HOPKINSON: Tell me a little bit about Hotazel Review.
STRANG: Hotazel Review is the lockdown brainchild of two of the editors. Commiserating over the pandemic, we started talking about how African writers and artists are always more or less isolated from the rest of the world, even at the best of times, and we realised we wanted to start a journal that promotes connections between our home and other continents. We aim to create a journal strongly rooted in Africa but also international in scope.
HOPKINSON: Why was Hotazel Review originally started?
STRANG: In our opinion, there are not enough South African literary journals with a broad purview and an online presence where content can be read for free.
HOPKINSON: What type of work are you looking for?
STRANG: The best of everything, of course. We appreciate diversity and we enjoy both traditional and experimental work. We would love to publish works of Afrofuturism. Work translated into English is welcome. Feminist submissions would be wonderful.
HOPKINSON: What do you wish you’d see submitted, but rarely comes in?
STRANG: I want to see more work by writers identifying as women. Sadly, patriarchy is alive and well in many African countries; maybe that’s why we are experiencing a gender imbalance, with many more men sending us their work.
We’ve received submissions from Africa, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom, which is good, but we would also like to see submissions from Central and South America, Asia, and elsewhere. The more countries the merrier.
HOPKINSON: What are some of your favorite lit mags/journals?
STRANG: Boaat, Calyx, New England Review, Waxwing, Think Journal, Literary Mama, Mslexia, The Malahat Review, Diagram, and a host of others. Of course, I love all the journals who have published my work.
HOPKINSON: What is your favorite part of being on staff with Hotazel Review?
STRANG: It’s so pleasing to me that we have an ethnically and linguistically diverse team, with members living in various countries, from South Africa, where I reside, to Nigeria, Algeria, and England. I’m also excited to be working with editors who are accomplished writers.
HOPKINSON: Where can we send submissions?
STRANG: Queries and submissions may be sent to editorhotazel@gmail.com.
Click here to read submission guidelines.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE: December 15, 2021
SUBMISSION FEE: None
FORMS/GENRES: fiction, non-fiction, poetry
FORMAT: online
ISSUE FREQUENCY: Once a year
SUBMISSION METHOD: Email only
SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Absolutely
PAYMENT: No payment at this stage. We’re a small operation and we’re doing this for love.
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook, Twitter
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