Welcome to our weekly meet-up and open call for the best fiction of the week!
OPEN SEPTEMBER 27 - 28
Fiction Accepted:
Only fiction shared between September 21st - September 27th on Substack!
This open call will be available: NOW until 9pm EST on Saturday, September 28th.
Self-promotion of your fiction is welcome!
Leave a link of the story in the comments.
Submit as many as you want, so long as they were written and shared during the window mentioned above.
TEMPLATE FOR RECOMMENDATION
Copy/Paste in Comments Section. Anyone who does not use the template will be passed over for selection.
Story Title: Writer: [Substack Name] Genre: [See NOTE below] Type: [Choose 1: Poetry, Micro/Flash Fiction, Short Story, Short Serial, or Serial] URL: [Must be a Substack URL] Note: If you’d like to say a little something about your recommendation/self-promotion for anyone who happens upon this comments section in search of something new to read.
Genre can often be difficult to pin down or explain. And, if given the opportunity, we’d likely choose 3+ genres to try and explain our story but that can easily cause confusion for readers. So, I urge, nay INSIST, you only list ONE genre for your story. Using a “/” or “-” does not count as ONE genre and will be passed over for consideration. Some key exceptions are Sci-Fi, Cli-Fi, Spec-Fic, & Lit-Fic.
List of Popular Genre Fiction: Science-Fiction OR Sci-Fi / Literary Fiction OR Lit-Fic / Speculative Fiction OR Spec-Fic / Climate Fiction OR Cli-FI / Fantasy / Horror / Thriller / Romance / Historical / Mystery / Comedy / Folklore / Dystopian / Young Adult
This list is in no way “complete.” For instance, you may choose “Crime” in place of Mystery or “Suspense” in place of Thriller. There are hundreds of genres to choose from. A good source of research, if your story does not fit into one of the above commonly used genres, is this page.
Feel free to include “extra genres” in the Note area where you can say whatever you want about your story.
Look for our email on Monday, September 30th 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.
Note: The Goddess that lived amongst men, Karma's laughter healed but her anger burnt. That day she laughed and laughed and laughed till they all cried.
This part can be read as a standalone. Can be read first or at the last of the serial Kulgera.
Note: In the middle of the last century, we took our first tentative steps out beyond the atmosphere and then on to the Moon. But what happened to those visions of the future from the 1960s? Generations were left orphaned by progress that ground to a halt, the future which was promised and never came to fruition.
“Orphans of Apollo” is an alternative history/science fiction story of those who fought to regain that future.
Note: One day, humans will discover another habitable planet somewhere out there in the cold, dark universe. What will it take to go there and put a human footprint on it? The story begins here.
Note: In 1610, Galileo Galilei published Sidereus Nuncius. In 2005, a replica was created and sold as an authenticate first edition for half a million dollars. This story is inspired by that process of replication and what it means to be an artist.
Note: Boys and girls on their way to becoming men and women. It's a fraught time, filled with tough lessons. Funny how story ideas come into your head. I was recently near a marina and the clank of the pulleys on the mast reminded me of a time on the Detroit River, the sailors and the clubs. Enjoy!
The morning after Flur got her fondest wish, Ria woke to find herself in Rhyslin's bed, with no idea how she got there. This leads to a family drama that could almost be funny, except it isn't.
Note: Thanks Erica and TiF team. Centenary is a serial novel set in the senior community of Living Well Towers. It's comprised of 100-word flash fiction pieces published (almost) every weekday. I struggle to consider whether to list these as Serial or Flash Fiction for your purposes, since they are both. This week I'm submitting Day 72, which published on Thursday 26 Sept, for your consideration -- it's one of five 100-word stories that published this week.
Note: The latest entry into my Rundellfall series - join Sheriff Ratcliff as he learns more about the Fey plot to destroy Rundell, and watch as Iatr & Klem accidentally provoke a violent response from the King's Guard towards an otherwise annoying but peaceful protest.
Note: Fate is written in the stars. A young seer must grapple with his own destiny and the profound bond he shares with his sister in the face of terminal illness.
Note: When Rori finds proof her dad’s death was no accident, it forces her to solve the puzzle of his dark past — and the strange occurrences at the abandoned lab he once guarded.
A horror story told entirely through text messages. All parts are free until October 7.
Note: Stories are written against a timer, hence the “Frantic Writing” Substack name. Usually the stories are wacky and silly, a lot of them with a scifi vibe. It’s basically whatever my mind can come up with while the timer is running. This one was just a quick gross out story.
Note: Last chapter we left Elswyth at the bookshop door, startled by the man who appeared before her. Who is this man, and why has he come? The answers unravel in Chapter 3 of Child of Light: Friend or Foe, where unsettling truths begin to surface.
Note: Tragic news regarding the death of a young professional at EY—reportedly due to work-related burnout—has been circulating in Indian media for the past few weeks. Having spent considerable time in the corporate world, I find myself reflecting on the delicate interplay between work and life. This story is a result of my emotional response to that news and serves as a raw expression of my sentiments.
Story Title: It’s Just a Bad Dream
Writer: Dans Deliberations
Genre: Horror
Type: Micro Fiction
URL: https://danielodonnell.substack.com/p/its-just-a-bad-dream?r=2bfxud
Note: A story about nightmares and understanding how real they are.
Story Title: No Rest for the Wicked
Writer: Kerry Sutherland
Genre: literary fiction
Type: short story
URL: https://substack.com/@henryjamesgirl/p-149183205
Note: Haunted by the ghost of her abusive husband, an elderly woman believes a family curse can't hurt her when she isn't in the house.
Story Title: Swallow
Writer: Smriti Iyer
Genre : Literary Fiction
Type: Short Story
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/smritiiyer/p/swallow?r=394ku&utm_medium=ios
Story title: Queen of Kulgera
Writer: Isha Jain
Genre: Speculative fiction
Type: Stand-alone/ Part of Serial
URL: https://theindianstory.substack.com/p/queen-of-kulgera
Note: The Goddess that lived amongst men, Karma's laughter healed but her anger burnt. That day she laughed and laughed and laughed till they all cried.
This part can be read as a standalone. Can be read first or at the last of the serial Kulgera.
Story Title: Orphans of Apollo
Writer: Alex Turnbull
Genre: Sci-fi
Type: Serial
URL: https://amturnbull.substack.com/s/orphans-of-apollo
Note: In the middle of the last century, we took our first tentative steps out beyond the atmosphere and then on to the Moon. But what happened to those visions of the future from the 1960s? Generations were left orphaned by progress that ground to a halt, the future which was promised and never came to fruition.
“Orphans of Apollo” is an alternative history/science fiction story of those who fought to regain that future.
Story Title: Journey to Kyron - The Journey Begins
Writer: Shoni
Genre: Sci-fi
Type: Serial
URL: https://shonistar.substack.com/p/journey-to-kyron-the-journey-begins
Note: One day, humans will discover another habitable planet somewhere out there in the cold, dark universe. What will it take to go there and put a human footprint on it? The story begins here.
Story Title: He Never Wore It
Writer: Nick Buchheit
Genre: Drama
Type: Flash Fiction/ Micro Fiction
URL:https://open.substack.com/pub/thisnickwrites/p/he-never-wore-it?r=mruzz&utm_medium=ios
Note: A father ignores a phone call he should take while cleaning out his son's room.
Story Title: His Signature and the Moon
Writer: Cameron Scott, Verse
Genre: Historical Fiction
Type: Short Story
URL: https://cameronscott.substack.com/p/his-signature-and-the-moon
Note: In 1610, Galileo Galilei published Sidereus Nuncius. In 2005, a replica was created and sold as an authenticate first edition for half a million dollars. This story is inspired by that process of replication and what it means to be an artist.
Story Title: A Slap in the Face
Writer: Thomas Foydel
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Short Story
Url: https://falsechoices.substack.com/p/a-slap-in-the-face
Note: Boys and girls on their way to becoming men and women. It's a fraught time, filled with tough lessons. Funny how story ideas come into your head. I was recently near a marina and the clank of the pulleys on the mast reminded me of a time on the Detroit River, the sailors and the clubs. Enjoy!
Story Title: The Battle for Mother’s Sea-rice Cakes
Writer: The Môrdreigiau Chronicles
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Short story
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/projectstarfish/p/the-battle-for-mothers-sea-rice-cakes?r=1mk6at&utm_medium=ios
Story Title: In the Black of It
Writer: Sandolore Sykes “In the Inversion Field”
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Short Story
URL: https://sandolore.substack.com/p/in-the-black-of-it
Note: This is a story about smells and about going feral. It is about savagery and lust.
Story Title: Tale of 2 Cities
Writer: Natalie Phillips
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Serial
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/plottedout/p/tale-of-2-cities-ep-33-looped
Note: This was the finale to Natalie's long-running, time-distorting, episodic fantasy novel. Congratulations Natalie.
The morning brings newfound family drama
by JosephWiess
Fantasy
Serial
https://josephwiess.substack.com/p/the-morning-brings-newfound-family
The morning after Flur got her fondest wish, Ria woke to find herself in Rhyslin's bed, with no idea how she got there. This leads to a family drama that could almost be funny, except it isn't.
Story Title: Ghost frequency
Writer: A.P. Murphy/The Strangeness Kit
Genre: Literary fiction
Type: Short story
URL: https://thestrangenesskit.substack.com/p/ghost-frequency
Note: Part of an ongoing sequence of stories set in the same village, sharing a similar off-kilter feel, but it works fine as a standalone story.
Story Title: Centenary
Writer: Andrew Horan
Genre: Literary Fiction
Type: Serial
URL: https://centenary.substack.com/p/day-72-anne-and-sturdivant
Note: Thanks Erica and TiF team. Centenary is a serial novel set in the senior community of Living Well Towers. It's comprised of 100-word flash fiction pieces published (almost) every weekday. I struggle to consider whether to list these as Serial or Flash Fiction for your purposes, since they are both. This week I'm submitting Day 72, which published on Thursday 26 Sept, for your consideration -- it's one of five 100-word stories that published this week.
Story Title: "Who Needs Enemies?"
Writer: Robin George
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Serial
URL: https://robingeorge.substack.com/p/who-needs-enemies?r=idpp7
Note: The latest entry into my Rundellfall series - join Sheriff Ratcliff as he learns more about the Fey plot to destroy Rundell, and watch as Iatr & Klem accidentally provoke a violent response from the King's Guard towards an otherwise annoying but peaceful protest.
Story Title: Stardust in Your Veins
Writer: Tiffany Chu
Genre: fantasy
Type: Short story
URL: https://tiffanychu.substack.com/p/stardust-in-your-veins
Note: Fate is written in the stars. A young seer must grapple with his own destiny and the profound bond he shares with his sister in the face of terminal illness.
Story Title: RUOK? (1)
Writer: Andy Futuro
Genre: Horror
Type: Short Serial
URL: https://andyfuturo.substack.com/p/ruok-1?r=2esei3
Note: When Rori finds proof her dad’s death was no accident, it forces her to solve the puzzle of his dark past — and the strange occurrences at the abandoned lab he once guarded.
A horror story told entirely through text messages. All parts are free until October 7.
This sounds so interesting!
Thank you!
Story Title: The Itching Hand
Writer: Irshaad
Genre: Horror
Type: Micro/Flash Fiction
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/unfinishedspeedwriting/p/the-itching-hand?r=2qufyf&utm_medium=ios
Note: Stories are written against a timer, hence the “Frantic Writing” Substack name. Usually the stories are wacky and silly, a lot of them with a scifi vibe. It’s basically whatever my mind can come up with while the timer is running. This one was just a quick gross out story.
Story Title: Lambeau Leaps In
Writer: Scott MacLeod/Son of Ugly
Genre: Noir
Type: Flash Fiction
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/sonofugly/p/lambeau-leaps-in?r=2sz29p&utm_medium=ios
Note: Football and Infidelity
Story Title: Child of Light, Chapter 3
Writer: Diana Hannay from Fickle and Whimsy
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Serial
URL: https://fickleandwhimsy.substack.com/p/child-of-light-ch-3
Note: Last chapter we left Elswyth at the bookshop door, startled by the man who appeared before her. Who is this man, and why has he come? The answers unravel in Chapter 3 of Child of Light: Friend or Foe, where unsettling truths begin to surface.
Story Title: A Timeless Beauty
Writer: Michael Serrur (@mserrur)
Genre: Suspense
Type: Microfiction/Flash Fiction
URL: https://michaelserrurauthor.substack.com/p/a-timeless-beauty-a-story-in-60-seconds
Note: My stories typically fall somewhere between Twilight Zone / Black Mirror
Story Title: Love Your Enemy: A UEC Story, Part 5: Love and War
Writer: Michael P. Marpaung
Genre: Sci-Fi
Type: Serial
URL: https://germanicus.substack.com/p/love-your-enemy-a-uec-story-5
Note: This is part 5 of my 8-part serial. Also, the serial is a part of my “UEC Stories” series.
Story Title: What's a Dragon? - Chapter 12 (The Dragon Form)
Writer: Dragon Writer Luc
Genre: Fantasy
Type: Serial
URL: https://open.substack.com/pub/dragonwriterluc/p/whats-a-dragon-chapter-12
Note: Enough with the foreshadowing, let's see a dragon!
Story Title: Avery
Writer: Oscar Ruto Chemelil
Genre: Existential
Type: Short Story
URL: https://oscarruto.substack.com/p/avery?r=1of53q
Story Title: Dear John
Writer: Barrie Thomson
Genre: Epistolary
Type: Flash Fiction
https://open.substack.com/pub/justwriteright/p/dear-john-b82?r=56lr6&utm_medium=ios
Story Title: 7 minutes - Countdown to Clarity
Writer: Harsh Munjal
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Type: Short Story
URL: https://harshmunjal.substack.com/p/7-minutes-countdown-to-clarity
Note: Tragic news regarding the death of a young professional at EY—reportedly due to work-related burnout—has been circulating in Indian media for the past few weeks. Having spent considerable time in the corporate world, I find myself reflecting on the delicate interplay between work and life. This story is a result of my emotional response to that news and serves as a raw expression of my sentiments.
Opt-In by S.L. Stallings
Tech Horror- Serial - Episode 2
https://merakiwriting.substack.com/p/opt-in-dd3
*There's a link to Episode 1 at the top of the page, and Episode 3 comes out today! Opt-In is a story about an app with a mind of its own.
Story Title: Necromance in the Air
Writer: Ross Young
Genre: Magical realism
Type: Serial
URL: https://rossyoungsulk.substack.com/p/necromance-in-the-air-chapter-i-fiction
Note: Strange, dark and silly- meet the worst necromancer. 3 chapters up, more to follow.