As We Convene – An Anthology of Time and Place

Welcome friend! Today, I am hosting the cover reveal for As We Convene: An Anthology of Time and Place, an upcoming anthology by Inked in Gray. Let’s read together about the stories in the book and the authors!

About the Contributing Stories & Authors

The Grand Canyon Historical Society by Mary Winsor

The Grand Canyon Historical Society is an affectionate nod to my birthplace, but the story is a departure for me. I told a friend, “But I don’t write spooky mystery.” She said, “Apparently, you do.” It was a joy to work on this project and contemplate the meanings of family and home, the violence and inviolability of love, and our spiritual connection to the land that was never ours to begin with. And perhaps readers will want to visit the Grand Canyon or, as Steve Goodman wrote, “run and see what this river has done.”

Mary Winsor grew up in the Southwest, the setting for most of her stories and essays. Her writing includes a Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2023, and appears or is forthcoming in Cutleaf Journal, Threepenny Review, Northwest Review, Atticus Review, Blue Mesa Review, Ploughshares, and elsewhere. Mary is a 2020 graduate of the MFA program at George Mason University. She teaches English and Creative Writing at Salt Lake Community College. Learn more on her website and follow on X (@MaryWinsor).

If Walls Could Talk by Nico Vazquez

If Walls Could Talk is a Peter Pan inspired short story, If Walls Could Talk shows Wendy Ansley’s story now that Peter has gone from the eyes of her bedroom walls. Wendy has lived at 1022 Sicamore Lane since she was born. Most of her childhood has been spent sitting in her bedroom staring at glow in the dark stars and wondering, like all children do, if magic is real.

Nico Vazquez is a poet, multimedia artist, and author. They received training in writing and performance art through mentoring with local group P.O.M.E beginning at age fourteen and have been finding new ways to create and share since. His work often includes educating others on topics centering gender, sexuality, and race, through discussing his own experiences as a biracial trans person. When he’s not creating or educating, Nico can be found wandering graveyards with friends or dancing with a hyper chihuahua and a tsundere cat.

Published works include poetry books ‘I Am Arrogant and Cruel’ and ‘Lovely Thoughts At 3AM’. As well as a short stories in the anthologies ‘Places We Build In The Universe’ and upcoming ‘As We Convene: An Anthology of Time and Place’ both edited by Lauren T. Davilla. You can find more information on his website ignicovazquez.weebly.com, IG: Stilesig_ and TikTok: Stilesig.

Pulp by J. Ophelia Vazquez

Two coworkers drink in an orange grove, one comes out: Pulp explores the logistics warehouse boom in the Inland Empire, a region east of Los Angeles once rooted in the citrus industry. Warehouse emissions are said to contribute to the region having the worst air quality in the US as of 2023.

J. Ofelia Vazquez is a Mexican-American born and raised in and around the Inland Empire, which is where their investment in the social determinants of health — the air we breathe, the food we eat, the environment we grow up in — began. You can find them at @ofeliawrites on most platforms.

The Patchwork Man by Angela M. Sanchez

A deep breath with a trill in the middle, “Ah-mah-ree-oh”—that’s Amarillo Heights. It’s home to sixteen-year-old Marcela, but now it’s also a home she’s struggling to live in. It might take the perspective of her neighborhood’s most ancient denizen to find a way to survive.

Angela M. Sánchez (they/she) is a Mexican American writer from Los Angeles. They were staffed on Disney Television Animation’s upcoming series PRIMOS and have written on AppleTV+’s acclaimed STILLWATER, Nick Jr.’s RUBBLE & CREW, and over a dozen episodes for Moonbug’s GECKO’S GARAGE. Angela is also a 2018 PEN America Emerging Voices Fellow and Las Musas alum. The Los Angeles Times has featured their picture book, Scruffy and the Egg, which tackles topics of family homelessness and single-parenthood. Angela’s writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, SOLRAD, LAist, Dictionary.com, and The Hechinger Report. They are currently co-editing the upcoming comics anthology, From Cocinas to Lucha Libre Ringsides: Latinographix Stories of Sports, Food & Madness, and have been interviewed for the New York Times, NBC News, LA Weekly, and La Opinión, among others. Angela can be found at angelamsanchez.com. Follow on Instagram (@AngelaMSanchez.writer), X (@_AngelaMSanchez) and BlueSky (@angelamsanchez.bsky.social).

Down the Blackened River by K. Psych

A haunting revelation entwined with anthropomorphism, history, and sorrow…

A river flowing along the edge of a picturesque town isn’t as quaint as one may believe. Since the beginning of time, locals have poured secrets and tales into The Blackened River, a living confessional where it stores memories and traps tales inside its soul. A timeless chamber. One evening, on the brink of loneliness and pondering about its existence, the haunting vessel is visited by a grieving woman looking to clear her troubled mind on the anniversary of her mother’s death.

Kapri Psych (K. Psych) is a Black, queer, and disabled writer of adult horror SFF and erotic literary fiction. With a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies, a certificate in Web Design, and concentration in Literature, there are no limits to their creativity. Between 2024 and 2025, Kapri will be releasing their first erotic horror novella titled SLICE OF HEAVEN and an untitled religious horror chapbook while editing LAST ONE STANDING, a BIPOC final girl anthology, and opening FINDERS CREEPERS, an indie horror multimedia company.

When they aren’t analyzing biblical lore and spinning it into their own monstrous creations full of blood, trauma, and complex feelings about morality, they can be found rotting in bed rewatching Saw or Constantine for the millionth time or designing a clothing line that’ll never see the light of day. 

Connect on X (@bloodydevotion), Instagram/Threads (@carnivoreincosplay)

Misread Signs by Christian H. Morales

Childhood sweethearts bump into each other on the streets of New York triggering memories and feelings they didn’t know still existed.

Christian H. Morales is a Honduran living in La Vergne, Tennessee, since 2019. He moved to the United States to pursue a career as a published author. When he’s not working in construction he’s in his apartment trying to keep up with his writing goals and reading challenge. His stories have been published in Maudlin House, Latine Lit and Malarkey Books.

The Party at Qoroth Station by Gerardo J. Mercado

She had dreamed of an angel in the metal shell, dancing around its old carcass, watching them prod and add to its body, to its soul. She had dreamed of a great snake coming from the planet’s gaping wound and swallowing them whole. She had dreamed a great deal of things. The party had begun, and the electric pulse of the machinery felt like a heartbeat with so many vessels inside the station, so many eyes, mouths, and bodies. She’d been finishing the last sculpture for her celebration and had fallen asleep under it. 

Gerardo J. Mercado is a Puerto Rican poet and fiction writer, his work has been published in online magazines, such as Three-Lobed Burning Eye Magazine and in other anthologies Gerardo’s work focuses on spirituality, self-identity, the Caribbean, nature, science, and symbols. Connect on Instagram (@gery_jou) and X (@OddToB).

City of the Silent by C.M. Leyva

On the surface of Colma, California, there is beauty in the miles of rolling green slopes hidden behind late summer fog. But beyond the fog lay hundreds of thousands of gravestones reflecting the moonlight like silver scars against its skin. Colma’s legacy is with the dead, and these are the stories of the silent.

C.M. Leyva is a speculative fiction author and registered nurse who enjoys writing character-driven fiction in all genres. Her passion for science and medicine is often seen in her stories while exploring the what-if’s around them. You can find her short fiction in anthologies with Outland Entertainment and FlowerSong Press, and her debut novel The Legacies of Traitors will be released in 2024. When she’s not working on her next short story or manuscript, you can find her attempting home improvement projects, losing herself in a good book, or playing video games. Find all relevant links on LinkTree.

Most Distracting Place on Earth by Alexandra Z. Lazar

Most magical place on earth? More like most DISTRACTING place on earth! When Elle, a soon-to-be high school senior, spends her family vacation working on her college admission essay, it seems like the impending responsibilities of adulthood have sucked the fantasy right out of her favorite theme park. But soon Elle realizes that a dose of imagination is just what she needs to help her essay live happily ever after.

Alexandra Z. Lazar is an author, Disneyphile, animal lover, and fairy tale aficionado. She writes fiction for kids, middle-schoolers, and young adults, including some projects for Disney Publishing. Whether she’s working on freelance projects or her own books, she adds a dash of pixie dust to stories for the young and young at heart! Her published works include Aladdin: Beyond the Palace Walls and the Big Hero 6 Read-Along Storybook and CD for Disney, and multiple stories in anthologies. She also contributed to Ridley Pearson’s best-selling Kingdom Keepers series. Alexandra has an MFA in Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in Vermont with her family and many pets, including her cats/mascots/overlords Zooey III and Oliver. She is currently working on her first original novel, a fairytale reimagining about the Fairy Godmother’s sister. Learn more on alexandrazlazar.com. Follow on X (@alexandrazlazar).

The Great Indoors by Jennifer Kaul

Percy is shocked when he learns his family is moving to an indoor pure oxygen community to protect their health from the degrading air quality. After entering the plant-filled dome, encountering several of its unnerving tiny tech creatures, and learning of the restrictions he’ll have to endure there, he wants nothing more than to escape it. When an oxygen leak threatens the community, Percy must define his priorities and decide what he’s willing to risk to achieve them.

Jennifer Kaul is an author of children’s and young adult literature, a freelance education writer, a former teacher, and a cautious optimist. Her YA short story, “The Price of Words” was published in Lunch Ticket, and she has written nonfiction children’s books for Capstone, DK, and more. In addition, Jennifer’s middle grade science fiction adventure, Uploaded, was chosen for mentorship through Author Mentor Match. Many of Jennifer’s pieces stem from the happenings in our world and the what-ifs that swirl around her head as a result. Her hope is, through her writing, to encourage thought, spark conversation, and make the world a better place. Learn more on jenniferkaul.com and follow on X (@jenkaulwrites).

Soiled Tears in the Mangrove by Sara Kapadia

This is a story inspired by the author’s South Asian background and love of mangrove trees while shedding light on child marriage.

Sara is an artist, educator, yoga teacher, academic, and writer who uses a transdisciplinary approach in her projects. All of Sara’s degrees specialized in education. Sara has a bachelor’s from the University of Cambridge, a master’s from the University of London and a PhD from Claremont Graduate University. As the founder of an academic, peer reviewed, open access publication called The STEAM Journal Sara created a hub that focused on art and science. 

Sara’s fiction writing is based on folk stories from South Asia and uses fantasy to transport the reader to other worlds. Her artwork draws from the textures and hues found in nature.

Sara lives in a colorful home with her husband, two foster kids, two rescue cats and rescue dog, and lots of imaginary creatures in Los Angeles.

More can be found about Sara at www.sara.kapadia.com.

Budapest to Berlin by Elizabeth Holden

On a desperate romantic impulse, Erin books a last-minute train ticket to Berlin. The fourteen-hour ride in a tiny sleeper cabin is all that stands between her and, she hopes, reconciliation with her boyfriend. But in the train’s narrow corridors and crowded cars, Erin’s repeated encounters with an unusual fellow passenger make her rethink her plans, both for Berlin and for her life.

Elizabeth Holden owns a travel company specializing in quirky group tours. The extensive time she’s spent in more than a dozen European countries, plus her eclectic interests ranging from physics to roller derby, enrich her written work. She believes the ideal conditions in which to write a novel are in the dining car of a train traveling through the Alps, with a pot of tea beside you—though she writes the most at her home in Wisconsin. Her debut young adult novel, Mighty Millie Novak, comes out in August 2024. Learn more on elizabeth-holden.com and follow on Instagram (@ElizabethH_WI).

Alligator Queen by Emily Gray

Growing up female means constantly being told to pare yourself down or smooth out your rough edges for the sake of other people’s comfort. Much like the alligator-infested swamp our nameless protagonist finds herself in, the darker, more unpleasant side of girlhood is often paved over and ignored. But those very same parts of ourselves we are taught to ignore are designed to protect us—the loud, ugly voice, the prickly palmetto fronds, the dark and murky water, the sharp teeth we hide. In Alligator Queen an unforgiving Florida swamp becomes the backdrop for a woman struggling to defend herself after doing what needs to be done to protect someone she loves.

Emily Gray is a writer based in a small North Carolina town. She grew up in north Florida, where she cultivated a deep love of the wildlife and natural landscape of her home state. Though she primarily reads and writes science fiction, she is also passionate about the voices of women and queer people living in the south. When she isn’t writing about spaceships, she’s probably daydreaming about how many varieties of heirloom tomatoes she can fit in her garden this year. You can find her begrudgingly still on Twitter sometimes @authoremilygray

Must be Some Witches in the Atmosphere by Shelli Cornelison

The clandestine coven on Blade Island has lost another high priestess, this one so beloved that the loss feels far greater than the wayward witch who went before her. There’s been a recent hurricane, and the atmosphere doesn’t seem to want to settle. Could the erratic behavior of the elements and the demise of an adored witch—or a despised one—be connected?

Shelli Cornelison writes for young adults and those not so young. You can find her short stories in Hunger Mountain, Castle of Horror Anthology – Femme Fatales, Smokelong Quarterly, Ghost Parachute, and other publications. She occasionally remembers she has a Facebook account and even less often remembers to update her website at shellicornelison.net.

The Argus by Amanda Bender

After suffering a tragic loss, Ozkar finds solace on the Argus, an ancient airship that is inhabited by a small crew who are stuck in time. So, when the crew discovers a way to return home and Ozkar is faced with losing his new family, he is determined to do whatever it takes not to get left behind.

Amanda Bender is a marketer by day and a writer by night. But through it all, she is a storyteller at heart. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from George Mason University. She was a contributing writer at LitReactor until they closed their digital doors in 2023, and you can read more of her creative works in Rune Bear Magazine and The Book Smuggler’s Den. If you’re looking for a reading rec, a book reviewer, or just curious about the lessons in craft Amanda is learning and applying as she writes her next project, visit her blog Live by the Shelf, or follow her on X (@A_B_Lee) and Instagram (@a.l.b.33).

A Dark and Lovely Wood by Casie Bazay

After losing her older brother and mother, 12 y/o Stella moves to the countryside with her father. There, she develops an affinity for the nearby woods, feeling an almost otherworldly connection to its residents, as well as the trees. As the seasons progress and her father grows more distant, Stella spends more and more time in the woods. Little does she know that the woods have developed an affinity for her as well—so much so, that they may never let her go.

Casie Bazay is the author of the YA novel, Not Our Summer (Running Press Teens, 2021). After leaving the teaching profession 13 years ago, she has worked mainly as a freelance writer, specializing in equine health and care, but Casie also offers editing services and tutors kids in reading. She has hundreds of articles published with various companies and publications such as The Horse, Country Extra, Natural Horse Magazine, Oklahoma Horses Magazine and more. Casie’s other full-time job is mothering two wonderful but headstrong children and many (less headstrong) four-legged pets. Learn more on casiebazay.com and follow on X (@CasieBazay) and Instagram (@Casie_Bazay).

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About the Editor

Lauren T. Davila is a Pushcart-nominated, Latina author, anthologist, and acquisitions editor.  She has edited multiple short story anthologies, including: WHEN OTHER PEOPLE SAW US, THEY SAW THE DEAD (Haunt Publishing, May 2022; Outland Entertainment, April 2023 ); WHERE MONSTERS LURK AND MAGIC HIDES (Bee Infinite Press; Nov. 2022); and PLACES WE BUILD IN THE UNIVERSE (Flower Song Press; Nov. 2022).

Beyond these, she is editing or co-editing 10 other anthologies. Her poetry and short fiction have appeared in over 25 different journals/magazines. She is editing her debut novel, AT THE STILL POINTE, an adult gothic mystery featuring ballerinas and the Greek Furies. She is also working on a YA superhero series, picture books, a poetry chapbook, and a short story collection. 

Besides her personal and anthology work, she is currently working as an Acquisitions Editor for Inked in Gray Press. In her editing work, she prioritizes diverse and historically marginalized authors. She is also a judge at NYC Midnight and the Editor-in-Chief for Foothill Poetry Journal.

She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in English at Claremont Graduate University. She holds an MFA in Fiction Writing from George Mason University and dual BAs from Pepperdine University. She lives in the greater Los Angeles area where you can find her swimming, walking her golden retriever, and drinking one too many rose lattes.

For writing specific inquiries, please contact her literary agent, Susan Velazquez Colmant at JABberwocky Literary Agency.Lauren is also on Twitter.

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Thank you so much for reading this post. Inked in Gray is a small agency of marginalized editors and creators building a platform to highlight previously-excluded authors and creators. Find Inked on Twitter, Facebook, and website. Sign up for their newsletter here.

Which story are you most excited to dive into?

Preorder the anthology using this link. Happy reading!