Guest Writer

I turned my back on crime fiction the night that thing stepped through the plaster of my office wall. Like some apocalyptic specter, it commanded me to carve a new end-times Gospel into stone. Now, how the hell do I break it to the creature that I’m the one who... Read More

Later, when our stars were already threading through each other like fingers, I couldn't help but wonder. When your ex comes back into your life at a hundred and ten kilometers per second, is that romance, or is it just gravity with better lighting? I want it on record that... Read More

Alice feels tears welling, but she must not cry. She stares at her husband, Jack, sucking on his pipe and chuckling at the comedian’s jokes on the twelve-inch monochrome TV. His scalp is flaky. His cheeks are blotched red. Tufts of grey hair stick out between his ears and the arms... Read More

Words in (italics and parentheses) are CB terminology translations. "Breaker one nine (channel 19, the trucker's channel), what's your handle (nickname)?" a voice echoed over the CB (citizen band) radio. "Gatekeeper, who is this? Come on (reply)?" he answered and asked the trucker while manipulating his eighteen-wheeler semi. "Halo. We... Read More

The woman chooses the end cubicle with an open window that lets in fresh air. The strong air freshener makes her cough, worse than cigarette smoke does. She acknowledges that entertaining fears emboldens them. Allergies can be imagined. She holds her breath against the toxic fumes, determined to pee as... Read More

No one would believe them. Not the scientific community, and certainly not the press; yet both were witnesses to the greatest discovery of the century: there, amidst the deep, black waters of the Congo River, moved that heavy, prehistoric reptile. It was a brownish-gray color, with a thick, flexible long... Read More

Ben lays down the scissors, pulls open the chain of paper dolls, and sets it aside. His hand hovers and trembles over the coloured pencils on his desk. It’s the first day of fifth grade and the teacher has demonstrated how to cut out the dolls and decorate each one... Read More

I saw motion in my periphery and lowered the book I was reading. There was Ellie, coming down the steps from the hotel toward the swimming pool. She looked at me, turned away, then stopped to pet the kitten who hung around and was fed by the hotel’s kitchen staff.... Read More

Sometimes the universe drops exactly what you need into your lap. My skill set is kind of a joke. I’m lousy at data entry, hate talking on the phone, and the thought of working in retail was unappealing. Sure, I’ve had lots of jobs but none of them were a... Read More

In the summer of 1953, I was the third-baseman and occasional pitcher – yeah, I had an arm back then – for Savannah in the Sally League. If you think Savannah is South, go to Jacksonville, which is where we were playing in mid-July, and imagine you’re the only black... Read More