AHP Author Grace Spulak Shares the Story Behind Her Debut Title With El Defensor Chieftain

Thank you to Ungelbah Dávila and El Defensor Chieftain for taking the time to interview AHP author Grace Spulak! This is a wonderful and poignant interview by Dávila about Spulak’s debut title and winner of AHP’s 2025 Rising Writer Prize, Magdalena Is Brighter Than You Think.

Of her collection, Grace said:

Magdalena is a place where I really felt the power of the landscape. At first glance, it can feel harsh, but life finds ways to survive and thrive here. I wanted the story to capture that same kind of resilience.

Read more about the personal experiences that shaped the book here.

The book will be available on April 21, 2026, with pre-orders currently underway.