Hi! I’m Janae Mancheski (she/her),

the curator and editor of Catkin

I was inspired to start Catkin because of my wonderful friends, who are very talented writers一particularly my friend Lily who has launched their own literary magazine, Agapimeni.

I must admit some vanity in creating Catkin, as well. I was privileged to conduct an editing internship with VA Press and participate in the weekly Secret Words writing competition, in which I submitted "White Gold Carabiner". I did not win with this piece, but I felt it deserved a place among other family stories. And so, Catkin began to form in my mind.

About me: I love reading books, jumping genres often but coming back to cheesy mysteries and YA fantasies from my youth. When weather permits, I love to take my dog Delly hiking and backpacking, or strike out on some river in my kayak. I suppose I should say that Falcon Guides is another of my favorite genres.

Thank you so much to my circle of friends for inspiring and supporting me to launch Catkin, and all of the contributors who have shared their vulnerable, thoughtful family stories with me. Catkin would not exist without you!

Contributors

First Edition

Nate West (he/him)

Nate West is an erotica writer and voice performer also known as Wholesome Audio Boyfriend. He is a large breed dog lover and enjoys evening walks, long Dungeons & Dragon campaigns, and global cuisine.

First Edition

Odi Welter (she/he/they)

Odi Welter is a widely-published creative writer of many forms and styles, examining topics of nature and sibling relationships in many of their works. They also foster borderline unhealthy obsessions with fairytales, marine life, superheroes, and botany.

First Edition

Cody Burt (he/him)

Cody Burt is an English undergrad student at UW-Milwaukee. He worked for UWM’s literary journal, Furrow, as managing editor and editor-in-chief. You can find his work in Secret Words Vol. 5 by VA Press. With aspirations to teach in higher education, Cody carries a profound interest in the ways art represents expression of the human condition and hopes to instill that passion in the people around him.

First Edition

Tessa Naylor (she/her)

Tessa Naylor is a student at UW-Milwaukee studying English. She is very passionate about poetry and has been published in Straylight Magazine.

First Edition

Dally Du Mez (they/them)

Dally Du Mez is a queer Mexican-American writer based in Milwaukee who is particularly interested in the intersections of emotion and identity in the written word. Their work can be found in the 2016 and 2017 editions of The Art of Writing, the 23rd edition of Furrow, and the VA Press' Secret Words Volume 5. They currently serve as the Co-Editor-in-Chief for the 25th edition of Furrow, a two-time recipient of AWP's National Program Directors' award for Best Undergraduate Literary Journal.

First Edition

Tasneem Jassar (she/her)

Tasneem Jassar is a bilingual writer who holds a bachelor's degree in Creative Writing from UW-Milwaukee. She enjoys poetry that makes her cry. The thought of changing her career path crosses her mind constantly, but frankly, she just wants to be a florist who writes poems at the end of the day.

Hi! I’m Janae Mancheski (she/her),

the curator and editor of Catkin

Contributors

Submissions