The Readers’ Guide

What’s in Issue 389

Novel	A well-intentioned but unhappily titled birthday gift flips the vulnerable Donna Burgess into a crisis of identity, which soon escalates into a dangerous cocktail of hallucinations, delusions and a solo quixotic crusade. Michael E. Lloyd, Donna’s Men Book I: Windmills Everywhere Chapter 1: Over the Edge, part 1; part 2
Novellas	DJ has always wanted to be a Genie, live amongst humans, and grant wishes. His naivety and adventurous nature ensure that things don’t run altogether smoothly, and as Genie of the Jam, he gets into some sticky situations. Oonah V. Joslin, A Genie in a Jam Chapter 1: Of Elders and Rhubarb After Skippy’s suburban town is ravaged by a nuclear bomb, he is enslaved by outlaws. He escapes and undertakes a hazardous journey across America to an ironic refuge in Colorado. Frederick D. Rustam, Skippy’s World Chapter 1: Beyond the Blue Horizon
Serial	You may strive to perfect an ever more human-like android, but you do so at your peril: Bill Bowler, Charlenes 2 and 3, part 1; part 2.
Short Stories	Four friends play a summer-long game of illegal but harmless break-ins at temporarily unoccupied houses. The game is fun and somehow a bit pointless. Or is it? Chris Castle, Four Masks. Is Debra a liar and a thief? Or is she simply the girl with the unaccountably red hair? Diana Pollin, Good Writing, part 1; conclusion. New contributor Matthew Wanniski introduces Mr. Coddling, who has the magical talent of disappearing into mirrors, which hold other worlds. Is he dangerous? Set a trap for him: The Metaphysician’s Mirror.
Flash Fiction	Don’t play the game of tempting Fate. Heads, it wins; tails, you lose: Peter Charles, The Argument. What might have happened to John Dillinger in an alternate reality? J. B. Hogan, Outside the Biograph Theatre. Why would one seek the safety of the wall when a splendid day beckons in the center of the room? Harry Lang, Chuchundra.
Poetry	Anna Ruiz, Magritte in the Morning
Short Poetry	John Stocks, Only Child
Essay	Michael D. Brooks, One is the Loneliest Number

Departments

Challenge	Challenge Responses: Challenge 387: Terry Hamel, “Pit of Sorrows” Challenge 388: Bill Bowler and Don Webb discuss “The Embrace of the Four-Armed Houri” Challenge 389 suspects that Fate Rolls Loaded Dice.
The Reading Room	Channie Greenberg, Oblivious to the Obvious, excerpt
The Art Gallery	A randomly rotating selection of Bewildering Stories’ art NASA: Picture of the Day Earth Observatory Picture of the Day Our Earth as Art

Bewildering Stories News

Serials: “Charlenes 2 and 3” is complete on line as of this issue. You can also read ahead a chapter or two in A Genie in a Jam and Skippy’s World, as the tables of contents permit.

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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