October came and with it another set of short story recommendations. This month also marks the end of my Uncanny podcast listening spree (there might still be some spillover into November). In the next few months, I will probably focus on Daily Science Fiction since they are, sadly, delivering their last stories before going on … Continue reading Story Recommendations – October 2022
WYRM’s Gauntlet
If you're a science fiction and fantasy author and you're interested in a different kind of writing critiquing contest, the WYRM's Gauntlet is now open. It's a small contest run by current and previous members of my writing group. It's free to join for anyone who are interested, and there are cash prizes.
Story Recommendations – September 2022
No lengthy introduction this time around. It's time for the monthly short story recommendations. Ninety-Nine Percent Support by Filip Wiltgren (DSF): I finally started catching up on my DSF backlog (well, I've had to skip a lot of it; it simple grew to monsterous). Lucky for me (and you, I guess), there was a story … Continue reading Story Recommendations – September 2022
2022 Ignyte Award Results
Last night, the 2022 Ignyte awards were handed out. This is the third annual Ignyte Awards which "seek to celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of the current and future landscapes of science fiction, fantasy, and horror by recognizing incredible feats in storytelling and outstanding efforts toward inclusivity of the genre." You can find the full … Continue reading 2022 Ignyte Award Results
Sad News In Short Fiction Publishing
I was preparing this months short story recommendations, which included trying to get through the massive backlog of Daily Science Fiction (DSF) stories in my inbox, when some truly sad new hit me. The editors of DSF have spoken openly about how much time and energy goes into running the magazine and how tough it … Continue reading Sad News In Short Fiction Publishing
Story Recommendations – August 2022
After a long summer break in July, the monthly shor story recommendations are back. Aside from the few golden nuggets who made the list, June wasn't a great month for reading, so I decided to change my habbits a bit; I started reading Uncanny Magazine regularly (well, listening to their podcast, mostly). That proved a … Continue reading Story Recommendations – August 2022
Story Recommendations – June 2022
As always, just before the deadline, here are the monthly story recommendations. I'll be honest, this wasn't exactly the best month I've ever had when it comes to finding short stories. As has been the case the last couple of months, I've haven't had the time to read as much as I wanted. That aside, … Continue reading Story Recommendations – June 2022
The Martian: Embracing Your Story’s “Flaws”
I've been dabbling at a The Martian book review for while now only to realize halfway through that it shouldn't have been a review to begin with. It should be an essay about how the author, Andy Weir, made me love a book that, based on the premise, really shouldn't have been my thing. I … Continue reading The Martian: Embracing Your Story’s “Flaws”
Story Recommendations – May 2022
Hey there, fellow readers. May's story recommendations are in. This time, Uncanny Magazine has made its mark on the list. It's been a while since I really dived into Uncanny's magazine, and back then, their stories didn't really hook me. Either my taste has changed or I just didn't give them enough of chance back … Continue reading Story Recommendations – May 2022
Story Recommendations: April 2022
Better late than never. Right? Here are the short story recommendations for April with just a couple of hours left of the month. I finally got back to reading short fiction more regularly this month. Returning to something that resembles my old reading schedule also meant getting back into reading Flash Fiction Online (FFO) stories. … Continue reading Story Recommendations: April 2022
Toby Backman 