My short fiction recs from late spring/early summer. Tales of horror and magic, beauty and grief, discovery and wonder and strength. “Sasabonsam” by Tara Campbell in Strange Horizons I sit high in the mahogany tree, my long limbs dangling toward the earth. My eyes, if you could see them, would gleam at you in the moonlight. I am alert, but I let my arms swing idly with the breeze. They look just like the vines drooping from the branches, don’t they? This is an older story, which I only just discovered thanks to a recommendation online. It’s a tale about a sasbonsam—a monster of West African folklore—and its prey. It’s a tale of curling tension and deliciously dark twists. The sasabonsam eats humans and feeds on their regrets. But in the end, who is the predator and who the prey? “Lullaby for the Unseen” by Nelly Geraldine Garcia-Rosas in Weird Horror Ariel. It is because of him that I have this scar. He was my classmate. A very thin kid, shorter than me, with g
Woo hoo! Publishable or not, that is an awesome accomplishment.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is absolutely *not* unpublishable, if you're willing to try something new with me... :)
(I am 100% serious about that, because I've liked every story of yours I've ever read! But also completely understand if you want to rework it to something you can send somewhere more mainstream... email me if you want to see the terms I finally settled on, though.)
Thanks so much for your comment, Cloud! Well, right now the novelette is still a big mess--it needs a lot of revision, I think. But those revisions are going to have to wait a few weeks, because I have some medical writing deadlines upcoming. I will definitely keep you in mind, though, when I think the piece is ready. Thank you so much!
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