John S Alty

The Longest Night

Every year on this night she took a walk. Winter solstice was important to Hanna. She hated the endless dark living in Tromsø, but tonight she knew that the light was returning to her, even if it wouldn’t arrive until mid-January. True the northern lights were spectacular when they appeared, but usually the days and nights we…[Read more]

Hope so @elle! In truth the numbers game is a problem for me, as I struggle to write enough to get the hit rate. Will keep trying though. The Barren editors are lovely, they gave me the nicest rejection ever 🤣

Thanks @@daedalus. In all honesty for every publication there are about a dozen rejections as well. It’s kind of a number’s game. People who run Barren Magazine are just great, so thoughtful of writers. Who knows 2019 might be the year for you.

Well done Elle. I’m impressed with all these publications. I still haven’t had one since my first nearly four years ago, despite a concerted effort recently. I did have a very kind rejection from Barren Magazine recently, which still counts as ‘a miss is as good as a mile’.

Thanks @philippaeast!

Very clever John – you’ve left me poised and nervous as to what sort of ‘reality’ comes next.

Congrats again, @Elle!

Untitled (398 words)

In the dark before dawn the phone woke me. Its light made me squint. A window was broken at the shop, said a female police officer.

I pulled on a thick jumper and skirt and, with a thumping heart, drove into the centre of town. My shop – high-quality second-hand women’s clothes – was in a small road off the high stree…[Read more]

My last story of the year has been published today by Reflex Fiction https://www.reflexfiction.com/a-thin-blue-line-flash-fiction-by-laure-van-rensburg/

Merry Christmas everyone and enjoy the holidays! xx

That’s brilliant news! Congratulations, cannot wait to read your story in Disturbing the Beast.

Yeah, do post an update when you have time, @philippaeast! I’d love to hear how it’s worked doing such big edits with your agent as editor. I didn’t really get much of that with mine, so would be interested to hear how it’s been.