Must Read Short Speculative Fiction: March 2023

Look, we’ve had thirty-one (31!) atmospheric rivers in California since the start of winter. Every time the sun starts shining, a storm cloud steamrolls right over it. I’m stressed, I’m exhausted, and I’m very moody. So don’t be surprised by the dark tone of most of the stories in my March spotlight of my ten favorite short science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories.

Read the rest of this spotlight at Tor.com.

Must-Read Speculative Short Fiction: 12 Works You May Have Missed in 2022

Every month I read a couple dozen or so short speculative fiction stories from 60+ publications in order to put together my monthly short SFF/H column. That’s a lot of reading! It’s always impossibly hard to narrow down to just my ten favorite pieces; if I had the time and energy, I’d do a massive list every month. So this year, instead of doing a best of list, I thought I’d put together a little collection of my alternates, one story from each month that I loved but that didn’t make my original spotlight. Let’s take a walk back through last year and some absolutely epic short fiction.

Read the rest of this spotlight at Tor.com.

Must-Read Speculative Short Fiction for December 2022

December is a bittersweet month for me. With decorations lighting up the streets yet the days getting shorter and colder, with the avalanche of romantic movies yet family and friends hundreds to thousands of miles away, I always end up feeling a strange mix of both melancholy and cozy. And so, not surprisingly, those were the short speculative fiction stories I was drawn to the most.

Read the rest of this spotlight at Tor.com.

Must-Read Speculative Short Fiction for August 2022

Whenever I put together my list of ten favorite short science fiction, fantasy, and horror stories, I go by what strikes me the hardest, what sticks with me the longest, and what makes me go “Oh!” Often, as I’m writing up the blurbs, a theme emerges, one I wasn’t aware of when I was picking the pieces but connects most of them. For August, I was apparently feeling contemplative about death and endings, not sad or grieving but processing. I hope you’re ready for some capital “F” Feelings.

Read the rest of this spotlight at Tor.com.