DreamForge Anvil | Issue 14

In Issue 14, Liminal Encounters, we start with a look at long-range climate change and the greening cycles of the Sahara. Wulf Moon delivers more insight into storytelling with a look at the character arcs and why we hope for change. Then let’s hang out with the denizens of an all-night bookstore, enjoy a twist on the 8th Century Japanese legend of Ursashima Taro, learn that humanity may have run out of time, but not beans… or love, meet new neighbors who may be on a mission, watch Lucifer fall from heaven, and more!

A Tale of Two Taros

The All-Night Bookstore

In 1971 I worked in Book World, an all-night bookstore in New Haven, Conn.  I never worked the graveyard shift but I heard the stories, some of which are in this story.

How Coyote Borrowed the Devil's Wings

K.S. Charlotte’s family immigrated from Moscow to the Chicago suburbs in the 90s. After studying history as an undergraduate, she spent six years as a translator for a nonprofit in Texas before returning to Illinois, where she recently completed an M.A. thesis on Shakespeare and translation theory. Currently, K.S. Charlotte is teaching rhetoric and composition at a state university. This is her first published work of fiction.

This story is inspired by the rich tapestry of coyote legends created by the indigenous peoples of North America. I did my best to treat the source material with respect while keeping the trickster spirit alive.
This is also an immigration story, albeit a weird one. What if Lucifer fell from Heaven and crashed in the Arizona desert? We all have our own ways of coming to America…

Time Unspools

Roger Dutcher lives in Wisconsin, where he enjoys jazz, wine, and poetry. His poetry has appeared in Asimov's, Modern Haiku, and Strange Horizons, with some forthcoming in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction. He was a poetry editor at Strange Horizons for almost ten years, and is the co-founder, and editor, of The Magazine of Speculative Poetry.

Poetry Notes for "Time Unspools"

I see “Time Unspools” as a positive thought on the life of our universe and our general lives.

The Healing Moment Assigned by HR Central Stacks

R.J.K. LEE has lived in Japan since 2005, though originally from Oregon, USA. Based in Tochigi, he plays games with his daughters, bicycles through sunshine and typhoon, and feasts on adobo with his long-term partner. He writes stories and poems on interminable train rides, while juggling jobs as teacher, proofreader, and voice narrator. His work has appeared in DreamForge, Triangulation, the Aurealis-nominated Clamour and Mischief anthology, and more. Find him at www.rjklee.com or https://linktr.ee/rjklee.

Story Notes for "The Healing Moment Assigned by HR Central Stacks"

This story envisions a future in which librarian services are provided to everyone throughout the universe. It also values resolving problems through communication, rather than violence, as seen through the character's reaction to the group she meets and who impedes her primary goals. However, the story also places value on the individual life needs of the protagonist, despite the HR admin who believes their own vision of "healing" (making up with a male ex) is more important than the protagonist's own life values.

As for how the author came up with the tale…? Lee says, "Mashed up a bunch of elements as usual. Observations of bad managers (mostly in Japan). Societal obsessions with healing and wellness which often becomes this pushy, unhealthy creature. Long-distance relationships. Others who naively lectured me about relationships. Experience with LGBQT+ relationships. And, of course a healthy dose of roleplaying (D&D and others), far future post-scarcity society (ala Banks’ The Culture), and my work as an assistant librarian at the OSU stacks and at the Eugene Public Library (which was all pretty positive). Oh, and I love shape changers, and have used them in several of my stories, so a no-brainer to depict that aspect of Debby’s job."

Love and Beans in Thin Times

William lives in a small Buckinghamshire village in England. By night he writes speculative, historical, crime and other fiction. His debut novel, EXPIRATION DAY, was published by Tor Teen in 2014 and won the 2015 Hal Clement Award for better than half-decent science in a YA novel – the citation actually says "Excellence in Children's Science Fiction Literature". His short fiction has also appeared in Metastellar, Abyss & Apex and other excellent 'zines. By day he writes software for a living and in the twilight he sings tenor, plays guitar and writes songs.

Story Notes for "Love and Beans in Thin Times"

'Physics is Fun', my teacher used to say, and he had a T-shirt to prove it. This story came out of nowhere when I should have been editing a novel. Yes, I was having fun with the physics, and the puns, but it was always a love story, which my crit group realized straight away. But it was a bit too bleak, weak and unlikely in that first draft, until Keeya/I had that final revelation, turning its very implausibility into its strength. He said, modestly.

Old Wounds, New Spears

Jane Noel

Graphic Design, Layout, Illustration

Jane is the Founder of Chroma Marketing Essentials, a digital marketing agency located in Jeannette PA.  She holds a degree in Visual Communications from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and more years of experience than she cares to count.
Before founding CME, Jane worked as an Artist, Art Lead, Art Director, and Project Manager for the computer game developer DreamForge Intertainment, where she worked on a number of early computer games, including Roger Zelazny’s Chronomaster.

Scot Noel

Editor, Editorial Selections, Essays, and more.

Henry Gasko

Editorial Assistant

Henry Gasko was born in a displaced persons camp in Yugoslavia after World War Two. He was raised on a vegetable farm in Canada, and emigrated to Australia more than forty years ago. He has recently retired from a career in data analysis and medical research.

Catherine Weaver

Editorial Assistant