Here’s a peek at what we’re offering in this issue:
We’re happy to bring back some writers you’ve seen on our pages before. And equally happy to introduce new voices at the start of their careers.
In “The Bag of Holding”, by Liz Westbrook-Trenholm, two unlikely characters are literally held together by a magical bag, and they must work as a team to find out what it wants and how they can be released. In Gillian Secord’s story, “the love song of house and lake”, Adrian is at the family cabin for the summer, but his dreams take him to a new reality. We’re happy to see a story by John Park on our pages again, and “When the Stars Threw Down Their Spears” doesn’t disappoint. There is suspicion aboard a mini-sub, deep in the mid-Atlantic, and who, if anyone, is the real spy among them? Where are the aliens?
What does ramen have to do with the destruction of our planet? You will find out when you read “The Superposition of Ramen” by Jed Looker. Somewhat on the same theme is David Lee Zweifler’s flash fiction piece, “A Little Meteor”. In “Some Are Rather Quiet and Some Are Really Loud”, by Kristopher Galbraith, Charlie is the only passenger aboard the Tilphousia, which suits him just fine for his purpose. David Jón Fuller’s “Two Voices, One Song” takes us deep into Icelandic mythology, and shows the value of a degree in Medieval Studies.
Mythology of a different kind is found in “The Serene Hospice of the Sisterhood of Baba Yaga” by Lorina Stephens. Given the options of: run screaming; hysterical laughter; or consider a new perspective—what would you do if the Sisterhood of Baba Yaga asked for your marketing expertise for their hospice?
In another hard SF story, we welcome back Al Onia with his new work, “The Years Between the Stars”. Kevan has been in cryogenic stasis for years on board his ship, the last of the Pathfinder series. But how will Earth welcome him home?
If you are a mystery or crime fan, you may be familiar with body farms. What you don’t know is that some of them are not what they seem. Stefani Cooke tells a rather chilling tale in “An Unsparing Harvest”. An inherited family magical gift often calls for sacrifices, and Jonathan Simmons shows us this in “Les Guérisseurs”.
We’re pleased to bring you some new poetry, along with a special treat. With Angela Caravan’s poem, “When I Dated a Planet Architect”, we learn what can happen when you get what you wish for. Deborah Herman’s work, “Syrinx” uses Greek mythology and retells the story of Daphne and Apollo. And Elis Montgomery’s “Recent Notifications From SmarterFridge 8000”, charmingly illustrated by Nova Scotia comic artist Andy Skeleton, is all about our relationship with so-called “smart” appliances.
For the past few years, Lynne Taylor Fahnestalk has provided us with images of her Bot sculptures, photographed by her husband Steve Fahnestalk. For this issue, they have also given us a delightful cover, along with an interior Bot and a new cartoon.
A non-fiction regular feature in every issue is the author interview by Roberta Laurie, this time with Ottawa’s John Park.
This issue is packed with new and exciting works, and we hope that you, our readers, will enjoy them all. Watch this blog for announcements of the new issue and where you can purchase a copy.
