Although the town at the heart of Lone Women is made up of misfits, it quickly becomes clear that some fit in better than others. Secrets don’t stay secret forever, even if they’re locked up tight. The literal escape of Adelaide’s secret exacerbates tensions that were already fraying beneath the surface.
Author Archives: Elisabeth Ring
‘Ocean’ a Sea of Possibilities in Space Opera
Ocean’s Godori is pitched as Becky Chambers meets Firefly. I suppose the description fits—a strong found family, political intrigue in space, a scrappy crew upon a scrappy vessel. But Cho has crafted something far more special than a simple mashup.
‘Milk and Honey’ a Chilling, and Luscious, View of the Near Future
While there is a clear moral to the story in the book’s final chapter, Zhang writes deftly to keep any of her characters from being clear cut. The messiness in turn reveals truth: that when the chips are down, human instinct and that of crabs in a bucket are largely the same.
Flash Story Published in Dusty Attic!
Some fun recent news: my flash story “Gregory Hayes’ Smile” was recently published in the third issue of Dusty Attic. Check it out if you’d like a chill in these warming temperatures!
‘What the Dead Know’ a Pensive Look Back at Life and Death
What the Dead Know is about a lot of difficult stuff, and Butcher doesn’t shield us from the gore. But she does wisely keep it tastefully select in its details, delivering realness without exploitation.
Wishes get Colonized and Corporatized in Shubeik Lubeik
The repercussions from wishes are negligible for the haves and devastating for the have-nots. Following the rules is detrimental for some, and far outside the sphere of concern for others. As with many things designed to “make life better”—technology, say, or medicine—the artificial scaffolding around wishes exacerbate, rather than reduce, inequality in the society they occupy.
‘Misfit’ Gives Nuance, Not Blank Checks, to Queer Mystery
Whether or not she finds the understanding or acceptance she’s looking for, Parks’ work highlights a small life, an overlooked life, and gives nuance to a community that may not have intended to give any but couldn’t wholly turn away from a good-hearted person who was plainly mistreated and misunderstood by too many around him.
‘Cassandra’ a Journey in Time Travel and Self Acceptance
Cassandra’s is captivating story about the benefits and costs of being able to do-over the rougher parts of your day, and about accepting yourself for yourself, no matter who you happen to be.
‘Fire’ a Rich Historical Tragedy with a Glimmer of Hope
The four point-of-view characters do all give us a different view of the disaster. It’s a testament to Beanland’s writing and research that the characters all feel so human, and the world around them so real.
‘Hey, Hun’ Tears Away Curtain on MLMs
Certainly, it’s impossible to tell the degree to which Paulson’s experience reflects the entire industry, but her bottom line is that MLM companies sell a dream whose viability depends on selling others on that dream.
Ring Reads 