Anna Vangala Jones

Treasurer Ruth LeFaive with former Assistant Editor Anna Vangala Jones, holding a Library Kids' Club tote bag, and Editor-in-Chief Maureen Langloss.

Editor-in-Chief Maureen Langloss with Memoir Editor Krys Malcom Belc tabling at the Split Lip Magazine booth.

We ❤️ the Book Fair.

❤️ Treasurer @ruthlefaive.bsky.social
❤️ Former Asst. Editor @anniejowrites.bsky.social
❤️ Editor-in-Chief @maureenlangloss.bsky.social
❤️ Memoir Editor @krysmalcolmbelc.bsky.social! ✨

Writer Anna Vangala Jones on the left, me (James Yates) on the right

I took one selfie during AWP, to document finally meeting @anniejowrites.bsky.social. We've been friends and cheerleaders for each other for years, and her writing has been an inspiration. It was an honor.

James! this is so kind. it was so great to finally meet you

excited to see you read!

Fiction contributor Kayla Lightner with Fiction Editor Anna Cabe.

Contributor Josh Jones with former Assistant Editor Anna Vangala Jones. Anna is holding a Library Kids' Club tote bag.

Flash reader Amanda Ellard holding a Library Kids' Club tote bag at the Split Lip Magazine booth.

The Split Lip fam is showing👏 up👏

❤️ Fiction contributor @kaylalightner.bsky.social with @annablabs.bsky.social.

❤️ Contributor Josh Jones with former Asst. Editor @anniejowrites.bsky.social.

❤️ Flash reader Amanda Ellard.

A darn fine day of author signings that just happen to be back to back!
@keslentz.bsky.social @anniejowrites.bsky.social @adamg.bsky.social
@chelseastickle.bsky.social

I just left the book fair but will definitely try to stop by your table tomorrow!

oh perfect! I’m signing books at T724 1:30-2:30pm so I will make my way over to you after

will I finally get to meet @livesinpages.bsky.social & @maureenlangloss.bsky.social??

yes! I have to get in the registration line tomorrow morning but then I’m signing books at the Thirty West table 724 at 1:30. I will probably be around before then though

saying hi to them in my mind lol

can’t wait to see all the people I’ve been excited to meet at AWP from a distance & then just remain far away, not wanting to bother them 🫠

Title: Mangoes and Tequila Author: Anna Vangala Jones Image of a large mango Text of the story: My ex-boyfriend—who we now say is my best friend which hurts my actual best friend’s feelings though it’s not a real title accompanied by any sort of perks—helped me move into my new apartment in a faraway state today, so I tell him he can stay over for the night before his long drive back home alone. It’s only fair, I try to explain to my actual best friend over the phone but she laughs and says we’ll probably fall into bed together one last time for a wistful unhealthy goodbye. I think she’s wrong and this move is us starting fresh. Right now we’re at my neighborhood grocery store and I’m struck by that strange sense of being lost in a dream. I’m squeezing fruit like I’m touching the body of a new love while my heart is still longing for the familiarity of the one I’ve just left or lost. My ex-boyfriend / best-friend-in-name-only reaches for a mango at the same time as me so we can touch hands and pretend it is an accident of fate, but I pull away before he can prove my actual best friend right. In the liquor aisle, we hesitate but buy some tequila so as to make the temptation tonight almost too much to bear or resist. “Am I here because I come running whenever you call or because I can lift heavy furniture for you?” He’ll ask this when we’re almost asleep and I'll tell him, “you're here because you’re my best friend and I'm going to miss you.” That last part will be true.

I have a tiny new micro today in @bulbregion.bsky.social. grateful to @sarpsozdinler.bsky.social & any of you who read this story! 🥭 🥃 bulbregion.com/Mangoes-and-...

I'll be at AWP Fri afternoon to Sunday, and will be reading on Friday evening with all these fab @hexliterary.bsky.social peoples!! Come say hi! Saturday I'll prob just be hanging out at the bookfair with @josephlezza.com all day!

“…and I’m going to miss you.”

Oh, I just love this gem by @anniejowrites.bsky.social. That ending!❤️💔❤️

Honored to have a new story in @bulbregion.bsky.social. It's about a van. Check it out if you wanna. 🚐

My New Doctor Asks Me If I’ve Ever Used Tobacco Products I lie because I don’t want my insurance rates to go up, because he has my family history right in front of him where it says both my parents died of lung cancer. Even if he’s too polite to say it, …

Thrilled to have a new CNF in @whaleroadreview.bsky.social , a magazine I’ve long admired. Grateful to the awesome @katiemanningpoet.bsky.social for letting me dip my toes in the illustrious waters of this new issue. 🐳 🗺️ 📓

Donate to We Lost Everything to a Fire. Help My Family Rebuild., organized by Chloe Clark On January 24th, our childhood home burned down. Our parents lost 50… Chloe Clark needs your support for We Lost Everything to a Fire. Help My Family Rebuild.

I'm still doing a GoFundMe to help my parents rebuild after a devastating house fire. The costs of doing so, with an uninsured house, are extremely high. My parents are elderly and low-income and my disabled brother lives with them. I deeply appreciate shares of this link!

gofund.me/ac93c03d5

hello, novel, my old friend. I’ve come to try to write you again

yes! that’s great—hope to see you there. I’m only around Friday & Saturday but trying to make it to the malarkey table at the book fair again

I’m planning to read a slightly abridged forthcoming flash story because we’re each reading for only five minutes. And my book is almost 5 years old now so I tend to read newer work. but I’ve enjoyed hearing people read excerpts from their novels & longer stories as well

hope you like it! it’s a wonderful collection

Nature Trail Stories by Shannon McLeod from @thirtywestph.com

<3 we’ve got to stick up for the people we make up

me: no my first person narrator is not me.
reader: oh good, I didn’t really like her.
me: well she doesn’t like you either

Thanks to @aaronburch.bsky.social for writing a beautiful little book and celebrating with a call for beautiful little stories!

“On a plane you’re supposed to put on your own mask before you help anyone else. Rules aren’t so clear out here.” loved this, Jessica, especially those last few lines