Meet Hannah Durham, our spring 2023 creative nonfiction coordinator. Hannah is a third-year Liberal Arts student with an English minor, a Creative Writing certificate, and Deaf Studies certificate. Read Hannah’s interview to find out what she’s currently reading, what she looks for in submissions, and more!

What was your last 5-star read, and why?
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury. It thoroughly encapsulates what it felt like to grow up in a small town in the Midwest by describing captivating stories of fleeting moments and enchanting rituals of changing seasons.

What is your favorite book at the moment?
At this very moment: A Natural History of the Senses by Diane Ackerman, which which is a 1990 nonfiction book. Goodreads describes it as a “lusciously written grand tour of the realm of the senses”.

What do you look for in pieces to accept?
I like to section my reading into a few primary categories: sensory, imagery, use of language, meaning, and structure. I look for pieces that appeal to and push the boundaries of at least one category.

What kind of story would you like to see more of?
I would love to see more stories that intertwine science and/or history with personal experience and reflection.

How do you interpret your role as an editor?
When editing an author’s work, I interpret my role as a friendly, analytical literary sleuth.