flash fictioin – Page 4 – Andrew Careaga

Friday Five: Q&A with multi-genre writer Allison Field Bell

‘I write one word at a time, focusing on the lyrical potential of a sentence and how that aligns with a character’s voice’

I first discovered Allison Field Bell‘s writing via the literary magazine Fractured Lit, which published her stunning flash fiction piece “Vermillion Cliffs” last March. I started following her on Twitter (X) and soon was astounded by how frequently she would post about new pieces being accepted — not only short stories and flash fiction, but creative nonfiction and poetry as well. (This X/Twitter thread of a few of her favorites from 2024 should give you some idea of her range and diverse styles.) I consider her a writer’s writer and highly recommend her work.

Later this year, a chapbook of her creative nonfiction, Edge of the Sea, will be published by CutBank Books, and her poetry chapbook, Without Woman or Body, will be published by Finishing Line Press. Her current projects-in-progress include a book of short fiction, a collection of flash nonfiction, and a full-length collection of poetry. She is also finishing up her first novel, wrapping up a Ph.D. in Creative Writing and English Literature at the University of Utah, and offering editorial services to aid other writers.

In today’s Friday Five, Allison shares her thoughts on multi-genre writing, her writing routine, and some excellent advice for the rest of us.

The first short story publication of 2025

Today my flash fiction piece “The Bad Like” became my first published short story of the new year. It was published by the literary humor magazine Witcraft. My thanks to Witcraft editor Doug Jacquier for accepting this story.

Image via Pexels

The obligatory end-of-year wrap-up post you’ve been waiting for

The year in writing, recognition, loss, and life

If nothing else, 2024 for me was a year of transition and disruption. And — I hope — a year I learned to be more grateful and empathetic.

After 40 years of full-time work, much of it in academia, I entered a new phase of life last January. Some call it retirement, but it has hardly been that. My pursuit of creative writing and some freelance work has kept me busy enough. In addition, my wife and I and our cat had a couple of health scares that made us reevaluate our values and gave us greater insight into the workings of the U.S. health care system, the good, bad, and ugly of it. We also mourned the passing of a few friends from our church family and continue to honor their memory.

In other words, a lot of life happened in 2024. Here are some highlights from the year:

Friday Five: Q&A with writer/’Art of Flash Fiction’ Substacker Kathy Fish

‘I sort of fell into flash writing before I knew there was such a thing.’

Although the Thanksgiving holiday is now behind us and we in the USA are deep into the throes of the holiday season, I’d like to extend Thanksgiving’s sense of gratitude just a bit longer with today’s Friday Five Q&A with writer Kathy Fish. Like many writers, I am grateful to Kathy for her example, her teaching, and her generosity of spirit.

Author and ‘Art of Flash Fiction’ creator Kathy Fish.

Kathy’s work can be found in a vast array of literary magazines and anthologies. She’s even in The Norton Reader! Her works also appear in Ploughshares, Waxwing Magazine, Denver Quarterly, Mississippi Review online, Wigleaf, Best American Nonrequired Reading 2018, W. W. Norton’s New Micro: Exceptionally Short Fiction, and Flash Fiction America (W. W. Norton). Visit her Publications & Awards webpage for a more complete list.

In addition to being an exceptional writer of flash fiction and longer works, Kathy encourages many of her fellow writers through her Substack/newsletter, Art of Flash Fiction. Any writer wanting to become better at the craft — whether flash or otherwise — ought to read this newsletter. Through it, Kathy shares her perspectives on writing with an emphasis on flash fiction. In addition, she offers writing workshops, online and in person.

Read on for a brief — but longer than flash — look into Kathy’s perspective on writing, her influences, and advice for other writers.

New short story published: ‘The Eclipse Is Running Late’

Nat Weaver, a friend, fellow writer, and former Missouri S&T colleague, invited me to share a piece of speculative flash fiction to publish in his newsletter, Weaver’s Deep Thoughts. The story — “The Eclipse Is Running Late” — is available for free this week on his website and as a digital download. Think of it as our Thanksgiving gift to you. And thank you, Nat, for sharing this story with your readers!

Photo by Israel Torres via Pexels