Speculative Fiction and Poetry
Ikiryō by Jeremy Akel
Ikiryō Jeremy Akel She almost had the shape of it. The world, she knew, was a cruel and inhospitable place. She had never known anyone to offer her a kindness unbidden, and even when the formalities were met, and the strict expectation of courtesy… 
Long, Broad, and Sharpsight – a Bohemian fairy tale
Long, Broad, and Sharpsight A Bohemian fairy tale There once was a king, who was already old and had but one son. Once upon a time he called this son to him, and said to him, “My dear son! You know that old fruit…
Episode 34: Scuttle and Scuffle
Nathan froze, halfway in and halfway out of the truck, staring at the black bear. I turned and whispered into Nathan’s ear from his shoulder. “She’s a good bear; she won’t hurt you.” She better not. Nathan turned and looked at his dad for…
Episode 33: Meeting the Bear
The next night we snuck into Nathan’s room for the last time. Guy had arranged for a visit with him, and we were going to accompany him. I invoked my veilring. “Nathan, it’s time to go. Your dad’s outside.” “I’m not sure I want…
Episode 32: A plan in motion
Bracey flew us to the Ottawa General Hospital where we tracked down Musk Muskmusk in the burn ward, eating pain from patients from beneath their beds. I clicked Grassblade on the tile floor. “Hi there, buddy.” Musk turned his heavy antlered head around as…
Life Changing by Ben Coppin
Life Changing Ben Coppin “It’s your birthday,” Sarah tells me in the office canteen, as we share a salad. “You should get a little magic in your life.” I smile. “Yes, you’re right. Why don’t you come to my party? It’s tonight at my…
Episode 27: The Weir
Hospitals, I learned, had so many faeries and so many dedicated Councilmice it was like a whole other social structure, with its own idiosyncratic culture. Technically, Beatrice Brownbrow was the ultimate leader in Ottawa, but in practice, the hospital Councilmice were pretty autonomous. Here,…
Episode 25: Aggressive Negotiations
Imbingy, the faerie childhunter, had me pinned in the snow, his steely hands tightening around my throat. “Die, rodent!” He thinks calling me a rodent is an insult? I’ll show him! I pulled my hind legs between us, put my back paws on his…
Episode 23: Luring the Child
I woke up swatting at something on my face, but felt nothing but air. Two little people fought on my chest, and a strange, wailing noise stopped—when I realized it was me. I sat up in bed and knocked the creatures off, still struggling…
Mr. Skelmersdale in Fairyland by H. G. Wells
Mr. Skelmersdale in Fairyland H. G. Wells “There’s a man in that shop,” said the Doctor, “who has been in Fairyland.” “Nonsense!” I said, and stared back at the shop. It was the usual village shop, post-office, telegraph wire on its brow, zinc pans…
Episode 21: The Haunted Kindergarten
We pigeoned to the kindergarten early in the morning to beat the rush of children, but late enough to follow a teacher inside and snuck in through a door propped open by somebody on a smoke break. After making our way to the kindergarten…
Persian Fairy Tales: The King and the Fisherman
Persian Fairy Tales The King and the Fisherman The countries washed by the great rivers Tigris and Euphrates were once ruled by a certain King who was passionately fond of fish. He was seated one day with Sherem, his wife, in the royal gardens…
Persian Fairy Tales: The King’s Treasure
Persian Fairy Tales The King’s Treasure A laboring man named Abdul Karim, with his wife, Zeeba–”the beautiful one”–lived in a sheltered valley, surrounded by hills, the sides of which were covered with fine gardens, in which the peach, the grape, the mulberry, and other…
Persian Fairy Tales: The Son of the Soap Seller
Persian Fairy Tales The Son of the Soap Seller There once dwelt a poor but worthy man named Abdullah in Meshed, the Holy City, the place of pilgrimage, whose beautiful mosque with the golden dome is the glory of the kingdom of Persia. He…
Episode 20: Grassblade
I sheathed Grim’s blade, and leapt after the black faerie, running on all fours for speed, the tip of my weapon tapping the ground with every leap. Did you know that mice can reach a top speed of about seven miles per hour?…
Episode 19: The Pain-Eaters
We caught a ride on a gull. Gull feathers are a bit closer and tighter than pigeon feathers, and he had a little string tied around his body so we’d have something to hold onto. He dropped from the pigeon stand, circled north, then…
Episode 18: The Lesson
Dad drove me back from the diner, and Mom was waiting outside to pick me up. Dad lowered my window and beckoned to Mom. Mom came over, but she didn’t look like she wanted to. He leaned so she could hear him. “I need…
Episode 16: The Acorn Trap
I peeked past the barely-open door at a little girl sitting cross-legged on a pink bedspread, paging through a picture book. A small child like I’d seen at the campsite, who was just old enough to run around and get into everything. Her…
Episode 11: Draining the Prodigy
Breath held so I was invisible, I glided down from my perch on the big painting in the hotel lobby, landing on the side of the shopping bag the mother carried. I folded my wings, changed my colour to match the bag, and gently…
Episode 10: Finding the Prodigy
I folded my faerie wings and hid under the little girl’s pillow until I could hear her sleeping. Then, I crawled out onto her chest and drained her spark. Yeah, I know, I’m the stuff of nightmares. Draining spark feels really good, for faeries,…
The Darker Side of Fairy Lore By Richard H. Fay
The Darker Side of Fairy Lore By Richard H. Fay Many people today think of fairies as rainbow-winged pixies prancing about in a sylvan wonderland. However, traditional tales about the denizens of the fairy realm spoke of beings and practices that were far from…
Father Ryan’s Fright by Richard H. Fay
Father Ryan’s Fright Richard H. Fay Originally published in Anotherealm, November 2013 One Sunday morn many years ago, in a small church well outside of Dublin town, Father Ryan stood in the pulpit and railed against belief in the Little People. The priest scolded…
Woodwose by Richard H. Fay
Woodwose Richard H. Fay Saplings quiver then bow, bent by a hirsute brute possessed of gleaming eyes far too human. Originally published in Aphelion, December/January Issue, December 2011
Who changed YOUR life?
Book Plates available through Richard H. Fay’s Azure Lion Productions Zazzle Store
Anieth features online fantasy graphic novels for YA and up. A.R. Stone has also created cards and prints highlighting European mythology. This site is a must for lovers of ancient Europe, Wiccan, Celtic and Viking lore.
Metastable Systems – speculative poetry from David Kopaska-Merkel. Available in all standard E-book formats
