What’s in Issue 254

Novella	Dr. Salsify gets a disappointing note from Belinda Peartree, a last drink from a surly prison guard, and contact with the Papaya Contingent, which offers a mysterious antidote to KR22 addiction: Bob Brill, Adventures of a Botanist Chapter 6: GROK Chapter 7: Lemon Ginger Tea Chapter 8: Larry Avena
Serials	Jargos is taken prisoner by the humans invading planet Calmeron. In a prison colony, he meets a “preacher” who utters a prophecy about Jargos’ destiny: Resha Caner, Jargos, Chapter 2: I Look to the Future, part 1; part 2. Rhiannon’s undead visitor enjoys nothing so much as playing with his head, but his untimely demise has begun to involve both offworlders and Valkyries in a bureaucratic nightmare: Rachel Parsons, Facing the Twilight, Chapter 3; Chapter 4; Chapter 5.
Short Stories	New contributor Scott Barnes satirizes a near-future world where androids have become surrogate humans and have effectively outlawed the work ethic: The Last Job, part 1; conclusion. ‘Don’t eat candy when you don’t know where it came from’ is Davy’s mother’s advice. How right she is, but for reasons even she does not suspect: Jean-Michel Calvez, Snow, Sweet Snow... — French original: Un Jour sans neige. New contributor E. Michael Lewis combines horror and humor in an unusual mixture: The Divorcee Wore Black. New contributor Edward A. Rodosek satirizes authoritarian skepticism from a new point of view: The Common-Sense Consensus. A near-future satire in dialect: Thomas White, Multigenetic Chic, part 1; conclusion. New contributor W. D. Wilcox depicts a struggle for power in a fantastical world: The Golden Door.
Flash Fiction	What is water trying to tell the desalination scientist? S. M. Murdock, The Oracle of Benthi.
Poetry	New contributor Camille Alexa, Blind Date
Short Poetry	New contributor Mari Mitchell, Among Paper Stars
Essay	All history, even that which has been hitherto unrecorded, affects our own time: Bertil Falk, “An Ongoing Modern Miracle”

Departments

Welcome	*Bewildering Stories* welcomes Camille Alexa, Scott Barnes, E. Michael Lewis, and Mari Mitchell.
The Critics’ Corner	Don Webb, Whence and Whither Verse?
Challenge	Challenge 254 wonders Now Where Did That Come From?
Letters	Crystalwizard asks Why Is “ok” Not OK?
The Art Gallery	A randomly rotating selection of Bewildering Stories’ art NASA: Picture of the Day
The Reading Room	Danielle L. Parker reviews Neal Asher, Gridlinked
Editorial	Jerry Wright, Stumbling Into The Future

Randomly selected Bewildering motto:

Randomly selected classic rejection notice:

Bewildering Stories’ official mottoes:

“Poems are not made with ideas; they are made with words.” — Stéphane Mallarmé
Ars longa, vita brevis. Rough translation: “Proofreading never ends.”

To Bewildering Stories’ schedule: In Times to Come

Readers’ reactions are always welcome.
Please write!

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