions of wood chipping? “For weeks we’d been taking down trees all over the golf course at […]

Chelsea Harlan, author of “When Foamhenge Was Still Where It Was” from Volume 72.2, reads her poem out loud.

Irène Mathieu, featured in Volume 68.2, published her fourth collection of poetry, milk tongue, on June 13th, 2023. Here, she responds to questions about the book and her writing process. Can you tell me the story of this book: When did you start working on it? What were some of your preoccupations as […]

Yuan Changming, author of “Lesson One in Chinese Character/s: a Bilinguacultural Poem about Heart” from Volume 72.2, reads his poem out loud.

David Siew Hii, our editorial fellow in poetry for issue 72.2, interviewed every poet in the issue. To better center their voices,they removed their questions, giving them more space to talk about poetry and life. The document that follows is a curated, compressed version of that conversation. Read Yuan’s poem “Lesson One in Chinese Character/s: […]

Lauren Camp reads her poem “Cell Theory” from Shenandoah Issue 72.2, Spring 2023.

Luisa Caycedo-Kimura, author of “Queridas tías” from Volume 72.2, reads her poem out loud.

Tanya Žilinskas, author of “The Winter Guests” from Volume 72.2, recounts her inspiration for her story revealing the behind-the-scenes of the setting of Mount Imola and the main character’s intentions. Shirley Jackson’s short story “The Summer People” revolves around an aging couple, Mr. and Mrs. Allison, who decide to stay on at their […]

Tom Sokolowski, author of “Feeding Hour” from Volume 72.2, explores the importance of endings as a means to inspire imagination from readers. He discusses pieces with memorable endings and argues that the key to an ending that will stick with a reader is a crucial image in the final scene that leaves the readers in […]

Mirinae Lee, author of “Bring Down the House” from Volume 70.1, published her debut novel, 8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster, on June 13th, 2023. Here, she responds to questions about the book and her writing process. Can you tell me the story of your forthcoming book? When did you start working on […]

David Siew Hii, our editorial fellow in poetry for issue 72.2, interviews Patrycja Humienik

Samuel Rafael Barber, author of “A Guide for Boys: Adventures and Other Ventures into Human Capital (Ages 6+)” from Volume 72.2, gives us insight into the origins of and voice behind this novel excerpt. We didn’t have this book when we were Boys, so I had to write it. Read this book to […]

Michelle Lerner, author of “Sanctuary from Ring” from Volume 72.2, shares the origin story of the book, its relationship to loss, and reaches out a hand to the rest of us In 1993, when I was twenty-two years old, I lost someone whom I’d loved intensely. In the aftermath, I experienced a grief that would […]

Luisa Caycedo-Kimura writes about home, family, and moving to a cold new place.

A conversation with Hannah Fischer about her nonfiction piece “The Elephant’s Tiptoe.”

Jane Satterfield talks about her new book, The Badass Brontës.

Ann Wilberton writes about joy and the hopeful art of tinkering.

Quinn Adikes reflects on writing as collaging.

Karen Heuler discusses her three new books and offers advice on writing your truth.

Lucien Darjeun Meadows considers ultrarunner’s relationships to the trails in an essay on his poem, “Mile 11—”

Poet Josh Luckenbach talks spells and villanelles.