Sal Morano Member Member since 2026

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Poet and short story writer. Filipino-American.

Fiction Poetry Nonfiction

Sal Morano is a poet and short story writer, whose works deal with trauma, mental disorders, addiction, and social injustice. He has been published in The Sun Magazine, Harrow House Journal, and Down in the Dirt Magazine, as well as Storymania. He is a graduate of the Univerity of the Philippines and San Jose State University. He is a retired public librarian, now entertaining memory care patients with music. He lives in Corona, California with his wife and son. While in the Philippines, he wrote short stories for various publications. He also wrote a music column for Mr. & Ms. Magazine. He had a brief career as a disc jockey in Manila. He later worked as a radio newscaster and writer in San Bernardino County, California. Also in California, he wrote a column for Miscellaneous Magazine, a Los Angeles-based publication.

Location:: Corona, CA
Social:: Facebook

Sal Morano's Publication History

Nov 2026

Down in the Dirt will publish Salvaging

Jun 2026

Harrow House published Hell

May 2026

The Sun Magazine published Topic: PRACTICING. Section: Readers Write

Interview with Sal Morano

Where do you prefer to do your creative work?

In my private office at my Southern California home.

Do you read literary journals and magazines regularly? If so, which are your favorites?

Yes. The Sun Magazine is my favorite magazine. One of my favorite literary journals is Harrow House Journal.

Who are your literary (or artistic) heroes?

J.D. Salinger, Charles Bukowski, Stephen King, Michael Connelly.

What makes you procrastinate when you could be doing your creative work? What are your strategies for finding focus?

My part-time jobs as a Medicare agent and a music entertainer for memory care residents. I seem to fo my best creative work late at night. Unfortunately, that often prevents me from getting enough sleep ane getting up early in the morning.

How do you celebrate your successes, such as acceptances? How do you handle rejections and other setbacks?

I purchase multiple copies of the publication and see if I can submit more work to the journal or magazine that published my story or poem. I don't let rejections get me down. I just send the piece out again to a different outlet.

How much time do you spend reading for pleasure or edification?

One to two hours a day.

Where do you find inspiration?

In the music of Tom Waits. In the poetry and some short stories of Charles Bukowski. In playing my guitar just for the heck of it.

What single creative achievement are you most proud of?

My as-yet unpublished short story "The Destroyer," about child abuse and friendship with a pet dog.

If you could choose to be born in any era, which one would you choose and why?

In the 21st Century. We're blessed with so many medical advances and so much knowledge of outer space.

What advice would you give to a young, budding writer (or artist) with less experience than yourself?

Read everything that interests you. Stay curious. Write as much as you can, regardless of the merit of your efforts. Learn from your mistakes. Don't be cowed by other people telling you that you can never make it as an artist. Learn from other artists. Don't fear making mistakes. In fact, be willing to make many, many mistakes.

For your first draft (or sketch), do you prefer analog or digital tools, or a mix?

Mix. I just want to get it down, regardless of the medium.

What would you like your epitaph to say?

He learned to love and feared not rejection.

Last Updated: 02 Oct 2026