L. D. Lewis, Sea Witch Apologist: While you're posting your award eligible stories, feel free to drop me links to your SFF works between 3400 and 5200 words as I'm still looking for stories for S13 of LeVar Burton Reads! (There are additional requirements so don't get too excited!)

While you're posting your award eligible stories, feel free to drop me links to your SFF works between 3400 and 5200 words as I'm still looking for stories for S13 of LeVar Burton Reads! (There are additional requirements so don't get too excited!)

Disclaimer: it does not have to have been published this year or award eligible, but odds are the more recent it is, the more likely we haven't already reviewed it for a previous season.

My story about a woman who becomes obsessed with a tiny robot she finds in her bathroom is a few years old -- and a few hundred words too long -- but I adore LeVar's show, so I figured I'd give it a shot anyway :) mosslit.com/tara-roberts...

Hey L.D. thanks for asking! I've got one but it was in F&SF so it's not online. Can I ship you a copy?

Sure! If you don't have my email address, drop me a note here and I'll send you an address www.ldlewiswrites.com/get-in-touch

Long shot, but this story originally appeared in Analog. A girl at a camp for kids with ancient human DNA tries to have a fun summer, despite family pressures and the lingering fear of fundamentalist fanatics who think she ought to be dead.

Unsettling Futures - FICTION - The Acheulean Giftunsettlingfutures.substack.com Hey, look! Professionally published science fiction! FOR FREE!

This one’s not new but might work for you. www.havenspec.com/vinyl-wisdom

Vinyl Wisdom - Haven Speculativewww.havenspec.com

Two of my recent stories from Pulphouse — "The Lessons Only a Jelly Bean Can Teach" and "The Last Lonely Day in the Orchard of Lost Travelers" — are of the right length and feel like they might have the right spirit, but they aren't online to be read for free. Is it possible to send printed copies?

Thanks L.D.! Here's my eligibility post. I think "Three O'Clock Dragon" might tickle LeVar.

missed the link!

I'M A PROFESSIONAL oy johnwiswell.blogspot.com/2023/11/all-...

All the Short Stories John Wiswell Published in 2023johnwiswell.blogspot.com 2023 is ticking down to a close. As I’m wrapping up the final touches on my debut novel, I’m also looking back on all the short fiction I g...

Oh, I very much agree.

Hi L.D., I have two—my first two publications actually! "The Void Door" placed top 25 in the 2021 LeVar Burton Reads contest in case you'd still consider it! www.beneath-ceaseless-skies.com/stories/the-... "Emotional Resonance" has just been released on Escape Pod! escapepod.org/2023/12/14/e...

I remember The Void Door!

that makes me happy! actually getting that top 25 email was one of the big things that motivated me to really commit to short story writing further so yeah!

I've received a nice response to a ghost story called "From Shore To Sea" published this year in the autumn 2023 issue of The Colored Lens. The story was inspired by a trip to and is set in Homer, Alaska-- and it's a ghost story set within a ghost story. It can be downloaded here:

Download your copy of From Shore to Seadl.bookfunnel.com Summer girl Jeannie spends her last night with local Emma, trying to find a way to force the universe to keep them together in Homer, Alaska—but the universe has other plans.

I have two stories published this year in Interzone. One of them might interest you; it was written in interview format: interzone.digital/the-last-sci...

THE LAST SCIENCE FICTION WRITER: A HALLUCINATION // IZ Digitalinterzone.digital ‘Have you read anything written today that could qualify as science fiction?’ // ‘The Last Science Fiction Writer: A Hallucination’, a story by Fábio Fernandes with art by Dante Luiz

My story in the latest issue of Augur fits that length! It’s a Latin American magic school fantasy with a Bolivian llama herder as a protagonist. You can read an excerpt for free (or I can send you the full story): www.augurmag.com/observations...

Observations on the Strange Occurrences at the Stables of the Macha’cuay School of Magic by Ruth J...www.augurmag.com First, I should say that these stables are themselves strange structures built to house all manner of beasts—both magical and not—and, as such, the exact layout of the school’s stables changes f...

Here's a story about punk demon-fighting tooth fairies! HI LEVAR www.cossmass.com/stories/the-...

I've got two! 1) "A Kiss to Build a Dream On": www.tree-and-stone.com/para-el-pueb... Latine, historical, fairy godparent, queer, noir, romantic (in Alex Brown roundup) 2) "Lips Like Sugar": lunastationquarterly.com/story/lips-l... Working-class ethical vampires, queer, lots of sex thank you!

A Kiss to Build a Dream On by Cynthia Gómez — Tree And Stonewww.tree-and-stone.com Eddie knew it was a mistake to have left the drag show without changing his clothes.

My story "The Morthouse" from The Deadlands: thedeadlands.com/issue-12/the...

I’ve got a short piece that came out in January—it’s a love story between two aliens on opposite sides of a war who get stranded together after a battle. magazine.metaphorosis.com/story/2023/w...

We, You, and the Gallery – Alex Penlandmagazine.metaphorosis.com We had thought ourselves safe, but then you found us in our little ship.

Thanks so much L.D.! Appreciate you as always. My short story "If Someone You Love Has Become A Vurdalak" (4300 words) was published in The Dark; it's about the toll addiction takes on a family. But with vampires. Sort of vampires.

If Someone You Love Has Become a Vurdalak - The Dark Magazinewww.thedarkmagazine.com My brother on my front porch wailing my name, soaking wet and without a jacket in the cold spring rain, with nowhere else in the world to go, wondering why I won’t let him in. My brother crashing at...

Hi L.D.! Here’s my time traveler love story “Time Is An Ocean” (4.2k words) in Strange Horizons: strangehorizons.com/fiction/time... And my story about Chinese sisters, ghosts, and survivor’s guilt “Kwong’s Bath” (3.5k words) in khōréō: www.khoreomag.com/fiction/kwon... Thanks for your time! 🙏

my spec short stories don't like to go below 10K. So I just sit on them hoping they'll flatten out.

I have a queer short story about burnout and sky trains that's within wordcount 🙇 Thank you for the opp, and for all you do in the sff community! 💖 translunartravelerslounge.com/2021/08/15/o...

One Coin, Under Earth, by Jessica Yangtranslunartravelerslounge.com It was said that in the ancient days, heroes walked the earth, as common on the ground as worms after the rain. Of course, the last bit about worms was said only by Jinye’s grandmother, a weathered ...

Feed boost! 🌈📚

This is from 2022 so not actually award-eligible for this year but possibly LeVar would enjoy it -- "The Dragon Project," 3860 words. clarkesworldmagazine.com/kritzer_03_22/

Clarkesworld Magazine - Science Fiction & Fantasyclarkesworldmagazine.com The Dragon Project by Naomi Kritzer

Doesn't have to be award eligible at all! Thanks for sending

I'm very fond of this story I wrote a while ago: www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/brig...

Brightened Star, Ascending Dawn - Lightspeed Magazinewww.lightspeedmagazine.com She sees the universe unfold: color light cold music voice heat passion infinity. It uncurls in waves and song fractals that make up the subatomic fabric of space-time. Melodies of energy sweep her up...

Hi L.D.! I have two stories that could fit: "The Orchard of Tomorrow" (SF, Clarkesworld, 5K): in a world ravaged by climate change, a woman tries to win back her former best friend by telling a tale of the Monkey King. clarkesworldmagazine.com/yu_07_23/ (threading the other)

Clarkesworld Magazine - Science Fiction & Fantasyclarkesworldmagazine.com The Orchard of Tomorrow by Kelsea Yu

"A Scarcity of Sharks" (SF, Reckoning, 4.3K): in a future where (great) white sharks have not been seen for years, a team of scientists sets out to find out if they are truly lost, or if there are still white sharks out there. reckoning.press/a-scarcity-o... Thank you for considering!

A Scarcity of Sharks | Reckoningreckoning.press Bruce is seventeen feet long and would’ve weighed around two tons when he was murdered by a trophy hunter. Killing rare creatures for sport is supposed to be a relic of the past now that most of the...

Also, thank you for posting in public like this. So cool of you.

A little transparency/accessibility never hurt anyone 🫡

But it does add more to your plate, so I know how that can be!

Did we get you a copy of Zen and the Art of Starship Maintenance and Other Stories?

It's on the spreadsheet!

Awesome. I'm also super fond of this piece that came out late last year: www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/the-...

I actually published a short story this year! "Ain't Houses, Ain't Names" over at Sunday Morning Transport. www.sundaymorningtransport.com/p/aint-house...

What about stories that were published in print outlets like F&SF or Analog?

Honestly getting review copies from them is a literal nightmare so I can't promise I'll get it but I'll try!

We could email PDFs?

You can! Drop me a note here and I'll send you my email address: www.ldlewiswrites.com/get-in-touch

Superb! Will do...

Here’s one from this year: lunastationquarterly.com/story/last-l... One from a couple years ago: www.lightspeedmagazine.com/fiction/bone... And another from a couple years ago that’s just been printed online: www.thedarkmagazine.com/the-dreadful... Thanks for considering, happy holiday season ❤️

My story "An Infestation of Blue" is 4,400 words and just ran in the Nov/Dec issue of Analog. (It's not online but here's a manuscript link for you: bit.ly/49uCcvY )

Hi, L.D., I've got one that is melancholic but not too dark. "On Planetary Palliative Care" (4800 w) interzone.digital/on-planetary... And then one that might be too grim, not sure. "Window Boy" (4300 w) clarkesworldmagazine.com/ha_08_23/ Thanks very much for your time!

SO TEMPTING I have two slightly older stories that may be of interest. No links, alas, but I can get you copies (or audio codes or whatever you like) "Mulligan" (~3500) and/ or maybe "The Long Deep Dream" (~6200)

if you've got some pdfs lying around that'd be swell. Older isn't an issue either

I'm sure something can be arranged. Thank you!

Hey--do you mind if I shoot you a note on Instagram about an email address?

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