A bold revival of the short story format, punctuated with classic and modern poetry forms, Spark: A Creative Anthology features the freshest work from a range of talented writers, from established professionals to newly-emerging authors and poets. Contributors Introduction by Traci L. Gourdine Cover Art by Aaron John Gregory Illustrations by Paul Pederson Todd Walton, Going After Nathan Margaret Dilloway, Ever Since I ve Seen Your Face Hunter Liguore, Momentary Forgiveness Darrell Lindsey, tanka George Wells, Last Rites j.lewis, surgical mass Linda G Hatton, Becoming Katie Stephens, Faceless Melana Plains, Not a Worry, My Lord Alexis A. Hunter, By the Gun D. Laserbeam, Five Hundred Svetlana Kortchik, Forget Me Not Hannah Weverka, Gingerbread Towns Matt Lancaster, Old Age Brian Reeves , Her Fruitful Shore Valentina Cano, Image of a Treasure, as a Negative Stone Showers, His Smile Fixed in Time Kari Castor, Jael Stands Trial for Murder Diana Fu, Confession Scott Warrender, The Littleness of Susan Brauer John Stocks, Vows Peter Wood, The Fig Tree Kaitlin Branch, One Cog Short of Paradise

Spark: A Creative Anthology

Literature & Fiction

Hunter Liguore

Brian Reeves

Alexis A. Hunter

George Wells

Todd Walton

Margaret Dilloway

Darrell Lindsey

j.lewis

Linda G Hatton

Katie Stephens

Melana Plains

D. Laserbeam

Svetlana Kortchik

Hannah Weverka

Matt Lancaster

Valentina Cano

Stone Showers

Kari Castor

Diana Fu

Scott Warrender

John Stocks

Peter Woo

Kaitlin Branch

Contemporary

Empire & Great Jones Little Press

Spark: A Creative Anthology, Volume III, picks up where Volume II left off, at times slowing the pace to allow for thoughtful introspection, but never forgetting the importance of wonder and adventure.The foreword by Lidia Yuknavitch reminds us to celebrate lives dedicated to words as a kind of devotion.Regular contributor George Wells takes readers on a walk across the field between how things are and how they're remembered in To the River.The Story of a Mother by Mika Hillery is an honest and painful journey through the grief of losing a child. The story here ends on a hopeful note, but as this is Spark's first Creative Nonfiction inclusion, the Hilleries' real-life story goes on and can be followed on their blog.Christopher Michel wrote Night Class in Syracuse to record the scene he encountered while attending lectures by Brooks Haxton. Through the story he tells and his writing itself, Fatman Butter paints a portrait of man s ability to find a silver lining in the most testing circumstances of adversity in Silver Linings.Leafing by Elizabeth Sachs is a love story, exploring a relationship's evolution as necessitated by Alzheimer's disease.Cathy Bryant wrote Yellow Roses on Snow after visiting Sylvia Plath's grave on the fiftieth anniversary of her death.As the train moves forward in Letters to Mary, the tension provided by Megan Turner lies as much in what is unsaid as in what is said.Traditional Southern imagery is freshly woven by D.A. Gray in the sophisticated and evocative poem Sleepless on Medicine Creek.Alexis A. Hunter's third installment of By The Gun raises the stakes for Della and adds a paranormal twist as she finds herself on the Wrong Side of God. Through the dreamlike language of Sister Eugénie's Wonderful Glass Eye, Barbara Black invites the reader to explore the aquatic depths of the imagination.In a delightful injection of levity, Ben Thompson brings an unlikable narrator to All-You-Can-Eat. As he makes his way through the local buffet, will you find yourself rooting against him or for him?When an anomalous baby is born to young parents, Janet E. Irvin explores the couple's difficulties of raising a daughter who is "different" in A Brief Theory of Triangular Scale.Temporal Shift by Tom Pescatore paints the very same location at very different times.John W. Buckley deftly provides the soundtrack to an evening of acquaintances lost and acquaintances regained in Jukebox Lament.Despair against nature leads to unexpected salvation in Christian Fennell's Angel of the Equinox.Before Ararat introduces fresh perspectives on a familiar story a recurring approach in Kari Castor's poetry. Her work also appeared in Volume I.In Call, Talk, Lock, Deborah Miller-Collins takes an unusual occurrence and develops it into an event that brings together two strangers who need each other.Beatriz F. Fernandez pens a response from the woman to Sherlock Holmes, signed Very Truly Yours, Irene Norton, née Adler.  Escape seems impossible for Cassie in the fiery suspense Gold Stars and Forget-Me-Nots by Francesca Linton.In Inner Night by Michael Campagnoli, a woman waits for an unknown lover.Caroline Zarlengo Sposto asks, "How far would you go to stand up for and even protect a stranger?" in Chivalry.To conclude Volume III, a mother savors a moment with her infant son and contemplates the day he will inevitably leave in Rebekah Orton's Future Wife.

Spark: A Creative Anthology, Volume III

Ben Thompson

John W. Buckley

Mika Hillery

Christopher Michel

Fatman Butter

Barbara Black

Janet E. Irvin

From the foreword by Kevin J. Anderson: Words. Yes. No. I want. How much? Do this. Please. Thank you. Words are the gears that make civilization function, the tools that move almost every action in our daily lives. Through words we create instructions, blueprints, cooperation, organization. But some people use words as more than just gears and tools. They elevate language to an art, an evocative level beyond mere instructions. They use words as a brush to create and paint sweeping imaginary landscapes that they can make other people see in their own minds. They use words to sculpt characters with history, personalities, scars of tragedy or a sense of humor. 
Writers see words as wondrous things, ordinary beans that can spawn a magical beanstalk, simple keys that can unlock Pandora s Box. Readers feast on the fantastic concoctions that wordsmiths create from these sophisticated, sorcerous tools. Any bookstore offers shelves of published novels from well-known and well-loved masters of the craft, storytellers who have entertained us for years, thereby creating a special place in our hearts and our imaginations. But how many other word wizards live among us, secretly practicing their magic, developing their skills, hoping to one day become masters themselves? Many try to take up the special mantle, hoping that their magic is good enough to be noticed. Spark: A Creative Anthology is one way for those emerging apprentice storytellers to take one step closer to becoming a master. Spark is a quarterly anthology and accompanying writing contest dedicated to fostering emerging talent with participation from industry professionals. Established writers and editors serve as guest judges for each contest, and the new stars who shine the brightest are featured here. In all likelihood, you don t recognize many of the names featured in the table of contents at least not yet. But judging by the quality of what I ve read, you will know them. You will. Kevin J. Anderson ___________________________ Here's just a sampling of the great content you can expect: Cover art and illustrations by Paul Pederson Amazing new stories from: Brad R. Torgersen Alex Kane Annie Bellet Su J. Sokol Erica L. Satifka George Wells Alexis A. Hunter Natalia Theodoridou Hannah Lackoff Florence Major Anna Yeatts Mary Hedengren JC Hemphill Kaitlyn M. M. Caul Terri Wallace Chip Houser Samantha Kymmell-Harvey Brianne Kohl Will Mayer Terry Sanville Alex Shvartsman Stewart C Baker Michael Hodges Melinda Brasher Julia Patt Tom Howard Sadie Bruce Hannah Streett Joe Baumann Peter Medeiros ... and more!

Spark: A Creative Anthology, Volume IV

ALEX KANE

Alex Shvartsman

Brad R. Torgersen

Annie Bellet

Kaitlyn M. M. Caul

Will Mayer

Julia Patt

Chip Houser

Su J. Sokol

Sadie Bruce

Joe Baumann

Brianne Kohl

Hannah Streett

Natalia Theodoridou

Kevin J.Anderson

Short Stories & Anthologies

From the foreword by Richard Thomas:
 Life is a series of transitions, as we are constantly in a state of flux flowing from one relationship to another, one emotion to another, like a river running downhill, spilling into the ocean free. It has been said that the only constant in life is change and maybe that is true. We hope, we dream, we make plans and yet they are often crushed in a moment, forever damaged or destroyed sometimes leaving behind a new direction, sometimes leaving nothing but a void. 
 In this issue of Spark: A Creative Anthology we are confronted with cancer and loss, the art of disappearance, heartbreak, entropy, the wanderlust of gypsies, contradiction and chaos, death and decay, fear and anticipation, sacrifice, and the notion that people are the only monsters. 
 What Brian Lewis has done with this particular anthology, as well as past issues, is tap into the universal experiences that we all share these humanizing moments of sympathy and empathy while still finding a way to do something unique, to charter unseen waters, to share the secrets that have been hidden for so long. It s easy to fall into these narratives, to get lost in the lives of others, while burying deep our own moments of pain and suffering only to have them rise to the surface as these talented authors cull them from our memories, our hauntings, our dark echoes and dried-up tears. 
 Slow down for a moment and let these stories change you, let them remind you what you are working for, why you continue to scrimp and save, to sacrifice and struggle remember your dreams, no matter how distant or elusive. We cannot all be astronauts or scientists, we cannot all be heroes or champions or gods. We can only be mortal, human after all, and in that we show both our weaknesses and our strengths. 
Richard Thomas February 25, 2014 Chicago, IL 
___________________________
Cover art by Casey Robin
Illustrations by Paul Pederson
Nonfiction: Crystal Bevers, White Space 
 Poetry: Carolyn Martin, Storm Advisory Beatriz Fernandez, Letter from Lara, Yuriatin, 1920 Beth Cato, Barstow Moneta Goldsmith, Chicago Without Any Shoes On Christopher Woods, Gypsies Rowyn Cotter, Listen Stephen Pera, The Fall Rachel Bryson, Northland Ae Hee Lee, Otters Chris Fradkin, Stairs 
 Fiction: Richard Claycomb, Kraken s Pond George Wells, Where Never Snows Jaimie M. Engle, Moonshine on the Mississip P. Jo Anne Burgh, Disappearing Meredith Foster, Needles Melissa Lee Shaw, The Astronaut Siobhan Gallagher, Spirit Flare Jeff Bowles, Paper Thin Siarhey Bulyha, The Ferryman (translated from Russian by Alex Shvartsman) Sylvia Anna Hiven, The Growing Renée Christine Ehle, Menudo Bay Amy Locke, The Burial Lauren Harsma, Onchocerciasis Alexis A. Hunter, The Clock has Ceased its Ticking J.H. Mae, Distraction in the Afternoon

Spark: A Creative Anthology, Volume V

Richard Thomas

Carolyn Martin

Siarhey Bulyha

Jaimie M. Engle

Beatriz Fernandez

Richard Claycomb

Sylvia Anna Hiven

Chris Fradkin

Rachel Bryson

Crystal Bevers

Siobhan Gallagher

Christopher Woods

Lauren Harsma

Melissa Lee Shaw

There are fantastical stories with actual transgender characters, some for whom that is central and others for whom that isn't. And there are stories without transgender characters, but with metaphors and symbolism in their place, genuine expressions of self through such speculative fiction tropes as shapeshifting and programming. Transgender individuals see themselves in transformative characters, those outsiders, before seeing themselves as human protagonists. Those feelings are still valid. But though the stories involve transformation and outsiders, sometimes the change is one of self-realization. This anthology will be a welcome read for those who are ready to transcend gender through the lens of science fiction, fantasy, and other works of imaginative fiction.

Transcendent: The Year's Best Transgender Speculative Fiction

Everett Maroon

Molly Tanzer

Nino Cipri

Jack Hollis Marr

Bonnie Jo Stufflebeam

Holly Heisey

Benjanun Sriduangkaew

E. Catherine Tobler

Bogi Takács

B.R. Sanders

E. Saxey

Margarita Tenser

A. Merc Rustad

Penny Stirling

Lethe Press

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