“Of all the stories we tell ourselves and others, the most significant follow the words ‘I am . . .’”
Keshni Naicker Washington’s first sentence to the introduction of ANFRACTUOUS, Yellow Arrow Journal Vol. VI, No. 2 (fall 2021), sets the tone for the entire issue. One that explores the idea of belonging and unbelonging; as Keshni, the issue’s wonderful guest editor, explains, “. . . we become some self-fashioned mosaic of belonging unique to our own choices and the intricate twists of our experiences.” What does it mean to belong and who gets to decide when/how someone belongs?
When we first announced the theme ANFRACTUOUS (full of windings and intricate turnings, things that twist and turn but do not break), we weren’t sure what to expect, if submitters would explore the conscious/unconscious decisions that make us who we are. But they did, and we laughed and cried and commiserated and sympathized. Our hearts soared while reading the over one hundred submissions we received. Thank you to everyone who took the time to send us their stories. Ultimately, we had to narrow down our finalists; the chosen pieces and contributors resonated with Keshni, the Yellow Arrow team, and each other by weaving a beautiful story about belonging-ness. We hope that you, our dear readers, are ready to take this voyage with our authors and with Keshni. Thank you, Keshni, for putting together such an extraordinary issue.
Paperback and PDF versions are now available from the Yellow Arrow bookstore. Discounts are also available (here) if you would like to purchase copies for friends and family (minimum purchase of five). A great opportunity with Christmas just around the corner! You can also search for Yellow Arrow Journal on any e-book device or anywhere you purchase books, including Amazon and most other distribution channels.
And if you are interested in reading what our incredible authors thought of the theme, pick up a copy of the PDF version along with the paperback. Included within the PDF version only are the authors’ and Keshni’s responses to the following question: what/who/where was a turning point toward acceptance/belonging? Take some time and reflect on your own response. Is there a turning point for you?
One final note, don’t forget to check out our prerecorded reading of Anfractuous, “An Exploration of Belonging: The Anfractuous Reading,” which will be released on the Yellow Arrow YouTube channel on November 30. In the meantime, here’s a sneak peek.
We hope you enjoy reading ANFRACTUOUS as much as we enjoyed creating it. Thank you for your continued encouragement of Yellow Arrow Publishing and the women involved in ANFRACTUOUS.
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If you haven’t had the opportunity yet, please make sure to donate to our Turning the Next Page fundraising campaign. Yellow Arrow is able to share stories of writers who identify as women because of our incredible community of supporters. Your assistance contributes to the publication of our journal as well as our incredible chapbooks and zines.
Yellow Arrow Publishing is a nonprofit supporting women writers through publication and access to the literary arts. Thank you for supporting independent publishing.