Welcome to our weekly meet-up and open call for the best fiction of the week!
OPEN OCTOBER 18 - 19
Fiction Accepted:
Only fiction shared between October 12th - October 18th on Substack!
This open call will be available: NOW until 9pm EST on Saturday, October 19th.
Self-promotion of your fiction is welcome!
Leave a link of the story in the comments. Please say the GENRE as well (if applicable).
Submit as many as you want, so long as they were written and shared during the window mentioned above.
TEMPLATE FOR RECOMMENDATION
Copy/Paste in Comments Section. Anyone who does not use the template will be passed over for selection.
Story Title: Writer: [Substack Name] Genre: [See NOTE below] Type: [Choose 1: Poetry, Micro/Flash Fiction, Short Story, Short Serial, or Serial] URL: [Must be a Substack URL] Note: If you’d like to say a little something about your recommendation/self-promotion for anyone who happens upon this comments section in search of something new to read.
Genre can often be difficult to pin down or explain. And, if given the opportunity, we’d likely choose 3+ genres to try and explain our story but that can easily cause confusion for readers. So, I urge, nay INSIST, you only list ONE genre for your story. Using a “/” or “-” does not count as ONE genre and will be passed over for consideration. Some key exceptions are Sci-Fi, Cli-Fi, Spec-Fic, & Lit-Fic.
Feel free to include “extra genres” in the Note area where you can say whatever you want about your story.
Look for our email on Monday, October 21st where the Top In Fiction list will appear in your inbox! You never know what new gems you’ll discover. All we ask in return is that you share Top In Fiction to your email list and Restack the post on Monday in Substack Notes.
Note: I posted this on the 14th. However, it was originally published twenty years ago, just in case that disqualifies it. It's set in Scotland and follows a young woman who has been sent to a village to look after her great aunt. There she uses her beautiful singing voice to tell other people's stories.
Note: This one comes with a CONTENT WARNING for disturbing content. Not gore, but other taboo issues. If you want to pass on it, that's fine. It's well worth reading, I think, but it's not for everyone.
Note: A tale of love, loss, and self-discovery as Aster navigates life after his partner Kyren leaves, finding new purpose and hope in an unexpected place.
Note: Meet the boy who whisks Tessa, the new girl from the Wilds, out of the path of danger and convinces her public high school is not as horrible as she thinks it's going to be. More of his POV will be available in 2025 after Shattered, book one of the FORGED Series, is released.
Note: Joseph awakes one day while out of town to find he has aged 60 years in one night. Follow along as he searches for what brought him to this state, his life and the nature of knowledge and wisdom.
Note: Elswyth is awakened after a terrifying night of being pursued by an unknown presence, but she soon discovers she’s not alone. She finally meets the one who has been guiding her, revealing a path to safety.
Note: I am not sure whether this qualifies for TiF, although you do list 'poetry' in the 'type' category, and there's a certain otherworldly/speculative sense to the poetry in the url. It's difficult to pin down a lot of poetry into 'genre', hence the question mark. So please do let me know if it qualifies (I won't be upset if it doesn't!). Do you have any guidelines for poetry? How does poetry fit into 'fiction', I mean?
Writer: Peter Shull - lower midlist
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Short Story
URL: https://pshull.substack.com/p/prague-a-short-story
Note: First line: "I knew the poet before he was famous."
Thank you!
Writer: K.M. McKellar
Genre: Literary
Type: Short story
URL: https://karenmckellar.substack.com/p/songs-of-contentment-ended
Note: I posted this on the 14th. However, it was originally published twenty years ago, just in case that disqualifies it. It's set in Scotland and follows a young woman who has been sent to a village to look after her great aunt. There she uses her beautiful singing voice to tell other people's stories.
Story Title: A Restitution
Writer: A.P. Murphy
Genre: Horror
Type: Short Story
URL: https://thestrangenesskit.substack.com/p/a-restitution
Note: This one comes with a CONTENT WARNING for disturbing content. Not gore, but other taboo issues. If you want to pass on it, that's fine. It's well worth reading, I think, but it's not for everyone.
Story Title: The Last Customer
Writer: Harsh Munjal
Genre: Drama
Type: Short Story
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/harshmunjal/p/the-last-customer?r=axagv&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Note: My prompt for the story was to see if I could evoke emotion in my readers for an inanimate object.
Title: Tranith Argan Fantasy Serial
Writer: Nick Richards
Genre: Literary Fiction (High Fantasy)
Type: Serial
URL: https://tranithargan.substack.com/p/chapter-seven-pross-and-jela
Note: This is chapter 7 of book 3. If you are new, you can start here, plus maps: https://tranithargan.substack.com/p/tranith-argan-complete-table-of-contents
Story Title: The Wish
Writer: Rostislava Pankova-Karadjova
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Flash Fiction
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/rostislava/p/the-wish?r=zcxsb&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Note: Inspired by the music of Debussy’s Reverie
Thank you!
Story Title: Umberto and the Duke
Writer: A. A. Kostas
Genre: Literary, Magical Realism
Type: Short Story
URL: https://waymarkers.substack.com/p/umberto-and-the-duke
Note: A story dealing with the problem of evil.
Title: Dorsey, Reclaimed
Author: Thomas Foydel
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Short Story
Url: https://falsechoices.substack.com/p/dorsey-reclaimed
Note: Growing older is not a choice, but how we use our time and with whom are the choices that define us.
One more,
Title: Club 311
Writer: Richard Davis
Genre: Literary fiction
Type: Short
URL:
https://open.substack.com/pub/richarddavis565153/p/club-311?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=46o1cl
Thank you.
Here we go,
Writer: Richard Davis
Genre: Experimental fiction
Type: Flash / Short
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/richarddavis565153/p/dope-general?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=46o1cl
Title: Cinder Hollow (Part 1)
Writer: Stephen Duffy (Short Shivers)
Genre: Horror
Type: Short Serial
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/shortshivers/p/cinder-hollow-part-1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2tqike
Title: The Birthday Wish
Writer: Stephen Duffy (Short Shivers)
Genre: Horror
Type: Short Story
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/shortshivers/p/the-birthday-wish?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2tqike
Thank you, Erica!
Story Title: Until the Sun Sets Again
Writer: Notes from the Town Hermit
Genre: Romance
Type: Short Story
URL: https://tiffanychu.substack.com/p/until-the-sun-sets-again
Note: A tale of love, loss, and self-discovery as Aster navigates life after his partner Kyren leaves, finding new purpose and hope in an unexpected place.
Story Title: How I write or…Monkey Brain
Writer: Irshaad
Genre: Satire
Type: Flash Fiction
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/unfinishedspeedwriting/p/how-i-write-ormonkey-brain?r=2qufyf&utm_medium=ios
Note: A silly and fun bit of satirical humor on writers writing about how they write.
Story Title: Twisted Up Like a New York City Pretzel
Writer: Irshaad
Genre: Humor
Type: Flash Fiction
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/unfinishedspeedwriting/p/twisted-up-like-a-new-york-city-pretzel?r=2qufyf&utm_medium=ios
Note: The plight of a contortionist and an encounter with a pretzel wagon.
Story Title: The Weight of Survival
Writer: Amanda Saint (The Mindful Writer)
Genre: Lit-Fic
Type: Flash Fiction
URL: https://themindfulwriter.substack.com/p/flash-fiction-friday-9e8
Thanks for your help with this
Story title: One Small Step
Writer: Terry Fries
Genre: literary fiction
Type: short story
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/tfries/p/one-small-jump?r=1uaih4&utm_medium=ios
Note: A prequel character origin story to the novel Three Lives of Jury
Story Title: Battles Beneath the Stars- Metrophanes: Flying Solo
Writer: William F Edwards
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Serial
URL: https://warthogreport.substack.com/p/metrophanes-flying-solo
Note: This serial is done in the style of a fighting game script and walkthrough.
Story Title: What's a Dragon? - Chapter 15
Writer: Dragon Writer Luc
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Serial
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/dragonwriterluc/p/whats-a-dragon-chapter-15
Note: Unpleasant as it may be, Emilie keeps her promises.
Story Title: When She Kissed the Earth
Writer: Keith Loser - Loser’s Fiction
Genre: Horror
Type: Short Story
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/losersflashfiction/p/anthology-short-when-she-kissed-the?r=3517l8&utm_medium=ios
Note: this is part three of five in the Anthology of Hidden Places.
Story Title: #1 Crush: Isaiah Rescues The New Girl
Writer: @cbmason
Genre: Dystopian
Type: Short Story
URL: https://cbmason.substack.com/p/love-interest-isaiah-rescues-new-girl?r=3o0pm0
Note: Meet the boy who whisks Tessa, the new girl from the Wilds, out of the path of danger and convinces her public high school is not as horrible as she thinks it's going to be. More of his POV will be available in 2025 after Shattered, book one of the FORGED Series, is released.
Story Title: Final Score
Writer: Scott MacLeod/Son of Ugly
Genre: Sports
Type: Flash Fiction
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/sonofugly/p/final-score?r=2sz29p&utm_medium=ios
Note: The Shining meets The Natural
Title: AT NIGHT WE PAINT THE STARS
BEN WOESTENBURG @ SCRIBBLER -- THE GOLDEN YEARS
Genre: LIT/FIC
Type:SHORT SERIAL
https://benwoestenburg.substack.com/p/throwback-thursday-d9c
And for my second entry...
Title: FREEDOM HOUSE
Writer: Ben Woestenburg @ Scribbler -- the Golden Years
Genre: Lit/Fic
Type: Novella
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/benwoestenburg/p/freedom-house-8b7?r=254e8w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Story Title: Squiggly Lines
Writer: Oscar Ruto Chemelil
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Short Story
URL:https://open.substack.com/pub/oscarruto/p/squiggly-lines?r=1of53q&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Note: How many monsters are real because you created them?
Good morning,
Writer: Zackary San Martin
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Serial Novelette
URL: https://zackarys.substack.com/s/substantive-change
Note: Joseph awakes one day while out of town to find he has aged 60 years in one night. Follow along as he searches for what brought him to this state, his life and the nature of knowledge and wisdom.
Thank you!
Story Title: Child of Light [Ch. 5: Dream or Reality?]
Writer: Diana Hannay of Fickle and Whimsy
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Serial
URL: https://fickleandwhimsy.substack.com/p/child-of-light-chapter-5
Note: Elswyth is awakened after a terrifying night of being pursued by an unknown presence, but she soon discovers she’s not alone. She finally meets the one who has been guiding her, revealing a path to safety.
Writer: Evelyn Brunswick
Genre: Lit-fic?
Type: Poetry
URL: https://inadifferentplace.substack.com/p/this-is-what-real-poetry-looks-like?r=2s9hod
Note: I am not sure whether this qualifies for TiF, although you do list 'poetry' in the 'type' category, and there's a certain otherworldly/speculative sense to the poetry in the url. It's difficult to pin down a lot of poetry into 'genre', hence the question mark. So please do let me know if it qualifies (I won't be upset if it doesn't!). Do you have any guidelines for poetry? How does poetry fit into 'fiction', I mean?
Good morning! Thank you for this!
Story Title: Mother of Bread, Mother of Vinegar
Writer: Sal Randolph (Free Words)
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Micro Fiction
Url: https://salrandolph.substack.com/p/mother-of-bread-mother-of-vinegar
Note: A pair of very short pieces.