As Alive Journal
We are as alive as we will ever be, so there is no time like the present to get writing.
About Us
Literary Publishing & Writing Prompts
As Alive Journal celebrates the here and now. When our pasts fade into abject memories and our futures lay hungry in front of us, it is the present that defines who we are and what we may make of ourselves.
So what does that have to do with Fantasy, Horror, and Sci-Fi?
We believe that Genre Fiction has always been about the duality between escapism and raw human nature. It explores the “what if” hypotheticals that are often left undiscovered by our own personal experiences yet still resonate with the questions we ask ourselves. It can settle something inside of us that was previously uneased and allow us to gently lower the weight from our shoulders. It can also terrify, awe, or stun us into learning a lesson from a tragedy.
Ultimately, we connect with human nature through the stories we tell each other. In Fantasy, Horror, and Sci-Fi the goal is to make monsters out of metaphors and heroes out of the thin, mangled parts of ourselves that would otherwise never see the light of day. It is the joy of staring at yourself in a mirror and watching it blink first, finding comfort in finally having a friend.
Land Aknowledgement
As Alive Journal was created and made on the unceded traditional territories of the xÊ·mÉ™θkÊ·É™yÌ“É™m, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and sÉ™lilwÉ™taɬ Nations (what is colloquially referred to as Vancouver, BC). Many atrocities were committed against Indigenous peoples in an attempt at cultural genocide and reconciliation has only recently begun after the last residential school in Canada closed 1996. As Alive Journal supports the Land Back Movement and is dedicated to listening and amplifying Indigenous voices so they may never again be ignored.
For more information on residential schools please visit National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation website.
For more information on the Land Back Movement, how to support it and how to donate, please visit the David Suzuki Foundation, Idle No More, and the Indigenous Climate Hub websites.
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As Alive Journal also supports Palestine's right to return. Please consider donating to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, supporting your local university's encampment, and sharing Palestinian voices and news on social media. This genocide must end.
Masthead
Ashley Mina ✒ Editor-in-Chief
Ashley Mina (she/her) grew up writing short stories and stealing glances at books like they were desserts to feast on. She holds an Associate of Arts Degree in Creative Writing as well as a Diploma of Motion Picture Arts. Having volunteered for The Liar Zine, Unfortunately, Literary Magazine, and Pulp Literature, Ashley fell in love with publishing after seeing the diversity, creativity, and genuine humanity she could see between the lines of the stories she read.
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She is currently craving: folk horror, magical realism, and solarpunk
Kelly Alcock ✒ Poetry and Prose Editor
Kelly Alcock (she/her) is a reader and writer of all things fantasy and sci-fi. When she isn't slamming her head against a keyboard you can find her obsessing over her container garden or crying over video game characters.
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She is currently craving: post-apocalyptic, dark fantasy (the darker the better), and existential horror.
Ry Forsythe ✒ Poetry and Prose Editor
Ry Forsythe (they/them) lives on the stolen land known as Vancouver, British Columbia. They received a degree in pessimism, which is just a B.A. Sociology and an A.D. in creative writing. When not playing video games or drawing on their tablet or watching YouTube, Ry writes within the genres of sci-fi, fantasy and speculative fiction.
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They are currently craving: environmental speculative fiction, fabulism, and cyberpunk
Bri Chapman ✒ Poetry and Prose Reader
Bri Chapman (she/her) is a lover of all things horror and weird. She earned her BA in English Creative Writing from Texas Tech University and is currently an MFA candidate for Creative Writing, Editing, and Publishing at Sam Houston State University. She is also currently working as an Editorial Communications Intern for the SHSU CHSS dean's office, and as a graphic designer for Small Harbor Publishing. Her work is featured in the TTU Harbinger Magazine. Her work focuses on the human condition and its place in the horror genre.
She is currently craving: gothic horror, slashers, and fairy tales
Calli Perry-Leslie ✒ Poetry Reader
Calli Perry-Leslie (she/her) is a writer from Scotland who takes more pictures of books than she reads them. Her work can be found in As Alive Journal. She specializes in poetry.
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She is currently craving: southern gothic, paranormal/supernatural, whimsical fairy tales, and soft sci-fi.
Conor Thew ✒ Poetry Reader
Conor Thew (he/him) is a 22 year old queer poet and screenwriter from the UK, currently doing his MA in Creative Writing at the University of Strathclyde. Specialising in gothic poetry and fiction, his work aims to present classic stories through a queer lens, exploring themes of paganism and pushing the boundaries of gothic horror.
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He is currently craving: victorian gothic and solar/lunarpunk