In this edition of Inside the Den, we’re pleased to spotlight Cassandra Brown, who joined the Black Fox team in May 2024. An avid reader, poet, and literary scholar, Cassandra brings both creative sensitivity and analytical precision to the submissions she reviews. Her background in English Literature—and her own experience as a writer—inform the thoughtful, balanced perspective she offers each piece. Whether weighing narrative strength or poetic nuance, Cassandra approaches the work with care and clarity.
Black Fox Literary Magazine: How did you become a reader for Black Fox?
Cassandra Brown: I had recently gotten back into writing and reconnecting with the literary community. I was writing and reading everything I could and stumbled across Black Fox along the way. I immediately loved their aesthetic and the overall vibe of the work they publish. When they opened up applications for readers, I jumped at the chance—and luckily, they picked me.
BFLM: What kinds of stories or themes are you most drawn to?
CB: I have pretty eclectic taste when it comes to reading—I enjoy almost every genre. What really pulls me in, though, is when a piece wears its heart on its sleeve. I love stories that invite the reader in and make them feel something. Anything that takes me on an emotional journey tends to stay with me.
BFLM: What’s your biggest pet peeve when it comes to reading a submission?
CB: Weak hooks or first paragraphs that don’t give me a reason to keep going are big ones. I also struggle with stories that meander without a clear sense of purpose, lean heavily on clichés, or keep too much distance from the character and emotional core of the story. I want to feel grounded in someone and something early on.
BFLM: What makes a submission stand out (in a good way)?
CB: Submissions really stand out to me when writers trust themselves and trust the reader. The ones that make me go wow are the stories that take you on a journey—emotionally or narratively—without overexplaining or holding your hand.
BFLM: What’s something you’ve learned from reading submissions that surprised you?
CB: I’ve become a better writer myself. Reading submissions has helped me see more clearly what works and what doesn’t. As Chuck Palahniuk once said, we’re the combined effort of everyone we’ve ever known—and I feel that deeply, both in life and in writing. Reading other writers’ work has reminded me how much we inspire each other, often without even realizing it.
BFLM: What’s a story you love and think about often?
CB: Kaleidoscope by Ray Bradbury is one that has always stayed with me. The absurdity of the premise—men drifting apart, dying alone in space—should feel cold or distant, but instead it becomes deeply human. There’s so much beauty in the reflection on a life lived, even in the face of inevitable death. You truly go on that journey with the characters, and the ending is incredibly powerful. It says something enduring about life and existence as a whole, and it’s a story I’ll never forget.
BFLM: If your personality were a literary genre, what would it be—and why?
CB: Speculative fiction—because aren’t we all a little weird?
BFLM: Many thanks, Cassandra, for the insight and dedication you bring to the Black Fox team. Your thoughtful engagement with each submission helps strengthen the stories and poems we’re proud to publish.
Stay tuned for more staff spotlights in upcoming editions of Inside the Den—because every page begins with a reader.
Cassandra Brown is an avid reader and writer based in Denver, Colorado. She holds a degree in English Literature and is drawn to work that blends emotional depth with compelling narrative voice. As both a poet and prose writer, she values the courage and craft behind each submission. Outside of the literary world, Cassandra is a software engineering leader and mother of two.
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