Editorial: The Reprint Edition
Welcome to Flash Fiction Online’s 105th issue, which is also our REPRINT issue!
Is a list always just a list? To quote Madeleine L’Engle, “Nothing happens in isolation…” which includes seemingly uncomplicated words like “list.” My 1930’s Etymological dictionary defined liste as an edge or strip, as well as to tilt or lean. There’s also lysten or lystan as in leaning towards what one desires, and lyst to hear; Dutch lusten to like, fancy; and my favorite, lustuz-, to be eager, wanton, or unruly.
In the same way, these definitions of list contain the seeds for a story, and so do the history and meaning of virtually any word. Compiled lists such as dictionaries and encyclopedias tell us about the culture, place, and time-period in which the word developed.
Yes, I love reference books almost as much as I love fiction books. I also love lists. I’ve always been a list maker, and I always will be. I enjoy the act of scribbling, doodling, and later slashing items out of existence. No prizes for guessing that I’m a sucker for apps promising improved organization and management of my digital lists: color-coding, flags, icons, folders, subfolders—I do them all. All of which brings me to our theme for this month: lists!
Our reprint issue contains an outstanding selection of list stories for your reading pleasure.
The Light at the Edge of the World by FFO alumni Avra Margariti is a deeply moving story about the sole inhabitant on “a small planet, about the size of our god’s fist.” Previously published in Asymmetry Fiction. (Available 6/3/2022)
Benjamin C. Kinney returns to FFO with Eight Reasons You Are Alone, which explores how a life of financial freedom can be the catalyst to bring out the worst, or the best, in ourselves. Originally published in Nature Futures. (Available 6/10/2022)
How They Name the Ships by alumni Stewart Baker is a thoughtful, clever, and funny story about the one essential ingredient common to all spacefaring civilizations: ships! If you think you don’t need a spaceship if planet-hopping by teleportation is your favored method of galaxy-wide transportation you need to watch Jeff Goldblum’s, The Fly. Previously published in Frozen Wavelets. (Available 6/17/2022)
Some of you might remember our final story, Daisy by Paul DesCombaz, published by FFO published in 2015. This is a spine-tingling story with a high OMG factor.
NEWS
* Join the Flash Fiction Online Facebook group for readers, writers and fans. Stay up-to-date with the latest issues, chat about flash fiction, its authors and industry.
* COMING SOON! Ever wonder what goes on behind the scenes at a short fiction magazine? Have you considered becoming an editor or first reader for a professional publication but weren’t sure what it took to be successful? Or maybe just enjoy learning what separates a good story from an exceptional one? Coming soon from Managing Editor C. E. Aylett and Publisher Anna Yeatts, an exclusive training course on the inner workings of the slush pile, the fundamentals of story, and the skills you’ll need to be a successful first reader (or editor!) at a pro-magazine. Sign up here to be notified when registration opens. Space is limited!