Issue 2 of Flash Futures is now available for sale on our website under the SHOP link at the top of the main page. If you are a subscriber or wish to become one, you can always read the most current issue by clicking on the FLASH FUTURES link.
We've included even more great content in this issue, with twelve of the most popular past stories from the virtual pages of our Sci-Fi Shorts publication. Based on reader feedback, this month's featured story was written by our very own J. Charles Ramirez who also produces our incredible artwork. And to round out a baker's dozen articles, we offer a non-fiction layperson's introduction to a result that has been called, “the most profound discovery of science.”
Here's the editor's note from Vol 1 Issue 2 which explains more about what Sci-Fi Shorts is all about and how our talented group of writers can come up with such enthralling and thought-provoking short fables.
From the Editor
Welcome back to Flash Futures, the Sci-Fi Shorts magazine! Whether this is your first exposure to what we do here at Sci-Fi Shorts or you’re a longtime fan, we’re certain you’ll find something to enjoy within these pages.
It’s a busy world, and the modern reader may not always have the time to indulge in thousand-page epic tomes. That’s why our mission here at Sci-Fi Shorts is to create captivating tales in 1,000 words or less. Indeed, our stories are designed to be read in under five minutes! You’ll find that’s just enough time to engineer a thrilling escape into new dimensions, planets, and experiences.
So how can our writers craft such intricate characters, explosive sequences, and unique ideas?
In Flash, every word matters. Each must serve a specific purpose in advancing the plot. Superfluous passages can make or break a story, and a sharp editing eye is essential. It takes a certain ruthlessness to create Flash Fiction that truly captivates your audience, a willingness to sacrifice the merely good on the altar of perfection.
We live by that premise so aptly stated by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in his Airman’s Odyssey: “Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.” At Sci-Fi Shorts we editors have a front-row seat to the rapid pace of professional development a writer goes through on their journey into Flash Fiction. It's intense and fast-paced, teaching lessons that go far beyond the scope of what we do here into creative writing of all kinds. Flash Fiction pushes you to the limits of your imagination and then even further.
So, please, enjoy these tales lovingly, painstakingly, crafted by our brilliant contributors. Pay close attention to the depth that can be achieved with so few words, the impact of just the right phrase. These stories can be read during a coffee break, but they will leave a lasting impression on you.
— The Editing Team