The Readers’ Guide
What’s in Issue 1120
| News> | This is the last regular issue of the quarter and of the year. Next week, we’ll bring you Fourth Quarterly Review and, on December 29th, the 2025 Annual Review. We plan to resume regular publication with issue 1121 on January 5th, 2026. Bewildering Stories wishes our readers and contributors — everyone, really — happy Holidays and a Happy New Year, which has been celebrated since ancient times near the solstice marking northern winter. |
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| Short Stories |
If a rocky messenger from the heavens could enable humans to blur identities for a while, maybe they could get down to business and begin to solve their mutual problems. William Quincy Belle, A Blue World, part 1; conclusion The Rocky Mountains of Canada hold many current and paleological secrets. Human beings sometimes willingly add their own. Harrison Kim, My Romance With Illusion, part 1; conclusion Defense lawyer Butler Wren has become somewhat tired of trivial cases in the advanced age of his career. This time, he will ask the supposed accused speak clearly for herself. Anthony Lukas, Butler Wren and the Dog in the Night New contributor Earl Smith depicts simply and gently a remedy for one of the illnesses of old age in An Act of Kindness. |
| Flash Fiction |
A social emergency may provide an opportunity for a relationship between Clarence and Rae-L:ynne, but it — and geographical distance — may also get in the way. Charles C. Cole, Land of Nod |
| Poetry | Michael Murry, Triadic Tongue-Twisters |
Departments
| Welcome | Bewildering Stories introduces and welcomes Earl Smith. |
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| The Reading Room Classic Reissue |
Elizabeth Willing Powel: “Well, Doctor, what have we got: a republic or a monarchy?” Benjamin Franklin: “A republic, if you can keep it.” (17 Sept. 1787) John Dominic Crossan, God & Empire review article by Don Webb |
| The Art Gallery |
Richard Ong, Christmas Flowers Channie Greenberg, Blooming John D. Connelley, Happy Holidays Alison McBain, Toddler Times, 1120 A randomly rotating selection of Bewildering Stories’ art NASA: Picture of the Day Sky and Telescope, This Week’s Sky at a Glance |
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!
