More short stories to read!
Hello, there, and Happy March! I hope everyone had a good Exelauno Day, and if you didn't think I was gonna talking that up here, well, buckle up because that kind of nerdery is what I do.
Stories by me
I have a new story out! I'm a little nervous that I've had two publications before the first quarter of the year is over. What if it jinxes the rest of the year? Whatever; I'll take it!
Please click on over to Short Story, Long, a substack edited by Aaron Burch, to read "The Disc." This is a story borne of my love for showtunes and fascination with the random stuff they sell in gas station convenience stores.
And hey, there's a bonus interview with me at the same site. Look at that! (Unfortunately, the bulk of it is behind a paywall, but you can read the beginning of it for free.)
Did I mention that this story is illustrated? This has only happened to me once (well, twice if you count the Sternendach cover) and it gives me such a thrill when an artist creates pictures just for my story. The artist in this case is Everin Casey, and you can see more of their work at their Instagram.
I've gotten some nice feedback for my last story, "The Completist." Here's the link, in case you missed it the first time around.
If you love something I've written and decide to spread the word that would mean the world to me, and thank you in advance.
Stories by people who are not me
I've been reading a lot of short stories lately. OK, I promised myself I'd read one every day this year and fell so far behind that some days this month I read, like, three a day. Still not caught up. But here are two that I really enjoyed in my adventures so far.
I'll start you off with a hard one, that I know won't be for everybody. This is "Rabbit Test," by Samantha Mills. You can read it over at Uncanny magazine. I don't normally like stories that engage with politics; they can get a little preachy. But this one is excellent. I love the historical research and the central story is heartbreaking.
And on the lighter side we have "To Free the Devil" by Gabor Csigas. You know I'm always a sucker for fairy tales and folk lore, and stories behind them, even if they're made up. This is a clever idea and delightfully written. Check it out.
Not much else to report. I'm gonna go reread "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" for an online book discussion group, and I hope to be back with more good news soon.
Jessica