midnight & indigo - Issue 1

Featuring short stories by 13 Black women writers, our inaugural issue introduces characters that navigate between self-love and loss, new beginnings and inevitable endings, and a few things in between. Resilience isn’t about magic—it’s about the choices we make when the past threatens to define us.
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About

Featuring short stories by 13 Black women writers, our inaugural issue introduces characters that navigate between self-love and loss, new beginnings and inevitable endings, and a few things in between. 

A collection of stories that explore how our histories follow us—and how we find the strength to move on. You’ll encounter characters wrestling with the pull of family expectations, the confusion of faith, and the ache of loss. From moments of quiet humor to scenes that cut straight to the heart, this issue shows that resilience isn’t about magic—it’s about the choices we make when the past threatens to define us.

For readers who appreciate clear-eyed narratives and characters who refuse to stay down, this debut issue delivers. Grab your copy and meet voices that will stay with you long after the final page.

ISBN 978-1-7328917-1-5
Pages: 121
Dimensions: 6 x 0.33 x 9 inches

**Please note: Since issues are printed upon purchase, items are not returnable/refundable.

Christian Loriel / Desiree Evans / Avi-Yona Israel / Wandeka Gayle / L.M. Bennett / DiAnne Malone / Muli Amaye / Tatiana Taylor / Kourtnie Rodney / Jacquese Armstrong / Candice Lola /  Preslaysa Williams / Ilisha Nicole

In “Let It Be Me” by Christian Loriel, a woman falls in love with her childhood friend, carrying his tragedies and weaknesses on her shoulders. But if she breaks, who will be there to carry her? We witness remnants of the often complicated relationship between mothers and daughters in “Holding Pattern” by Desiree Evans. Lenaya must learn to move forward even as she carries the weight of her history into her present day.

“Fear of Fear” by Avi-Yona Israel places us in a car with a woman headed to her ex-boyfriend’s wedding-with her current boyfriend as her date. What could possibly go wrong? “Finding Joy” by Wandeka Gayle chronicles the experiences of a Black Jamaican immigrant who, as a freshman at a university in Louisiana, grapples with her religious upbringing, homesickness, and the decision to make when a white graduate student impregnates her.

A fortune teller sets up shop in a laundromat in “Burn the Witch” by L.M. Bennett because…these sweaters won't dry themselves. In “On the Occasion of A Pending Departure” by DiAnne Malone, a mother reckons with her son's pending departure to college in Baton Rouge and whether she's taught him enough. “Stripped” by Muli Amaye tells the story of Kaya, who is at a crossroads in her life and is traveling through rural France looking for something to help her piece her life together. After spending fourteen years in prison, another mother is finally heading home in “The Dearest Ones" by Tatiana Taylor.

“Babe?” by Kourtnie Rodney is a story about a couple affected by a miscarriage, and how they each bring their personal traumas into the relationship. In the 1950s, a girl and her siblings listen to Miss Daisy recount the story of her childhood friend’s rape and eventual murder in “tea at miss daisy’s” by Jacquese Armstrong. Are those on the top lucky or are they trapped? “Golden Girl” by Candice Lola examines the underbelly of fame and celebrity.

Single mother Rayna escapes from her abusive boyfriend in “Finding My Way Home” by Preslaysa Williams. When she arrives at her grandmother's home with her young daughter, she must rethink how to live. Lastly, “This Is How You Deal with Grief” by Ilisha Nicole is a reminiscent exploration of how grief is handled by those who can and cannot cry. Teri Wright just lost her father-in-law, who was more affectionate with her than he was with his own son. She should be mourning, but she can't conjure up the pain.
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I.

A woman falls in love with her childhood friend, carrying his tragedies on her shoulders. If she breaks, who will be there to carry her? We witness remnants of the often complicated relationship between mothers and daughters. One must learn to move forward even as she carries the weight of her history into her present day.

A woman is headed to her ex-boyfriend’s wedding—with her current boyfriend as her date. What could possibly go wrong? A Black Jamaican immigrant grapples with her religious upbringing, homesickness, and the decision to make when a white graduate student impregnates her.

II.

A fortune teller sets up shop in a laundromat because…these sweaters won't dry themselves. A mother reckons with her son's pending departure to college and whether she's taught him enough. A woman travels through rural France looking for something to help her piece her life together. After fourteen years in prison, another is finally heading home.

A couple is affected by a miscarriage, each bringing their personal traumas into the relationship. In the 1950s, Miss Daisy recounts the story of her childhood friend’s assault and eventual murder. Are those on the top lucky or are they trapped? One story examines the underbelly of fame and celebrity.

III.

A single mother escapes an abusive boyfriend. When she arrives at her grandmother's home, she must rethink how to live. A woman just lost her father-in-law, who was more affectionate with her than he was with his own son. She should be mourning, but she can't conjure up the pain.