The knight looked out over the rolling hills, hands on her knees and sword resting on the ground in front of her, ready to be snatched up at a moment’s notice. It was dark, with only the moon and the faint flickering firelight providing any visual on the surrounding area, but her eyes were sharp and well-accustomed to seeing in near pitch-black. The plains where they had made camp seemed to stretch endlessly, grass rippling...
Read moreby Savannah Jade Firm arms wrapped around my body as we lay atop a dark green crocheted blanket in the sand. Each grain molded to the contours of our figures, leaving imprints in the shape of mini sand dunes. Past his shoulder where my chin rested, my fingertips grazed the peak of the nearest dune, tracing the curvature of Earth’s natural occurring memory foam. The sand trickled down, forming a small waterfall that shimmered like...
Read moreby Meahgan Ferral In the dark of the woods, where sunbeams rarely kissed the ground and strangers never stepped, there was a small community, tucked away in the leaves and branches and dirt. I’ve lived my life there, in a cabin with my parents and sister. The two of us spent our childhood roaming beneath the trees with our parents at our heels, whispering in our ears to never wander too far, to never stray...
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Science fiction allures and enthralls because of the unique worlds each story holds. At the core of science fiction, there’s science: some new knowledge, discovery, or breakthrough. Then, there’s technology: how that science is applied, from daily life to a planetary or (inter)galactic scale. When you hear “science,” your mind might jump to physics, biology, chemistry—all those hard sciences. But don’t discount the social sciences, like psychology, sociology, and anthropology. Blending together different sub-sciences leads Read more
Romance is the genre that inspired me to write as a kid. It felt more welcoming and attainable, since I viewed it in an escapist light. I realized I didn’t have to take myself or my writing so seriously, but rather just try to write something fun, interesting and well-written. Another beauty of romance, no pun intended, is how central love is in our lives. Everyone wants to love and be loved in some sense Read more
Our pulse quickens. Our eyes grow wide. We gasp for breath, shudder, and shrink back into our seats. Horror readers—and writers—are a true contradiction. As our favorite genre hurls us mercilessly into our deepest childhood frights, feeds us to monsters, and speeds us headlong into destruction and death, we’ve never felt more alive. What is it about wandering through words, away from the safety of the light, into the terrors of the darkness, through dizzy Read more
Sitting amidst the woods with the golden glow of the sun, you watch satyrs run by with their flutes. Fairies zoom to join them. Well, except for one. She’s barely the size of your finger, but you still manage to see her smile beneath her wide eyes. The fairy offers a hand to you. Sound familiar? Fantasy is a genre known for bending reality in beautiful ways. Whether the world is based on our own, Read more
In thrillers, good and evil are divided. Moral choices stay clear, though risks are high and calls are hard. For all the palpitation-inducing danger, for each acid spurt of adrenaline, what whiplashes protagonist and reader through each thriller’s plot is the knowledge that they have something worth saving. They are the ones who will fight for good. They are the ones who will face down evil. Mysteries can twist the reader’s perception with unreliable narrators, Read more
I read all genres, but mysteries were there for me when the going was rough. During the hardest times in my life I engaged my overactive mind in high-stakes puzzles, in fictional webs of deceit, and in dropped clues and red herrings. Each mystery pointed out the truth: sometimes, life went sideways, the world went wrong, and people went wrong, too. I didn’t want to be gaslit into thinking everyone was safe. I knew that Read more
by Brett Cadigan Without the pills, I’m starting to remember. The headaches are getting worse. But it’s all worth it. I’m going to rescue her from this cold, antiseptic place. Oh, no… the headache is coming back. It’s getting harder to hold on to what’s real. I’m blacking out again— *** I’m at a lunch table with another scientist, Paul. A friend. At least, that’s how I used to see him. The pills make you Read more
by Vincent Bernabeo (Fragments from the recovered journal of Dr. Thomas Raines, Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Pacific Coast University) March 2 Headache again. Behind the eyes, like someone’s pushing outward.I nearly passed out in the middle of class today. I was talking about Nietzsche—the abyss gazes also, etc.—and I could feel something stir at the edge of my vision. A shadow in the corner of the room that seemed to breathe when I did. After Read more
By Kathryne McCann This past Saturday, on the second floor of the Old South Church on Boylston Street, Hafsah Faizal captivated rows of fantasy fans and hopeful writers. The audience ranged from teens and tweens to adults of all ages, each and every one enthralled by the 32-year-old author who has taken the YA fantasy scene by storm. Faizal, author of the New York Times-bestseller We Hunt the Flame, was the Young Adult Keynote speaker Read more
by Chelsea Corarito “What kind of pie did you say this is again?” Brenda whiffs the barely-there slice she’s put on a piece of fine china. My set is gathering dust since it was used last Thanksgiving. “Cherry pie. It’s a secret family recipe.” I carry my plate with precision as she leads us to the adjoining sunroom. “Funny, I could have sworn I caught a whiff of almond in there too. I suppose it’s Read more
by Cory Cart I’m three hours into my Halloween shift at The Plunge, New Orleans’ longest-surviving queer dive bar, when there is a commotion at the front door. The wig comes in first. Tall, purple, teased to the heavens, and dipped in glitter. It walks in like it owns the bar, attached to a body that doesn’t glance left or right. No one recognizes it—not even Claudia, who has a photographic memory for wigs. Then Read more