I got the idea for the book when I saw a list of important women in American history. One was listed only as 355, a member of the Culper spy ring during the Revolution, a woman whose true identity we still don’t know.
Peggy Wirgau – 20-October 2025 Continue reading
The initial kernel of an idea came to me when I was at a local copy shop getting something printed. The manager of the place was this amazing goth guy. I’m talking stiletto nails, black lipstick, perfect eyeliner, and big dark hair, in a little work polo. He was magnificent—and a super good manager! I got my order filled expertly and left the place making up a story to my friend about how he obviously did black magic out of the back of the shop.
K. Valentin – 20 October 2025 Continue reading
Via his senile great-grandmother, he hears of some hidden gold, and out of desperation he starts looking. One of his classmates, Three Sticks, is also having financial trouble, although his problems are due to his dad’s poor investments. Three Sticks also learns of the gold, and the two young men are in a race to find out if it ever existed and if so if anything’s left.
Chris Gerrib 16 October 2025 Continue reading
Because of my son’s experiences, I’ve gotten to see the rot that lives beneath politeness, and I wanted to write a story where someone pulls up the floorboards and names it.
Todd Brown – 14 October 2025 Continue reading
People who are willing to think, learn and grow from reading are my target readers. I don’t write easy books to read, or so I’m told by people who prefer books that don’t involve a lot of work on the reader’s part. I want to cause emotion, maybe even discomfort or at least disequilibrium, in my readers.
Maureen Morrissey – 11 October 2025 Continue reading
It really started with a question: what if a Southern mama could bake your soulmate into being? That idea came from a writing prompt in a short story class I took years ago—and I just couldn’t shake it. The image of someone using food, especially biscuits, to stir up love and mischief stuck with me.
Arlon Jay Staggs – 9 October 2025 Continue reading
I’ve always been fascinated by bookplates, those identifying labels that people sometimes stick on the inside covers of their books. Whenever I find one in an old book, I always wonder who the previous owner was, what they were like, and how the book finally left their collection.
Quentin Dodd – 7 October 2025 Continue reading
I felt these tales should be one collection. As they debuted in zines, I reasoned the stories should be presented in that fashion.
Stefan Jackson – 5 October 2025 Continue reading
I lived in Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles for some time and the Manson story still resonates. At some point I knew I wanted to tackle a similar tale.
Sue Hinkin – 1 October 2025 Continue reading
Even though I changed names and details, writing those moments meant reliving them. There were days I could barely see the screen through tears. There were moments where I had to quit writing and come back to it another day.
Ashley Babb – 29 September 2025 Continue reading