As winter tries desperately to melt into spring, Mslexia revels in snow and ice just a little bit longer: poet Melanie Challenger’s meditation on her recent experience as the British Antarctic Survey’s Artist In Residence is printed here – along with new work from the poet – in an article exclusive to Mslexia.In other features, columnist Samantha David unmasks herself while describing the trials and tribulations of writing a regular column under cover, and Julie Wheelwright gives us an overview of writing creative nonfiction.

As always, Mslexia’s current issue offers a lively mix of writing, reading and commentary: we have a quick catch-up with long-time New Yorker poetry editor Alice Quinn; Debbie Taylor puts bestseller Faith under her astute, assessing microscope; and cartoonist, graphic novelist and children’s book writer Posy Simmonds invites us into her inner sanctum for a peek at her work-in-progress pages. In the New Writing section, poet Fleur Adcock explains her top choices for the poetry and prose submitted under the Zoo theme. Elsewhere, Wendy Holden opens up her Bottom Drawer, while Kelley Armstrong tells us what’s on her Writer’s Bookshelf.

Spring heralds new weather, new blooms, new births: we at Mslexia have been working hard to ensure that the magazine is as enjoyable, accessible and readable as possible, and you’ll see some of the fruits of our labours – and your feedback via our recent focus group and readers’ survey questions – in the next issue. Enjoy your Mslexia, and keep letting us know what you think!