I posted sixteen (16) stories in December. I got behind in my reading and missed a week.
Small Wonders published:
Adjudication Form 134π53 by David Marino in 2024.
This story is told in a non-standard format that is really engaging. The voice is incredible.
specular she by Anne Liberton in 2024.
I love the form and format of this poem about a girl and the things she faces.
Ten Reasons You Should Get Lasik Before the Apocalypse by Jenna Hanchey and Marco Dehnert in 2024.
An interesting take on the robot takeover from the POV of a robot.
Questions Asked of the Scrying Sword During the Quest for the Princess by Elis Montgomery in 2024.
A poem to end the week. Elis knows how to replay well-known stories.
Music, Murder, Murmuration by Courtney Floyd was published at Haven Speculative Magazine in 2024.
I love this story of a siren trying to find her voice without hurting anybody.
Orion’s Belt published The Fire Will Come in Waves by R.L. Summerling
This poem marries the ocean with the fire within and a deep pain. Beautifully done.
Carbon Dating by Emma Levin was published at Wyldblood Press Flash Fiction Fortnightly in 2021.
Wonderful twist on the AI-bot trope.
The Deadlands published:
Sometimes You Get the Bear, by Tim Pratt in 2021.
The content warning is inherent to the title, but the story is a fascinating take on death and the omen of death with a surprisingly hopeful ending.
The Empty Ones, by Vivian Shaw in 2024.
I enjoyed the voice in this story.
On the Existence of Ghosts, As If, by James Van Pelt in 2024.
This story of seeing ghosts, who ti ignore, who to interact, and leaving the reader wondering, who actually is a ghost, is fabulous!
To the Resident of Temporal Pocket X0001-A by E. S. Hovgaard at Interstellar Flight Press in 2024.
The final installment of the IFP flash fiction series is a soulful but hopeful ending.
Lightspeed published Inside the House of Wisdom by Tamara Masri in 2024.
This story made some of the social media rounds last week and it is a doozy. A must-read.
My Name is Marya by Danielle Ranucci was published at J Journal in 2022.
I loved this story of an orphan and adeptly drawn unreliable narrator.
Diabolical Plots published Margery Lung Is Unstoppable by Lisa Cai in 2024.
Being a necromancer is hard!
With the Nectar Comes the Sting by Jennifer Hudak was published at Apparition Lit in 2021.
A superhero story unlike other superhero stories. A story of a mother and daughter. A story with layers.
foofaraw published Am I the Asshole for Sacrificing My Friend to the Bloodmoth? by Ben Lockwood in 2024.
AITAs are often a fun read. Also, yes.
These sixteen stories were published at eleven different magazines. I subscribe to Small Wonders and The Deadlands, which always appear prominently in my round-ups. All sixteen are from different authors last month.
Enjoy! Please follow me on Bluesky or Mastodon or join my Discord server to get a daily recommendation, including throwback recs from round-ups 3.5 years ago. Please read more from these magazines and these authors!