A story about an android minstrel missionary sent to save a tone-deaf world. What could possibly go wrong? go.dfstory.com/muzik-man-1

Chris Pasetto is a video game designer who has worked on high profile franchises including Destiny, Red Dead Redemption, and Call of Duty. He has written for film (Air) and comics (Kill the Minotaur). Read his latest tale "Finding a Voice" at: go.dfstory.com/finding-a-vo...

Today's Word: Refel To refute, disprove, or overthrow an argument with decisive evidence. From Latin refellere, meaning to prove false or rebut (from re- + fallere, "to deceive"). The word has vanished from English, perhaps because we stopped caring about actually disproving things.

Print Issue 16 is called Each and Other. speculative tales reveal unexpected insights into human connections. SUBSCRIBE: dreamforgemagazine.com/subsc... BUY on Amazon: go.dfstory.com/Amazon

It does seem awfully dark some days. Try looking for the stars. They are out there.

We love to promote DreamCaster supporter success stories. Stephannie Tallent’s tale “Life and Death and Love in the Bayou” made its appearance in Writers of the Future Vol 40. Learn more at writersofthefuture.com/dont-let-rej...

Colm O'Shea teaches writing at New York University. His poems, short fiction and essays have won or been shortlisted for various awards, including Singapore University's "Quantum Shorts" series. Read his latest tale "The Easy Song" at: go.dfstory.com/easy-song

Today's Word: Farrago A confused mixture of various things, used in 18th-century essays to denote jumbled ideas. From Latin farrāgō, originally meaning mixed fodder for cattle. Modern writing should resurrect the term, Certainly, our digital feeds are the ultimate farrago.

The Foresight Institute champions Existential Hope, and is betting on a brighter future, the Foresight Institute actively works to combat the "doom-loop." Read on to discover how they're mapping out credible paths to a better tomorrow. go.dfstory.com/existential-hope

Douglas Kolacki began writing while stationed with the U.S. Navy in Naples. Since then he has placed fiction in Amazing Stories, Weird Tales, Liquid Imagination, and others. The author's photo was taken at Berlin's Checkpoint Charlie. Read his latest tale: go.dfstory.com/love-me-do

Today's Word: Virago A loud, overbearing person. Meaning changed over time, originating from the Latin virāgō, meaning "female warrior." Sister Innocence made us memorize phrases for vocabulary practice. "Haplessly porcine virago" is one I will always remember, but not fondly.

Epiphanies are those lightning-strike moments when your character finally gets it—learn how to craft character insights that feel both inevitable and surprising, turning mere plot points into unforgettable moments of genius. go.dfstory.com/ss-eureka

Great reviews for DreamForge Anvil 21 from Tangent. The reviewer appreciated how this issue masterfully explores music's transformative power through emotionally compelling stories, demonstrating melody's ability to offer hope and redemption: tangentonline.com/e-market-qua...

Today's Word: Peruke. An elaborate powdered wig worn by European nobility and gentlemen from the 17th through 18th centuries. From Italian "perrucca" (wig). Courtiers spent fortunes on their perukes. How about a nice pair of Stefano Ricci crocodile leather sneakers for only $8K?

Belle of the Ranch talks about hope, doom, timelines, and Star Trek. I couldn't have said it better myself (well, I do say this all the time myself, but Belle makes me believe it all over again.) Enjoy: www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAah...

At DreamForge we love to announce when one of our DreamCaster writing group makes a new sale. "Five Hundred Defects." Bound by their programming to work without ceasing, a group of robots figures out a way to help their only mobile member escape the factory. smallwondersmag.com/piece/five-h...

We have an amazing group of supporters/writers called DreamCasters. Join DreamCasters for monthly meetings with guests, writing contests, exercises and more. Join on Patreon and come to our meeting on Sunday! dreamforgemagazine.com/for-a...

"He needed to find just one curious soul to begin his work. Besides, Big Splash called for big conversions, and teaching a few agrarian workers how to play the spoons just wouldn’t do. He needed free thinkers!" go.dfstory.com/muzik-man-1

Today's Word: Snickersnee A large knife used as a weapon, or the art of knife-fighting itself. From Dutch "steek en snij," literally "stick and cut." Gilbert and Sullivan put it in song: "As I gnashed my teeth, When from its sheath, I drew my snickersnee!"

Suffice to say that Hendry’s apprenticeship seemed to be less a roster of performances and more a series of near escapes, accompanied by music. go.dfstory.com/finding-a-vo...

Today's Word: Epizootic An outbreak of disease affecting many animals in a region at the same time, similar to an epidemic in humans. Derived from Greek epi- (upon) and zōion (animal), this term is used in ecological circles to describe widespread illness in animal populations. Do The Sheep Look Up?

A photographer follows a remote tribe's unusual life cycle, until the day his own camera stops working and the evening songs begin to make sense. go.dfstory.com/easy-song

The rat loses its tail, and swells in size. The snout shortens. It waddles on hind legs. The hatchling sheds feathers, the bare wings filling into a pair of chubby arms. My little Keith molts daily until I gaze into a pair of unmistakably human eyes. go.dfstory.com/easy-song

Today's Word: Slough Came up at family game night. A swampy, muddy place—or a state of despair, stagnation, or shedding. From Old English slōh (muddy place). Biology gives us snakes sloughing their skin, discarding the old. We were wondering if sluffing cards was related to sloughing. Apparently.

The headlines don't always track what's critical to humanity's success, and the loudest voices aren't often interested in helping out. But then there's The Foresight Institute. go.dfstory.com/existential-...

Today's Word: Homunculus Definition: A miniature, fully-formed human, conceived by medieval alchemists as an artificial creature made via secret processes. From Latin "homo" (man) and "-culus" (diminutive), meaning "little man." (The concept of cloning from before science.)

"Protagonists now know themselves in new light, light that transforms their understanding of who they are and what their purpose is. It is the phoenix moment, and from the ashes they rise again… and they rise forever changed." go.dfstory.com/ss-eureka

Today's Word: Orbuculum A crystal ball used for fortune-telling, traditionally by mystics to glimpse visions of the future. From the Latin "orbis" (circle, sphere) and "oculus" (eye). You might recognize it in the form of the Magic 8 Ball. (Reply hazy, try again)

I do love to grill! I'll try to grill pretty much anything - chicken, zucchinis, jalapenos with cheddar, and a varieties of other peppers with basil, garlic and mozzarella. And a few peaches on the top rack too!

"Cautiously, Willie lifted the harmonica to his lips and began playing. At the first note, the alien relaxed. It propped its weapon against the tree and listened." go.dfstory.com/play-it-again

Today's Word: Philoprogenitive A strong love for one’s offspring. From Greek philo- (loving) and progeny (children). Can we extend this deep love for offspring to metaphorical children? Certainly, a philoprogenitive approach would have made "The Island of Doctor Moreau" an entirely different story.

“Watch out!” the guitarist announced with a shout. The sound system squealed with feedback. “Danger, all you chicks and cats! Tonight, the DDR is under invasion by rock. And. Roll!” go.dfstory.com/love-me-do

Today's Word: Sphallolalia Flirtatious talk. A kind of casual, playful banter that leads nowhere. From the Greek sphallo (to trip or cause to stumble) and lalia (talking). I don't think Vulcan's engage in this, but a Klingon might say "mInDu' qu'qu', ghungnIS SoH."

A story about an android minstrel missionary sent to save a tone-deaf world. What could possibly go wrong? go.dfstory.com/muzik-man-1

We used to work with Chris at DreamForge Intertainment, a computer game developer in the late 1990s. We're delighted to publish his heartfelt piece about coming of age and "Finding a Voice." go.dfstory.com/finding-a-vo...

Today's Word: Pochemuchka The child who asks endless questions; an insatiable why-asker. From Russian pochemu? (“why?”) + diminutive -chka. English doesn't have this word and certainly needs it. Maybe we could call those pint-sized philosophers "Whysprouts?"

DreamForge Anvil – Issue 21 | The Sound of Hope is Online! From concrete guitars echoing through Cold War Berlin to an android missionary bringing the blues to a tone-deaf planet, these stories explore the sound of hope. go.dfstory.com/anvil21

Achingly beautiful!

Coming out in just a few days! DreamForge Anvil Issue # 21 "The Sound of Hope" with 5 tales centered around song and music connecting us to the past, opening up new futures, and creating unseen possibilities. Watch for it!

Today's Word: Sobremesa The lingering, convivial talk that follows a meal. From the Spanish sobre (over) + mesa (table). The art of unhurried conversation. For my wife's family, one meal is not enough. Better start at lunch.

Did you know you can check our latest videos right on the home page of dreamforgemagazine.com ? We have videos on futurism, writing, and the occasional interview - like this one with Lynn Barker, co-author with Star Trek's D.C. Fontana of "Futurus Rex." King Arthur returns!

Today's Word: Tropaeum A monument fashioned from captured arms to mark a victory in battle. From the Greek tropaion (“turning point, rout”) Was the Iron Throne such a monument? Forged at the order of Aegon the Conqueror, the first of the Targaryen Kings, ... yada yada. Don't forget a cushion!

“And for this…conversation, you would surrender your soul?” In Demonology Book Club, George Lockett finds the most practical reason for summoning a mighty corrupter.

Today's Word: Torschlusspanik Anxiety that time is running out and opportunities are slipping away. From the German Torschluss (closing of the gate), plus panic. I do have more books on my TBR shelves than I have years left ahead. Hmmm. AAhhhh!!

"My three-year-old had tried on a life. She was now a fifty-something waitress, working in a diner that rattled and shook with passing semis." The Hole in the Hedge by Tammy Komoff speaks of the portals we all take, where days are long, but the years are short. dreamforgemagazine.com/story/the-ho...

Today's Word: Sastruga Wind-carved ridges on snow, often hard-crusted and sharp-edged. From Russian "заструга" meaning groove or small ridge. The Alpine A110 Sastruga made its Formula 1 debut at Monaco in 2022

Inspired by the time the author spent working with the Robot Locomotion Group at MIT and a joke with their dad about "the GPS that takes you not where you want to go, but where you need to go." Let's take a ride in a smart car that may have more than AI. dreamforgemagazine.com/story/lost-i...

Today's Word: Borborygmus A rumbling sound from the intestines as gas and fluid move. From Greek borborygmos—an onomatopoetic classic. Last night's dinner had borborygmus baked into the beans.

This is me!

Look at all this great stuff I missed by not being on Bluesky! Woohoo!