Short Stories

Synchronicity by John Keeble - In a world where environmental strife is rampant in the form of multiple droughts, fires, and the dying of the natural world, farmers-out-of-modern-time Ward and Irene give advice to the narrator of the story about the running of their own farm. As they do, Ward tells the narrator the story of his brother-in-law Leland and the contrasting way his family was coping with the environmental issues. 

Moments Earlier by Kate Doyle - A friend group of four is left shattered after one of their members, Kelly, suffers a cardiac incident and falls down the stairs. The short story jumps between the different members of the group, exploring how they feel and what they do after Kelly’s fall and the aftermath. You get the perspective of the three different characters dealing with the same incident.

Chance Me by Caitlyn Horrocks - A father and his 15-year estranged son visit potential colleges together in this short story. The dynamic between the father and son, and the flashbacks to the father’s time in a cult-like living situation with his son’s mother, where you'll learn about character and dialogue. 

What the Dead Man Said by Chinelo Onwualu - Set in a future plagued by climate change and AI implants, a woman returns to her home city for her father’s funeral. While struggling with memories of a sexual assault as a child and how her community and family isolated her in the aftermath, Azuka speaks to a manifestation of her dead father. She asks him questions and confronts his turning away from her as a child. Learn how fiction can be an outlet for grief, and speculative fiction. 

A Contract Overseas by Mia Alvar - A young Filipino girl discovers her love for writing while her brother takes a contract in Saudi to provide for her, her mother, and his girlfriend who is pregnant with twins. Her brother writes home, often sending friends with money for the family when they come to visit. When her brother gets himself into trouble, the money to put her through school and to provide for the rest of the family is threatened.