Not the Same Day

Fatima ElKalay is Rowayat’s Issue 13 Managing Editor

Fatima ElKalay has been captivated by poetry since the age of six, and her journey as a poet, translator, and editor has spanned over three decades. She has been the backbone of Rowayat since its inception over a decade ago, helping to shape its literary vision with her deep commitment to storytelling and poetic expression. After serving as Poetry Editor for multiple issues, Fatima has now taken the helm as Managing Editor of Issues 12 and 13, bringing her meticulous eye, creative energy, and unwavering dedication to the role.

Fatima holds an M.Litt in Creative Writing from Central Queensland University, where she honed her craft as both a poet and storyteller. Her work has earned critical acclaim, including being shortlisted for the London Independent Story Prize and the ArabLit Story Prize for short fiction in translation.

Beyond editing, Fatima is a prolific translator of Arabic literature, committed to bridging cultures through words. Most recently, she translated the first two chapters of Mansoura Ez-Eldin’s Akhilat Al-Dhil (Shadow Spectres), which was published for the first time in English in The Markaz Review. Her translation work extends across poetry, fiction, and nonfiction, amplifying voices that might otherwise remain unheard.

In 2022, Fatima published her first collaborative collection, Dessert for Three, a genre-blending exploration of fiction and memoir. She is also the author of Basel’s First Trip, a children’s story featured in issue 9 of Rowayat Gemeza for Young Readers. With her deep literary expertise and editorial leadership, Fatima continues to shape Rowayat’s evolving narrative, ensuring that each issue resonates with powerful, diverse voices from the region and beyond.