Makayla Danielle Gay, Hackles (Girl Noise Press)

Makayla Danielle Gay is the author of the forthcoming poetry collection Hackles (Girl Noise Press). Several poems from Hackles first appeared in The Gravity of the Thing's Summer 2024 issue.

Benjamin Kessler, The Pinnacle (Buckman Publishing)

Benjamin Kessler is the author of the novella The Pinnacle, forthcoming from Buckman Publishing. His short fiction was featured in our Winter 2019 issue and Stranged Writing anthology.

Jesi Bender, Child of Light (Whiskey Tit)

Jesi Bender is the author of the forthcoming novel Child of Light (Whiskey Tit, 2025). Jesi is also the author of the play Kinderkrankenhaus, the chapbook Dangerous Women, and the novel The Book of the Last Word.

2024 Nominations: Best American Anthologies, Shirley Jackson Awards, and Pushcart Prize

The Gravity of the Thing’s editors are excited to share our 2024 nominations for the Best American anthologies, the Shirley Jackson Awards, and the Pushcart Prize.

Alex Behr, Grief Stick (Picture Frame Press)

Alex Behr is the author of the multimedia project Grief Stick, which includes a poetry chapbook (Picture Frame Press), a short film edited by Brian Padian, as well as photographs and audio recordings.

Karen An-hwei Lee, The Beautiful Immunity (Tupelo Press)

Karen An-hwei Lee is the author of the new poetry collection, The Beautiful Immunity (Tupelo Press). Her collection includes poetry that originally appeared in The Gravity of the Thing’s Summer 2018 issue.