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Milena Nigam

Milena Nigam writes fiction, creative nonfiction and the occasional poem. Her work has been featured in Off Assignment, HuffPost and elsewhere, and her short story, "Switchbacks," was nominated for a Pushcart Prize. A fellow at the Virginia Center for Creative Arts and a contributor at the Sewanee Writer's Conference, Milena serves on the Board of Directors at Autumn House Press and reads for The Barcelona Review. She was recently interviewed on NPR's Here and Now, and is currently seeking representation for her first novel, set in Vienna.

Milena was born in Salt Lake City, UT; grew up in Concord, MA; and lives with her family in Pittsburgh, PA. Along the way, she's made significant stops in France, Poland, Cameroon, India, and northeastern Pennsylvania. Milena has a BA from Cornell University and an MS from Carnegie Mellon University.

Before turning to writing, Milena directed a nonprofit evaluation group serving children and families. She continues to support the nonprofit community through volunteer and board work.

MilenaNigam headshot.jpg

Publications

Finding Myself in My Mother-in-Law's Saris

Article, Next Avenue, 2024

 

Tiny Love Story: Good Yezha

Article, The New York Times, 2024

I'm Afraid of Flying But Travel Anyway. Here are 3 Things That Help Me

Article, Business Insider, 2024

Regrets of Things Past

Article, Next Avenue, 2024; Featured on NPR's Here and Now

My Mom Was Killed Crossing the Street. Years Later, Here's What I Still Struggle to Accept

Article, HuffPost, 2024

My Kid's Grown. Will I Ever Learn to Keep My Opinions to Myself?

Article, Scary Mommy, 2023

I Had a Crush on My Male Midwife

Article, Scary Mommy, 2023

The Baby is Buoyancy

Short story, NELLE, 2023

After Dark on Sabal Palm Road

Creative nonfiction, Off Assignment, 2023; 2024 finalist Women on Writing essay contest

To The American Businessman in the Hotel Room Next to Ours

Creative nonfiction, Litro, 2023

High Above Horse Tail Falls

Short story, Prime Number Magazine, 2020

It's Not Enough to Listen

Poetry, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 2018

Switchbacks

Short story, YARN, 2018; nominated for the 2019 Pushcart Prize

Birthday Party

Short story, Lunch Ticket, 2018

Dead Animals

Short story, Slice Magazine, 2017/2018

You Look Good in Skirts

Short story, Pithead Chapel, 2017

Miscalculations

Poetry, Pittsburgh Quarterly Magazine, 2017

Lake House

Creative nonfiction, Full Grown People, 2017

What Kind of Feeling is There?

Short story, Fourth River, 2017

When a Neighbor Dies

Creative nonfiction, Lunch Ticket, 2017

Without You

Creative nonfiction, Hippocampus Magazine, 2016

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