Slouching Toward Halloween Jake Freivald
With Halloween coming up, I thought it might be nice (?) to serve up a few horror stories. Zombies have become a bit too trendy, as Becoming Normal shows. When She’s Ready isn’t supernatural horror, and might not be categorized as horror at all, but it still seems to merit a place here. Childhood Fears is about… well, you know.
With election day approaching before my next issue will be out, I decided to run a Classic Flash by Lord Dunsany. The Day of the Poll is a little masterpiece, and is worth reading right down to the last revealing sentence.
But as the issue was laid in place, I felt I couldn’t have a horror issue without including H.P. Lovecraft. My worldview and his are utterly different (though now, perhaps, the late author’s view is closer to mine), but he writes bewitching stuff. Since I already had a classic story, I thought it reasonable to include a poem: hence, “Despair.”
Finally, since Bruce Holland Rogers is not in this issue, I also thought it would be worthwhile to include Lovecraft’s excellent article, “Notes on Writing Weird Fiction.” Like Poe’s “Philosophy of Composition,” the information in it seems to hold true through the few generations separating us from the author.
For a variety of uninteresting reasons, we’ll probably be shifting to a mid-month publishing schedule generally from now on. I hope you enjoy the stories whenever they arrive.
Become a Patron! Check our our NEW Patron rewards!
FIREFLY
Receives weekly links to new stories, exclusive behind-the-scenes content and interviews with the authors, and our undying love.
WILL-O-THE-WISP
Receives a free monthly download of our current issue, access to Ask Me Anything chats with the FFO staff, submission statistics, plus benefits from lower levels
SHOOTING STAR
Gain access to our monthly Mini-Critique sessions, the FFO Editorial Team slushpile wishlist , plus benefits from lower levels
AURORA
A chance to have your work discussed by the FFO editorial team, receive 365 Writing Prompts and our latest anthology, plus benefits from lower levels
LIGHTNING
Receive a monthly mini-critique from the FFO editorial team and request custom writing videos, plus benefits from lower levels
SUPERNOVA
Receive one flash fiction critique per month, mini-critique sessions, an opportunity to “sponsor-a-story,” plus all the benefits of lower levels!
Support Flash Fiction Online
Flash Fiction Online is a free online magazine that pays professional rates. So how do we make that happen? It’s due to the generosity of readers like you.
Here are some ways you can help:
Become a Patron.
Sign up to become a monthly donor and gain access to exclusive Patron rewards like manuscript critiques, insider submission statistics, the Editors’ Wishlist, free downloads of our current issue, and Ask Me Anything chats with the FFO staff. Read more…
Subscribe to FFO.
Never miss an issue! E-reader formats delivered to your inbox. Available from WeightlessBooks.com
Buy our issues & anthologies.
Each of our issues and anthologies are available in convenient e-reader formats (epub/mobi/pdf). Available from the Flash Fiction Online Store and WeightlessBooks.
Donate.
Consider a one-time gift that fits your budget.
Advertise with us.
Have a product, service, or website our readers might enjoy? Ad space available on the website and in our e-reader issues. Sponsored posts opportunities are also available. Learn more…
Spread the word.
Love one of our stories or articles? Share it with a friend!