Our Mission
In Short: A Journal of Flash Nonfiction is an independent literary magazine for short-form creative nonfiction. We publish flash nonfiction of 1,000 words or fewer, micros of 400 words or fewer, and short-shorts of 100 words or fewer.
By publishing short-form work, we aim to provide a platform for writers who lack the time and resources typically needed for publication. Our goal is to become a leading outlet for flash nonfiction, known for our commitment to quality, diversity, and access.
Read more about our flash focus on our “Why Flash?” page and what we’re looking for in “Submissions.”
Our Staff
Founder & Editor in Chief
Steph Liberatore (she/her) is a writer and professor in the English Department at George Mason University, where she teaches creative nonfiction, literature, and advanced composition for undergraduates. Her writing has appeared in River Teeth, Short Reads, Cream City Review, Inside Higher Ed, and elsewhere.
When she isn’t writing or editing or chasing after her two young kids, Steph is working on her first book, a memoir about confronting what we’d rather avoid.
Senior Editorial Intern
Drew Hunter (she/her) earned her Creative Writing BFA with a concentration in Fiction and a minor in American Sign Language from George Mason University. She is pursuing an MFA in Fiction in the fall and hopes to one day publish her work. You can usually find her reading when she should be writing and writing when she should be reading.
Editorial Intern
Mya Martin (she/her) is a senior at George Mason University pursuing a BA in English with a concentration in creative writing. Outside of short stories, she’s drawn to writing that makes complex information accessible to all. Off the page, she’ll never turn down an opportunity to eat out, mostly because it gives her more recipes to try at home.
Editorial Intern
Josephine Slayter (she/her) is an aspiring publicist, who received her BA in English from George Mason University with a minor in Dynamic Publishing. In addition to her work at In Short, Josephine was Lead Publicist for Stillhouse Press, a student-run, indie press based in Fairfax, VA. She is pursuing an MFA in Fiction in the fall. If she’s not at work, she’s probably: A) playing D&D, B) wishing she was playing D&D, or C) wistfully watching other people play D&D online.
Our Readers
Cynthia Ajuzie (she/her) is a Nigerian American writer who grew up in Baltimore, Maryland. While attending University of Virginia, she wrote for the theatrical production, The Black Monologues, and had her work performed for the university’s community. After obtaining a BA in Literary Prose, Cynthia taught high school English for three years in Houston, Texas within an underserved community. She holds as Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Creative Writing (Fiction) from Rutgers University-Newark and currently resides in the Washington, D.C. area, where she is hard (ideally) at work on her short story collection.
Erica M. Dolson (she/her) lives in Pennsylvania and teaches in the English Department at Elizabethtown College. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing (Nonfiction) from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA, and her nonfiction has been published in Culinate.com (now defunct), Full-Stop Magazine, Critical Read, Hippocampus (“Writing Life”), Inside Higher Ed, and elsewhere.
K.R. Mullins (she/her) is a writer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Brevity, New England Review, Gulf Coast, and others. She is the fiction editor of Phoebe and serves on the board of Nimrod International Journal. She lives in Washington, DC. Follow her writing at www.krmullins.com.
Llalan Fowler (she/her) is a writer, hiker, back-seat driver, trombone player, craft beer drinker, tree hugger, cat lover, heavy napper, and lifelong bookseller.
Anna Nguyen (she/her) abandoned her PhD studies and decided to rewrite her dissertation in the form of creative non-fiction as an MFA student at Stonecoast at the University of Southern Maine. She blends literary analysis, science and technology studies, and social theory to reflect on institutions, language, expertise, the role of citations, and food. She also hosts a podcast, Critical Literary Consumption. Her writing has appeared in CutLeaf Journal, The Hooghly Review, Assay: Journal of Nonfiction Studies, diaCritics, Vagabond City Lit, and elsewhere. She is an incoming MFA student in poetry at New England College.
Elena Macdonald (she/they) is a writer from Northern Virginia. They are a current MFA candidate in nonfiction at George Mason University. Elena is also the website editor for Phoebe Journal, and they read for Phoebe Journal, So to Speak Journal, Poetry Daily, and In Short: A Journal of Flash Nonfiction.
After a long career in public education and youth advocacy, Deb Fenwick (she/her) lives and writes just outside Chicago, in Oak Park, Illinois. Her work has appeared in Hippocampus, Pithead Chapel, Cleaver, and elsewhere.
Kentucky native Chris McGlone (he/him/y’all) has an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from George Mason University and a PhD in Photogrammetry from Purdue. His CNF has appeared in The Nasiona, Floyd County Moonshine, Still, and Quibble. In his previous life as a photogrammetrist he published papers, book chapters, and a textbook. He now hangs out with his dog Darla, plays Irish guitar and bluegrass banjo, and enjoys gluten-free baking.
Amy Botula (she/her) is a writer, advocate, and teacher. Her work has been published in Creative Nonfiction, The Rumpus, and elsewhere. She is the former food writer for PubliCola and comics reviewer for (the now defunct) Paperback Jukebox. Amy lives in Portland with her partner and his cat.
Kim Ruff (she/her) is an Air Force Veteran with 10 years of experience in proposal management, now a Senior Proposal Manager. Her background in writing and editing includes roles at Literary Mama, Wetumpka Herald, and The Franklin Institute. She earned an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University where she was a writing fellow, graduate instructor, and published essayist. She also dabbled in performance storytelling in the Washington, D.C. area.
Lyn Hainge, MS, (she/her) is a newly-minted fiction writer and longtime writer of non-fiction. The daughter of an immigrant, her professional life (managing health care organizations) has focused on services to the uninsured, language minorities, or those otherwise struggling to access care. She’s a lover of music from opera to jazz, a GMU Distinguished Alumnus (2012) and a resilient great grandmother with a thirst for new beginnings.
Shellie Kalinsky (she/her) is a CNF MFA candidate at George Mason University. Her work has been recognized by the Shelley A. Marshall Fiction contest and the Rinehart Nonfiction contest, and has appeared in Literary Mama, the Madison Review Extended Cut and elsewhere. She has three sweet cats that keep her company while she writes.
Katherine Harnisch (she/her) is an emerging writer residing in northern Virginia. A creative writing MFA student at George Mason University, when she’s not reading or writing, her hobbies include baking and ice skating. Her work has appeared in Lunar Journal, Humana Obscura, and elsewhere. You can find her on Instagram @katherineharnisch.
Serena Grant (she/her) is a senior at George Mason University pursuing a BFA in Creative Writing. You can find her work in the Diamond Gazette and Volition, and you can find her in the library or on a hiking trail.
Marion Jones (she/her) reads non-fiction and writes software documentation from her home in Richmond, California.
Former Interns
Editorial Intern
Megan Cobb (they/them) served as Editorial Intern for In Short in Fall 2025. They are a senior at George Mason University studying English with a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric and a minor in Dynamic Publishing, an editor for The Forge, and a Writing Center consultant. In their free time, Megan loves to bake, craft, and obsess over vampires.
Senior Editorial Intern
Camille Rimbawa (she/her) served as Editorial Intern for In Short in Fall 2024 and as Senior Editorial Intern in Spring 2025. She is a senior at George Mason University studying English with a concentration in Creative Writing. She works as an Editorial Intern for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and enjoys reading, cooking and beading in her free time.
Editorial Intern
Dan Piper (he/him) served as an Editorial Intern for In Short in Spring 2024. His weakness for memoir brought him to the magazine, and working with Steph and Jasmine easily became the highlight of his senior year. Dan is forever juggling manuscripts, now working as the Editorial Assistant for the Council on Social Work Education.
Senior Editorial Intern
Jasmine Haskins (she/her) served as an Editorial Intern in Spring 2024 and then as Senior Editorial Intern in the Fall 2024. She earned her BA in English with a Concentration in Creative Writing from George Mason University, with a minor in Professional and Technical Writing. While she works to continue to pursue her passions for Publication, Editing, and Program Management she is excited to watch and see what the future of the magazine will look like. Working with the In Short team has been a college experience she will never forget, and she is so grateful for everything Steph and her fellow interns have taught her.
