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Fiction Circular 7/25/20

by Kaiter Enless

A weekly dissemination of fiction writing from around the web by Kaiter Enless

From Little Tales For Busy Folks: The Corridor by Vic Smith. A subterranean adventure takes a unnerving turn. Would be aided by more character development.

I was convinced there was something down here with me. I could hear breathing. I couldn’t tell how far away it was, or where the sound was coming from, but I was sure it was there

– V. Smith, The Corridor

From New Pop Lit: Zeenith, a fiction and poetry collection featuring Brian Eckert, Mark Marchenko, Holly Day, Chrissi Sepe, Kathleen M. Crane, Robert Kaercher, Erin Knowles Chapman, and James Croal Jackson. The volume is available for purchase for $25 via Paypal, or credit-card.

Full color. State of the art. Hand crafted. Sleek and stylish.

– Promotional tag-line for Zeenith

From Scraps & Scribblings: Goodnight, Sweet Prince by Richard Tearle. Macabre historical fiction. Seems a fragment of a larger work.

 George has gone too far. You can see that, surely? He has taken the law into his own hands – my law, let it be noted.

– R. Tearle, Goodnight, Sweet Prince

From Short Stories Online: Progressive Jackpot by Shane Lambert. A raffle takes place at a bowling league. Instead of telling by showing action the author simply lists off what occurs, week by week, which makes the story read, unfortunately, like a news article.

Almost all of the other Beer Leaguers had their own minor-league fantasies about what they would do if they won the money. One lady wanted to be a bar star for a weekend at a local country club. Another guy wanted to place a bet on the Edmonton Oilers winning the Stanley Cup. Another simply would have bought a new RCA television.

– Shane Lambert, Progressive Jackpot

From T. W. Iain: Ghost. A chronicle of a daring thief’s plan. At first, I assumed it was going to be one of those insufferably drippy slice-of-life flash-shorts which forms the great bulk of what is redundantly referred to as ‘literary fiction;’ thankfully, my assumption was incorrect. The piece develops its two principal characters impressively well with so few words and builds to a surprising, bittersweet crescendo.

The casket was closed, of course. She’d refused any suggestion of surgery.

– T. W. Iain, Ghost

From Vastness: Discount Baby by H. W. Taylor. A speculative sci-fi tale concerning a future wherein certain classes are prohibited from childbirth, a situation which prompts a enterprising and childless couple to attempt to trick the system. A superb work, which, in the most positive of ways, reminded me, faintly, of Andrew Niccol’s Gattaca. 

Best of the week.

She was protecting him, by letting him give her hope.

– H. W. Taylor, Discount Baby
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Kryos: Chapter 9

by Kaiter Enless

Previous chapter

“What are you going to do?”

Ryard Vancing stared out the window of the tenement flat and turned to the querious woman with whom he shared it, his face a fretting blank.

“I’ve no idea.”

He looked back to the reflective pane and noticed the unruly whorls of his hair, matted his tresses and put his hands in his pockets, surveying the deteriorating vista. Consortium drones swarmed the air to the north, vainly attempting to dissuade the rioters who there stormed the streets. Ryard noticed a thin column of smoke building beyond the broil in the hazy distance of the eatery district. “Mechanical failure?” He wondered with rising agitation, “Or arson?”

“Indecision is uncharacteristic for you,” Lind Howell declared with concern, filling two cups with hot coffee from a insulated metal container, which sat the table in the middle of their small, plainly furnished living room; the device was battered, ornateless and strange against the black-matte tabletop, a relic from a bygone age, inherited from Howell’s late uncle, who had himself inherited the item from his father. Lind raised a cup to Ryard, who ambled to the couch and took it, setting himself heavily down with a sigh. He pressed the cool glass to his forehead and took a sip before speaking.

“I suppose it is. I just don’t want to make the situation worse.”

“I’m sure you wouldn’t.”

“No you’re not.”

“I’m trying to be supportive.”

“I know.” He forced a smile and swirled his glass, watching the bean juice slush like oxidized blood. He frowned briefly, set the glass down and slowly rotated it with his work-worn fingertips. “How was work?”

She sighed, “Terrible. More so than usual. Had to spend almost the entire morning cloud-side.”

“Because of the riots?”

She nodded, “Watched it spread. Like a bushfire in a high wind. Had to go up and retether one of the aerostats just beyond Southern. Someone, or ones, had cut it free. Haven’t got an ID yet. They must have thought it would just float away.”

Ryard raised his glass suddenly. “A toast, to our invaluable sky-techs.”

The woman half-heartedly raised her glass and downed the rest of its contents.

“I just don’t know what’s gotten into people lately.”

“I suspect the Eastern Federation has had a heavy hand in it. This recent chaos.”

“I heard some people talking about it on the news. The Federation envoys say that allegations of their involvement in the protests and the riots are just propaganda. I don’t know what to think. Everything that the media comes out with is propaganda about propaganda. You said it was Lanning that contacted you?”

“Yeah. Still had that ridiculous coat. I suppose he thinks its stylish. Said his wife and daughter have been getting on better, after the move.”

“Lanning’s wife had the right idea. Moving to the colonies.”

Ryard shook his head and rose, “I’ve heard a lot of talk like that recently. Of departing the city because of the southers coming in, or because of the way the Consortium has changed, or because of the Federation’s subversion; I can’t agree with it. I’m glad Lanning’s family are happy now, but consider what would happen if most people here thought that way; if most people decided to pack up and leave the moment things take a bad turn. When conflict becomes unavoidable. When fear flares. Its uncivilized.”

“Uncivilized?”

“Civility is more than manners.”

Next chapter

Fiction Circular 7/18/20

by Kaiter Enless

A weekly dissemination of fiction writing from around the web.

From Bill Chance: The Sorcerer’s Intern. A spoof of Goethe’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

“I left some fishing weights on the table, could you turn them into gold, please. I’m a little short with the grocery money this weekend.”

B. Chance, The Sorcerer’s Intern

From Boondock Ramblings: The Farmer’s Daughter (Chapter 1; A Serialized Novel) by Lisa R. Howeler.

She’d been used to one annoying older brother her entire life, but five years ago Jason had invited his college roommate Alex to come work on the family farm and now it was like she had two annoying older brothers

L. R. Howeler, The Farmer’s Daughter

From Close 2 The Bone: Billy’s Grave by Lisa Short. Two young women discover criminals desecrating their late brother’s tombstone and decide to defend their land.

They had kicked over Billy’s gravestone; Faith could tell when Kayla spotted it lying all askew by the stiffening of her shoulders. They might not have known they were even on a gravesite—she and Kayla had buried Billy themselves, and the only marker they’d been able to place had been a river-worn slab of rock

L. Short, Billy’s Grave

From Literally Story: Crimson Coloured Raindrops by David Darvasi. A curious, charming tale of mysterious entities venturing below a dreamlike-city of steam and fume. Best of the week.

he started cutting the darkness – quite literally. Not for any romantic reason, other than he wouldn’t do anything metaphorically. 

D. Darvasi, Crimson Coloured Raindrops

From Literary Yard: The Last Time Rublev Saw The Sea by Tom Z. Spencer. Strongly influenced by recent events, Spencer’s story follows a young man navigating the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

We were told it can’t transmit human to human, and then that masks don’t work, and then to wear masks, and eventually to go home, and lock the door.

T. Z. Spencer, The Last Time Rublev Saw The Sea

From Momus News: Critical Equipment by E.A. Wicklund (EagleAye). A short, humorous piece.

“At last! The very thing I need to combat this pandemic,” said Blumquist.

E. Wicklund, Critical Equipment

From Neel Writes: Memories Unspooled by Neel A. Panicker. A charming flash fiction.

“You children are so unlucky for unlike us you hear your music strapped on headphones, and watch your favourite film and music stars gyrate on your palm tops”

N. Panicker, Memories Unspooled

From Nicholas C. Rossis: Common Fiction Writing Mistakes. The advice is basic, but can prove useful to new fiction writers (for more experienced writer’s, I would recommend the T. Bailey Saunders’ translation of Arthur Schopenhauer’s The Art of Literature).

It doesn’t matter how well-constructed your world is if you’re incapable of dishing it out in smaller portions that are relevant to what’s happening in that particular sequence. If there’s a city that’s important to the story, give the reader the necessary info when the characters actually go there, instead of dumping 500 years of detailed history and politics from three different provinces in a prologue.

N.C. Rossis, on info dumps in fiction

From Curiomancy: Samizdat by Rick Wayne. A excerpt from the author’s scifi novel Zero Signal.

the human cognitive capacity was more or less fixed, artificial minds could adjust their filters on the fly. A wider net meant slower thinking, and vice versa, but they could scale their attention to their needs.

R. Wayne, Samizdat

Compiled by Kaiter Enless.

Fiction Circular 7/4/20

by Kaiter Enless

A weekly dissemination of fiction writing from around the web.

From Candy’s Monsters: What’s Inside by Candy Korman.

Men always lied about their height the way women always lied about their weight.

~C. Korman, What’s Inside

From Delicious Tacos: The Rage.

Knees go bad and you turn into keyboard Paul Kersey…

~D.T., The Rage

From Flora Fiction: Death Witch by Leon Clifford.

The captured fool looked down and had two realizations almost immediately. One, the bone he could see jutting out of his leg should, in fact, be on the inside of his ankle, and two, it was probably the source of excruciating pain emanating from the lower half of his person.

~L. Clifford, Death Witch

From Literally Stories: Tylen Brackus by Tom Sheehan.

October clouds were raggy and less than unique, filled with promise of the ominous sort, darker than usual, inertia buried in them, as if they were hanging there for a definite purpose.

~T. Sheehan, Tylen Brackus

From Richard Becker: The Sweeper.

“Looks nice,” June hesitated. “Quiet, maybe.”

“Let’s hope not too quiet,” Medford said, thinking of his film again.

~R. Becker, The Sweeper

From Terror House Magazine: The Silent Man by Alfred Kinning.

He didn’t use an alarm clock; he’d woken up at this time every day of his life.

~A. Kinning, The Silent Man

From The Inkwell: Paint Me by Matthew Donnellon.

He would draw out different pictures for her to find when she got home that when put together would reveal the location of her date.

~M. Donnellon, Paint Me

From The Literary Yard: The Empty Azurite by B.A. Varghese.

His thoughts were on more pressing matters. For one, his glass was empty.

~B.A. Varghese

Compiled by Kaiter Enless

Tatter (a novella)

by Kaiter Enless

TATTER (2020), the complete novella (EPUB) by Kaiter Enless is now available from Gumroad and Patreon.

Synopsis: In the vast, mechanized city of Aecer, a courier’s life is forever changed when he encounters an enigmatic woman pursued by malevolent forces.

Format: E-book (epub). Genre: Science fiction. Size: 58.5 KB.

A sequel, KRYOS, is forthcoming.

Circular 3/27/20

by Kaiter Enless

From Caliath, (Droplet) Jupiter, The Loneliest Planet by Joao-Maria.

“I see now a Europe leeched dry of its fortitude.”

From Forward Base B, Trolly Problems on the Island of Sodor by Giovanni Dannato.

“Well, I tried to revive Percy and Henry and the rest, but no one in Sodor makes the parts for them anymore. I’m afraid we’ve lost them, Thomas.”

From Little Tales For Busy Folk, Chasing Memories by Vic Smith.

“When the last of these memories has slipped away from me, what is there left?”

From Meredith Schumann, 2050 by Meredith Schumann.

“She took a deep breath and delved into her pocket. How she longed to know what it had been like in her dad’s day, when every person, near enough, was connected with the world via a small rectangular device they’d keep in their pocket”

From New Pop Lit, Townies by Philip Charter.

“you probably think the Ministry of Sound is a governmental department”

From Shreya Vikram, There Is A Certain Distancing Necessary by Shreya Vikram.

“We know our catastrophe and sing.”

From Spelk, Junk Dumps by Phebe Jewell.

“Like all vigilantes, he has routines and rituals.”

From The Drabble, You Hear A Noise by John L. Malone.

“Those bloody mice, you say, though you’ve seen no evidence of any. It’s nothing, you decide, nothing. House noises. You head back to the bedroom, turn off the lights. Someone taps you on the shoulder.”

The Logos Fiction Circular features work by independent authors of prose fiction. If you have a recommendation of a particular author to cover, feel free to leave a comment and let us know.

The Silence & The Howl (§.25)

by Kaiter Enless

§.25

Harmon begin typing as soon as he returned from his encounter with the literate watchman. A new story occurred to him, and, inspired by the day’s events and the memory of the thriller Andy had played when Lyla had come over, he set himself to the task of its completion. A dull, irregular clacking emanated from his keyboard until the light crept over the edges of the world and eschewed the darkness for a magnificent plume of solar irridescence.

After seven hours without a break, Harmon paused, shifted in his chair, lit up a cigarette, smoked a moment and then withdrew to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of ice water and another cup of coffee as Marla came ambling clumsily down the thick-carpeted stairs. Her hair was wild and rabbit slippers obscured her slender, shuffling feet.

“Mornin.”

“G’morning,” she groaned, rubbing sleep from her puffy eyes, “You been up all night?”

“Yeah. Writing.”

“Sheesh, don’t you ever sleep?”

“Couldn’t.”

“You aren’t a vampire, are you?”

“Not last time I checked.”

She chuckled and leaned against the kitchen counter.

“Andy told me you were a writer. Fiction, right?”

He nodded and handed the foggy woman a cup of coffee, which she readily accepted with a broad smile and a mumble of thanks. For a long moment they stood staring at each other before the sound of Andy’s footsteps reverberated on the linoleum above. They both turned to greet him, confused by his furrowed brow and the cloudy expression in his eyes and mouth.

“Sonsofbitches.” He muttered leaning against the wall.

“What is it?”

Andy worked his jaw and then looked towards his guest.

“We’re outta work.”

“What’d Swain say?” Harmon inquired without emotion, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter as Marla.

“Just said we were fired—excuse me—’let go.’ I hate that bullshit. Fucking weasel words. ‘Let go.’ ‘Passed on.’ Bullshit. Fucking bullshit.”

“Sorry baby,” Marla replied, with a pout. She massaged Andy’s shoulder as the man shook his head and glared at the scuffed linoleum of the floor.

Harmon reached up to the cabinet and withdrew a coffee cup and then slid it across the counter to Andy who nodded back in thanks.

“No point complaining about what we can’t change. Other jobs to do.”

“Hell – like what?”

“Well, what are you good at?”

“Ain’t good at nothing.”

“That’s not true,” Marla chided sadly.

Harmon inhaled deeply and then moved off of the counter and looked out the window. Not a single soul stirred upon the barren street, now covered in a thin skin of dead leaves that skittered with the wind like hollow bugs beneath the swaying skeletal boughs.

“Its a lovely day. We should go out. We can go to the cafe I was telling you about and stop by the river.”

Marla smiled and nodded, “That’s sounds nice.”

“Alright,” Andy intoned sullenly.

Harmon turned back to the window and sipped his coffee, watching as a flock of crows tore a red-stained eagle from the sky.

*

Independent Fiction Directory

by Kaiter Enless

Editor’s note: A author/publisher will be included if: 1. The literary work of the organization or individual is independent (ie. not affiliated/supported by a major institution, such as a university, corporation, government, etc), and, 2. They principally write/publish original narrative fiction (as opposed to poetry or fan-fiction). Links to every listed individual or organization’s social media and website(s) will be included (provided the listed individual or organization) and will be continuously update with future installments. Outlets dedicated to literary promotion will not be included.

 

All inquiries concerning the directory may be made through: logosliterature@yandex.com.

 

Feedback is always welcome.

Fiction Authors

Alina Hansen (poet, developing first novel) [website]

Avani Singh (horror writer; author of Existence, admin of blogggedit) [@blogggedit]

Benjamin Langley (horror novelist) [@B_J_Langely]

Brandon Scott (horror and thriller writer) [@BrandonScottAu1]

Brianna M. Fenty (horror writer) [@fentyscribbles]

Chloe Turner (author of Witches Sail In Eggshells) [@TurnerPen2Paper]

Dan Klefstad (gothique novelist, author of the Fiona series & the novel Shepard & the Professor) [@danklefstad]

Daniel Soule (writer, anthologist and editor) [@Grammatologer]

David A. Estringel (poet and short story author) [@The_Booky_Man ]

Ellis Michaels (scifi and fantasy author) [@EllisMichaels9]

Garth T. Ogle (author of The Bowl of Tears and Solace) [@gtaogle]

Giovanni Dannato (author of Apostasy & The Warlord) [@GiovanniDannato]

Glahn (surrealist short-story writer) [@sexypesty]

Iain Kelly (literary short story author and novelist) [@ianthekid]

Jane Dougherty (fantasy novelist) [@MJDougherty33]

Jess Gabnall (dark fantasy and horror author) [@Jess93Bagnall]

Jess Lake (scifi and romance writer) [twitter: @JessLakeAuthor]

Joanna Koch (literary short story writer) [@horrorsong]

J. Brandon Lowery (flash fiction writer of the fantastical) [@jbrandonlowry]

Kara Klotz (writer and founder of Channillo) [@KKlotzz]

Karl Wenclas (author of The Tower, writer at New Pop Lit) [@KingWenclas]

Madison Estes (short story author) [@madisonestes]

Michael Carter [@mcmichaelcarter]

N. O. Ramos (horror novelist) [@N_O_Ramos]

Peter Clarke (satirist, author of The Singularity Survival Guide) [@HeyPeterClarke]

Peter Edwards (aka, The Little Fears, microfiction author) [@TheLittleFears]

Ramya Tantry [@RamyaTantry]

Simon Webster (novelist and chief of The Cabinet of Heed) [@MrSimonWebster]

Stacie Sultrie (romance writer) [@SSultrie]

Steve Hart (latter-day Jack London, author of the serialized novel, The Promise of Shaconage) [@BlueSmokies]

The Dark Netizen (flash fiction author) [website]

Tweet Sized Fiction (microfiction and poetry) [@teenytinystorys]

Wicked Fables (macabre fantasy and scifi writer) [@WickedFables]

Zach Mulcahy (fantasy author, developing novel) [@ZTMbaronofurga]

Literary Publishers

101 Words (flash) [@101words]

Alien Buddha Press [@thealienbuddha]

Analog Submission Press [@analogsubpress]

Aphotic Realm (horror+surrealism) [@AphoticRealm]

Apiary Magazine [@APIARYmag]

Cajun Mutt Press [@MuttCajun]

Channillo [@_Channillo]

Crystal Lake Publishing [@crystallakepub]

Dark Dossier Magazine (monthly horror magazine) [@DarkDossier]

Defiant Scribe [@Defiant_Scribe]

Dim Shores [@dimshores]

Drunken Pen Writing [@drunkpenwriting]

Ellipsis Zine [@EllipsisZine]

Fictive Dream (flash) [@FictiveDream]

Fishbowlpress (fiction and poetry) [@fishbowlpress]

FlashBack Fiction (historical fiction) [@FlashBackFic]

Flash Fiction Magazine [@flashficmag]‏

Flat Field Press [@FlatFieldPress]

Forge Litmag [@forge_litmag]

Formercactus [@formercactus]

Gold Wake Press [@GoldWakePress]

gn0me (experimental fiction) [@gnOmebooks]

Gone Lawn [@gonelawn]

Gray Matter Press [@GreyMatterPress]

Hagstone Publishing (fiction + crafts) [@HagstonePub]‏

Horror Sleaze Trash [@horrorslzztrash]

Idle Ink [@_IdleInk_]

Jokes Review (satire and absurdism) [@JokesReview]

Literally Stories (fantasy & horror) [@LiterallyStory]

Lunarian Press [@LunarianPress]‏

(mac)ro(mic) [@mac_ro_mic]

Midnight Mosaic Fiction [@MidMosFic]

Milk Candy Review [@moonrabbitcandy]

Monkey Bicycle [@monkeybicycle]

Nightingale & Sparrow (literary magazine) [@nightandsparrow]

Night Worms (horror) [@Night_Worms]

New Pop Lit (3D, pulp, neo-noir, realism) [@NewPopLit]

OddMadLand (experimental surrealism) [× discontinued ×]

Okay Donkey [@okaydonkeymag]

Orchid’s Lantern [@orchidslantern]

Reflex Press [@reflexfiction]

Rust Belt Press [@BeltPress]

Sinister Grin Press [@SinisterGrinPre]

Spelk [@SpelkFiction]

Story Shack [@thestoryshack]‏

Surfaces [@SURFACEScx]

Terror House Magazine [@terrorhousemag]

The Arcanist  (fantasy) [@The_Arcanists]

The Blue Nib (fiction and poetry) [@TheBlueNib]

The Cabinet of Heed (literary anthologies) [@CabinetOfHeed ]

The Copybook (dormant) [@CopybookThe]

The Dark Calls (temporarily closed) [@The_Dark_Calls]‏

The Fiction Pool (realism) [@TheFictionPool]

The Molotov Cocktail [@MolotovLitZine]

The Stray Branch (gothique fiction + poetry) [@debbiedberk]

Unnerving Magazine [@UnnervingMag]

X-R-A-Y (literary fiction, often experimental) [@xraylitmag, @xraylitmag]

If you wish to support our work you can do so here. If you wish to contact the site administrator, you can find him online here.

Fiction Circular 7/4/19

by Kaiter Enless

THE LOGOS FICTION CIRCULAR is a weekly series which collects independent fiction from around the web so as to treat their works to a wider audience. Recommendations for new author/publisher inclusions are welcome.

§00. Editor’s note: Links affixed to author/publisher’s name (if any) will redirect to author/publisher social media; links affixed to story/article titles will redirect to a relevant site whereupon the named piece is archived. The ‘authors’ section focuses exclusively on individuals who author and publish their own literary work; the ‘organizations’ section focuses exclusively on independent presses (lit-mags, e-zines and other literary outlets comprised of more than one person) who publish fictive work of (at least) more than one author. Lastly, the ‘literary ephemera’ section focuses on non-fiction work, including (but not limited to) certain poems, such as news articles, reviews, interviews and critiques. All author/publication names arranged by alphabetical order (including ‘the’ and ‘a’).

§01. Editor’s note on criteria for inclusion: A publication is considered ‘independent’ if it does not rely upon the staff, organizational prowess, or financial backing, of one or more large corporation, academy, government or other large organization. For example, Sink Hollow Litmag will never be included in the circular, not due to the quality, or lack thereof, of their work, but rather, because they are supported by Utah State University (and thus, are not independent). All works which are included are those which were read by the editor during the week of publication; their inclusion does not mean that they were published the same week as the circular containing them.

AUTHORS (ficiton)

From Avani Singh (of Blogggedit), a announcement pertaining to the release of paperbacks for her most recent book, Existence.

From Jan’s MicroStories, some prose sketches.

From Karine Writes, Experiment 228.

From Nin Chronicles (Jaya Avendel), Cursed.

From Søren Gehlert, Dark Shiny.

From Steve Hart, Act 192: If the medicine is with him… (a installment in his serialized novel, The Promise of Shaconage).

From The Dark Netizen, Fell and Brave & Free.

ORGANIZATIONS (fiction)

From 101 Words, The Prodigal Son.

From Channillo, The Art of Falling (#1, Thirteen Moons Series).

From Fictive Dream, The Bicycle Orchestra by Helen Chambers.

From Gold Wake Press, their Summer issue for 2019 (featuring Peter Clarke).

From Literally Stories, Stripped by Hugh Cron.

From Spelk, Sixth Period by Andrea Rinard.

From The Drabble, A Fire In A Downpour by J. David Thayer.

From The Fiction Pool, A Morning To Remember by Babak Norouzi.

From The Red Fez, Something True You Never Told Me by Scott Parson.

LITERARY EPHEMERA (non-ficiton)

From Caliath, the poem (Memnos II)—A Silence In Which No One Sings.

From New Pop Lit, a new entry in their all-time American writers tournament, Most Charismatic #12: Allen Ginsberg.

From Public Books, Authorship After AI.

From The Booky Man (David A. Estringel), seven new haikus published at Cajun Mutt Press.

From Writer’s HQ, Why Litmags Matter (And Why Writers Need To Read Them).