“Brothers” by BD Feil
LAST. Barney looked over to the far feedhole where Luther pitched hay slow and steady with his head down and it was the way he worked at everything. Light from the stalls underneath floated up like batter into the dark…
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Multiple Storylines
Novels almost always include multiple storylines. But when it comes to short stories, whether it’s due to the brevity of space, or the intense focus on the primary storyline, we often see stories that only travel one path. This tendency…
Interiority Complex
by Rebecca Makkai It’s hard enough to make our characters act, make them do and say interesting things. You know what’s harder? Well, lots of stuff. Coal mining, for one. Come on, writing is a pretty cushy job. But here’s…
Character’s Imagination
Exploring the imagination of a character is a wonderful way to allow the reader insight into the way a character thinks and behaves. How characters behave with others—their actions and their words—can move a story forward and, of course, are…
“Watershed” by Jack Noland
Distilling a city to its essence is a fool’s errand, but Dublin in December tests the fool. It’s all magnified: wind-blown rain; the serious, northern-latitude darkness that drives pub traffic and tea sales; a high holiday looming that’s both hearty-Catholic…
New books: week of June 11!
Here’s a quick look at some of the great books out this week. Happy pub day to all! Nick Arvin, Mad Boy Europa Editions From Kirkus Reviews: “Across the battlefields of the War of 1812, a young boy races to…
A Closer Look: RESTLESS SOULS, Dan Sheehan
A novel that follows a trio of childhood friends from Dublin to northern California, Dan Sheehan’s debut novel, Restless Souls, nicely investigates male friendship as well as the impact of trauma. Strong first-person voices provide a narrative that flows easily, with…
New books: week of June 4
Here’s a quick look at some of the great books out this week. Happy pub day to all! Adrienne Celt, Invitation to a Bonfire Bloomsbury Publishing From Kirkus Reviews: “Trembling with atmosphere, Celt’s (The Daughters, 2015) second novel follows…
“A Last-Minute Addendum” by Jess E. Jelsma
Let it be entered into the record by fifteen-year-old Yael [Last Name Redacted] of New York, NY: The recent presentation, entitled “The Finest Little Girl in the World,” given by Dr. Feinstein and Dr. Letham at the Annual Conference for…
Short Story Month: Our Recommendations
Every day this month on Twitter, in celebration of Short Story Month, we’ve recommended a great short story to read. (Almost) all the stories we’ve selected are available online. Enjoy! It’s Short Story Month! 🎉🎉 Every day this month, we’ll…