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Fiction

Southern fiction Mothman lounges with a poodle in "A Temporary Arrangement," a divorce short story that explores what happens when a cryptid joins the family.

A Temporary Arrangement

Raising kids is hard. Marriages fall apart. Sometimes, you need a little help.

By Laura Leigh Morris /
'I’ve Been to Graceland' keychain illustration accompanying Sybil Rosen’s short story 'Graceland,' part of her 'Riding the Dog' collection of Greyhound bus stories.

Graceland

Two strangers on a Greyhound bounce toward Memphis from
Texas. They’re both losing love. It’s like a window in their hearts.

By Sybil Rosen /
A watercolor illustration depicts a young boy gazing pensively out a bus window, capturing a poignant moment. The child, wearing a white shirt and blue collar, is shown in profile against the navy blue bus interior, while sunlit pine trees blur past the window. This evocative scene from fiction writer John M. Williams' coming-of-age short story reflects childhood's fleeting innocence in 1960s Montgomery.

Peaches and Cream

In this poignant tale set in 1960s Montgomery, a young boy faces the complexities of adulthood during his annual visit to his grandmother.

By John M. Williams /
Pink cherry blossoms falling against darkness illustrate Spencer K.M. Brown's Southern literary fiction about a boxer's struggle with his family's dying orchard. The image shows delicate pink cherry blossoms against a dark background, with scattered petals falling through the frame. This artistic composition mirrors the story's themes of the dying cherry orchard and cycles of loss and renewal. The contrast between the soft pink blooms and the dark backdrop echoes the protagonist's struggle between staying rooted and seeking change.

I’m Bound to Leave This Dark Behind

A small-town boxer fights with family obligations, lost love, and the pull of his roots as he chews on whether to sell his dying father’s cherry orchard.

By Spencer K. M. Brown /
Close-up shot of a road bike in motion, showing the wheels, chainring, and pedals with black cycling shoes. The image has a dynamic motion blur effect with a yellow-tinted background. The bike appears to be orange or red in color, with black tires and a water bottle mounted on the frame. A dramatic shadow of the bicycle wheel is cast on the ground beneath.

The Demon’s Backbone

A long, early-morning bike ride sparks recollections of a long-ago friendship—with its unspoken words and unresolved tensions.

By Tad Bartlett /

Crossed Signals

Joe Hazard donated the land for a cross that towered over Mayhaw, Mississippi. He never dreamed his generosity would spark a divine comedy.

By Thomas G. Easterling III /

Where There Are No Trees

Sometimes, a barren landscape offers more comfort than the canopy of the forest.

By Grace Buckner /

A Single Green Feather

Ron Rash weaves a haunting tale of obsession, preservation, and the dark lengths some will go to possess beauty.

By Ron Rash /

Wayman

A gritty Southern noir unfolds at a rundown motel, where a bloodied stranger’s arrival disrupts the night’s eerie calm. An excerpt from the upcoming novel Lay Your Armor Down.

By Michael Farris Smith /

The Last Face

When fate chooses your vehicle as its instrument, the road ahead gets mighty hard to travel.

By Wilton Barnhardt /

The Devil’s Godson

John Henry wouldn’t be here without the Devil. Where will the Devil be without John Henry?

By J. Michael Hayes /

Shortchanged

Tammy’s about to get her associate’s degree and she’s got a chance to get a real job, with a desk and a chair and vacation days. There’s just this one thing…

By Willie Edward Taylor Carver Jr. /