Original flash fiction submissions now open. Submission window closes Mar. 31.
The Oracle at Delphi
Reading Time: 14 minutesThe salesman of a device that predicts the immediate future finds himself in the pitch meeting of his life when he’s taken hostage by a trio of armed criminals.
Blood and Saltwater
Reading Time: 2 minutesA mermaid’s lament over her murdered lover, and her call to wage war against those who killed him.
Come Back Yesterday
Reading Time: 7 minutesA man learns of his destiny when he discovers the body of the mother he never knew. A letter left at he scene is hard to believe.
Renna’s Crossing Chapter 2: Renna’s Room
Reading Time: 12 minutesSurely Job had a Reason for coming to see her, with lots of Relevant Information and perhaps even some Responsibilities. She didn’t know, so she was nervous. She wanted them to speak first and get on with it.
Act of God: In The Beginning
Reading Time: 6 minutesEarth is facing a coming ice age. Humanity has marshaled its technology and resources in an attempt to delay the great cold; a diversion necessary to maintain hope for the people. But some few know the truth. There is little hope left on Earth. But there may still be hope in the stars.
Our God is a Jealous God
Reading Time: 12 minutesA woman seeks healing at an isolated ranch in the southwest. It goes as expected until it doesn’t.
Providence Will Provide
Reading Time: 4 minutesNaima has everything she needs, and everything she wants, and more besides. Providence does just what it says: whatever you need, it provides. Coming here was the right thing to do, the best thing. Coming here was the only thing that made sense. Coming here was Naima’s idea, after all.
car·niv·o·rous
Reading Time: 19 minutesA detective investigating a string of gristly murders comes face to face with an unimaginable horror.
Renna’s Crossing Chapter 1: The Visitor, Twelve Years Later
Reading Time: 13 minutesJob, a youthful but accomplished witch, has come to the foster home of Inglenook to meet with 16-year old Renna Porter. Their purpose is a mystery even to the three dads of the foster home, but Job’s quiet tension indicates sudden change incoming.
Audit
Reading Time: 8 minutesIn the future, the government conducts regular audits of people’s thoughts in order to root out criminals and to prevent corporate fraud. A young man discovers a hack on the black market that allows him to have his objectionable thoughts overwritten with benevolent thoughts. Naturally, however, there is a catch.
Transference
Reading Time: 4 minutesDr Peters’ new patient suffers from a particularly unpleasant recurring nightmare but, after a session with the doctor, it seems that the ‘fetus-man’ has gone away for good.
The Coffee Shop
Reading Time: 4 minutesA celebrated sci fi author gets annoyed by fans constantly tracking him down at his favorite writing haunts and pitching him with ideas.
The Significance of the Ostrich
Reading Time: 4 minutesJoin Anya Lasagna on a tour of the Historic Ballyhoo Place World Heritage Site! Marvel together at the ingenuity, whimsy and stoicism with which old-style humans once faced the endless vicissitudes of their own bleak reality.*Parking validation available on request.
Traveler
Reading Time: 25 minutesVera and Sorrow thought they were going to the Facing Cities to intercept a missive sent by their enemies, the League. What happened next was…unexpected.
In the Shadow of the Lotus Tree
Reading Time: 4 minutesWhat would you give up in order to be young again?
Adventures of Mmuo
Reading Time: 4 minutesA pagan’s curse, said in jest, comes back to haunt her.
A Taste of Evil
Reading Time: 4 minutesAn old vending machine serves up more than just a stale Devil Dog.
A Bend in Space
Reading Time: 4 minutesSometimes you need to travel a long way to find yourself.
The Dark Side of Sweet Corn
Reading Time: 8 minutesThe corn field across the road had always been a part of the landscape, a quiet presence that whispered in the wind and marked the seasons with its growth. This year, though, something was different.
Renna’s Crossing Chapter 3: The Visitor, Twelve Years Prior
Reading Time: 11 minutesSomething from the direction of the forest made them turn about sharply, muscles tensed, a reflex with no apparent trigger. Mab put her thick, gnarled hand upon Job’s shoulder. “A bad visitor. Reeking of sulfur and forgotten hate.”
The Curio Shop
Reading Time: 4 minutesA blind man makes a deal with the devil that doesn’t work out as he had hoped.
The Oracle at Delphi
Reading Time: 14 minutesThe salesman of a device that predicts the immediate future finds himself in the pitch meeting of his life when he’s taken hostage by a trio of armed criminals.
Blood and Saltwater
Reading Time: 2 minutesA mermaid’s lament over her murdered lover, and her call to wage war against those who killed him.
Come Back Yesterday
Reading Time: 7 minutesA man learns of his destiny when he discovers the body of the mother he never knew. A letter left at he scene is hard to believe.
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Writing Advice of the Week
Telling The Two-Sided Story
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What is it about the books of Terry Pratchett that make them so difficult to adapt to the screen?
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Two authors are suing OpenAI for training ChatGPT with their books. Could they win?
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Publishers aren’t going to replace writers with AI. Startups are already doing it.
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SFWA Announces 59th Nebula Awards Finalists
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MetaStellar is Accepting Flash Fiction Submissions for Spring 2024!
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe spring 2024 submission cycle for original speculative fiction runs from March 1st and closes at midnight on March 31st. We’re looking for your best enthralling, imaginative, or bone-chilling original fiction stories of 1,200 words or fewer. Please visit our flash fiction submission page for full details and the online submission form. Accepted authors will […]
Metastellar Open for Fall 2023 Flash Fiction Submissions Oct 1st
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ON WRITING
James S. Corey, Brent Weeks, Ann Leckie, and other authors teach free virtual writing course
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Dall-E 3 looks great, but lacks respect for artist rights
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Adobe Express offers free AI art and is out of beta
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Can Claude AI fix your grammar mistakes? No, it can’t, but there’s an AI that will.
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