August is an odd month. Its long, lazy days seem to last forever, but taken as a whole, the month flashes by, feeling like it’s over before it even started. Like a ball that’s just crested the top of a curve, the changing daylight hours begin to pick up speed, hurtling toward the next equinox. August is a transition more than a month in its own right.
Let’s step aside and take a breather for a moment, before we plunge into the next phase of the year. Don’t let August run away with you; give yourself permission to appreciate this moment in time. To that end, we have a selection of stories for you to peruse. In this issue, we have a revolution sparked by a phoenix, and one started by the god of pigeons. We have robots trying to contact the dead, and humans starting their new lives in the virtual world. We have optical illusions learning to love themselves, and a cloud sheep farmer learning to love where they are. We have kids digging up a body, and a mad scientist sourcing parts to build her own. We’ve got a forestry monitor trying to find something in the woods, and a Girl Scout trying to get lost in them. We have a werewolf trying to fit in with her boyfriend’s family, and an old man’s family helping him find happiness with his boyfriend. We have a cat that’s not a cat, and some symptoms that are probably nothing.
[Want the ebook? Buy it here!]
Coney Island Hot Dog
Might leave you a mess by the end, but always worth it
The Small God of West 54th St. – Alex Kingsley
Of Dreams, Wires and Nightmares – Plangdi Neple
Birdbrain – Brandon Crilly
Argentine empanadas with egg, capsicum, and green olive
What you find inside may be unexpected, but we think you’ll enjoy it all the same
Every Kiss the Prelude to a Stolen Heart – Matthew Cote
The Body – Laura Barker
Probably Nothing – Cameron Fischer
Redemption for the Unseen – Ramez Yoakeim
Bánh mì with pork tenderloin and house-made pickled vegetables
For when you need something a little more filling that’ll keep you satisfied for a while
Spark of Change – Marissa Lingen
Whose Woods These Are – Malda Marlys
Do You Read? – Andrew Najberg
Hand crêpes with fresh raspberry sauce, chocolate drizzle, and mascarpone
Take a little something sweet with you before you go
Under the Crescent Mountain, There Are Hayflowers – Ai Jiang
Most Tuesdays, the Optical Illusions Air Their Grievances – D.A. Straith
Mooncake – Sherry Yuan
The Ontological Cat – Taryn Frazier
Translunar Travelers Lounge 