About Us

Belletrista is a not-for-profit, bimonthly web magazine which seeks both to encourage cross-cultural understanding through international literature written by women, and to increase the visibility of these works.

Established in August of 2009, Belletrista was born out of the frustration over the lack of women's voices in translated literature. While the magazine includes women-authored literature both in English and in translation, Belletrista does hope to emphasize the work of women from outside the English-speaking world, an important resource for all readers in this increasing global world. Of the small percentage of literature published each year that is translated literature—three percent has been quoted— only a tiny fraction is books by women. We seek to change that.

The magazine has been developed and honed with the assistance of a remarkable international group of readers who came together as our Board of Advisors, each bringing to the magazine special skills, talents and education. Our initial group of writers and reviewers come from the US, UK, continental Europe, Canada, Ireland, Australia and South Africa, a list that is expanding.

We approach our mission as readers, not as academics or book industry professionals. Belletrista hopes to bring its unique view of women-authored, global literature to a broad audience of international booklovers, from the seasoned fan of world literature to the passionate reader who is just venturing beyond familiar literary shores.

We are working on a new website that may take Belletrista out of its current bi-monthly issue format. Watch for changes later in 2012. And, as always, if you have suggestions, comments or questions, please send them along to comments [at] belletrista [dot] com. A majority of our content is freelance-written. Writers should note that we do not accept submissions of original fiction or poetry. We do not accept unsolicited material of any kind; however, if you think you have something to contribute to our magazine please feel free to contact us at editor [at] belletrista [dot] com and inquire. We are working up more comprehensive informational pages that will assist with writer, author and publisher's queries.

Belletrista has been formally recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.


Contributors in this Issue

Kathleen Ambrogi is an American who has spent most of her life abroad, in Europe, Africa and Southeast Asia. After earning her M.S. in English Education, she taught English, Social Science, Art and Information Technology in schools around the world. Today she is a professional writer, sharing her impressions of cultural forces through fiction and nonfiction.

Andy Barnes lives in Bristol in the United Kingdom. He is an avid reader on a mission to discover great writing from as many parts of the globe as possible. Andy works in one bookshop, and volunteers in another, and when he isn't reading or selling books, he is usually talking or writing about them.

Leonie Clark lives in the Dandenong Ranges outside Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and works full time in a very busy public library where she also does bookchats and reading groups. She is presently involved in a new program called Book Well that takes "focuses on the power of literature to improve the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities." In her spare time, Leonie loves to read.

Tad Deffler spent the first quarter of his life (so far) moving around the world as an Army brat, the second quarter of his life acquiring degrees he doesn’t use, the third quarter trying to figure out what the fourth and subsequent quarters should be about, and the last quarter working for a long series of companies without ever moving his desk as his tiny software company got acquired by ever-larger ones. He lives in New Jersey but spends as much time in Ontario as he can wangle.

Caitlin Fehir is an English teacher living in southern Ontario, Canada. Her reading tastes change daily, and she is constantly adding to her never-ending list of books to explore. Her new-found love is traveling, an expensive hobby that is supplemented by seeing the world through literature.

Akeela Gaibie-Dawood lives in the beautiful city of Cape Town, South Africa. She enjoys nature and is a keen hiker. She loves books and the written word, and has a Masters degree in journalism. Her current reading challenge is to visit as many countries around the world, via books, as possible.

Rachel Hayes is a Brit living in Belgium. She reads a variety of mainly contemporary fiction, and enjoys seeking out translated fiction from areas of the world her literary travels haven't taken her to before. She attributes her interest in books written by women to an early obsession with Little Women, What Katy Did and The Chalet School.

Jane Anderson Jones has been a community college professor of Literature and Humanities for over 25 years. A resident of Sarasota, Florida, she has edited an anthology of Florida poetry and has done the usual academic writing and paper presenting. She's beginning to think about retiring to have more time to read and travel.

Tim Jones is an author, poet, editor and anthologist who lives in Wellington, New Zealand. His third collection of poetry, Men Briefly Explained, has recently been published. As a reader, he especially enjoys Russian and South American literature in translation, poetry from New Zealand and around the world, and science fiction—plus everything from Elizabeth Jane Howard novels to Buffy comics.

Judy Lim lives on a few acres on the outskirts of Melbourne, Australia, with two dogs, three cats, a husband and one of three children. The other two living in various parts of the world at any given time. After many years teaching preschool children, and a few different University degrees, she has settled into the life of a Youth Services Librarian with every spare moment dedicated to reading.

Michael Matthew is a scientist with a small company outside of Boston. Outside work, his reading is usually, but not limited to: nonfiction, current events, poetry or science fiction.

Amanda Meale is a graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, The University of Sydney.

Deborah Montuori teaches English at a Pennsylvania university. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan with a specialization in Early Modern British literature, and most of her professional writing focuses on defining the self. In addition to reading, she enjoys attending plays, watching independent films, listening to Celtic or classical music, and cooking healthy gourmet meals. She lives with one cat and thousands of books that help to keep her sane.

Joyce Nickel is a corporate writer from Vancouver, Canada. When she's not reading or traveling, she can be found enjoying the outdoor lifestyle of the Pacific Northwest.

Lisa Sanders is a professional librarian and archivist living in the Seattle area with her husband, daughter, and various pets. Currently, she enjoys reading about women in the Middle East, Jewish literature and history, and international fiction of all kinds. However, in a pinch, the back of a cereal box will do. Loves gardening, travel, and watching her daughter discover the joys of reading.

Barbara Steeg has worked in publishing for over twenty years, and is currently with a circulation consulting firm in Miami, FL (USA). While enjoying many different literary genres, she is particularly enamored with books about the human spirit, identity and the collision of cultures. In addition to her life‒long love of books, she enjoys music, travel, rock climbing, and contemplating evil.

Dorothy Dudek Vinicombe has had careers in teaching, bookselling, publishing and writing. Now that she is a freelancer she can do all four at the same time. Living in Auckland, New Zealand, she can see three volcanoes (hopefully all extinct) from her office window. Books are her favourite gift—to receive and to give—and she is thrilled that all three of her children are voracious readers.