midnight & indigo - Issue 11

Featuring new short stories and essays by 10 emerging and established Black women storytellers from the U.S., the Caribbean, Africa, and Europe, this issue brings together voices that explore identity, family, and the transformative power of truth. From familial bonds tested by secrets to the pursuit of healing and love in unexpected places, these works invite readers to explore the intricate threads that connect us all. PUBLICATION DATE: January 7, 2025 Contributors include: Candace Bacchus Hollingsworth, Shinelle l. Espaillat, Tonesa Jones, Chalise Latimer,  Chinwe I. Ndubuka, Damilola Omotoyinbo, Shari Lynn Poindexter, Nathania Seales Oh, Sabine Wilson-Patrick, and Banchiwosen Woldeyesus. ISBN: 979-8-9919208-1-0 Pages: 143 Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.5 inches Want an ebook instead? CLICK HERE **Please note: Since issues are printed upon purchase, items are not returnable/refundable. IN THIS ISSUE Short Stories “In the Company of Remembrance" by Candace Bacchus Hollingsworth A married mother of three heeds her therapist’s advice to return home to her roots in Mississippi. A long weekend presents an opportunity to remember stories long forgotten and, most importantly, to heal. “What Can You See” by Damilola Omotoyinbo Revolves around a family and divorce, exploring the intricate balance between ordinary struggles and extraordinary abilities. “Virgo” by Shinelle L. Espaillat A woman visits her estranged sister, who wants to re-enter the family after nearly two decades of silence. “Ocean Belly” by Sabine Wilson-Patrick Follows a girl living in a remote village that caters to tourists obsessed with the misconception that the residents are living in the last century. When she becomes pregnant with a child she cannot claim, the village’s ideology surrounding purity culture and colorism surfaces. “Betty’s Benediction” by Tonesa Jones Betty has been cleaning up after men her whole life. When a message comes from the sky, she heads to a hilltop revival for salvation. “The Limits of Math and Life” by Chinwe I. Ndubuka Introduces a retired mathematician and grandfather whose journey home for Father’s Day celebrations is hampered by a temperamental navigational system and a heart attack in the air. During the experience, he reflects on his life, which, unlike math has been anything but orderly. “Love and Sachet of Joo Joo” by Shari Lynn Poindexter Ree Ree, wakes with a vision and decides to use any and everything at hand to keep her man. All her life, Ree Ree watched desperate women seek get-him-back remedies and knew exactly what she needed to do. But when she finally gets her hands on the joojoo, she has an awakening. “Mother’s Love” by Chalise Latimer A mother isn’t always who birthed you. What does it mean when the one who did, tells you the truth? “Jaana” by Banchiwosen Woldeyesus When Taci finds out her husband is also married to another woman, she decides to divorce him, but the locals—her father, a judge, and the elders—stand in her way. Essay Porcelain Dolls by Nathania Seales Oh On a work trip to Tokyo, the writer met and visited with an aging Japanese man who had been her Jamaican grandmother’s pen pal for over forty years. After connecting on a Greyhound bus traveling across the United States that took her grandmother away from her disappointing marriage and him toward his future schooling, they would never see each other again. The essay explores her experience, halfway around the world, acting as emotional surrogate for them both.