Ask Our (Brand New) Editors: Annie Hartnett

What first drew you to NANO Fiction?

I love that the magazine publishes only flash fiction. I love a word limit when I’m writing, and I like the mysteries and eeriness that flash fiction allows for. I should also mention that NANO Fiction was the first to publish one of my stories (“Dad Grandma,” Issue 4.2), so the magazine has been my favorite for a while now.

Who are the writers (flash fiction or otherwise) that you most admire?

I worship Amy Hempel. I talked to her once at a reading and I was so nervous that I dropped a pile of books on her foot. She was gracious about it, laughed it off, but I’m pretty sure I hurt her.

If you had nothing to do with reading/writing, what would you be doing?

I’d be a veterinarian, maybe. Or a baker, I do a lot of vegan baking. Coconut oil is the secret.

When it comes to submissions, what are you looking for?

I like stories that surprise me, but not stories that have a punch line. Too much flash feels more like a joke than a story. I do like bad jokes though, outside of writing. Did you hear about the giant that threw up? It was all over town.

What does your perfect day look like?

Today is looking pretty damn good so far. I’m on summer vacation from my MFA program. I had breakfast with my boyfriend, now I’m writing in a coffee shop. I’ll walk home for lunch soon and then go on a run with my dog. Both of us go nuts if we don’t get a run; I get short-tempered and he chews on himself. Maybe I’ll go to a yoga class this evening, or I’ll read. I’m thinking tacos for dinner.