“To say of it ‘Here is a magnificent novel’ is rather like gazing into the Grand Canyon and remarking, ‘Well, well, well; quite a slice.’ Doubtless you have heard that this book is not pleasant. Neither, for that matter, is the Atlantic Ocean.” -Dorothy Parker

Our nonfiction story of the week is Cross Stitch by Valerie L. Egar.

“Thorgeir the Lawspeaker hailed from a deep river valley in northeast Iceland called Lightwater, and his relatives included Grim Hairy-Cheek and Hallbjorn Half-Troll.” I’m all for bringing back interesting epithets.

The knowledge that they had made a crude rush at things and failed in their mission, the mission they had undertaken at a single gesture from their leader, to wipe out everything, suddenly imposed an intolerable weight on them… - László Krasznahorkai, The Melancholy of Resistance

“If there was anything she loved it was this, the earth clapped under ice, the razor-sharp air, and the unyielding solidarity of cloud which firmly repulsed the weak or dreamy gaze so the eye should not be confused by the potential ambiguities of the clear deep sky.” - Lászlo Krasznahorkai

This research would be a lot easier if the people concerned weren't all named Edward/Eadwig/Eadred/Edgar/Eadmund or Æthelstan/Æthelred/Æthethelflæd/Ælfwynn. Not forgetting Alfred, of course.

Our story of the week is All of Us by Douglas W. Milliken.

“Such small, selfish thoughts. I thought coming out would make me a bigger, better person, but I’m still just me.” Ghosted is @theforge.bsky.social story of the week for 8 more hours. It’s political, yes, but its also very personal Thanks again @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social for midwifing this baby

"I’d like to forget what happened to Javi but he’s more inescapable since his deportation than when he lived three miles away. Can you be haunted by someone who isn’t dead?" Ghosted, my story of infatuation, heartbreak, consequences, activism & deportation in the US forgelitmag.com/2026/01/26/g...

Dorothy Parker: Of course, the figures show that the performance actually lasted only something like four hours, but it seemed to reach over a period of years. Men and women who had arrived at the theatre in the prime of life doddered out of it, trembling and querulous.

A sad & dark moment to release a story about deportations & activism (as well as infatuation & betrayal) but ‘Ghosted’ was written/scheduled 5 months ago and is still horribly pertinent. I’m so grateful to The Forge for publishing this and interviewing me. My website & newsletter: jaimegill.com

Thank you @theforge.bsky.social for publishing Ghosted and @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social for patiently helping me to lean more into the personal than the political, creating a more nuanced story than the original. I’m very proud of it though I know we all wish it didn’t feel quite so topical today.

"Can you be haunted by someone who isn’t dead?" The publication date for this piece was decided months ago. We knew that it would still be timely. And now, well. This story of deportation, activism, and the knife's edge of love and betrayal hits hard. Gill is brilliant; you should read it.

Selected by managing editor @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social @jaimegill.bsky.social

Such a vivid story!

Our story of the week is Bubble Gum & Lime Green Carpet by EC Dorgan.

Our story of the week is The Swallowed by Ali McLafferty.

Our story of the week is Harlequins Upon Our Doorsteps by Mizuki Yamamoto.

The very best of The Forge is very very good indeed. Let’s all start tucking into these stories, linked in the comments

We are all so proud to have published these brilliant stories and are cheering them on!!

Our 2025 Pushcart Nominations! Best of luck to all of these brilliant authors!

I’m not big on resolutions, but I love a good goal. In amongst other reading I’m hoping to read the complete works of Dorothy Parker and Paule Marshall this year, in as close to chronological order as possible. I’ve never really read either before, excited to get going!!

Our story of the week is A Reconstruction of the Lost Film "The Life of General Villa" by Cody Harrison.

Happy to have a micro fiction included in this solstice project by Necessary Fiction! Such a neat idea and so many great, very short meditations on the season. necessaryfiction.com/stories/poin...

Day 3 of our gathering brings @tmcallister.bsky.social, @feed-me-poetry.bsky.social, @sidsibo.bsky.social, Kathleen Hellen, @philippabowe.bsky.social, Kathryn Edie, @iamchrisscott.bsky.social, Michael Colonnese, David Capps, & @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social. necessaryfiction.com/stories/poin...

Our story of the week is Vacancies by SK Stringer.

Delighted to have a short story up at The Wild Umbrella today amidst many other great pieces!

Our story of the week is It Shall Prosper in the Thing by Andi Shapiro.

Great mag, great judge!

Our story of the week is Beyond Guernica by R.A. Morean.

My awesome friend Michelle is starting a bookstore that will also function as a community space supporting kids and veterans! She’s got such a brilliant, detailed plan and more enthusiasm than anyone I’ve ever met - I’m excited to see it all come together. @bradymicheller.bsky.social

Our story this week is The Genocide Unfolds on My Phone, the winner of our 2025 Forge Flash Nonfiction Contest! Congratulations to Acree Graham Macam! @acreegrahammacam.bsky.social

I love this story so much!

Our nonfiction story of the week is Qurbani Eid by Rahad Abir.

This was so fun! Michelle is a fantastic conversational partner!!

Our story of the week is Artist Statement: Leech 1 (salvaged materials) by India Choquette.

I interviewed Victoria Chen who gave the best answer to the question, What did you buy yesterday? #LitMag @theforge.bsky.social #LitInterview #Writers #SmashLits

Wrote a little joke here for all of us with middle schoolers in our lives. All of these made me smile - take a minute if you need a Halloween boost!

Rereading some favorite ghost stories in preparation for the big day Friday - including this charmer by @saracrowley.bsky.social ! Delightful.

Our nonfiction story of the week is Prejudice and Love Poems by Harli James.

So excited to have had the chance to do this with the fab @bradymicheller.bsky.social!! She’s a brilliant, funny, and empathic interviewer and we had such a great chat! Looking forward to listening to all the others asap!!

EEEEK!!! I couldn't wait to share these amazing people's stories with you! Up on all the apps. New episode every other week, but 3 now to get you hooked. 😆https://michellereneebrady.podbean.com/ Let's rediscover each other one book at a time! @sarahstarrmurphy.bsky.social

Our nonfiction story of the week is Faker by Brittany Micka-Foos.

I became a Whitaker fan thanks to Valerie Waterhouse - fitting to enjoy this with her brilliant afterward! “Malachi’s 1939 memoir is more tightly controlled…. ‘What is the use of life?’ when uncertainty is all around, she asks, supplying the book’s unifying theme.” @malachiwhitaker.bsky.social

I published such a smart and sassy story by Victoria Chen. You should read it. "Everyone was saying they were a people pleaser due to childhood neglect. Everyone was an asshole. I was waiting to be inspired."

Our story of the week is On Backsliding by Victoria Chen.

Such a delight and honor to read these stories - congratulations and can’t wait to see them go live!!

Hearty congratulations to the winners of this year's Forge Flash Competition, Kaitlyn Andrews-Rice and @acreegrahammacam.bsky.social ! 🎉🔥 Their pieces will be published in November. The full results are here: forgelitmag.com/2025/10/04/2...

“I’m exhausted and grumpy and can’t exactly explain at work, sorry, there’s this ghost girl who likes to punch me so I’m not getting enough hours.” New from my brilliant buddy Sara Crowley!! Give yourself a first-day-of-October treat!

I'm so chuffed to have a little flash of mine in Ghost Parachute. Also, damn, look at the amazing line up! 🤩 #FlashFiction #👻