In this edition of Inside the Den, we’re pleased to feature Karlis Wilde, who joined the Black Fox team in December 2025 as a reader of fiction, flash fiction, and poetry. In his time with us, Karlis has brought an engaged and reflective approach to the work he encounters. With an eye for curiosity, honesty, and depth, he approaches each submission with a willingness to sit with complexity—seeking out pieces that ask meaningful questions and offer something genuine in return.
Black Fox Literary Magazine: How did you become a reader for Black Fox?
Karlis Wilde: I was submitting my own stories and saw an opportunity to read alongside the great team here! I’ve been reading since last December and have been having a lot of fun going through such a plethora of great work.
BFLM: You read both fiction and poetry for us—what draws you into a piece right away, regardless of genre?
KW: An opening hook that sparks curiosity can go a long way. Set up some really interesting questions, and perhaps even confusing ones, all while giving me certainty that I will find answers later in the piece, and I’ll be hooked!
BFLM: What kinds of themes, voices, or styles are you most drawn to in fiction? And does that differ from what you look for in poetry
KW: The main thing for me is that I’m looking for earnestness. There’s a lot of cynicism in the world, and that’s understandable, but a piece has to be really darn strong for that cynicism to work. Instead, when I see humility, honesty, and awareness coming through in a piece, it helps me to acclimate to what the author is trying to say so much better.
This applies to both mediums! But I’ll also say, nothing sucks me into poetry more than something I’ve got to unlock. A little sprinkling of esotericism that lets you find something bigger when you consider the poem as a whole, especially on a second or third reread? There’s nothing more special.
BFLM: What’s your biggest pet peeve when it comes to reading submissions?
KW: I really don’t like it when pieces insert taboo and controversial scenes or ideas simply for their own sake. I believe that there is a place for even the most difficult images and ideas in writing, but the harder something is to stomach, the better the writing needs to be. Better to shy away from shock value unless the story or poem really earns it.
BFLM: What elevates a piece from good to great for you—whether it’s a story or a poem?
KW: Having something unique to say is probably the biggest thing. The best writing in the world will peter out if it’s empty, and reiterating the same points of pop morality will get dull fast. Every writer has their own individual lives, thoughts, and stories, and tapping into that with honesty and thoughtfulness, telling the reader something new, and maybe even something difficult, will quickly elevate something to the top of the pile.
BFLM: What’s a line or passage (from a story or poem) you love and think about often?
KW: I’m a big Tolstoy guy, and there’s a bit in The Death of Ivan Ilyich that in the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation says:
“Maybe I did not live as I should have?” would suddenly come into his head. “But how not, if I did everything one ought to?”
There’s a fragility to this that runs through a lot of Tolstoy’s work. The 19th-century Russians found an incredible balance in the limited bounds of human life, and this sorta leans into a thought that, while simple, contains such a relatable and universal feeling. Little moments of humane lucidity like this, even while simple, can go a long way in revealing an extraordinary depth of character as well as a deep connection with the reader.
BFLM: If your personality were a literary form or genre, what would it be—and why?
KW: A tough call. I don’t think I’d quite fit into the bounds of short fiction, but I’m not enough to be an epic novel either. Free verse poetry might kind of get there, especially since I like to think of myself as containing a bit of improvisational ugliness, but… I love the restrictions of form too! So, I think my personality would be a postmodern novella, with Tolkien-esque songs throughout. A little insufferable, a little playful, and a little clever.
BFLM: Many thanks, Karlis, for the insight and care you bring across our fiction and poetry submissions. Your thoughtful engagement and openness to complexity help us recognize the pieces that truly resonate.
Stay tuned for more staff spotlights in upcoming editions of Inside the Den—because every page begins with a reader.
Karlis Wilde is a writer, editor, and poet from Ontario, Canada. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University. His work has been published or is forthcoming in the Brussels Review, the Bloomin’ Onion, Trashlight Review, and Toronto Journal.
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