Afabwaje Kurian is the author of the novel Before the Mango Ripens, which was longlisted for the 2025 Aspen Words Literary Prize. She received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop. Her short fiction has been published in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern, Callaloo, Crazyhorse, The Bare Life Review, and Joyland. She has received residencies at Ucross, Vermont Studio Center, and Ragdale. She has taught creative writing at the University of Iowa, for its International Writing Program, and for The Writer’s Center in the greater DC area. www.afabwaje.com