Media

Praise for “The Witch Who Lives Next Door”

“Zoe Kaplan keeps the fun going with “The Witch Who Lives Next Door”, which follows a girl as she decides she wants to be a witch (despite the slight resistance from her parents). But witches are needed rather than wanted, and that distinction pulls at her, and brings her into a kind of apprenticeship to the local witch. The piece explores the ways that witches are powerful but also how they try and use that power for justice, trying to leverage out of magic something closer to fairness than the world tends to provide. Her growth and educa­tion are captured by Kaplan with warmth and hope that despite the difficulties and isolation that being a witch can bring, there are still con­nections to be made, and a wide world in need of some help. It’s a lovely read.” – Charles Payseur, Locus Magazine

“A child lives next door to a witch in a town where witches are both feared and relied on. As the child and the witch grow their friendship into an apprenticeship, the child learns that being feared and needed aren’t necessarily bad things. A charming story about being your true self.” – Alex Brown, Reactor

Praise for “The Test”

“It’s not true horror in the sense of what horror fiction readers expect, but it is dark fiction, a reflection of true life horrors. Its symbolism is masterfully done. At its heart, it’s more disturbing than true horror.” – Lisa Lee, Goodreads

Praise for “Mars and Venus”

“Two planets, with the energies of both associated gods. This one was cute and funny; a nice space opera story with a bit of action, . . . and humor.” – Elizabeth Meade

Praise for “Travelling Salesman”

“I love this short story, which has a very Shirley Jackson vibe to it!” – Jenny Rae Rappaport

Praise for “Verity”

“It’s such a soft, heartwarming story in a vivid world—I loved it so much. This year I’m trying to explore more genres, and #hopepunk is on the list. So happy I stumbled upon this.” –Anselma Prihandita

Praise for “The End of Rain”

“A nice short story about the relation between a human and the ecosystem they live in, and how they grow apart under the changing climate. I really appreciate how the human appreciates the ecosystem: like a partner who is cared for, and who cares in turn. It reminded me of a quote I once read in Raoul de Jong’s Jaguarman, where an old man living in the forest warns that maltreatment will not destroy nature, but rather, cause it to reshape itself in a form that will no longer offer sustenance to us….” – Auke Pols

Praise for “Pink Marble”

“Opening lines can make or break a story. Fail to captivate a reader in those first few moments and they might quit on you before they ever get to ‘the good part.’

The author of Pink Marble understood the assignment. There’s nothing fancy or complicated about “The Queen had turned to stone,” but therein lies its power. The line is direct and concise, telling you exactly what’s happened (ostensibly), and yet there’s a compelling question inherent to the sentence: HOW did the Queen turn to stone? A good mystery, perhaps more than any other literary device, will keep readers turning the page.

This story’s style is also a winner. It calls to mind the opening passages of a classic fairy tale, and the narrative tone is laced with a subtle dramatic irony that can only be fully appreciated once the story is finished and the twist revealed. Pink Marble was one of our most popular stories for all of 2021 and it’s not hard to see why.” – TJG, editor at Flash Point SF