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“Die Knochen und ihr Mädchen” — A German Translation of “The Bones and Their Girl” Published on Phantastikon

I’m excited to announce the first foreign translation of my short fiction.

The Bones and Their Girl” (originally published in Syntax&Salt and later reprinted in Flash Fiction Online) has been translated into German by Michael Perkampus. It appears under the title “Die Knochen und ihr Mädchen” on Phantastikon.de as well as on their dark fiction “bonus” podcast, Phantastikon: Miskatonic Avenue (also on Youtube).

Have a listen and spread the word among your German-speaking friends. 😊

 

 

“Quantum Love” on the BSFA Awards 2023 Longlist

My SF flash, “Quantum Love“, is on the BSFA Awards Longlist for Best Short Fiction. 🎉🎉🎉

Thank you, dear readers! And thank you, Flash Fiction Online & past Editor-in-Chief Emma Munro, for publishing it!

P.S. The voting period for the BSFA Shortlist is currently open. All BSFA members can may vote for up to four nominations in each category to proceed to the shortlists. Voting will close at midnight on the 20th of February, 2024. Thank you for your consideration!

#BSFAAwards2023

Awards Eligibility Post 2023

Here’s my awards eligibility post 2023. I had four new short fiction pieces published this year that are eligible for most awards such as Nebula, Hugo, Locus, and more in the Short Fiction category.

I love them all, but “Quantum Love” has seemed to be the reader favourite so far this year.

They’re all free to read online:

:blue_heart:Quantum Love” (990 words) in Flash Fiction Online – A lighthearted SF story about a quantum computer in love with a scientist.

:heart:Midsummer Magic” (1010 words) in Hexagon Magazine – A tad experimental love story with (traditional Finnish) Midsummer spells that foretell your future spouse. All but one spell in the story are real! :wink: Best of the Net nominated. :smiling_face_with_tear:

:purple_heart:The Swallow Upon My Summers” (1735 words) in Zooscape – a wistful tale of a girl longing for and reconnecting with her flighty mother.

:black_heart:Soulbirds” (1320 words) in Apparition Lit – a little horror with winter birds and running away from a family that won’t let you go.

Thank you for your consideration (or just for reading any of them)!

P.S. If you’re a SFWA member, you can give your favourite a thumbs up on the Nebula reading list.

Best of the Net Nomination for “Midsummer Magic”

Delighted to announce that my story “Midsummer Magic” has been nominated for Best of the Net in the Fiction category! The story came out in Hexagon Magazine in June and you can read the whole issue for free here.

“Quantum Love” Published in Flash Fiction Online

My flash, “Quantum Love,” is now free to read in Flash Fiction Online. It’s in the September issue. I hope you’ll give it a read!

“Quantum Love” — Flash Fiction Online (2023)

Inspiration behind “Birding With My Human”

Sadly, with a recent change, most Nature Futures flash stories were put behind a paywall. I feel very fortunate my “Birding With My Human” literally just came out in Cast of Wonders and is available to read & listen for free.

When this story originally came out in Nature Futures in July 2021, I wrote some notes on its inspiration. Since those notes are also no longer freely accessible, I’m reposting them here:

***

The setting of the story is a real location in Lempäälä, Finland, where I sometimes go birding. There’s the lake (Ahtialanjärvi), Gull Island (Lokkisaari), and a fancy new bird tower. I borrowed almost all the birds and their behaviour for my story from my personal sightings and experiences at this place. After all, it’s where the inspiration first struck me.

I was climbing the steps of the bird tower when I randomly thought of a person going birding with an android or a robot, and how handy it would be. The tower stands far enough from the island that you can’t see almost anything without some serious zoom, and even then, it’s a challenge to find the birds you’re there to see. My birding efforts often feel stumbling at best, yet that’s part of the fun.

As for the artificial nest of the western marsh harrier, it’s already a reality. A considerable effort has gone into preserving and improving the lake area – a Natura 2000 protected site — for waders and other birds. Similar efforts take place every day around the world. While I love that people do this, it’s alarming that it needs doing at all.

All the more reason to enjoy the birds around us today.

***

As a bonus, here are some photos of the island & lake:

Yes, that’s the grey heron. It’s real. 🙂

“Birding With My Human” Reprinted & Podcasted in Cast of Wonders

My SF flash, “Birding With My Human,” is now out in Cast of Wonders, in episode ‘Little Wonders 37 – Seeking Connections’. Originally published in Nature Futures & now wonderfully narrated by Samuel Poots for more readers, listeners, and gentlebeings to enjoy. The episode also features a story by Marie Vibbert. Read & listen here!

The story’s inspired by my love of birds & birdwatching, and a real Finnish lake where I sometimes go that lots of birds really like. I literally got the idea for the story there, while climbing the bird tower.

I hope you like it!

“Soulbirds” is now free to read online on Apparition Lit

My story “Soulbirds” is now free to read online on Apparition Lit.
Here’s a moodboard I made for the occasion. I hope you enjoy the story!

A moodboard. Four images and text: Soulbirds. A short story by Sylvia Heike. The first image is a flock of birds against red-orange sky. The others: a black and white image of a girl with white, floating hair. An old house in the snowy countryside by a big tree. A white feather against a black background.

Photo credit: Unsplash

“Soulbirds” Published in Apparition Lit Issue 21 ‘Dread’

Apparition Lit Issue #21 ‘Dread’ is now out! It contains my story, “Soulbirds,” inspired by my love of winter birds, and which went a little dark.

The issue is available from Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, and the publisher (via subscriptions & Patreon).

Get the issue now or wait a little longer. The stories & poems will be free to read on the Apparition Lit website over the next month, including audio.

‘Dread’ Issue of Apparition Lit Coming Soon

Here’s the cover of the upcoming ‘Dread’ Issue (#21) of Apparition Lit. My name is there! :blush: Guest editors for this issue are Eugenia Triantafyllou & Nelly Geraldine García-Rosas.

The issue is coming out on Jan 15 (to subscribers & available for purchase from the publisher & Amazon). The stories will be published on the website over the month.

My story, “Soulbirds,” will be free to read on Feb 6, including audio recorded by the magazine. It’s a pretty dark story, set in winter with ominous birds. Stay tuned. :slight_smile:

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