Tag Archives: Short Stories

An odd place for a lighthouse

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

It’s always a treat to stumble upon an engaging short story and doubly so to discover a prize-winning work. The VS Pritchett Short Story Prize for 2022 was recently awarded to Kaliane Bradley’s genre-bending story Doggerland. Simultaneously humorous and creepy, the story … Continue reading →

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“Actually”

Posted on March 19, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“Actually” by Joy Williams from 99 Stories of God The child wanted to name the rabbit Actually, and could not be dissuaded from this. It was the first time one of our pets was named after an adverb. It made us … Continue reading →

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My AI Tale

Posted on January 28, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

To say that I am ambivalent about the rush to use AI in the arts would be an understatement. In many instances it seems more like an automated plagiarism machine than cutting edge technology. However, I was game to give … Continue reading →

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In The Stacks (Maisie’s Tune)

Posted on January 13, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

In the Stacks (Maisie’s Tune) by Robin Sloan is both a synthesizer with knobs you can fiddle with and a short story you can read. Here’s a sample, but you can read the entire story by the author of the … Continue reading →

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Ghost Stories of an Antiquary

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Each year the Halloween season seems to engender new found interest in both popular and lesser known spooky stories. Those of us raised on classic ghost tales likely are familiar with the work of M.R. James, but younger generations may … Continue reading →

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What then do we want words for?

Posted on October 13, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

“By the Numbers” by Hob Broun [1] THEY WORKED AT THE enclosed mall in King of Prussia. They wore plastic nametags, the corporate logo above a deep groove accommodating a Dymo label. Jenelle for the record store, Courtney for the … Continue reading →

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The Library of Short Stories

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Library of Short Stories  is a website which compiles and share sout-of-copyright fiction for anyone to peruse. The site collects all types of short stories across various genres – you have your classic Conan Doyle, Dickens, Chekov, Hemingway and … Continue reading →

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The Drowned Giant

Posted on August 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Complete Short Stories of JG Ballard contains a treasure trove for fans of the English novelist, short story writer, satirist, and essayist known for provocative works of fiction which explore the relationships between human psychology, technology, sex, and mass … Continue reading →

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Personal Anthologies

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

For the last five years, the writer Jonathan Gibbs has curated a project called A Personal Anthology, where guest editors provide a dozen short story selections. Sometimes the anthologies are Greatest Hits, sometimes they’re personal favorites or central to the … Continue reading →

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Library of Short Stories

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently discovered The Library of Short Stories  a website which compiles and shares out-of-copyright short fiction. The free site collects short stories across various genres. There’s classic Conan Doyle,Lovecraft, Dickens, Poe, and so much more. Here’s what the site … Continue reading →

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