Flash 3/2010, #1: Daniel José Older

Midnight Mambo

My future daughter-in-law Janey told me exactly how it would go down and what to say. She’s been doing this for a while now, so she had this Nancy lady down pat, from the extra-extra smile to the cautious handshake to the little sing-song apologies dangling off each phrase. Everything went just like she said it would. The words felt awkward in my mouth, like pieces of food that’re too big to chew... Read more: HTML

In This Issue: Jake Freivald

In This Issue

More great new stories this month: The poignant but lighthearted Midnight Mambo, a dark vision of Blood Willows, and the pleasant imagery — and difficult choice — of On Green Hills.

For our Classic Flash this month, we revisit Kate Chopin’s impressive oeuvre, this time seeing The Blind Man.

As always, don’t miss Bruce’s writing column, or his story We Stand Up.

Our next issue goes live on April 1. Meanwhile, comment, subscribe, and tip the authors. Thanks! Read more: HTML

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Flash 3/2010, #2: Caroline M. Yoachim

Blood Willows

Stephen cradled Mara in his arms. She was light, but awkward to carry because of her trees. A blood willow grew from her shoulder and hid her face behind a curtain of crimson leaves. Its trunk was pale and gnarled.

They’d taken this path to visit her father’s grove, back when Mara could walk. Now a cottonbone tree grew from her thigh... Read more: HTML

Classic Flash #28: Kate Chopin

The Blind Man

A man carrying a small red box in one hand walked slowly down the street. His old straw hat and faded garments looked as if the rain had often beaten upon them, and the sun had as many times dried them upon his person. He was not old, but he seemed feeble; and he walked in the sun, along the blistering asphalt pavement. On the opposite side of the street... Read more: HTML

Flash 3/2010, #3: Andrew Gudgel

On Green Hills

The image was particularly nice: a yellow and black weaverbird caught in the act of building one of their hanging, gourd-shaped nests on his anti-tank cannon mount. It was a keeper; Akili just had to decide which picture to give up in exchange. He had plenty of power left in his superconductor ring — enough for years of twenty-four-hour imaging. But not enough memory.... Read more: HTML

Short-shorts: Bruce Holland Rogers

We Stand Up

A powerful, first-person plural exemplar for Short-short Sighted #20. Read more: HTML

Short-Short Sighted #20: Bruce Holland Rogers

Consolidated Flash and the Collective Narrator

In this column, Bruce Holland Rogers comes back to fixed forms, discusses story collections, and introduces the collective narrator. Read more: HTML