In this edition of Inside the Den, we’re excited to introduce Sara Sanguinetti, who joined the Black Fox team in early 2024. In just a short time, Sara has become a trusted and consistent presence behind the scenes. With a sharp eye for storytelling and a knack for offering thoughtful, nuanced feedback, she approaches each submission with care and clarity. Sara brings insight and intention to every piece she reads.
Black Fox Literary Magazine: How did you become a reader for Black Fox?
Sara Sanguinetti: I submitted a story to Black Fox and signed up for their emails. While my story was ultimately not selected for publication, I did see an opportunity to apply to be one of their fiction readers in my inbox one day. I applied, and the rest is history. I’ve learned so much since then and wouldn’t want it any other way!
BFLM: What kinds of stories or themes are you most drawn to?
SS: I love stories that have a strong, distinct voice. I’ll read about the most mundane situation if the narrator is interesting enough to carry me through. Imperfect characters navigating tough situations also grab my attention because I find them the most interesting and the closest to our reality.
BFLM: What’s your biggest pet peeve when it comes to reading a submission?
SS: Submissions that are predictable, not just plot-wise but in the way they explore their themes. If I’m reading a story for the first time and it feels like I’ve read it somewhere else, it probably needs a little more work.
BFLM: What makes a submission stand out (in a good way)?
SS: I love submissions that surprise me, whether it be through their unusual prose or structure, or a plot twist that I don’t see coming the first read so I have to immediately go back and read it again. I also like stories that leave some questions unanswered—I want to think about a story long after I’ve read it!
BFLM: What’s something you’ve learned from reading submissions that surprised you?
SS: How many writers there are! I love that we receive so many submissions, not only from domestic writers but from writers living all over the world. There’s so much to learn from reading stories written in different countries and cultures. Writers truly run the world.
BFLM: What’s a story you love and think about often?
SS: “Inventory” by Carmen Maria Machado made me fall in love with reading and writing speculative fiction. She balances personal and global conflicts so well in this story, and its unique structure shows a lot about the narrator without outright saying. I return to it sometimes when I need some inspiration!
BFLM: If your personality were a literary genre, what would it be—and why?
SS: I think I’d be a bildungsroman with elements of comedy and drama. I like to pay attention to who I am, how I’m changing, and how I fit into the grand scheme of things. To me, this process reflects a coming-of-age story.
BFLM: Many thanks, Sara, for your sharp editorial eye and steady presence in the fiction queue. Your thoughtful approach continues to make a meaningful impact on the work we publish.
Stay tuned for more staff spotlights in upcoming editions of Inside the Den—because every page begins with a reader.
Sara Sanguinetti is an MFA student studying fiction at San Diego State University. Her short stories have appeared in Quail Bell Magazine, Down in the Dirt Magazine, and The Sucarnochee Review. In the past, she has read for Poetry International, a literary journal dedicated to publishing poetry from around the world. In her free time, Sara enjoys strength training, cooking and baking, taking walks in the park, and reading and writing (of course!).
