Interweaving stories of community, diaspora, and the unknown
Hasan Dudar’s debut book is a collection of linked stories, Carryout (University of Iowa Press, 2026), centered on a community of immigrants, particularly Palestinian and Lebanese refugees, living in Toledo, Ohio. Dudar grew up in this community in Toledo, and though he is a journalist by profession he found himself drawn to exploring these stories in fiction.
Exploring family, darkness, and betrayal
An interview with Diana Rojas whose novel They Hold Grudges is a taut and compelling story of family, loyalty, and betrayal. Rojas introduces us to the joys of a large, tight-knit family—gatherings, gossip, and a deep sense of belonging—only to tear this image apart piece by piece.
Crafting fiction
An interview with Stephanie Dupal, whose debut collection of short stories is The Kindness of Terrible People. Born in a small town in Quebec, Canada, Stephanie made her roundabout way to Woodbridge, Virginia, where she teaches at Northern Virginia Community College.
Discovering and celebrating writers
An interview with Sean Murphy, director of 1455 Literary Arts, who says, “I'm a big fan of how technology, despite AI, despite a myriad of things we need to be very vigilant about and cognizant of, the landscape is radically different than it was when you and I were younger. Someone can throw their hat in the ring, and it's not going to cost millions to start a press. So that's the democratic impulse that I celebrate. But that being said, to do it well is pretty audacious and is a lot of work.”
The very model of a modern literary citizen
Lauren D. Woods is the author of The Great Grown-Up Game of Make-Believe, the person behind the book vending machine LitBox, and the co-runner of the 804 Lit Salon. She was kind enough to chat with us about her own writing and her many endeavors in the local literary community.
Creating art, conversations, and community
ARTWIFE Magazine is a D.C. based literary journal founded by Hannah and Erica Harlee in 2022 accepting fiction, nonfiction, visual art, and video art. But it’s so much more than a journal. Hannah Harlee was kind enough to sit down with us and tell us the origin story of this very cool venture.
Celebrating our first year
Happy Birthday to us! It has truly been a whirlwind year. When we first met to consider launching a publication devoted to all things literary in the DMV, we believed we would attract at least a modest size audience. After all, no other outlet existed that focused exclusively on Washington-area writers and literary institutions, nor was anyone offering a comprehensive listing of literary events.
At the intersection of creativity and community building
Jonetta Rose Barras is the kind of writer who inspires, both through her words and through her works. I had the pleasure of interviewing her about the MidnightRose reading series, a project she started in 2024 (or perhaps resurrected, as she organized an earlier incarnation in the 1970s). Jonetta doesn’t work alone—that’s not her style—and while I would say that MidnightRose is her brainchild, it is also the product of many voices coming together to build something special.
Escape hatches from the modern world
In her highly inventive story collection, The Church of Divine Electricity, Emily Mitchell explores the unsteady, shifting ground we stand on in a rapidly changing world. With keen insight, sharp-eyed humor, and a speculative bent, Mitchell takes life as we know it and gives it a twist, transforming it into something dark and destabilizing.
Foundation of a community
At last, with his remarkable book No More Worlds to Conquer: The Black Poet in Washington, D.C., Brian Gilmore brings this rich history to life. D.C. native, attorney, and, above all, poet, Brian Gilmore is one of the DMVs most important poets and literary activists.
A reckoning of white allyship, authority, and accountability
Set against the zeitgeist of the Black Lives Matter movement and Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Eric F. Goldstein’s Taught serves as a raw account of an education system in crisis. The book follows a white educator through a reckoning with the lived experiences of his Black students and the pedagogical gaps in his teaching and curriculum. With deep humility, and through a cross-country trip with a former student, this narrator confronts the blind spots inherently built into whiteness and questions what genuine allyship looks like.
The nation’s river
One of the best books of 2025, included in our list of holiday book recommendations, is Potomac Fever, a compelling and sweeping history of the river that both connects and divides all of us in the DMV. Written by Maryland author and historian Charlotte Taylor Fryar, this volume delves into the natural and human history of the Potomac, exploring the plant and animal life in and around the river’s banks, as well as the story of racially unequal access to and white privilege in natural spaces.
An interview with D.C.’s newest worker-owned bookstore
Even in difficult, regressive times, there are glimpses of hope that indicate a better world is possible. Bol Co-op, D.C.’s newest worker-owned bookstore, reminds us of just that—that community empowerment can ease the sense of defeat we might find easy to succumb to right now. An incredible third space, Bol hosts book clubs, author talks, film screenings, public discussions, cultural events, and more in their newly-opened studio in the Brookland Arts Walk.
A glimpse behind the scenes of one of Washington’s finest theaters
If you are a theater-lover, a D.C. history aficionado, and/or someone interested in the inner workings of an arts organization, I’ve got a book for you. Shakespeare Theatre Company: The History of a Classical Theatre is an oversized, glossy, beautiful volume, with over 250 photographs.
“Mountains bloom and tides change in our teacups”
It is unlikely that you will find a more compelling collection of writers anytime soon. In addition to its great literary value, Sleeping in the Courtyard provides an eye-opening introduction to a culture and people virtually unknown to most American readers.
An unapologetic ode to female rage, lust, and grief
Kristen Zory King, the author of Ladies, Ladies, Ladies, is a D.C.-based author whose work extends beyond the page. King is not only a published author, but a yoga instructor, creative consultant, and the founder of MoonLit, an organization that hosts literary workshops and creative community programming throughout the Washington, D.C. area.
Poet of page, stage, and connection
Alexa Patrick is a bright star in the firmament of D.C. area poetry. Originally from Connecticut, Alexa moved to Washington to attend American University, and remained here afterward, in the process becoming a noted poet, instructor, workshop leader--even a professional singer. Her first book, Remedies for Diappearing was recently published by Haymarket Books.
Celebrating 50 years of works that feel urgent and necessary in this cultural moment
Did you know that the longest continually operating non-profit, cooperative literary organization exists right here in the DMV? Washington Writers’ Publishing House (WWPH) has been publishing poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction by local authors for 50 years. To celebrate this anniversary, WWPH has launched a massive, comprehensive, and timely anthology entitled America’s Future
A dark comedy about the opioid crisis
Edward Belfar’s debut novel casts a scathing spotlight on the destructive, short-sighted greed currently prevailing among so many of the powerful in our county. A Very Innocent Man focuses on those exploiting the opioid addiction crisis, but could apply just as well to many other ongoing manifestations of corruption and cruelty.