I have had a run of recent short story publications and wanted to share them with you and tell you a little about the literary journals where they have found a home. Five out of six of these were published in the space of a month! I can’t tell you what the magic formula is, but I did take more risks – I was bolder with my writing and some were more personal to me than many of my previous stories. Some are short flash fiction pieces, others are short stories. Follow the links to continue reading each story.
The first twin arrived screaming and scrunched, as expected. The doctors, though, were not yet smiling. There was tugging and frozen expressions from the midwife and the surgeon before the second appeared; no sound, no movement. It was whisked away. They had both gone and there hadn’t been time for explanations. Tense murmurings drifted through the air from a side room in the theatre. The air was thick with questions and disinfectant…(continue reading)
Ellipsis Zine is an online literary magazine for beautifully written fiction & creative nonfiction. 1,000 words or fewer, any genre. We love stories that make us forget where we are, stories that introduce us to people, places and things we’ve never seen before and stories that stick with us long after we leave them. Alongside the website we’ve produced a print and digital zine, entitled ‘One’.
There was little more satisfying than finding a gem in the slush pile. The agent raised an eyebrow when I began looking. It said, you’ll be lucky if you can get past the first sentence. I found it, one morning after a rush to the office, a barking dog a spilt coffee on a pressed shirt…(continue reading)
The Drabble is dedicated to publishing original fiction, non-fiction, and poetic works of 100 words or less. They also publish a quarterly e-zine.
Don’t Let Her Out of Sight by FC Malby
He passes the bus stop. She is standing in the rain huddled over a shopping trolley, the wind buffeting her coat and blowing the hood away from the silver threads of her hair. She reminds him of his Grandma, although her frame is smaller and more frail. Her back is curved and her hands are gnarled, twisting at the joints enough that they might cause her pain. A pair of old leather gloves are resting on the top of her shopping trolley, and he wonders why she is not wearing them…(continue reading)
Spelk is a new platform for the very best flash fiction on the web. They publish stories from both new and established writers, from the UK and overseas, with a 500 word limit. Incidentally, here is where the name came from – a spelk, in northeast England, is a splinter of wood – a tiny little sliver or shard embedded under the skin. Without getting too pretentious, we think there’s probably some kind of analogy there – we like flash fiction that’s short and sharp, that gets under your skin and leaves an impression. That, and we just happen to like the word.
The corner table is round and gently battered. The bar is quiet this evening. John listens while Mark talks about the new job, watches the froth resting on his pint, the dark nectar, tantalising against the glass. It is cold to the touch. It feels better in the summer when you need something sharp at your fingertips; not here in the middle of January. He clutches his scarf, almost for comfort, and remembers his wife telling him this morning to feed the cat, put the rubbish out, shut the front door….(continue reading)
Fictive Dream is an online magazine dedicated to the short story. The website has been named with more than just a backward glance to American writer and teacher, John Gardner, whose concept of the fictive dream remains a cornerstone of good writing. Powerful writing ensures that readers never slip out of the fictional world or dream that a writer creates. They are interested in stories with a distinctive voice, clarity of thought and precision of language.
Balancing On My Suitcase by FC Malby
I sit and wait at the end of the path, balancing on my suitcase. It belonged to my Grandfather. The brown leather and double straps worn down by trips to London on the train and holidays to the coast to visit his grandparents. It lives on my wardrobe unless I go away. My little sister, Lottie, is swinging on the gate, her feet dangling freely…(continue reading)
Train Lit Mag is a flash fiction & poetry magazine based in the USA and Europe. They are in search of distinct voices, both emerging and established, stories that transport readers, leaving a lasting impression, in up to 300 words.
F.C. MALBY 