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.
Drawn, Papered, and Taught
Trying to stay current and always looking for new ways to get my kids writing and thinking has certainly influenced my own work. Teaching and writing play off each other in interesting and unpredictable ways.
Inside the Short Story Boudoir
Short Story Boudoir is a new short story review channel on YouTube hosted by Washingtonians Katy Gathright and Samantha Neugebauer. The channel’s title comes from the original meaning of boudoir – “a room where a lady may retire to be alone or to receive her intimate friends" – which encapsulates their take on conversations about literature.
Building community through poetry
Dan Brady wears multiple hats, but all are indicative of his service to poetry. First, he is a poet himself, with three books and numerous journal publications to his credit. His most recent collection, Songs in E––, won the Barclay Prize for Poetry. Second, he is a long-time editor of D.C.-based Barrelhouse magazine. Finally, he is the Literary Specialist for Arlington County Department of Cultural Affairs.
Regie Cabico: DMV poet, performer, activist, teacher & literary entrepreneur
“In the ‘90s in New York, I went to all the poetry open mics. And one of the places I went to was the Nuyorican Poetry Cafe. I started performing at the open mics. I didn't know anything about poetry slams, but my entrance into poetry was through the poetry slam world, and it was just starting in New York at the time…”
D.C. indie publisher gives voice to marginalized communities
It all started with a casual conversation in a coffee shop. Two old friends from college, catching up. Most such conversations never go anywhere. This one did. In 2020, Kelsea Johnson and Kyle Porro founded Stirred Stories, an independent press that focuses exclusively on telling diverse stories from marginalized voices, and doing that authentically.
Poetry as a means of healing, resistance, and hope
Holly Karapetkova, Arlington County Poet Laureate from 2021-2023, is one of the DMV’s most highly regarded poets. Her most recent collection, Dear Empire, her third, was reviewed in Washington Unbound last week. In the book Karapetkova tackles such vital topics as the difficulties of motherhood, environmental threats, consumerism, refugees, and—especially—race.
Fiction and Humor Writer, Former Diplomat
Tom Navratil describes himself on LinkedIn as a “fiction and humor writer; former diplomat,” which is my favorite LinkedIn tagline. It’s also entirely accurate. Navratil–whose debut novel Dog’s Breakfast (Willow River Press) was published in January–grew up in Illinois and Wisconsin, the oldest of five children. After earning his B.A. in economics and philosophy at Haverford College, he joined the U.S. Department of State as a foreign service officer.