Winner of the 2025 Anhinga Prize: “dumb” by Betsy Johnson Betsy Johnson’s manuscripts have been finalists in the Graywolf Nonfiction Prize, the National Poetry Series Competition, and the University of Wisconsin Poetry Prizes. Her work has appeared in the Kenyon Review, the Iowa Review (online), Boulevard, Prairie Schooner, and Alaska Quarterly Review. She lives in Minnesota and […]
“Bees in June” by Elizabeth Bass Parman
December 30, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Sometimes a book sneaks up on you. I don’t normally read “light, easy” fiction, yet Elizabeth Bass Parman’s Bees in June grabbed me by the heart and didn’t let go. It’s a magical realism story set in the South that balances charm, emotional depth, and a touch of whimsy, much like the bees that hum […]
Stephanie Cornais
December 29, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Stephanie Cornais is a dedicated observer of the natural world, a secondary science teacher, a Certified Florida Master Naturalist, and an environmental consultant. She is known for creating outdoor classrooms and leading nature-based field trips. She also shares her passion for the healing power of nature through wellness retreats and her Substack newsletter, Natural and Wild […]
Southern Literary Review’s 2025 Books of the Year
December 17, 2025 by Leave a Comment
The editors of Southern Literary Review select several books each year to receive special recognition. (See criteria here.) Congratulations to the authors of these fine additions to Southern literature! Book of the Year – (Tie) The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff The Miniaturist’s Assistant by Katherine Scott Crawford Poetry Lullaby for […]
2025 SLR Holiday Gift Guide
December 3, 2025 by 1 Comment
Books make the best gifts! Here are some great choices for the readers on your list. Donna’s Picks Junah at the End of the World by Dan Leach offers a lively, endearing voice in a coming-of-age story about a boy who is a bit of a misfit. Set during the lead-up to Y2K when we […]
The Short List for 2025 Books of the Year
December 3, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Books of the Year will be announced Dec. 18 The editors of Southern Literary Review select several books each year to receive special recognition. It recognizes books published over the previous two years (with October of the current year as the cut-off date for consideration.) Categories are Book of the Year, recognizing a novel or nonfiction full-length work; […]