Welcome to our weekly meet-up and open call for the best fiction of the week!
OPEN JULY 26 - 28
Fiction Accepted:
Only fiction shared between July 20th - July 26th on Substack!
This open call will be available: NOW until 9pm EST on Sunday, July 28th.
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.
Look for our email on Monday, July 29th 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.
A flashback scene of Milly meeting her future ex-husband: https://whowillsaveher.substack.com/p/39 ... told through perspective of our mysterious narrator character.
Hello, this week I published the second story in a series called Astro's Adventures, about an astronaut test dog (think the Soviet test dog Laika, but in the future) who is evolved by a plasma storm and must find his way home. If it isn't already apparent, this is light hearted science fiction.
"Like Moonlight on Water" is speculative women's fiction — a blend of paranormal and SF with a heavy shot of romantic tension. It's the sequel to "Daughters of Men" (also on Substack).
Good morning! I wrote a piece of crime fiction that came out on Wednesday. Thank you for doing this! I know it’s a lot of work but it’s fun as both a writer and reader!
Do you know where dreams come from? Find out what happens to Gina Walters and her family when they discover the answer to that question in my short story, "Where Dreams Are Born."
Hello, this is my story written for this Top in Fiction. It is a Fantasy story. I have written 31 chapters in Spanish and I am now translating them into English (9 chapters already).
Chapter 17 and 18 of the serialized novel 3 Lives in Jury released July 25. Three lives entwined over 40 years, driven by jealousy, love and the afterlife.
When I sit back and look at what I release during the course of a week, I tell myself it seems a little ridiculous. I also tell myself I need to scale back, but then Throwback Thursday seems like a good idea, I mean when I look at how many readers I had then, in comparison to how many I have now... And then SCI-FI Friday because I put up my STAR WARS story, and people liked it.🤷🏻♂️ And I'm not even including the Saturday release of my chapter for "Locksley", just so I can get it out and get PART TWO up.
And now I have to get ready to do it all over again. A chapter tomorrow; a reading on Sunday; a chapter on Wednesday; Throwback Thursday; Sci-Fi Friday...
This chapter was not in my first draft! I added it during the first revision. The person who then had to read it aloud (that is, me) sort of wished I had not. This one was challenging at the end.
Thanks in advance for considering chapter 9 of my slightly surreal serial novel, "Only by the Grace of the Wind" (published July 22). Title: "Oysters Observing the Sun"
50 word 'comedy' based on Miguel S microdose prompt of 'Scam' (it was left as a reply so posting it here)
He burst into tears, terrified of the disfigurement he had just endured. How could he ever show his face again! Why were the people around him laughing?
He felt his face… wait… his nose was still there. Grandpa Joe had scammed him again! This was the worst sixth birthday ever!
Hello Erica! I would love if you feature my story.
I'm breaking ground here, as this is the very first tale in the setting of the world I'm penning
https://themagiclantern.substack.com/p/the-memoir-of-captain-enlizo-crask
Thank you, really appreciate your effort in putting these together.
Perhaps it's worth pointing out that the artwork in this story is also done by myself. I am not always sure that is clear
https://www.becomestorybound.com/p/bits-of-fun
Thank you 🙏
Little bit of horror, little bit of literary fiction, but mainly myth:
https://irisshaw.substack.com/p/galatea-pygmalion
A flashback scene of Milly meeting her future ex-husband: https://whowillsaveher.substack.com/p/39 ... told through perspective of our mysterious narrator character.
Hello, this week I published the second story in a series called Astro's Adventures, about an astronaut test dog (think the Soviet test dog Laika, but in the future) who is evolved by a plasma storm and must find his way home. If it isn't already apparent, this is light hearted science fiction.
https://www.davidjace.com/p/mettle-fish
Hi! I released a new chapter of my novel-in-progress on Monday...thanks for considering it! https://jmartain.substack.com/p/like-moonlight-on-water-chapter-16
"Like Moonlight on Water" is speculative women's fiction — a blend of paranormal and SF with a heavy shot of romantic tension. It's the sequel to "Daughters of Men" (also on Substack).
Thank you for what you've organized here! :)
Good morning! I wrote a piece of crime fiction that came out on Wednesday. Thank you for doing this! I know it’s a lot of work but it’s fun as both a writer and reader!
https://open.substack.com/pub/jackconlan/p/executive-man?r=3oefic&utm_medium=ios
I wrote these for World Anvil Summer Camp and am really proud of them 😄
An ancient tome supposedly containing unholy material and rumoured to be in the possession of the strongest organization in Caelumen:
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/caelumen-coolg1319/a/tome-of-magic-and-spells-document
Must be worn by every angel as a sign of their faith lest they are seen as heretics:
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/caelumen-coolg1319/a/rosary-item
The strongest and most valuable metal in Oceanus Agrum and second most valuable in Caelumen:
https://www.worldanvil.com/w/caelumen-coolg1319/a/livaen-material
Thanks for sharing, but are these also on Substack? The Top in Fiction is just to highlight fiction stories shared on Substack.
Ah okay. They are:
https://open.substack.com/pub/coolg1319/p/items-of-belief-rosaries?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=41wjes
https://open.substack.com/pub/coolg1319/p/mysterious-documents-tome-of-magic?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=41wjes
And
https://open.substack.com/pub/coolg1319/p/important-materials-livaen?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=41wjes
Do you know where dreams come from? Find out what happens to Gina Walters and her family when they discover the answer to that question in my short story, "Where Dreams Are Born."
https://billadler.substack.com/p/where-dreams-are-born
I will toss my reluctant hat in the ring.
Magical Realism short story.
https://open.substack.com/pub/creativemystic/p/freedom-is-a-four-letter-word?r=215lps&utm_medium=ios
Hello, this is my story written for this Top in Fiction. It is a Fantasy story. I have written 31 chapters in Spanish and I am now translating them into English (9 chapters already).
https://algunashistorias.substack.com/p/a-side-story-from-the-origins-the
Thank you.
New Shoes - A flash fiction piece set after the end of the world, as a man remembers his life while walking through a shoestore
https://mcosmosnewstrom.substack.com/p/new-shoes
Gomti and Hari - The woman who stole money every night and her husband who earned it. Literary fiction.
https://theindianstory.substack.com/p/gomti
https://open.substack.com/pub/studyofthemistress/p/yavie-rus-adventures-a1d?r=43ls5x&utm_medium=ios
Here’s my contribution. It is part 3 in an ongoing story arc. ☺️
Dunno if you will feel this is a fit, but it’s my fantasy fiction podcast with original short story. Published the 21st.
https://open.substack.com/pub/magicalmanifestationspodcast/p/episode-2-a-dragon-named-hildagar?r=u1xdm&utm_medium=ios
I just posted a short story I co-wrote with my late son. It's literary fiction:
https://tiffanychu.substack.com/p/the-world-dies-first-time-memory
Thank you!
Teaser for one of my novels (works as self-contained short fiction)
https://billhiatt.substack.com/p/comedy-or-tragedy?r=1fo54h
Part 3 of my novelization of the Epic of Gilgamesh
https://billhiatt.substack.com/p/evil-omens?r=1fo54h
Chapter 17 and 18 of the serialized novel 3 Lives in Jury released July 25. Three lives entwined over 40 years, driven by jealousy, love and the afterlife.
https://open.substack.com/pub/terryfries/p/3-lives-in-jury-chapter-17?r=1uaih4&utm_medium=ios
https://open.substack.com/pub/terryfries/p/3-lives-in-jury-chapter-18?r=1uaih4&utm_medium=ios
Short story as bonus material to the serialized novel 3 Lives in Jury. Released July 24. No paywall
My Stalker, My Friend.
https://open.substack.com/pub/tfries/p/my-stalker-my-friend?r=1uaih4&utm_medium=ios
Sam is the chief of security at the Coven, a retreat dedicated to healing women amidst a the corporate hellscape. This is her latest adventure.
https://kenwolfson.substack.com/p/love-and-poetry-and-forgiveness?r=2f2488
When I sit back and look at what I release during the course of a week, I tell myself it seems a little ridiculous. I also tell myself I need to scale back, but then Throwback Thursday seems like a good idea, I mean when I look at how many readers I had then, in comparison to how many I have now... And then SCI-FI Friday because I put up my STAR WARS story, and people liked it.🤷🏻♂️ And I'm not even including the Saturday release of my chapter for "Locksley", just so I can get it out and get PART TWO up.
For Sunday, on my STORIES, AFTER EIGHT, I put up my video "reading" of my newest Novella: THE TRUTH OF WHO WE ARE: https://open.substack.com/pub/benwoestenburg/p/the-truth-of-who-we-are-f7e?r=254e8w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
On Wednesday, I put up the full chapter 7 of my SERIAL NOVEL: THE SHIELD OF LOCKSLEY: https://open.substack.com/pub/benwoestenburg/p/the-shield-of-locksley-2b2?r=254e8w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
For Throwback Thursday, I put up older posts (with links):
https://open.substack.com/pub/benwoestenburg/p/in-days-of-vast-daring?r=254e8w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
And for SCI-FI Friday, I added to Chapter Five of my STAR WARS story: https://open.substack.com/pub/benwoestenburg/p/in-the-shadow-of-the-mandalore-bed?r=254e8w&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
And now I have to get ready to do it all over again. A chapter tomorrow; a reading on Sunday; a chapter on Wednesday; Throwback Thursday; Sci-Fi Friday...
Hi Erica, Put this in the comments on the restack so here it is again :-
https://open.substack.com/pub/danielodonnell/p/travelling-on?r=2bfxud&utm_medium=ios
Thanks very much 🙏
Emilie may like education, but she does go outside sometimes: https://open.substack.com/pub/dragonwriterluc/p/whats-a-dragon-chapter-3
(Genre: middle grade fantasy)
This chapter was not in my first draft! I added it during the first revision. The person who then had to read it aloud (that is, me) sort of wished I had not. This one was challenging at the end.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sonofugly/p/elephant-graveyard?r=2sz29p&utm_medium=ios
Flash Noir published July 21. By an old man about an old man.
Thanks in advance for considering chapter 9 of my slightly surreal serial novel, "Only by the Grace of the Wind" (published July 22). Title: "Oysters Observing the Sun"
https://benzalkind.substack.com/p/chapter-9-oysters-observing-the-sun
My first short horror, free to read. Like Hansel & Gretel but with heroin addicts!
https://open.substack.com/pub/shortshivers/p/mamas-boy?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2tqike
Another short story from me, general fiction. published this morning.
https://jaunpierre.substack.com/p/the-fightback
Another short story from me, general fiction. published this morning.
https://jaunpierre.substack.com/p/the-fightback
I have three pieces for consideration this week...
100 word 'horror'/childhood wrecker
https://substack.com/home/post/p-146946907
100 word dark political satire/commentary
https://substack.com/home/post/p-146988612
50 word 'comedy' based on Miguel S microdose prompt of 'Scam' (it was left as a reply so posting it here)
He burst into tears, terrified of the disfigurement he had just endured. How could he ever show his face again! Why were the people around him laughing?
He felt his face… wait… his nose was still there. Grandpa Joe had scammed him again! This was the worst sixth birthday ever!
Fifty Word Fiction published today
The Alternate (Science Fiction & Thriller)
https://open.substack.com/pub/toastedfiction/p/the-alternate?r=1gq5r9&utm_medium=ios
Throwing this twisted little gem into the ring this week. Published 7/23. Genre? Twilight Zone. 👽 https://open.substack.com/pub/stockfiction/p/the-thief?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=tftu6
Short story, published today (no paywall).
https://storiesofmanykinds.substack.com/p/we-need-to-talk-mrs-kafka