We have to leave the car behind, but the destination is worth it: we’re flying to Hawai’i! Join us on the exploration of the islands’ various literary journals, brought to us by Rebecca Parades!
The indigenous islands of Hawai‘i are home to diverse cultures, languages, and literary histories. In this leg of our road trip, we’re highlighting literary journals and events that celebrate work from the Pacific region, elevating Native Hawaiian literature and exploring the intersection of art, culture and sovereignty.
Hawai‘i Pacific Review
Launched in 1987, Hawai‘i Pacific Review is the online literary magazine of Hawai‘i Pacific University. The magazine publishes poetry and prose by authors from Hawai‘i and around the world, and pieces have earned Best of the Net Awards and Pushcart Prizes. Hawai‘i Pacific Review publishes work on a rolling basis, and submissions are accepted from August through April.
Vice-Versa
Published by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, this literary e-zine seeks to host conversations between readers, authors, and artists. The journal publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and book reviews, and each issue follows a different overarching theme. The e-zine’s summer 2021 issue theme is mystery, featuring contributors such as Zoe C. Sims, a poet who lives in Honolulu, and Sloan Angelou, a writer from West Africa. Submissions are currently closed.
Mānoa
Launched in 1989, Mānoa is a twice-yearly literary publication through the University of Hawai‘i. Mānoa publishes new writing from the Asia-Pacific region, and works have been cited for excellence by editors of anthologies Best American Short Stories, Best American Poetry, and the Pushcart Prize. Submissions to Mānoa are currently on hiatus indefinitely, but prior volumes are available on their website.
Tinfish Press
Founded in 1995 by poet Susan M. Schultz, Tinfish Press Magazine is an online publication and nonprofit organization that endeavors to publish experimental poetry of the Pacific region. Today, Tinfish is edited by poet and visual artist Jaimie Gusman and also publishes books and chapbooks. In January 2021, Tinfish ended a decade-long hiatus with the publication of journal issue #21, Rage + Hope. Submissions are currently closed.
Hawai‘i Review
The Hawai‘i Review is an arts journal from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa. First published in 1973, the journal curates the work of Native Hawaiians, local Hawaii-based writers who engage in Hawaiian themes, and international writers who expand conversations that are relevant to the region. Previous contributors include Indigenous voices such as Joe Balaz, Mahealani Dudoit, and ku‘ualoha ho‘omanawanui, as well as writers like Robert Bly, Robert Olen Butler, and Maxine Hong Kingston. Submissions are currently closed, but back issues are digitized on ScholarSpace.
Vice-Versa
Published by the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, this literary e-zine seeks to host conversations between readers, authors, and artists. The journal publishes fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and book reviews, and each issue follows a different overarching theme. The e-zine’s summer 2021 issue theme is mystery, featuring contributors such as Zoe C. Sims, a poet who lives in Honolulu, and Sloan Angelou, a writer from West Africa. Submissions are currently closed.
Kaua‘i Writers Conference
Geared toward aspiring writers, this annual writing and publishing festival consists of master classes with established authors and industry experts, discussions, and individual sessions with literary agents, all set in Līhu‘e, Kaua‘i. Due to the pandemic, this year’s conference is postponed until November 2022, and online sessions will be expanded.
Hawaii Book & Music Festival
This free and annual event brings together Hawaiian authors, publishers, and community thought-leaders. This year, the 16th annual festival will be held virtually, featuring presentations by U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, climate scientist Kim Cobb, and 30 Hawaiian authors in prose, poetry and plays.
Mixing Innovative Arts
Established in 2009, Mixing Innovative Arts (MIA) is one of Honolulu’s longest-running literary events. MIA is a monthly reading series for Hawai‘i writers, but due to the pandemic, MIA has paused live events. Listen to select recordings from past readings.
by Rebecca Parades