In Issue 67, Kevin Wilson’s "The Lost Baby” haunts readers with the sudden, small-town disappearance of a couple’s infant child. The story, which also appears in Wilson’s newest collection, Baby, You’re Gonna Be Mine, is emblematic of Wilson’s superb and thrilling prose, his stories as compassionate as they are strange. Every one of his characters, from the grieving mothers to the flailing young men, are so deeply human, so reassuringly like us, we can’t help but root for them in spite of their ... [READ MORE]
NOTEBOOK
Reading RX with Danielle Dutton
We're thrilled to have Danielle Dutton, author of three remarkable books and editor of Dorothy, a publishing project, as the judge for this year’s American Short(er) Fiction Prize—a contest for extraordinary short stories under 1,000 words. (The deadline to submit is February 1, 2019. You can find more information here.) We asked Danielle about her favorite books this year, and she compiled this wonderful reading list of titles new and old, a confection of styles and genres and small-press gems ... [READ MORE]
Contest Closed: The American Short(er) Fiction Prize
Thanks for your interest in the 2019 American Short(er) Fiction Prize. The contest is now closed. We are thrilled to announce that Danielle Dutton, author of three remarkable books and editor of Dorothy, a publishing project, will judge this year’s American Short(er) Fiction Prize. The prize recognizes extraordinary short fiction under 1,000 words. The first-place winner will receive a $1,000 prize and publication, and the second-place winner will receive $250 and publication. Previous ... [READ MORE]
Make a Year-end Contribution to ASF, and We’ll Send You Some of Our Favorite Things
As we continue our year-end giving campaign, we want to take this opportunity to look back with gratitude for all that our readers, authors, staff, and supporters have helped American Short Fiction accomplish. So far this year, we've published 21 writers in our gorgeously designed literary journals and online exclusives, paying our writers competitive rates for their work and promoting them at events in Austin and around the country. We've published dozens of author interviews, reviews, and ... [READ MORE]
Web Exclusive Interview: G.E. Stiteler
"Sickness had reached our valley at last." In August's Web Exclusive flash fiction, "Father as Astronaut," a young woman mourns the loss of her father in an increasingly hostile world where everyone is fighting for survival. It's a story that's wildly imaginative, unsettling, and full of heart. We talked to G.E. Stiteler about this story, about a world in trouble, and what gives her peace. Erin McReynolds: What led you to decide to set the narrator's loss in the midst of widespread ... [READ MORE]
Editorial Outtake: If You Leave Me
Editorial Outtakes is a series in which we publish excerpts from recent books that you won’t find anywhere else because, prior the publication, these sections were cut. This installment of Editorial Outtakes features an original chapter from Crystal Hana Kim's debut novel If You Leave Me. A moving story of love during wartime, the novel's poses difficult questions about whether it's better to choose security over love and safety over freedom. Here, Kim shares her thoughts—and an example of a ... [READ MORE]