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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
Flesh Offered To Divine Fire by Leeron Heywood of Writing from Weird [Fantasy]
Caroline must’ve climbed this windy mountain path hundreds of times, and she swore each trip it got a little longer. (First Line)
She Said, He Said by Scott MacLeod of Son of Ugly [Mystery]
She read her note again, start to finish. (First Line)
Claudia at the Bookshop by Sharron Bassano of LEAVES [Science Fiction]
Martin is a smart man, funny … even a little handsome, in a way, but he is shy and can be a bit slow when it comes to women. (Any Line)
SHORT STORY
Untitled 5 by Trevor Cohen of Spill Your Dreams [Literary Fiction]
Duke Corbel was surprised to receive an invitation to the opening of a new exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art. (First Line)
Second Blood by Anton Anderson of Anton Anderson [Horror]
After finally succeeding, I tie him down with a steel wire using the best shibari techniques and gag the man using a proper tool. (Any Line)
Skating Away by Citizen Jones of The Jones Reader [Literary Fiction]
We didn’t call it ‘going postal’ until the 1990’s, and back in the seventies, there was no euphemistic slang for this kind of rage-borne spectacle. (Any Line)
Taxi by The Radical Individualist of The Radical Individualist [Literary Fiction]
I suppose if you look at just the facts, Sue wasn’t so different from many of us. (Any Line)
The Secret by FranB of Tales at Twilight [Speculative Fiction]
Lucy felt it as soon as she entered the room: a strange familiarity, as if she’d been there before. (First Line)
Death Takes a Vacation by Tina Crossgrove of Existential Dread and Other Hobbies [Speculative Fiction]
Death had not intended to take a vacation. (First Line)
SHORT SERIAL
The last circus and its dragon [Ch. 1] by The Circus Dragon of The Circus Dragon [Fantasy]
Our story begins in the heart of a circus, and for this, dear Reader of mine, you must know a little history. (First Line)
DIRECTORY OF SERIALS
Hey ya’ll,
In just four weeks from now the sign-up sheet will open for all those who want to be a part of our TiF Summit 2027 happening in January. Now, June might seem a bit early to get the ball rolling on this event but when you consider last year I didn’t start this early and had to wrangle organizing 50 people, trust me, I’m glad to be giving myself the extra time.
One of the things a few participants and viewers have asked me about, when it comes to the next TiF Summit is the question of panels and if we’ll be hosting any? My knee-jerk answer is, no. But I want to try and explain why for anyone who may not have heard my explanation I’ve given in the past:
While I appreciate what panels and workshops can offer to writers starting out I’m also well aware of the audience something like TiF Summit is trying to attract. It’s not like your typical writers convention. Yes, we require writers for it to be successful, but the summit is 100% for readers of fiction. And it’s because of this desire to attract readers that I’m not trying to offer something that most readers may not be as interested in.
Now, that’s not to say that writers aren’t readers (of course we are) or that readers don’t have an innermost desire to write their own fiction some day (of course they do). But I hope taking this firm stance on not including workshops and panels will be what makes this annual event unique and different and attractive to readers everywhere.
Also, a small point I’d like to make to the writers out there who have and will participate, in many ways this event is also for you. A chance for you to share your stories in a way that might inspire others. I’m truly not aware of any other event that is so dedicated and devoted to reading stories from all walks of life and genres on a global scale one after another. Whenever I think about it, I get even more excited at the possibilities.
So, while I champion those who have workshops and panels, attending or running their own, Top in Fiction is dedicated to lifting every voice through storytelling!
If you are a writer of fiction, here there and everywhere, then I hope you will consider signing up. And if you’re a reader of fiction, I hope you will take some time to show up for what will be at least 3-days of amazing fiction next January 2027.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS
TiF Summit 2027 Sign-Up (June 15th - August 15th) - Would you like to join us and read your fiction on a Substack Live? You can rewatch many of those Voices here. The quick and easy sign-up to let me know you’re interested begins mid-June but if you’d like to let me know earlier (June 1st) join our Discord here.
Right now I’m looking to fill 75 spots (a 50% increase). Don’t miss out!
SUBSCRIBER UPDATES
Consider becoming a MONTHLY subscriber and you’ll help us reach our goal of paying for exclusive short stories right here on Top in Fiction that you can read early before it is made available to everyone else.
Paid Monthly Subscribers will get early access to the TiF Story Story of the Month, for a period of two weeks, after which time the story will then be made available to all subscribers. Writers will be paid from the monthly subscribers.
- Erica Drayton, Editor-in-Chief 😈
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