Six years and running! FIYAH is chugging along like everyone else, doing our best while prepping for the next earth-shattering event. Putting out the best Black speculative fiction is the least we can do to ease the collective anxiety. In the last year, we’ve added 20 new works of prose and 9 poems by Black writers, as well as 4 new nonfiction essays thanks to our fabulous team of readers and editors.
Highlights of this year include:
1: FIYAH Grants 2022
Creativity rarely equates to luxury or financial stability, so we’ve made it our mission to provide support to Black creatives. This year’s FIYAH Grants recipients have shared their passions, struggles, and potential in ways that deeply moved us. We wish them great success as they work towards their dreams! Learn more about our recipients here.
2: Return of the #BlackSpecFic report
FIYAH Literary Magazine was launched five years ago as interest in Black stories became mainstream. While famous authors chose to implode their careers, publishers realized that colored folk are literate, talented, lucrative, and mostly unproblematic. What a radical notion! But, as the prophet DMX once said, “Talk is cheap, [motherfucker].” As a result, our #BlackSpecFic report notes the actual number of Black writers published by newer and legacy speculative magazines during 2021. We encourage you to read its findings.
3: Wins and Nominations
Troy Wiggins, publisher here at FIYAH, received the 2022 Kate Wilhelm Solstice Award for his contributions to the speculative fiction community. As for nominations, the team met up in Chicago for Worldcon this year, where we were again finalists for Best Semiprozine; we didn’t take home the spaceship trophy this time, but made some good memories along the way. We also made it onto the Locus Awards Top Ten Finalists list alongside some excellent peers.
4: IGNYTE Awards 2022
While FIYAHCON did not take place this year, Brent Lambert still served as Master of Ceremonies for our IGNYTE Awards, celebrating minority voices in publishing and those who contributed to their success. We kept it short and sweet, and plan to continue the IGNYTE awards until the sun burns out five-billion years from now. Check out the list of winners and finalists here!
As of the end of 2022, the magnanimous Brent Lambert has stepped away from his Social Media Management duties, entrusting them to our Art Director, Christian Ivey. Additionally, L.D. Lewis, who supports our magazine like Atlas carries the world on his back, announced her plan to depart at the end of 2023. Words fail to describe how vital they’ve been to FIYAH over the years.
This post is here to help you out should you want to nominate FIYAH or any of its incredible contributors for the upcoming award season. As always, we are immensely grateful for the support we’ve received, and we look forward to bringing you new, exciting content in 2023.
FIYAH Literary Magazine is eligible for 2022 semiprozine award categories.
STAFF
Publisher: Troy L. Wiggins
Executive Editor: DaVaun Sanders
Poetry Editor: B. Sharise Moore
Nonfiction Editor: Margeaux Weston
Web Editor: Chavonne Brown
Acquiring Editors: Genine Tyson, Emmalia Harrington, Tonya R. Moore, Rebecca McGee, Kerine Wint, Joshua Morley
Special Projects Manager + Webmaster + Magazine Layout: L. D. Lewis
Reviews Editor: Brent Lambert
Art Director + Social Media Manager: Christian Ivey
FIYAHCON Director: L. D. Lewis
FIYAHCON Master of Programming: Brent Lambert
FIYAHCON Ignyte Awards Co-Admin: Suzan Palumbo
PROSE
Executive Editor: DaVaun Sanders
Acquiring Editors: Emmalia Harrington, Genine Tyson
| Title | Author (Last, First) | Word count | Story Type |
| Issue 21- January 2022 | |||
| From Earth to Io, With Love | Ijasan, Adelehin | 2461 | Short |
| The Red Summer | Shaia, Wendy | 7335 | Short |
| The Brief Life Story of Lila | Cherry Jr, Danny | 7251 | Short |
| The Way Things Are | Brooks-Flemister, Jendayi | 3990 | Short |
| Issue 22 – April 2022 | |||
| Needs, Wants, and Dead Things | Johnson, Kirk A. | 3898 | Short |
| A Brief and Hideous Scrawl | Brown, Erin | 6308 | Short |
| Liqueur of Memory | Frye, Samantha | 6304 | Short |
| The Pig Pouch and the Biomechanical Heart Engine | Edwards, Malon | 6703 | Short |
| Upside Down Frown | Thompson, Jarred | 5021 | Short |
| Issue 23 – July 2022: FOOD & CUISINE | |||
| Food for the Soul | Gunter, Elnora | 5840 | Short |
| Kingston Gourmet | Brown, Ashaye | 4911 | Short |
| The Pastry Shop Round the Bend | Braithwaite, Makeda K. | 3143 | Short |
| The Usual Way | Munroe, Lina | 2731 | Short |
| Just Deserts | Barrie, A.M. | 10244 | Short |
| Issue 24 – October 2022: HAUNTINGS AND HORRORS | |||
| GIrl Eats Girl | Villar, Gnesis | 7214 | Short |
| Sugar Honey Iced Tea | Royce, Eden | 5542 | Short |
| Old Solomon’s Eyes | Ntumy, Cheryl S. | 4900 | Short |
| In the Smile Place | Ogundiran, Tobi | 4784 | Short |
| Chrysalis | Campbell, Aimee | 3374 | Short |
| The Blooms of Sorrow | Helms, Amanda | 6624 | Short |
POETRY
Poetry Editor: B. Sharise Moore
Acquiring Editor for Poetry: Tonya R. Moore
Our poets are eligible for the Rhysling Awards
| Issue 21 – January 2022 | Author (Last, First) |
| Telepathy | Okafor, Chisom |
| Delivery | Polk, C.L. |
| The Economics of Death | Wright, K. Ceres |
| Issue 22 – April 2022 | |
| I failed to talk to Grandma again | Gospel, Chinedu |
| The Deathing Room | Winifred Iker, Beatrice |
| Issue 23 – July 2022: FOOD & CUISINE | |
| The Recipe for Time Travel | Collins, Monique |
| lingua franca in diaspora | French, Whitney |
| Issue 24 – October 2022: HAUNTINGS AND HORRORS | |
| Waking My Niece to Alienate Her Body in a Green Planet | Bobi, Zaynab |
| It’s a Wonderful Life (In the Kitchen) | D, Lisa |
NONFICTION
Nonfiction Editors: Margeaux Weston (in-issue), Chavonne Brown (on site)
| January 2022 | Author (Last, First) |
| When Black Boys find Magic – in issue 21 | Williams, LaDarrion |
| May 2022 | |
| Afro Synthesis, or the Co-evolution of Sound and Fury – on site | Thomas, Cathy |
| July 2022 | |
| The Artistry of Diversity – on site | Upkins, Dennis R. |
| August 2022 | |
| 8 Speculative fiction books inspired by African Folklore – on site | Asomugha, Daniella |
ART
Art Director: Christian Ivey
Artists are eligible for semipro/fan artist categories
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| FIYAH #21 | FIYAH #22 |
| Artist: Terri Chienyi | |
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| FIYAH #23 | FIYAH #24 |
| Artist: Kai Robinson | Artist: N’kai DeLauter |
Got questions? Email team[at]fiyahlitmag.com. And from all of us, thank you for reading and for loving what we do.
Austin C. Ivory
Hi all! Would love to become apart of this growing community. Id love to join, contribute in any way I can. I believe in what all of you are doing at FIYAH!