Welcome to a special edition of Inside the Den, that’s part announcement, part interview. We are so excited to introduce everyone to our new managing editor, Jordan Nishkian! Jordan joined the Black Fox team this fall and brings her years of magazine experience and expertise, plus her passion for the literary arts. We are thrilled to work together.
Black Fox Literary Magazine: What made you want to join Black Fox?
Jordan Nishkian: Black Fox cares so deeply about the writing community and the arts—I’ve been following the publication for years, so getting to join the team and help uplift creatives in such a meaningful way is an absolute dream! Black Fox holds such a strong standard for itself, and I find it so motivating and inspiring to be surrounded by the members of our community.
BFLM: What are you most excited about when it comes to stepping into the managing editor role?
It’s an honor to work closely with our team and our contributors on building our issues. I love having the opportunity to be so close to the work and see all the incredible pieces that get sent our way.
BFLM: What are some of your favorite things to read in general?
JN: I will drop everything to dive into a short, “weird” read! Genre-wise, I love horror, magical realism, and anything that explores the intersection of grief and healing.
Ultimately, I look for writing that sounds and acts in ways that are new to me—words with bite to them, words that linger.
My current favorites are Pedro Páramo (Juan Rulfo), Fever Dream (Samanta Schweblin), Aura (Carlos Fuentes), Hamnet (Maggie O’Farrell), and On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (Ocean Vuong).
BFLM: You’re a writer yourself. What do you write?
JN: My happy place is short fiction. While I love writing poetry, my creative mind thrives in flash and short stories. Shorter pieces also allow me to experiment, explore, and improve my craft in new ways. For example, I recently wrote a piece following the kishōtenketsu structure—it was a fantastic opportunity to de-Westernize my expectations or habits of storytelling, and I’ll absolutely be coming back to it in the future.
I’m also in the early stages of my journey of authoring other novellas and novels. Wish me luck!
BFLM: What is your best piece of advice to submitting writers?
The advice I always share is to go for it! Understand what the publication is asking for, respect their themes and guidelines, edit your work, and press send! The worst thing that will happen is that you will receive a kind and respectful decline. Don’t let the rejections get you down; it’s part of the process!
BFLM: Many thanks, Jordan! We are so excited to have you as part of the Black Fox Lit team!
Stay tuned for more staff spotlights in upcoming editions of Inside the Den—because every page begins with a reader.
Jordan Nishkian is an Armenian-Portuguese writer, editor, and designer based in California. Her prose and poetry explore themes of duality and have been featured in national and international publications. She is a winner of the Rollick Magazine Fiction Prize, and a nominee for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Short Stories, and Best of the Net.
