In the April issue of Fantasy Magazine . . .
Short stories by K.A. Wiggins (“Children of Earth”) and Dennis Mugaa (“Nairuko”); flash fiction by Miguel O. Mitchell (“Trading With Monsters”) and Keech Ballard (“The UFO’s New Clothes”); poetry by C.H. Lindsay (“The Frumious Jubjub”) and Shreejita Majumder (“Sleeping With the Fishes”); and an essay by Ai Jiang (“What Language Do You Think In?: On Being Lost in Translation”).
Enjoy!
The most difficult part of writing this was trying to understand what tone to use. While I felt that the story always contained grief, it was hard to write about collective grief in a way that didn’t seem abstract or too expository.
The topic I’ve chosen isn’t one that can be fully explored within the brief span of this essay alone, but I will endeavour to broach it anyhow, because it’s something that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately. The idea of language itself is something I’m always trying to tackle as a writer, but I’m still having difficulties grappling with it when it comes to publishing and writing fiction, both how it has the power to alienate us and also bring us together.
I walk into Old Town. In a curio shop on the promenade, an old man sells paintings, deras, kikois, and ornaments. Tuk-tuks move swiftly along the cabro paving, passing the teapot sculpture at the round-about. Pushcarts lumber beside the street restaurants and past the old buildings covered by vines. A radio plays “Malaika,” the song rising like a wisp of steam. Shouts of children playing football near the sea reach me. I buy a ticket to Fort Jesus and the seller tells me I am lucky because it is the day of secession.
In the beginning—the newest beginning—the Universal Field Operative (UFO) looked out across the multiverse and said, “What shall I do today for fun? I’m in the mood for something different.”
Something stayed behind on the shore / When I followed you back from the sea. / Here’s a horror movie: / (Here’s every horror movie) / ‘People never come back the same.’
I feel like a lot of my evolution as a writer has been (/continues to be) about realizing/accepting creative work can be play and doesn’t have to be painful to have value and meaning.
The toe wiggled at Mirella from the compost heap. She let the lid drop with a thud and a cloud of flies. Enough. Time to order an electronic composter.
With quiet flair the Jubjub watched / the Bandersnatch decay. / Thru mimsy wobe and tainted tove / she snicker-snacked her prey.
In this issue’s short fiction, we have “Children of Earth” by K.A. Wiggins, and “Nairuko” by Dennis Mugaa; flash fiction “Trading With Monsters” by Miguel O. Mitchell, and Keech Ballard’s “The UFO’s New Clothes”; in poetry, “The Frumious Jubjub” by C.H. Lindsay and “Sleeping With the Fishes” by Shreejita Majumder. Plus essay “What Language Do You Think In: On Being Lost in Translation” by Linghun author Ai Jiang. Enjoy!
There are six rules regarding trading with monsters. Rule #1: Get a good night’s sleep before you cast your protection circle. If you nod off even once, the last thing you’ll ever see is sharp teeth.
