Press 53

05/26/2026

"Debris shows off the deep assortment of tools in Sutter's toolbox. He seems to revel in the strangeness of the human condition but finds a way to ground his stories in concrete places and times, often relying on historical events and political figures such as Watergate, Apollo 11, and Nixon’s impeachment. . . .It's a very 'Floridian' collection, and an impressive debut from a talented writer."--A Few More Words, Christopher Connor

Short story collections, particularly in the hands of debut authors, run the risk of feeling like a disjointed assortment of individual stories crafted in writing workshops, each unmoored from the others. Collections need a thread, such as a common theme, setting, or characterization, to tie them in...

05/21/2026

Justin Hunt has been named our First Prize winner for his poem “The Odds Are Against You and Me.” Justin will receive $1,000 and his poem will appear in Issue 293 of Prime Number Magazine.

05/12/2026

Fun News: Mona Mehas has published three Prime 53 Poems in the current issue of ENGAGE, an online magazine for Star Trek enthusiasts. Follow the link and you'll find her poems on page 50. Note: The free 2026 Prime 53 Poem Summer Challenge opens on June 1. Details at https://www.press53.com/prime-53-poem-summer-challenge

https://www.stfamily.org/magazine/issue15-march-2026

This issue of ENGAGE! Magazine examines how Gene Roddenberry originally pitched the series to Desilu Studios as a "wagon train to the stars". Hollywood of the 50s and 60s were head over heels for the American Wild West, with many prominent television shows and films in that genre. Star Trek througho...

04/24/2026

Press 53 author Jen Julian has a new novel coming out from Hachette Book Group! Congratulations, Jen!

Every year, the Winter Folk gather at a secret lodge in the Appalachians, a place known as Deerhaven, refuge for the time-worn and weary. As a child, Moth heard warnings from her mother: They are h…

04/23/2026

A tender poem and a touching story by Terri Kirby Erickson to celebrate this planet and every life on it. Thank you, New Verse News, for this offering.

by Terri Kirby Erickson

04/22/2026

Spend an hour this Sunday with three Press 53 prose poets: Shivani Mehta, Kathleen McGookey, and Amanda Chiado. Seating is limited. Register with ZOOM to attend. This is a free event.
https://www.press53.com/online

04/21/2026

Meet Ann Landi, winner of the 2026 Press 53 Award for Short Fiction for her story collection BAD ROMANCE. Learn more about Ann and see our list of eight finalist manuscripts by clicking below. Congratulations, Ann!

Ann Landi of Taos, New Mexico, has been named winner of the 2026 Press 53 Award for Short Fiction for her story collection Bad Romance. Publication is set for early 2027.

03/30/2026

https://issuu.com/eastcarolina/docs/north_carolina_literary_review_online_winter_2026/94
An excellent review of Jacinta White's poetry collection Resurrecting the Bones: Born from a Journey through African American Churches & Cemeteries in the Rural South (Press 53, 2019). Thank you North Carolina Literary Review and Annie Woodford.

A literary review published online quarterly by East Carolina University and by the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association.

02/21/2026

Congratulations, Britt Kaufmann!

It's just too perfect. *Midlife Calculus* has just won--get this--the McMATH Award for Poetry from Arkansas Writers MFA Program at UCA To say I'm tickled is an understatement.

I am over the moon, honored.

Again, I am grateful to Kevin and Chris at Press 53 for believing in my quirky book and making it better.

I am also thankful to Toe River Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council for receiving the Artists' Support Grant. Their small grant went a long way to helping me promote this book; it was motivation/affirmation/accountability as much as financial support. So I'd be remis not to note: this project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

02/20/2026

It's just too perfect. *Midlife Calculus* has just won--get this--the McMATH Award for Poetry from Arkansas Writers MFA Program at UCA To say I'm tickled is an understatement.

I am over the moon, honored.

Again, I am grateful to Kevin and Chris at Press 53 for believing in my quirky book and making it better.

I am also thankful to Toe River Arts and the North Carolina Arts Council for receiving the Artists' Support Grant. Their small grant went a long way to helping me promote this book; it was motivation/affirmation/accountability as much as financial support. So I'd be remis not to note: this project was supported by the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.