Photo by Yazan Khalili for the cover of Mizna magazine.

[Image description: A photograph of white sandy mountains dotted with small trees. There are two small rockets in the foreground––one yellow and one green.]

I’m so excited to report that I’ve got an essay in the latest issue of Mizna magazine! I started writing my essay, “Where Is The Old Country?” in fall 2016 and I worked harder on it than any single piece I’ve written to date. It’s about my Palestinian family, my now-deceased drug addicted father, and trying to stake your place in a family that’s trying to stake their place in the world.

And it’s been on quite a journey. It was a finalist in three writing contests and was met with kind feedback from every editor who read it, yet none of the magazines felt like they were the best fit for it. I now know that things happen for a reason and the absolute perfect home for the essay is Mizna’s Palestine issue.

The issue is only in print, so I hope you’ll consider supporting my work, as well as that of the other incredibly talented writers and artists, and buying yourself a copy. You’ll be glad you did.

xo

Mandy