The Readers’ Guide
What’s in Issue 459
| Novel |
Kev is ultimately confined to a psychiatric hospital. Unfortunately his former teacher and his psychiatrist find that Kev’s aflliction is contagious: Phillip Donnelly, Kev the Vampire Chapter 14: Cure, conclusion
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|---|---|
| Serial | Captain Blunt tricks a demon-like being into releasing him from the Asp prison: Danielle L. Parker, Tower of Sighs, parts 7-9, conclusion. |
| Short Stories |
A giant sea lion and fishermen might seem to be natural enemies, but that need not be the case; it’s all in how you look at things: Mike Florian, The Captain of the Reward. New contributor Derek Frazier depicts a space alien visiting a very strange planet, where he encounters a life form by the name of Miryam. As long as he’s there, the alien may as well do the local inhabitants a good turn: Vapor Rising. Little Maggie learns a valuable lesson about the place of wild animals in nature. But she also learns an equally valuable lesson about what parents sometimes need to do: Artie Knapp, Light on a Snowy Day. New contributor Oscar Sapper considers a classic question: ‘What is man in infinity? Everything in comparison to atoms; nothing in comparison to the cosmos.’ A bereaved astronomer finds Blaise Pascal’s famous image strangely reassuring: Bright Orion. |
| Flash Fiction |
New contributor Charles C. Cole shows a son sending a message back in time in an effort to spare his mother hardship, even though it means sacrificing his own existence. How can a mother deny such love? A Locket With a Past. Uncle Joe is boring. He wants to come live with his niece. But she has her own life — and a gift of compassion: Sandra Crook, Counting the Minutes. New contributor Fiona Lambert depicts a haunting that effectively maintains a family tradition: Ghost of Christmas Past. |
| Poetry | Martin Hill Ortiz, An Incurable Insomnia |
| Short Poetry |
Dawnell Harrison, An Unknown Grid Oonah V. Joslin, A Final Seal |
| Memoirs |
New contributor Ann Haelan writes a memoir about herself, her friend, her friend’s demise and its meaning in the grand scheme of things: Ultimate Particles. Just saying ‘no’ often involves sacrifice. What’s lost may be transitory; what’s gained may last a lifetime: Ron Van Sweringen, Summer, 1952. |
Departments
| Welcome | Bewildering Stories welcomes Charles C. Cole, Derek Frazier, Ann Haelan, Fiona Lambert, and Oscar Sapper. |
|---|---|
| Challenge | Challenge 459 sees Fulfillment First, Prophecy Later. |
| Editorial | Don Webb, Spelling and the Playground |
| The Photo Album |
Richard Ong, Brookefield Place |
| The Art Gallery |
A randomly rotating selection of Bewildering Stories’ art NASA: Picture of the Day Sky and Telescope, This Week’s Sky at a Glance |
Bewildering Stories News
Year’s End: This is the last regular issue of 2011. Next week we’ll bring you the Editors’ Choices in our Fourth Quarterly Review and, in the week of New Year’s, our Annual Review. We’ll resume regular publication with issue 460 on January 2, 2012.
Holidays: Bewildering Stories is multinational and multicultural; we officially observe no national or religious holidays. However, certain kinds of submissions tend to accumulate around Halloween and various observances toward the end of the year. So much the better; we love a good party. Happy Holidays, everyone!
Randomly selected Bewildering motto:
Randomly selected classic rejection notice:
Bewildering Stories’ official mottoes:
“Poems are not made with ideas; they are made with words.” — Stéphane Mallarmé
Ars longa, vita brevis. Rough translation: “Proofreading never ends.”
To Bewildering Stories’ schedule: In Times to Come
Readers’ reactions are always welcome.
Please write!
Copyright © December 12, 2011 by Bewildering Stories
