futuristic stories long stories pick of the month Simon Renaka Friday, April 26, 2024 The Mile by Simon Renaka <i>Norman purchases a mute companion that only wants to please him.</i><br><br>I was chosen. He knew <i>I</i> was better than the others. The best. I had been on display for weeks now, ever since I was first brought onto the main floor of <i>The Mile</i>, and could already sense when a man's relentless gaze led to one of us getting a ticket out of here. It wasn't a firsthand experience, but I suppose you learn by obs… Read more Labels: futuristic stories long stories pick of the month Simon Renaka 1 comment:
pick of the month real life stories short stories Stephen Myer Friday, April 12, 2024 The Blue Country by Stephen Myer <i>A sorrowful man shares his surreal recurring vision of the Blue Country.</i><br><br>I sit beside sorrow heading crosstown, eyes searching for the address through iridescent drops that pelt the windshield. I depart the bus and climb the steps of a brownstone. A woman answers the door. She wears a black, avian print dress that conforms to her svelte body. Where have I seen her before? Perhaps she is the doctor… Read more Labels: pick of the month real life stories short stories Stephen Myer 18 comments:
medium length stories Nathan Toplis pick of the month real life stories Wednesday, March 20, 2024 Air Mail by Nathan Toplis <i>A young woman recalls a life-changing romance conducted almost entirely through letters.</i><br><br>The last letter he ever wrote to me just said, 'goodbye Lil.' Nothing else. He had always been dramatic like that. <br><br>I took it outside and tried to burn it on the curb because I didn't have a fireplace or a garden. I tore it up into little pieces and tried to burn it with a plastic lighter that I… Read more Labels: medium length stories Nathan Toplis pick of the month real life stories 6 comments:
Paul Sharville pick of the month real life stories short stories Friday, March 8, 2024 Half a Creamed Chicken Sandwich at the Airport by Paul Sharville <i> Two strangers strike up a conversation at the airport, and make a connection that will linger even though they may never meet again.</i><br><br>For the past five years, since 1946, Vincent had attended the November dinner at his grandmother's house in Sheldon, Vermont, east of Lake Champlain. His grandmother was widely regarded as the most well-connected woman in Franklin County, at least by those less … Read more Labels: Paul Sharville pick of the month real life stories short stories 16 comments:
June D Wolfman pick of the month real life stories short stories Monday, February 19, 2024 We Hid Jonah by June Wolfman <i>Noah and his buddies are innocently playing video games when their peace - and innocence - is interrupted by their friend Jonah.</i><br><br>We hid Jonah. Saturday, three of us, me Ben and Leon, were gathered in my room playing video games when Jonah climbed up the treehouse and along the branch and knocked on my window - the usual entry. I opened the window and immediately saw that Jonah was crying. I'd … Read more Labels: June D Wolfman pick of the month real life stories short stories 46 comments:
futuristic stories long stories pick of the month Rolf Ebeling Friday, February 2, 2024 The Golden Sound of The Forever Now by Rolf Ebeling <i>Rolf Ebeling imagines a world where the air is poison and music is taboo.</i><br><br>A year after the government mandated sealed enclosures for every house, Brad and Kelly moved into their new neighborhood. They pulled up to their "forever home" in a stale-smelling rental car in time to see the moving company haul the last of their belongings inside. Six-legged flatbed moving robots loaded with box… Read more Labels: futuristic stories long stories pick of the month Rolf Ebeling 7 comments:
fantastic stories medium length stories pick of the month ZK Hardy Friday, January 12, 2024 Men with No Light in Their Hair by ZK Hardy <i>Proud members of an exiled tribe in host a guest with a taboo vocation, in ZK Hardy's fantasy.</i><br><br>I saw him coming down the road out of the copse of trees at the edge of our land. I craned my neck, but couldn't see Dad looking so I shouted a warning as the man came closer. In the midst of the cepical bushes, my father stood up, like a forest animal startled by the sound of snapping twigs, and… Read more Labels: fantastic stories medium length stories pick of the month ZK Hardy 18 comments:
Huina Zheng long stories pick of the month real life stories Monday, January 8, 2024 Wild Horse by Huina Zheng <i>Xue rails against China's gender inequality, as a daughter born under the one-child policy.</i><br><br>Not far from Granny Huang's home, where Xue stayed, was a brook called Plum Blossom. Flowing down a little valley between two mountains, it made a clear and sweet sound, splashing down on the rocks. The water was as blue as captured by Xue's favorite artist Lin Fengmian's painting of blue fl… Read more Labels: Huina Zheng long stories pick of the month real life stories 7 comments:
Karthik Krishnan medium length stories pick of the month Pushcart nominated real life stories Friday, December 15, 2023 Born Again by Karthik Krishnan <i>Meenal submits to the Maharishi's revenant ritual, and finds herself desiring nothing more than companionship. </i><br><br>The final day of the initiation was everything that her sister had warned her about. Meenal was killed slowly. Her sister had missed giving her the finer details. But as she stood before the Maharishi, his thumbnail swatting the air around her purple-veined neck, Meenal felt it: her… Read more Labels: Karthik Krishnan medium length stories pick of the month Pushcart nominated real life stories 6 comments:
Clive Aaron Gill pick of the month real life stories short stories Monday, December 11, 2023 Andrea's Story by Clive Aaron Gill <i>Andrea and her son flee El Salvador and seek asylum in the USA, circa 2016.</i><br><br>My son and I sat opposite a US Customs and Border Protection officer in El Paso, Texas. In the small, brightly lit office with white walls, the officer examined my passport. <br><br>She asked in Spanish, "Andrea, why are you and your son seeking asylum in the USA?" <br><br>From the time I'd left El Salvador, I'd thought … Read more Labels: Clive Aaron Gill pick of the month real life stories short stories 12 comments:
Fernando Sorrentino funny stories pick of the month short stories Thomas C Meehan Monday, November 27, 2023 A Lifestyle by Fernando Sorrentino, translated by Thomas C. Meehan <i>When his key breaks off on the inside of his apartment, Fernando Sorrentino's character must fight bureaucracy and apathy in increasingly desperate attempts to escape; translated from Spanish by Thomas C. Meehan.</i><br><br>In my youth, before becoming a farmer and cattleman, I was a bank employee. This is how it all came about: <br><br>I was twenty-four years old at the time and had no close relatives. I was li… Read more Labels: Fernando Sorrentino funny stories pick of the month short stories Thomas C Meehan 8 comments:
medium length stories Olaf Kroneman pick of the month real life stories Friday, November 3, 2023 A Séance by Olaf Kroneman <i>An ageing doctor recalls his time performing illegal abortions during the 1960s, and turns to Frida Kahlo's art for the inspiration to continue his struggle; by Olaf Kroneman.</i><br><br>The year 2023 didn't look good, but it was no worse than 1967. In fact, '67 was much worse. In 1967-68 the Vietnam War was televised nightly. Endemic and accepted racism, endemic and accepted police brutality, yo… Read more Labels: medium length stories Olaf Kroneman pick of the month real life stories 3 comments:
criminal stories futuristic stories Iftekhar Sayeed medium length stories pick of the month Monday, October 16, 2023 A Vision of Venus by Iftekhar Sayeed <i>Zafar Shah's wife, a journalist, gets involved in the dangerous politics of Bangladesh; by Iftekhar Sayeed.</i><br><br>Grave the vision Venus sends<br>- W.H. Auden<br>It was a fateful decision we took on that morning to make love. I slumped in ecstasy on her body, her chiffon magenta saree raised above for my convenience. But something wasn't right. <br><br>"You didn't come?" <br><br>She opened her shaded lids… Read more Labels: criminal stories futuristic stories Iftekhar Sayeed medium length stories pick of the month 3 comments:
Claire Wilcox long stories pick of the month Pushcart nominated real life stories Friday, October 6, 2023 Vipassana Romance by Claire Wilcox <i>A 47-year-old divorcee attends a New Mexico meditation retreat to try to come to terms with her emotions; by Claire Wilcox.</i><br><br>Even with my eyes closed, I can see him. Jeff. <i>Jeff</i>. That's his name, I guess. Before I saw Jeff on his tea mug, he was just <i>him</i>. I've been zoomed in on him since the first moment of the retreat, three days ago. He picked the cushion next to me in the hall, and now...… Read more Labels: Claire Wilcox long stories pick of the month Pushcart nominated real life stories 6 comments:
Aysel K Basci medium length stories pick of the month real life stories Sabahattin Ali Friday, September 29, 2023 The Wolf and the Lamb by Sabahattin Ali, translated by Aysel K. Basci <i>In Aysel K. Basci's translation of a classic Turkish short story, Rıfat and Sevim are released from prison and talk of the nature of power, oppression, and betrayal.</i><br><br>As soon as he left the police station, he stopped, hesitating for a moment. The headlights of the cars traveling along the main street, just 40-50 feet away, lit up the drizzling rain and slid across the wet sidewalks before disap… Read more Labels: Aysel K Basci medium length stories pick of the month real life stories Sabahattin Ali 8 comments:
medium length stories ML Rubin pick of the month Pushcart nominated real life stories Friday, September 1, 2023 The Road by M. L. Rubin <i>In rural Northamptonshire, world-weary Lydia is visited by a man she has met but once, who proposes to take her to build a new life in Canada, in this story by M. L. Rubin inspired by characters from a D.H. Lawrence tale.</i><br><br>"Geoffrey and Lydia kept faith one with the other."<br><br> D.H. Lawrence, <i>Love Among the Haystacks</i><br>Geoffrey rose well before dawn, eager to be off before anyone in his family w… Read more Labels: medium length stories ML Rubin pick of the month Pushcart nominated real life stories 7 comments:
Adam Strassberg medium length stories pick of the month real life stories Friday, August 25, 2023 Years' Time by Adam Strassberg <i>Over the decades, Andrew is occasionally visited by his deceased father in a comforting lucid dream; by Adam Strassberg.</i><br><br>It had been many years' time since his father had died, and Andrew had never dreamt about him. Not even once. Not until now. <br><br>He sat there with his father in the old model train room. It was a large insulated shed abutted to the side door of the garage. Small air vents borde… Read more Labels: Adam Strassberg medium length stories pick of the month real life stories 9 comments:
David Lanvert pick of the month real life stories short stories Friday, August 11, 2023 Heartsick by David Lanvert <i>Brian obsesses over a woman at the coffee shop, and his friend Garrett fears the infatuation won't end well; by David Lanvert.</i><br><br>Brian fell in love on a wet Tuesday morning before his first cup of coffee. He sat in the back of a Starbucks, wiping the fog of damp, wool-clad bodies and the steam of roasted beans off his glasses with his shirt tail. Another minute or so, and his fresh roast would b… Read more Labels: David Lanvert pick of the month real life stories short stories 13 comments:
Amita Basu long stories pick of the month real life stories Friday, July 21, 2023 Fantasising by Amita Basu <i>Ashwini fantasises about academic success, Suman about the perfect husband - but one woman sees her fantasies as escape, the other as inspiration; by Amita Basu.</i><br><br><b>ACT I</b><br><br>"I get up excited every day," said Ashwini, blowing on her steaming filter-coffee. "I can't wait to begin the day. But, I also feel dissatisfied, wondering what it was that I achieved yesterday. I mean, I work all … Read more Labels: Amita Basu long stories pick of the month real life stories 4 comments:
Caroline Taylor creepy stories medium length stories pick of the month Monday, July 3, 2023 Bolter by Caroline Taylor <i>Thomasina says goodbye to a well-to-do life in rural England to move in with her new husband in the endless cornfields of Iowa, when things take a shockingly dark turn; by Caroline Taylor.</i><br><br>"Darling, remind me why we didn't fly?" <br><br>"COVID." <br><br>My brand new husband seems to grow more taciturn, the farther west we go. He is definitely what the Yanks call the strong and silent type,… Read more Labels: Caroline Taylor creepy stories medium length stories pick of the month 6 comments:
