A New Story, & Critical Reception of Some Older Ones

A new issue of The Future Fire has come out, and my story "After the New Dawn" is in it. (Trigger warnings: fascist dictatorship, child abuse and neglect, Greeks)

Charles Payseur reviewed the entirety of The Journal of Unlikely Cryptography, including my story "The Joy of Sects":

It's an interesting story, full of human connection, and yet the main character finds that the most intimate touch is not one that they want to experience, that they are repulsed by the person they are joined to. Definitely not for those who don't appreciate a healthy amount of sex in their stories, this one is still well worth checking out.

Apparently he really liked it, because later in the month he recommended pairing it with "a Belgian ale". Go with a Trappist, at least until the monasteries get expropriated.

Phantasm Japan has been getting disappointingly few reviews, and disappointingly few of the ones that exist even mention my story. This one is an exception.

The Little Red Hen: An Updated Parable

Once upon a time the little red hen found some seeds on the ground. She planted the seeds. The little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me plant the seeds?"

"Not I," said the dog.

"Not I," said the cat.

"Not I," said the duck.

"Then I will," said the little red hen. So the little red hen planted the seeds all by herself.

When the seeds had grown, the little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me cut the wheat?"

"Not I," said the dog.

"Not I," said the cat.

"Not I," said the duck.

"Then I will," said the little red hen. So the little red hen cut the wheat all by herself.

When all the wheat was cut, the little red hen asked her friends, "Who will help me take the wheat to the mill to be ground into flour?"

"Not I," said the dog.

"Not I," said the cat.

"Not I," said the duck.

"Then I will," said the little red hen. So the little red hen brought the wheat to the mill all by herself, ground the wheat into flour , and carried the heavy sack of flour back to the farm.

Then the little red hen asked, "Who will help me make the dough?"

"Not I," said the dog.

"Not I," said the cat.

"Not I," said the duck.

So the little red hen said, "FUCK THIS SHIT! I am a hen! How the hell do you expect me to make dough with these flimsy wings and skinny legs? I don't even like bread! It's a good thing I saved some wheat seeds. I'll just peck at them."

"But I love bread!" said the duck.

"Good for you!" said the little red hen. "Because those floppy webbed feet of yours would be perfect for mixing and kneading the dough!"

"Alright!" said the duck.

"I'll help!" said the dog.

"Not I," said the cat.

So the little red hen went to peck her stash of wheat seeds.

Later, when the bread was all baked, the duck and the dog sat down to eat it. They had eaten half of it when the dog noticed the pecking hen and asked, "Would you like some bread?"

"That's OK," said the little red hen. "Remember I said I don't like bread. You enjoy it!"

"What about you, cat?" said the duck.

"You all know I'm gluten-free!" said the cat. "Why didn't anyone ask me what I wanted?"