"People say it must be great to be so strong and free," said the werewolf, "but they don't trust you." "And wolves have their own packs," the witch said, "and you smell weird to them." "How did you know?" "We are many, us living in the between. All we can do is be ourselves, as well we can."

** As it's being discoursed: I do not use any generative AI (ChatGPT, Claude et. al.) at any stage in my writing process. I write because I enjoy writing. I enjoy the challenge of expressing an idea, or character, or setting in such short form and tell a story with them. It's all human made. **

"Huh," said the dragon. "Would you care to explain?" "Yes, I'm not a princess all the time," said the milkmaid. "Only on bright spring days. Once they end, I turn back into me." "How come?" "Oh, I was bitten by a princess." "Again, how come?" "She couldn't help herself," the milkmaid grinned.

... users can be found giggling, crying, or simply staring into the distance saying "Whoah..." We spoke to one, and asked how they feel about warnings that the practice is addictive: "I could stop, but I don't want to." Some experts say if reading was invented today it would be banned at once.

** If you like what I do, you can support me on: Patreon - www.patreon.com/MicroSFF Ko-Fi - ko-fi.com/microsff Supporters get an annotated collection of stories once it twice per month. Or simply keep sharing my stories so they find new readers, that is also super helpful! **

Get more from O. Westin on Patreon

Get more from O. Westin on Patreon. Join for free or become a member for just $1/month. I write tiny little science fiction and fantasy stories, usually…

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"What is the deal with knights anyway?" the dragon asked. "What do you see in them?" "I was told," the maiden said, "that they're very fit thanks to all training. And that I should admire men who are good at violence." "Hm. And do you?" "What else is there?" "Hah! I'll let my princess tell you!"

The message from the stars began with a sequence of numbers, but the rest took years to decode. Most was context to translate the message: "Those are the winning lottery numbers." The numbers matched the next draw after the message was first received. Now we received another sequence...

A spaceship landed in the park. A door dilated and a distraught alien emerged. "What's happened to the library? It's gone! The one thing your civilization had going-" "They moved to a new building," a passer-by said. "Don't you have ways of finding these things out?" "Yes. I ask at the library."

"Excuse me," the man at the bar said, "but I couldn't help overhearing. Are you really saying you refuse to pick one?" "I don't see why I should have to." "It's a core part of one's identity!" "My gender and sexuality-" "Oh!" He looked relieved. "I thought you were talking about football teams."

"I'm bored," Zenon said. "Are we there yet?" "I told you," Odysseus growled, "to stop asking that." "Oh yeah? What are you going to do, somehow double the time we have left to go?" "Yes! Every time you ask! Just to spite you!" "Pfff. Are we there yet?"

** To vote in the Hugo Awards, you need to be a member of the World Science Fiction Society (WSFS). More info and how to register at the @laworldcon.bsky.social website: www.lacon.org/hugos/ **

Dana Marie@greenduckiesgirl.bsky.social · 2w ago

How do you vote? Is there a link? I love your work.

Fan Writer 26✍️: Gotta Catch ‘Em All Hugo voting closes soon. If you are voting in the Hugos, please vote in the Fan Writer category! Here are the finalists in alphabetical order with links to their profiles: ➻ Jay Brantner (“Tar Vol”): Alex Brown : James Davis Nicoll: Roseanna Pendlebury: Jason…

Fan Writer 26✍️: Gotta Catch ‘Em All

Hugo voting closes soon. If you are voting in the Hugos, please vote in the Fan Writer category! Here are the finalists in alphabetical order with links to their profiles: ➻ Jay Brantner (“Tar Vol”): Alex Brown : James Davis Nicoll: Roseanna Pendlebury: Jason Sanford: Örjan Westin ("MicroSFF):

camestrosfelapton.wordpress.com

** That's me! Many thanks to @camestrosf.bsky.social for his great write-ups of the finalists in this category. (Links to all in a reply to the quoted post.) Check them out, then go and fill out the Best Fan Writer category on your Hugo ballot. You have until 8/8 (8/8 for Americans). **

Camestros Felapton@camestrosf.bsky.social · 2w ago

Fan Writer 26✍️: Örjan Westin (MicroSFF) ➻ Name: Örjan Westin➻ AKA: MicroSFF➻ Pronouns: He/him➻ Website: Bluesky: Mastodon: Patreon: Facebook: Sometimes I see the Fan Writing category described as a non-fiction category, but that's not true. A lot of fan writing is non-fiction, but the key quality…

I noticed a neighbour had set up a little library box in their front yard. I checked the books and saw they were all jumbled up. I had only moved a few when a net fell on me. "Gotcha! Oh..." "What's going on?" I asked. "There's a feral librarian around." "Ah. Catch, tag, feed, release?" "Yup."

I was waiting for my robot friend when a spell stranger came up to me. "Hi!" they said. "Um... hi?" "Oh, sorry." My phone pinged with a text from my friend: "Body's in for service, this is a loaner." "Oh!" I said. "Er... Is it nice?" "Can't wait to go back. This is..." "Not you?" "Not me."

The sword master nodded. "I see. Well, I'm not one to back down from a challenge. And what type of sword are you most interested in learning to use?" "One of those long ones with the elaborate guard." "A rapier? In human size, or your size?" "Does it matter?" said the dragon. "A bit, yes."

** Camestros is doing a series of profiles of the Best Fan Writer finalists for the Hugos (I have updated my bio on my website in anticipation). Well worth checking out, especially if you're voting for the Hugo Awards and haven't already decided how to rank us. **

Camestros Felapton@camestrosf.bsky.social · 3w ago

Fan Writer 26✍️: James Davis Nicoll ➻ Name: James Davis Nicoll➻ Blog: Bluesky: Dreamwidth: Mastodon: Wikipedia: In my previous post in this series, I used the term "prolific", and so now I need a term that means "prolific-but-more-so". James has a long history in both fan writing and professional…

"What is your favourite part of your job?" the reporter asked. "That's a tough one," said the book. "For me, I would say being re-read." "Because it shows you were loved?" "No, you can feel that at a first read. It's that I can show more than the first time round." "It's more intimate?" "Yes."

"Oh! Excuse me," I say as I feel the familiar tug, "I'm being summoned." I materialise in a pentagram in Hell. I glare at the demon. "I wish I'd never taught you how to reverse the ritual. I was at a party!" "We're out of salt liquorice." "Fine, I'll buy some tomorrow. Now send me back!" *poof*

** I thought I'd let you know of a few SF/F magazines whose funding campaigns I've just supported. First up: @khoreo.bsky.social at www.kickstarter.com/projects/kho... **

khōréō: Year 6

Help us sustain and grow an award-winning magazine of speculative fiction and migration!

kickstarter.com

"What is your wish?" the genie asked. "You know the story of King Midas?" "Ah! You want all you touch to become gold?" "Not gold, book." "Book?" "The object I hold will become the book I name." "I can get you a kindle and a credit card?" "I like paper books. Oh! And the author will be paid!"

A bewildered stranger entered the castle kitchen. "Lost, sir?" the cook said. "You found a hidden door that led to the same room?" "Why, yes!" "How many times did you go through?" "Five or six, why?" "This used to be a wizard's castle. That door moves you through time, not space."

"What's the difference between witch magic and wizard magic?" "None," said the witch. "Magic is magic. The difference is how much you care about the cost." "There's a cost?" "Always." "What is the cost?" "The more you use, the more critters will shun you." "Critters?" "Cats, dogs... people."

"Mum, look!" She ignited the fire by pointing at it. "Ah. You are a sorceress. I did wonder." "Why?" "You're the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter." "I don't have six sisters. Or aunts." "They died. Most children do." "Oh." "Now, what will you do?" "I'll make sure no child dies."

Bouba woke with a start, her strong, round arms reaching out to grab a weapon. "You're safe. I healed you." A comforting voice. Bouba looked. A skinny witch, all angles, smiled at her. "Kiki?" "Long time no see. When did you get so hard?" The big warrior laughed. "When did you get so soft?"

** Neat! A starter pack of all us 2026 Hugo Award finalists on BlueSky! Lots of interesting people, podcasts, fanzines, and magazines for you to follow. (In case you hadn't heard, I'm a finalist for Best Fan Writer this year - I'm listed by name, not moniker.) **

An Unofficial Hugo Book Club Blog@hugobookclub.bsky.social · last mo.

Just want to remind all y'all that there is a Bsky starter pack of the 2026 Hugo Award finalists so you can follow them all with relative ease. Handy tool that I hope @montrealworldcon27.bsky.social and @brisbane28.org will emulate.

Do you want to hear a story? There once was a storyteller who had many stories to tell, but the most famous one was about a bard who could tell tales so well they became real, until he ended with "or so it's said" which broke the spell. It's said this bard died in the middle of a story, so never en

Long ago, dragons rose up against the gods. After a long war, the dragons were defeated. As punishment, the dragons were split, literally, and spread across the world. Their diminished selves seek their lost parts. Once the right nine lives of cats meet, they'll reform a dragon. #CrossRepost

When the selkie returned to the beach, a man was holding her sealskin. "Is this yours?" he asked. "May I borrow it?" "You want to be a seal?" "No, but when I take it off, I'll be a woman, right?" "My heart, you already are," the selkie said. "That skin is mine, but I can help you find yours."

"You have tampered in the Gods' domain!" the god shouted. "Well, maybe, but you gods tamper in the human domain all the time!" "That's... That's different!" "How?" "We are Gods! It's what we do!" "And we are human. Likewise." "I..." The god sighed. "Fair. But keep it quiet, okay?"