The world is constantly in a state of flux. Sometimes our surroundings evolve slowly, generation after generation chipping away at a problem to achieve a longterm solution—or a lasting problem. But sometimes, the world as we know it seems to change almost overnight. Psychologists have studied how humans deal with change, but the vast majority […]
It’s become something of an FFO tradition that our October issue is horror-themed. This year, we went in a slightly different direction. Horror stories are most effective when they tap into universal fears like bodily mutilation or loss of autonomy. Our stories this month contain elements of emotional horror—sadness, anxiety, unmet needs, and most of […]
Let me start this editorial by saying that I can’t grow a damned thing other than a weed or two—and those only by accident. My ability to kill plants isn’t one to be underestimated. I come from a long line of farmers and gardeners who have tried to teach me which plants should be planted […]
I am thrilled to announce that Anna Yeatts will be my Co-Editor-in-Chief. I can’t think of anyone who loves the art and craft of flash more than Anna, nor someone more dedicated to Flash Fiction Online. Anna has published Flash Fiction Online since 2013, through whatever life, pandemics, and the universe threw her way—because that […]
There is a lesson we are taught in childhood, the lesson of finding our purpose in life—as if purpose was fixed and finite. Unlike the generations who predate us, whose circumstances would dictate their choices and options, the 21st century offers an abundance of choices (for the lucky ones). In my twenties, I defaulted to the […]
Welcome to Flash Fiction Online’s 105th issue, which is also our REPRINT issue! Is a list always just a list? To quote Madeleine L’Engle, “Nothing happens in isolation…” which includes seemingly uncomplicated words like “list.” My 1930’s Etymological dictionary defined liste as an edge or strip, as well as to tilt or lean. There’s also lysten […]
Welcome to Flash Fiction Online’s 104th issue.Our stories this month have protagonists whose circumstances, status, and identity create the conflict and tension driving the story. After all, the experience—actually, the privilege!–of choosing one’s own path in life is hardly universal. Our protagonists solve problems in their own unique ways, they persist, and they maintain their […]
Paul Kelly’s song, “From Little Things Big Things Grow” popped into my head while considering this editorial. Not surprisingly, it is an ideal segue into our April stories, which in one way or another deal with those things that change us. The song also reminded me of my own unwilling change of direction around 12 years ago when […]
As you’ll read, friendship means different things to different people. Friendship gives us the courage to face our fears, and ultimately, to change. That, and the bits of hope and fun that a good friend provides.In March 2015, FFO published “The Last Man on Earth—A Mini-Novel” by John Guzlowski. In September 2017, we published the […]
This month, Flash Fiction Online celebrates love. Our stories are all about characters making decisions in the name of love. Each situation is different, as are the responses of the characters making their decisions about familial love, platonic love, romantic love, and even magical love.In “Fried Rice” by Shih-Li Kow (Available 2/4/2022), “Gently, Cook, I […]