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Any errors seen below such as typos, miss-labeling of genre or category, wrong link, wrong person mentioned, etc. please state the error in the comments and I will update immediately. Mistakes can happen. I am only human.
MICRO/FLASH FICTION
PROMPT: Only one person can time-travel, and it’s Guy Fieri. - 1013/25 [Comedy]
Jay Wilcox of FOR SALE: Baby Shoes. Good Shit!
The Uneasy Morning - 10/17/25 [Speculative Fiction]
Brittany Kwentua of I’ve Got Stories to Tell
The Woodtown Incident - 10/16/25 [Mystery]
Sergej Klementinovski of Writer’s Odyssey
Pen and Portal - 10/16/25 [Literary Fiction]
Justin Deming of Along the Hudson
SHORT STORY
Voodoo Child… - 10/17/25 [Literary Fiction]
Phillip Slater of Phillip’s Substack
Red - 10/17/25 [Horror]
GrousyGirl of The Shrouded Grouse
By Eleanor Dean - 10/11/25 [Speculative Fiction]
Jenifer Jorgenson of Snark Floats
Weeping Salt Tears of Victory - 10/13/25 [Literary Fiction]
Fionn Flynn of The Strangeness Kit
Shores Parting - 10/16/25 [Literary Fiction]
Jo Green of Life, Killer Plants, and Unionised Seagulls
The Color of Pain - 10/11/25 [Horror]
Layne Mercer of The Vermilion Border
NEW VOICES
Rahab - 10/11/25 [Literary Fiction]
Daniela Clemens of D.M. Clemens [Short Story]
A Kiss of Magic - 10/14/25 [Fantasy]
Corey Evans of Corey’s Story Stack [Short Story]
Here God is Blind - 10/16/25 [Horror]
Coral Evermore of Tales from a Wilted Rose [Micro/Flash Fiction]
A Nordic Baptism - 10/12/25 [Literary Fiction]
Hana A˖ . ݁𝜗𝜚. ݁₊ of Jam Theory [Short Story]
where a memory goes to become a lie - 10/16/25 [Speculative Fiction]
suchaeta of little adventures [Micro/Flash Fiction]
Under the Smother of Branches - 10/16/25 [Speculative Fiction]
Andrew Stratton of Writing in a Corner [Short Story]
The Matron of Hawthorne Hall - 10/17/25 [Horror]
Angelique Fawns of Writing & Selling Stories with Angelique Fawns [Short Story]
The Skin Archivist - 10/17/25 [Speculative Fiction]
Wendy Russell of Sass&Sage’s Substack [Short Story]
WALL OF SERIALS (New Section)
As of last month we removed Short Serials and Serials from our Featured weekly emails, and with good reason. Because we now have a more dedicated page over on TiF Press where you can find ACTIVE serials as well as a list of newly written chapters/episodes for you to choose from. So, if you’re ever in the mood for a longer read:
The TiF Library is a comprehensive list of all stories recommended each week!
Over 2,000 stories to search and choose from!
Use it to find even more fiction to read!
Top in Fiction News
THE DATABASE
The result of last week’s poll is in! 🥁🥁🥁🥁
You’ll notice the name change when you go to the database. The next step is to overhaul the database to make it even easier to navigate in 2026. I’m also looking for some volunteers with an hour or two to spare per week to help me with archiving our database to get it ready for 2026 by closing out 2025. See our new “Help Wanted” section below for more info.
💀 CALLING ALL HORROR SHORT STORY READERS 💀
As we are entering the last 2 weeks of October, I would love to try something new and different! It’s easy to pick up a horror novel by any Stephen King or Tananarive Due out there in the bookstore. But I’d love to know the title and author of short story horrors you’ve read. Whether classic tales or newly discovered. And if you’ve got a link to the story, even better but not required. I’d love to compile a list of some great short stories cause, to be honest, I could use some inspiration. And while I have your attention:
💀 CALLING ALL HORROR WRITERS 💀
If you’ve written (or plan to write) a story and share it beginning October 18th to October 31st I’m looking to feature HORROR fiction exclusively in the next two weekly issues (#43 & #44)! So, whatever story you are writing, whether it be for the occasion or a specific reason, (and as long as it’s not behind a paywall) make sure you fill out the form on the next two Fridays (October 24th and October 31st) so you can be featured! I want to make these next two weeks the largest assortment of horror reads ever! Tell your friends!
TiF Press News
The below are all viewable over on our TiF Press Blog. Check it out today!
[Do you have a non-fiction blog that is related to writing fiction or the fiction industry and you’d like to post it on TiF Press? DM TiF Team and let’s chat about it.]
Keith Long’s ReviewStack
I’m sure you have all seen his work, reviewing fiction, on his Substack Notes, but did you know his reviews can also be found over on TiF Press? See them all here! I just love the images he creates to go along with each of them, too.
Bri Heron’s Bits of Book Marketing
Learn something new, tips and trips, for how to make marketing your work that much easier. Each read is short, sweet, and easily digestible. Why not get started here, today!
Erica Drayton’s For Your Consideration
Putting together an Anthology is hard work and the journey can be different every single time. The same can be said for building and sustaining and brand. Working on the present while simultaneously planning for the future. Let me guide you through it all by sharing some behind-the-scenes on how I manage it all on TiF Press specifically. For Your Consideration will be a bi-monthly blog beginning November 2025.
EVENTS UPDATE
All events listed below can also be found on our Calendar of Events page.
Pentober 2025 (All October Long): 31 days. 31 prompts. Ink, paper, and terror—all written by you. Share your progress by tagging TiF Team on Substack Notes!
Day of Thanks (Nov 24): A chance to give thanks to the writers and stories that inspired you in 2025. More info coming November 17th.
Secret Santa Plot-Swap (Dec 22): Exchange story ideas as gifts, and see how another writer brings yours to life. More info coming November 10th.
HELP WANTED
At Top in Fiction and TiF Press we could always use help and no one knows your particular set of skills better than you! So, if and only if you’re a good fit and have the time, here are some things we need assistance with at present:
DESIGN
I am looking for someone to design the banner for our new Database name. The name is obviously pending as the voting for it has just opened. I’d like an official banner to just consist of a font and maybe some non-obtrusive imagery in the background. I’m not the best at creating these graphics (perhaps you’ve seen my handiwork around) so I’ve learned to lean on those far more skilled than myself in these matters.
ARCHIVIST
As we near the end of the year there is a lot of back-log that needs to be properly catalogued and requires someone with a few minutes/hours a week to devote to helping me organize it all. Also, ability to use Adobe and editing PDFs is a plus.
- Erica Drayton, Editor-in-Chief 😈
If you enjoyed any of these stories, please consider sharing this post everywhere:
So how do you get added to "the wall of serials"? Hypothetically. Also I can't help feeling this is equivalent to containing serials to some niche never to be looked at properly. Please tell me I'm wrong. Why no inclusion in the weekly newsletter just a half arsed link?
Wow! Thank you so much for listing my piece. It is indeed an honor!