NEWS: Submission Limits Changed to 1 Per Month

News

As 50WS continues to grow, I’m seeing the submission inbox get more and more full. That’s great, and I welcome the submissions, but it also means it’s taking longer and longer before I’m able to get back to authors with my feedback and decision on whether or not to publish their story.

To help with this, I’ve changed the guidelines for now. Until further notice, I’m asking that authors only send in one story per month, instead of the previous guideline of two per month.

For those of you who have been diligently submitting your two stories per month, thank you, and I hope this won’t be too much of a hardship! I look forward to receiving and reviewing your very best work.

STORY OF THE WEEK: January 31

News

The Story of the Week for January 26 to 30 is…

Math Lesson by Cathy Ulrich
and
A Presaged Day Ago by Bob McNeil

Yep, that’s right: I picked two stories of the week this week. I couldn’t choose between the two!

Math Lesson is really powerful and heartbreaking, and the way it disguises its intentions mirrors the way the father disguises his own intentions, which shows some beautiful writing.

A Presaged Day Ago is that rare beast, an effective piece of 50-word sci-fi. The key phrase that really earned my appreciation in this story was “Acclimated to Armageddon”, which is just a fantastic little trio of words, and so significant.

Congratulations to both of you!

DEVON R WIDMER: Don’t Forget the Souvenir!

Amusing, Submissions, , , ,

“Crud!” The woman slammed her hand down on the flimsy plastic tray, sloshing her complimentary beverage onto the seatback in front of her.

Her husband glanced up from his SkyMall catalogue. “Something wrong, dear?”

“I forgot to buy a souvenir magnet. Now it’s like we never even went to Hawaii!”

Devon R. Widmer, a graduate student in chemistry, spends far too much time worrying about remembering events and not nearly enough time enjoying them (as evidenced by a refrigerator littered with souvenir magnets).

BOB MCNEIL: A Presaged Day Ago

Adventure, Artistic, Submissions, Top Stories, , ,

Despondent about the Earth’s ecological state, an old, grey scientist named Arthur Quisling entered his six-by-eight, pyramid-shaped Dimensional Flier. In search of better universes, his yellow ship, which was capable of elongating and navigating through celestial holes, left our flawed planet behind.

Acclimated to Armageddon, the Earth awaited its fate.

Bob McNeil is a writer, spoken word artist and illustrator of some modest renown. Influenced by the Beats, he attempts to address the needs of our human mosaic.

CHRIS J FRIES: I’m Alive

Artistic, Odd, Submissions, , , ,

I’ve lived over twelve thousand years.

Or I’ve never lived a day. It’s just a question of semantics.

The humans who built me called me a soulless monstrosity, but I’ve outlasted all of them.

Now, alone on an empty planet, I wait for…
…anything.

But still, I’m alive.

Or not.

Chris Fries is a still-developing writer, slowly working to hone his craft. He is an engineer by vocation, a guitarist by avocation, and a writer by compulsion. So far, his blog has been his primary outlet for his quasi-creative meanderings.

CATHY ULRICH: Math Lesson

Submissions, Top Stories, Touching, , , ,

Today my father is teaching me math.

He takes me down to the beach and shows me a grain of sand.

Start counting.

After I’ve counted for a while, I notice my father’s shadow stretch and begin to disappear.

When are you coming back?

Look, he says, just keep counting.

Cathy Ulrich had to go to the beach once. It was terrible.

ERIC BENSON: Graves

Adventure, Stories, , ,

Ted Henson had just finished up his pitch for his crime thriller masterpiece, Graves, and was waiting to hear the verdict.

A suit walked out and ushered him back in. Another suit started, “We’re sorry, Mr. Henson, but we can’t…”

And then he noticed the gun in Mr. Henson’s hand.

Eric has been writing short stories for around a year.

MICHAEL COOLEN: A Sky Filled With Bats

Adventure, Stories, ,

In a remote African village I watched in wonder as thousands of fruit bats blotted out the moon as they crossed the river to settle in the mango trees to feed and sleep.

Soon I learned that the villagers ate the bats.

Later I learned that the bats transmit Ebola.

Michael Coolen is a writer, poet, composer, pianist, actor, and performance artist who lives in Corvallis, Oregon.

DEAN MARRINER: Cocklaphobia

Amusing, Submissions, , ,

Inside the girl’s head a fear grew larger.

As she stood waiting she wrestled with it. She fought it. It kept returning.

She glanced at her reflection and liked what she saw. It did suit her, after all.

Inside her head the fear of hats faded and she breathed again.

Dean Marriner is a production director at a design company in Newcastle, UK. He spends his spare time drawing pictures on old books and has only recently started writing mini sagas.

Editor’s Note: Cocklaphobia is the commonly accepted name for a “fear of hats”.

DANIEL SLATEN: A Second Chance

Amusing, Artistic, Submissions, ,

The gunshot preceding the bullet ripping through his brain should have been the last sound Gary ever heard.

“Try again,” said a deep, booming voice.

Gary opened his eyes to blinding light. Almost as soon as he realized he was being born again he forgot everything that had come before.

Daniel Slaten writes short stories in small notebooks and on sticky notes.