Our Editors 9.2
Editor in Chief | Layla Barnes | she/her
Hi! My name is Layla Barnes. I love reading YA fantasy and dystopia, as well as magical realism, and my writing tends to be somewhat of a blend of the three. I recently finished Salvage the Bones by Jessmyn Ward, though some of my other all-time favorites are Carmen Maria Machado and Victoria Aveyard. In my free time, you can usually find me at the beach or snuggled up next to one of my two cats.
Favorite piece: “Planet Nine” by Samantha Steiner
Lead Prose Editor | Lisa Gisselquist | she/her
Hello! My name is Lisa, and I love to read romance novels (it is totally a real genre!). My current favorite book is Cinder and Ella by Kelly Oram. In my free time, I swap between watching medical dramas, reading and writing YA fantasy (even better if it includes dragons, I may or may not be obsessed with dragons).
Favorite piece: “Forgetting” by J. B. Polk
Lead Prose Editor | Emma Pillis | she/her
Hello! I am Emma and I love watching shows about the supernatural and reading queer literature of any genre. My current favorite book is In Other Lands by Sarah Rees Brennan and I am currently enjoying her graphic novel Fence. My “to be read” list is a mile long, so my favorite/current reads change frequently. When I am not reading, I am writing mystical queer love stories, dancing, or crocheting trinkets for my friends.
Favorite piece: “Frogs” by David Gillette
Lead Poetry Editor | Taylor Boris | she/her
Hi! My name is Taylor, and I enjoy reading poetry and fiction, specifically fantasy and romance. Currently, my favorite book is Dance of Thieves by Mary E. Pearson. When I’m not reading, I am writing, watching crime documentaries, and building my home library.
Favorite piece: “Cardinal Directions” by Amanda Roth
Lead Poetry Editor | Kira Frazee | she/they
Hey y’all! My name is Kira and I LOVE reading a little bit of every fiction genre (especially if it’s queer)! My favorite book at the moment is The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton. Outside of writing, I like to spend my free time reading and playing D&D with my friends!
Favorite piece: (It’s so hard to choose I love them all!!) “The closets we keep” by Frankie A. Soto & “What I Didn’t Know At 23” by Hannah Dow
Assistant Poetry Editor | Kelly Brown | she/her
Hi!! My name is Kelly, and I am an avid lover of sci-fi, fantasy, and graphic novels. I’m currently reading through Scott Pilgrim vs. the World by Bryan Lee O’Malley. Ironically, my favorite thing to write is poetry! When I’m not reading, I’m drawing in my sketchbook and watching anime. Being part of Rappahannock Review has been such a great learning experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world!!
Favorite piece: “Bramble” by Ellery Beck
Assistant Prose Editor | Samuel Vinton | he/him
Hello, everyone! I am Samuel, an avid reader of sci-fi, fantasy, and collections of old comics like Calvin and Hobbes and Peanuts. My favorite book that I always come back to is The Hobbit. I always write more about fantasy and sci-fi in my spare time, sometimes lacing the rest of my time with video games and other computer-related activities. I’ve always lived by the motto “Percusa Resurgo” (When struck down, I rise again).
Favorite piece: “Frogs” by David Gillette
Prose Copy Editor | Alex Huber | he/they
Hello! My name is Alex, and my favorite genre of all time to read and write is fantasy, especially fantasy featuring queer characters. My favorite book series right now is a horror-comedy series called Tales From the Gas Station, though I enjoy reading more serious works as well. In my spare time, I like to write both original works and fanfiction, and I aspire to be a published author someday.
Favorite piece: “The Ties that Bind” by David Meischen
Poetry Copy Editor | Madison Roberts | she/her
Hi! I’m Madison, lover of fantasy books and cozy murder mysteries involving single small business owners with cats. My current book obsessions are The House on the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune and The Grimrose Girls by Laura Pohl (both very magical and gay in their own amazing ways). I want to one day write a book that is utterly soul shattering, but I can’t seem to move beyond eleven year olds being supernatural detectives. Alas!
Favorite piece: “Red Rover” by Jessica Furtado
Art Editor | Erin Smith | she/her
Greetings, I’m Erin! I’ve been a fan of fantasy and science fiction novels since I was young, and I hope to publish some of my own someday. My inspiration comes from the beauty of humanity and, on occasion, pure spite. My favorite stand-alone novel would have to be The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, and my favorite series is The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.
Favorite piece: “From Eve to God” by Cameron Bocanegra
Social Media Editor | Zoë Allen | she/her
I enjoy reading mysteries and thrillers but always find my way back to romance. My favorite series is Silence is Golden by Rob Thier, which is historical fiction that originated on Wattpad! I spend most of my time watching movies and television and tend to write dark, autobiographical fiction pieces. I hope to be a screenwriter to share my stories with the world!
Favorite piece: “Girlfriend Girl” by Elizabeth Kirkhorn
Design Editor | Alyssa Brown | she/her
Hi! My name is Alyssa and I love any books that involve outer space, aliens, and robots. Lately, I’ve really been enjoying Martha Wells’ The Murderbot Diaries. Personally, I enjoy writing sci-fi poetry that reflects on human perspective and machine intelligence. Outside of work, you can usually catch me watching Star Trek or researching defunct technologies.
Favorite piece: “Cardinal Directions” by Amanda Roth
Design Editor | Daniel Huffman | he/him
I like to read horror fiction—obviously showing favoritism toward Stephen King, then, now, and forever. My favorite genre to write falls somewhere between horror and “weird,” and in my free time, I’m usually doing anything but what I should be doing. I’m a pro-procrastinator.
Favorite piece: “Frogs” by David Gillette
Managing Editor | L.C. Magee | he/him
Hi, I’m Laurence! I like reading anything thought-provoking, envelope-pushing, and/or morally complex. This usually pushes me to poetry of all kinds, creative nonfiction, speculative fiction, and straight-up fantasy. Some authors I admire are Maggie Stiefvater, Brandon Sanderson, and Angela Carter. In my free time, I love writing my own complex fantasy novels, plotting out character and story development with friends, researching religious philosophy, hiking, and generally vibing in the interconnected web of existence.
Favorite piece: “the closets we keep” by Frankie Soto
