Great Short Stories
A short story is the perfect bite of food, the heart of the watermelon. Read on for my favorites and fun facts about writers and writing. --Darcy Alvey
Excited to announce that my story Giver of Life has been nominated for the O. Henry Prize by Red Rock Review.
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Julie Otsuka:
Diem Perdidi
It's all about structure and rhythm in this story about a daughter dealing with her mother's Alzheimer's disease.
Annie Proulx:
Bedrock
As the story unfolds, Perley, a middle-aged widower, remarries, only to realize his new wife ...
Etgar Keret:
Crazy Glue
Crazy Glue has me laughing out loud every time I read it. Out loud. ...
Kevin Moffett:
Bears Among the Living
It’s like Moffett’s sitting next to us on the couch, sharing whatever comes to mind, ...
Shirley Jackson:
The Lottery
Is Jackson taking a jab at “small town America” or is it, according to one literary critic, “a chilling tale of conformity gone mad?”
Pam Houston:
Selway
Danger warnings are everywhere as the story unfolds. Night is coming on. The water keeps rising until it’s off-the-charts high.
Deborah Eisenberg:
Some Other, Better Otto
There’s a better Otto possible and he knows it. Still, much as he’d like, he can’t bring himself to be that person.
Mona Simpson: Lawns
Dealing with a new boyfriend, problematic parents, father especially, and a part-time job with unexpected benefits. ...
Free websites that celebrate the short story:
NarrativeMagazine.com
LibraryofShortStories.com
The New Yorker
Electric Literature
Wattpad
Granta
Tor.com
Lightspeed Magazine
American Short Fiction
Quotes:
“Children, everybody, here's what to do during war: In a time of destruction, create something. A poem. A parade. A community. A school. A vow. A moral principle. One peaceful moment.”
― Maxine Hong Kingston, professor emerita at the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated with a B.A. in English in 1962. Kingston has written three novels and several works of non-fiction about the experiences of Chinese Americans.
Fun Facts:
It has been widely reported that Gertrude Stein's final words to Toklas were, "What is the answer?" With no reply forthcoming, Stein followed with, "In that case, what is the question?"