Masthead
Editor-in-Chief
Mackenzie Stapleton
Mackenzie Stapleton is a fourth-year Writing and English double major originally from Coquitlam, BC. She has a focus in Fiction and enjoys reading and writing stories that explore the human condition, including love, death, familial ties, and growing up—especially if it’s a little witchy. Her work has been published in Literature Undressed and a Dragon Soul Press anthology. She serves as Editor-in-Chief for This Side of West.
Managing Editor
Maeve Rose
Maeve Rose is a third year Writing major with a focus on Fiction. Her writing explores themes of the queer experience, mental illness, feminism, and connections to nature. She has been a speaker at Ottawa’s Capital Pride festival and helped to found her high school’s first Writing Club alongside the Writers Collective of Canada. In her spare time she enjoys yoga, Agatha Christie novels, and spending far too much money on bubble tea. She serves as Managing Editor for This Side of West.
Director of Social Media
Renia Sembrat
Renia Sembrat (she/her) is in her first year at the University of Victoria studying Writing with a minor in Music. Her works, primarily fiction and poetry, often center around nature, identity, and the human condition. In her spare time, Renia is most likely to be found either sitting in front of her computer gaming or indulging in one of her many (many, many) creative pursuits. She serves as Director of Social Media for This Side of West.
Director of Visual Art
Noor Chaudhry
Born and raised in Victoria, B.C., Noor Chaudhry is a second-year UVIC student studying Psychology and Computer Science, with a minor in Creative Writing. When she’s not consumed by her homework, she can be found skateboarding down Dallas Road or holed up in her room, writing across many different genres. After graduation, she hopes to become an author while also working in the field of artificial intelligence. She serves as Director of Visual Art for This Side of West.
Poetry Editor
Irena Datcu-Romano
Irena Datcu-Romano is an artist of Romanian descent studying Religions & Cultures and Writing at UVic. She was raised on the unceded territories of the Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Stz’minus, Sto:lo, and Semiahmoo First Nations. Her poetry has been published in Work in Progress Mag, VOICES/VOIX Poetry Journal, and is forthcoming in Yolk Literary Journal. In 2024, she was a featured reader for Victoria Poetry Project’s Tongues of Fire Open Mic Series and a judge in the Surrey Public Library Youth Writing Contest. Her poetry zine, Chess Game, was shortlisted for Broken Pencil’s Canzine Awards in 2021. She serves as Poetry Editor for This Side of West.
Poetry Editor
Eden Conti
Eden Conti is a second year writing student, originally from the US, with a focus in journalism and an intense love for poetry. She is fascinated by the little things and seeks to uplift joy and connection in her writing. When she’s not scribbling away, Eden can be found running into the ocean, knitting hats, or baking delectable treats. She serves as Poetry Editor for This Side of West.
Drama Editor
Wesley Rollins
Wesley Rollins (he/they) is a fourth-year writing student who mostly writes for the stage and screen, often inevitably drifting towards the comedic and absurd. His previous contributions include writings with This Side of West, Sundew, The Warren, The Martlet, Yuvah Youth Magazine and UVIC’s SATCO where they have contributed as both a playwright and actor. He will steal the pickle that came with your meal and serves as Drama Editor for This Side of West.
Drama Editor
Lloyd Davis
Lloyd is primarily a playwright but also writes short fiction. He has worked in theatre tech with The Banff Center and at Cirque du Soleil’s Montreal headquarters. His work has been published in Absolute Underground and he proudly serves as a Drama Editor for This Side of West.
Fiction Editor
Ruby Harris
Ruby Harris (she/her) is a second-year student studying Writing and Political Science. She is a Fiction Editor for This Side of West. Her writing wavers between telling stories about “mundane” human experiences and the absurd or paranormal. When not writing or reading, Ruby can be found exploring the outdoors, rewatching Harry Potter and Marvel movies, or crushing her opponents at foosball.
Fiction Editor
Chance Freihaut
Chance Freihaut is a fiction writer whose work has been published in This Side of West and The Imagist. His writing focuses on identity, memory, time, and death. He’s been a finalist for the Writer’s Union of Canada Short Prose Competition and Exile Quarterly’s “Best Canadian Short Story.” In 2024 he won PRISM international’s Grouse Grind Lit Prize for V. Short Forms and was the recipient of the W.P. Kinsella Scholarship in Fiction. He is currently pursuing a double major in Writing and Philosophy at the University of Victoria. He serves as Fiction Editor for This Side of West.
CNF Editor
Ana Saade
Ana Saade is an international writer from El Salvador currently double majoring in psychology and writing. Her focus is on fiction and screen, but CNF holds a special place in her heart. Her writing mainly explores human connection. She served as a ghostwriter for the Canadian Cancer Society’s Story Centre and her work has been featured in their website and promotional materials. In her spare time, she enjoys ice skating and baking with her roommates. She serves as CNF editor for This Side of West.
CNF Editor
Davey Long
Davey Long (she/her) is in her third year in Writing and English. She is grateful to have been raised on the traditional lands of the Esquimalt and Songhees nations where she still lives. She loves creative nonfiction and poetry, specifically about human connection, familial ties, and a little bit of skate park shenanigans here and there. Her work has been published in the community campus garden journal, Sundew. If she is not typing away in her huge writing projects google doc, she is probably cooking dinner with people she loves. She serves as CNF Editor for This Side of West.
Intern
Mya Doerksen
Mya Doerksen (any pronouns) grew up in Kimberley BC on the unceded territory of the Ktunaxa nation and is currently a first-year writing student at UVIC. From a young age Mya wanted to be an author, and she is now working on her first novel. She specializes in fiction and poetry but is learning about other mediums. She enjoys writing in all genres while highlighting the queer and neurodivergent experience. In her spare time, she is passionate about musical theatre, photography, and D&D. Mya is thrilled to be working at This Side of West as an Intern.
Intern
Megan Fryatt
Megan Fryatt is originally from Bournemouth, England and is currently majoring in writing, with a minor in social justice. She’s primarily focused on poetry and fiction and hopes to be able to connect with others by writing about the emotionally indescribable. When she’s not thinking about how to fight “the man” overseas, she’s lying in a sun puddle with a book, contemplating the philosophical, or trying to stop her cat from getting into the cereal cupboard. She serves as an Intern for This Side of West.
