Hello everyone! Remember that exciting news I teased a few months ago, on both my twitter and a blog post here? Well, it’s finally time to announce that Black Gold, my 2025 Dell Award First Runner-Up short story, is coming out with Apex Magazine in Issue 150! It will be available to read online on 9/2/25 and can be found here.
I am beyond ecstatic to finally be able to share this news with all of you! I’ve been sitting on this announcement since a week after the Dell Award came out, and it truly is a dream come true. Black Gold will be my first professionally published piece, and I truly believe it could not have found a better home than with Apex.
Make sure to check out the other incredible authors in this edition, as well! I hope you all enjoy it and, as always, stay awesome!
e. m. kerkman 
Leave a comment