About Firewords
Firewords was launched through a Kickstarter campaign in May 2014 and, ever since, our small but dedicated team have been committed to showcasing the best literary talent we can find twice a year.
If you would like to ask us anything, feel free to email us at info@firewords.co.uk or tweet us.
Meet the team
Dan, Editor
Day job: Designer
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Bio: Dan is a graphic designer based in Glasgow. He's originally a Yorkshireman but now calls Scotland home. When not running Firewords, or designing, he enjoys writing, reading and travelling. Coffee, red wine and cheese are his weaknesses. He often gets told he looks about 15 years old, but is actually more than double that.
Links: Twitter
Jen, Editor
Day job: Copywriter / Copyeditor
Location: Glasgow, Scotland
Bio: Jen is founder of Little Book Factory, an online editorial services company that aims at helping self-publishing authors get ready for print. She has also earned her stripes as a high school English teacher, spreading her love of literature to unreceptive young minds. She loves travelling, salsa dancing and playing the guitar. Although she tries to write consistently all year round, she has a particular soft spot for NaNoWriMo in November.
Links: Twitter
Wm. Brett Hill, Reader
Day job: IT Specialist
Location: Maryland, United States
Bio: Brett grew up outside Athens, Georgia but now makes his home on the Eastern Shore of Maryland where he spends time with his wife and daughter, works in IT, writes stories, and takes pictures of old buildings and boats. His short fiction has appeared in Firewords, Dime Show Review, Literally Stories, Flash Fiction Magazine, Digging Through the Fat, and numerous others.
Stefanie Fiore, Reader
Day job: Magazine producer
Location: Toronto
Bio: Stefanie is a Toronto-based magazine producer and designer. She also manages a small graphic design studio with her partner that specializes in both the food industry and visual arts. When she's not meticulously analyzing production schedules or correcting inaccurate colour balance, she enjoys cooking and blogging about food, and curling up with a good book.
Alice Roberts, Reader
Day job: Teacher
Location: Qatar
Bio: A high school English teacher based in Qatar International School. Having dedicated the last three years to helping disadvantaged students achieve success, she is always looking for the next challenge. She is passionate about her work and has travelled to Uganda to help train teachers there. Her favourite Saturday mornings involve writing poetry and a cuppa. In contrast, she also enjoys running and spinning, and is only happy when leading an active lifestyle.
Anton Rose, Reader
Day job: Writer & Student
Location: Durham, UK
Bio: Anton lives in Durham with his wife, Beth, and their dog, Rosie. He writes fiction and poetry while working on a PhD in Theology. His work has appeared in a number of print and online journals, including Structo, The Alarmist,
and Open Pen.
Paul Alex Gray, Reader
Day job: Creative writer and strategist
Location: Canada
Bio: Paul enjoys writing linear and interactive fiction. His work has been published in Nature Futures, McSweeney's, 365 Tomorrows and others. He grew up by the beaches of Australia, then traveled the world and now lives in Canada with his wife and two children. Over the years, Paul has been a startup founder, game designer and mentor to technology entrepreneurs.
Annie Trinh, Reader
Day job: English Instructor & Writer
Location: Nevada, United States
Bio: Annie works as a university and community college instructor in the United States. She writes fiction in her free time, and her work has appeared in A3 Literary Review. When Annie is not writing or teaching, she enjoys reading, listening to K-pop, and watching anime.
Mike Wolfson, assistant Editor (issues 1–7)
Day job: Writer
Location: Northamptonshire, UK
Bio: A short-story writer and sometimes playwright with a handful of publication credits. Book collector, autograph hunter, part time lion tamer, and full time fantasist. Born in Yorkshire but exiled in Northamptonshire & London. Enjoys networking with other writers and avid readers.
Press & Awards
The Stack Awards recognise the best work in independent magazines. Firewords was shortlisted for the 2015 and 2016 awards in the Best Original Fiction category.
'The first issue was an offbeat newspaper-style affair, but from Issue 2 onwards Firewords morphed into a perfect-bound treat on quality paper that’s just the right size to slip into a bag, with a layout that plays with the text, and illustrations that are detailed, muted and utterly gorgeous. The editors also have a reputation for providing good feedback on rejected work.'
– Mslexia Magazine, Issue 69.
'Firewords is an example of a literary magazine very much embracing design, and which uses typography and colour combinations to emphasise the written word... Issue 4 has a beautiful cover illustration that could almost belong on the front of The New Yorker.'
– magCulture.com.
'Firewords elegantly mixes work by emerging writers with bold and beautiful art.'
– An Insider interview with Stack Magazines about our process and the making of Issue 5.
'Firewords punches way above its weight.'
– Euan Monaghan, editor of the brilliant Structo Magazine.
'Firewords Quarterly accomplishes the extraordinary feat of gathering a cacophony of original voices under one title.'
– Sarah Gonnet, in a review of Issue 2 on ShortStops.