DreamForgeMagazine

Meet Brandon Case. He has work in Escape Pod, Flash Fiction Online, and Small Wonders, among many others. You can catch his alpine adventures on Twitter and Instagram @BrandonCase101. His latest story is The Indoor Prince dreamforgemagazine.com/story/the-indo…

Today's Word: Kenopsia The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned. Our communities often have these for decades before they are demolished or repurposed: malls, hospitals, factories. Post apocalyptic postcards caught in time

Looking for speculative fiction that blends heart, intelligence, and imagination? Get Anvil Issue 23 and all our previous issues online - at DreamForge or at Amazon. Read Free online : go.dfstory.com/anvil23 or BUY on Amazon: go.dfstory.com/Anvil23Amazon

In A Guide to Helping Your House Elf, Teresa Milbrodt blends the domestic and the fantastical into something deeply human. go.dfstory.com/guideto

The Boy and the Turtle is a beautiful fairytale about growth, friendship, fear, and the world waiting beyond our carefully built walls. Read Leo Rose Rodriguez’s modern fairytale.go.dfstory.com/turtle

First Words asks what we’ll do once we can no longer pretend we don’t understand. Is the world ready to hear? Read First Words by Hap Aziz.go.dfstory.com/firstwords

A look at the anxiety behind automation replacing human jobs, starting with ballet-dancing robots and wondering why we tie our identity and self-worth to being paid for what we do — and what happens if we stop? youtu.be/YD2kmvEqJhs

Today's Word: Waldeinsamkeit The soothing solitude of being alone in the woods. Unfortunately, I never find myself alone in the woods. Around here, there could be hundreds of ticks every square meter and 50% of tick bites happen in back yards. Ooops, did I destroy your solitude?

In a kingdom where stories mean death, Gwen has only one weapon left: her voice. Read Fifteen Silver by Alexandra Wingo.go.dfstory.com/15silver

Sometimes a story plants something that only blooms after you've finished reading. This is one of those stories — a tale you can return to and discover it's been quietly teaching you something about what we carry when we think we're just passing through. dreamforgemagazine.com/story/the-beek…

Today's Word: Monachopsis The persistent feeling of being out of place or not fitting in. Combines "monachus" (alone) and "opsis" (appearance or view). If you haven't felt that way in a while, the reunion at Monachopsis High is coming up this summer.

Prince Geodendry: Swatter of sunbeams. Menace of midnight. Ruler of the windowsill. Until one careless click leaves him outside his kingdom. The Indoor Prince is a charming story from Brandon Case. go.dfstory.com/indoorprince

A ghost mariachi band arrives to escort Darren to the afterlife. Only problem? He doesn’t die on schedule. Now everyone’s improvising. The Ides of Mariachi by Pete Lead is funny, strange, and hearfelt.go.dfstory.com/ides

For 142 years, we’ve boiled water to make electricity. In December 2025, a steel plant in southwest China ended that tradition. What happens next could reshape energy — and the future. Read The End of Steam by Scot Noel. go.dfstory.com/steam

In our latest issue, Teresa Milbrodt delivers a story of house elves, where the real message is how caregivers must deal with the trials and trauma of care giving itself. "A Guide to Helping Your House Elf: Etiquette, Cooperation, Commiseration" go.dfstory.com/guideto

Today's word: Yūgen (pronounced "you-gen"). A Japanese aesthetic concept of the universe's subtle grace and hidden but profound beauty. Sounds like an anti-Cthulhu Mythos to me. Instead of the abyss staring back with madness, it’s abiding with infinite understanding.

In medias res does not mean “start with an explosion.” It means starting inside the motion of the story — without confusing your reader. In this article, Scot Noel breaks down why so many openings fail — and how to get yours right.go.dfstory.com/inmediares

Today's Word: Filipendulous Suspended by a thread; hanging delicately by the thinnest of connections. A rare adjective with Latin roots (filum “thread” + pendulus “hanging”). Anything fragile yet still held in place. Perfect for describing hopes, relationships, or our future...

Tangent Online Reviews DF #23. Another winning issue, with stories that range from the poetic and bittersweet to the lighthearted. Whether you’re looking for a fable-like journey or a fresh take on modern folklore, you’ll find something to enjoy. tangentonline.com/e-market-quart…

Every writer eventually hits the sign: Road Closed. The mistake? Staring at the barricade. In this practical, energizing article, Wulf Moon shares real detours around writer’s block — so you can get back to the open road.go.dfstory.com/writersblock