Ilan Mochari

Poet, Fiction Writer

Author's Bio

Ilan Mochari is the author of the poetry collection Playthings (Finishing Line Press) and the novel Zinsky the Obscure (Fomite). Ilan’s poems, short stories, and essays have appeared in McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, Salamander, Hobart, The Louisville Review, Solstice, J Journal, FOLIO, Valparaiso Fiction Review, and elsewhere. His work has been nominated for multiple Pushcart Prizes as well as the Derringer Award, and he has been the recipient of a Literature Artist Fellowship grant from the Somerville Arts Council.

Publications & Prizes

Fiction

Book:
Zinsky the Obscure (Fomite Press, 2013)
Journals:
Keyhole
,
Louisville Review
,
McSweeney's
,
Midway Journal
,
Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices
,
Stymie Magazine
,
Tough
,
Valparaiso Fiction Review

Poetry

Book:
Playthings (Finishing Line Press, 2026)
Journals:
Dash Literary Journal
,
Hobart
,
Inkwell
,
J Journal: New Writing on Justice
,
Juked
,
Little Patuxent Review
,
Minnesota Review
,
North Dakota Quarterly
,
Pamplemousse
,
Salamander
,
So It Goes
,
Tilde
Prizes won: 
  • All the Magic I Have Known (short story collection) finalist in Wolfson Press’s 2024-25 Prose Contest.
  • Playthings (poetry collection) finalist in Bateau Press’s 2024-25 BOOM Chapbook Contest.
  • “Love in the 21st State” (short story) to be anthologized in Footnote (forthcoming, Alternating Current Press).
  • “O City of Effortful Joys” (poem) nominated for 2020 Pushcart Prize.
  • Paradise & Rain (poetry collection) semifinalist in CutBank’s 2020 annual chapbook contest.
  • “A Heart Within Me” (short story) nominated for 2020 Derringer Award.
  • “Love in the 21st State” (short story) semifinalist for 2020 Charter Oak Award for Best Historical Story from Alternating Current Press.
  • All the Magic I Have Known (short story collection) semifinalist in YesYes Books’ 2019 open-reading competition.
  • “Spinster, Recipe” (poem) anthologized in Spectral Lines: Poems about Scientists (Alternating Current Press, 2019).
  • “Spinster, Recipe” (poem) semifinalist for 2018 Luminaire Award for Best Prose/Poetry from Alternating Current Press.
  • Zinsky the Obscure nominated for 2013 Pushcart Prize.
  • Zinsky the Obscure one of 10 “Good Reads for the Summer” by WBUR (Boston’s NPR station) in 2013.
  • Zinsky the Obscure in Boston Globe’s “Word on the Street” column in 2013.
  • Zinsky the Obscure reviewed by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, and Booklist in 2013.
  • Awarded Literature Artist Fellowship in 2009 by Somerville Arts Council.
  • Awarded Veech Award for Fiction Writing in 1997 by Yale College.

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
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Last update: Feb 17, 2026