New issue: 2024.70

“If we continue on this path of little by little destroying forests, destroying rivers, destroying air, the consequences are going to be awful for humans and cultures around the world, for all forms of life. And I want people to wake up.”

—Nemonte Nenquimo

Issue 2024.70

Flash fiction

• ‘The End of Rain’, Zoe Kaplan - art by Joyce Chng

Short stories

• ‘Transmogrification’, R.M. Pérez-Padilla - art by Joel Bisaillon
• ‘The Shape of Her Shadow’, Alexandra Brandt - art by Fluffgar

Novelettes

• ‘Matryoshka City’, Albert Chu - art by Katharine A. Viola
• ‘The Transformative Three and the Clean Cooking Revolution (grant no. 437-775)’, Auke Pols - art by Cécile Matthey

Poetry

• ‘The Ships That Sang’, Jess Cho - art by Toeken
• ‘What Heroines Read’, Mary Soon Lee - art by Dr T. Eratopo

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Micro-interview with Fluffgar

We’re chatting again with regular TFF illustrator Fluffgar, artist of “The Rose Sisterhood” in The Future Fire #68, about this issue, castles and fairytales.

TFF: How did you go about illustrating “The Rose Sisterhood”?

Fluffgar: Castles. Everyone knows Scotland has castles. That's where I began with these illustrations. In particular pink castles. The colour is down to a very old tradition of lime washing the exterior of such buildings. The pinkish result is known to has inspired the fairytale pink castles of Disney among others.

TFF: What was your favourite fairy tale when you were a child?

Fluffgar: I have a vague recollection of a fairytale about a person who is reborn over and over as different things. I think it could have been an animation of part of “The Tale of Taliesin.” But the emphasis seemed to be more on the cycles of life. So it may have been a different tale.

My current favourite is a tale about The Cailleach. Don't let the title fool you, it’s about her. “Bride and Angus” as told by David Campbell.

There's also Scàthach. Which is an interesting one.

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Reminder: You can comment on any of the writing or art in this issue at http://press.futurefire.net/2024/01/new-issue-202468.html.

New Issue 2023.67

“To invent stories about a world other than this one has no meaning at all, unless an instinct of slander, belittling, and suspicion against life is strong in us: in that case, we avenge ourselves against life with a phantasmagoria of another, a better life.”

—F. Nietzsche, Götzen-Dämmerung

Issue 2023.67

Flash fiction

• ‘Collective Bargaining’, Jonathan Olfert - art by Carmen Moran

Short stories

• ‘Just as You Are’, Juliet Kemp
• ‘Microseasons of the Dead’, Vanessa Fogg - art by Cécile Matthey
• ‘Woman, Soldier, Girl’, Priya Chand - art by Katharine A. Viola
• ‘Crumb Cutie Exodus’, Bernie Jean Schiebeling - art by L.E. Badillo

Poetry

• ‘How to Plant an Olive Tree on the Moon When All Is Lost’, Elena S. Kotsile - art by Fluffgar
• ‘How Magic Will Help You Take the Bastards Down’, Beth Cato - art by Melkorka

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Micro-interview with Fluffgar

We welcome Fluffgar, artist of “Boxes Full of Memories” in The Future Fire #66, for another visit and short chat to celebrate the latest issue.

 TFF: How did you go about illustrating “Boxes Full of Memories”?

Fluffgar: I read the story and then let it steep/ferment in my mind. It's often best for me to go and do something unrelated for the time this takes. Get on with some other work, clean the house, play a video game. Subconscious likes to be left to do its first drafts.

TFF: Your first illustration for this story feels very intimate and truly "inhabited" by someone's personality. Did you find inspiration in an actual place?

Fluffgar: For the domestic chaos of the first illustration I need only to look up for inspiration. Creativity and messiness are often found in the same person, and in my household that is doubled. That said, the environment depicted isn't a real location.

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Reminder: You can comment on any of the writing or art in this issue at http://press.futurefire.net/2023/07/new-issue-202366.html.

Micro-interview with Fluffgar

We are joined by Fluffgar, illustrator of “Ten Degrees of Freedom” in The Future Fire #60.

TFF: How did you go about illustrating “Ten Degrees of Freedom”?

Fluffgar: After taking in the story, I looked at real life. The story was fantastical, the imagery was going to be confusing. It needed to be grounded in things that were visually familiar.

illustration © 2022 Fluffgar

TFF: What else are you working on now?

Fluffgar: I’ve been working on a 1950s travel poster inspired piece, with some 60s sci-fi for good measure. It’s an exercise in getting back into my work, and also stretching myself.

Reminder: You can comment on any of the stories or illustrations in this issue at http://press.futurefire.net/2022/01/new-issue-202260.html

New Issue: 2021.59

“Freedom is not a state; it is an act. It is not some enchanted garden perched high on a distant plateau where we can finally sit down and rest. Freedom is the continuous action we must all take, and each generation must do its part to create an even more fair, more just society.”

—Rep. John Lewis

Issue 2021.59

Short stories

• ‘The Avlina Flower’s Magic’, Jamie Lackey, illustrated by Carmen Moran
• ‘A Luxury Like Hope’, Aimee Ogden, illustrated by Toeken
• ‘The Abridged Excerpts from the Diary of a Corpse’, Naethan Pais, illustrated by Naethan Pais

Novelettes

• ‘The Devil Hunters of Fawn Street’, Clark Lewis, illustrated by Eric Asaris
• ‘Archive of the Inexplicable and Dangerous’, Alexandra Grunberg, illustrated by Miguel Santos

Poetry

• ‘Armor’, Devin Miller, illustrated by Cécile Matthey
• ‘he kindly danced for me’, J.D. Harlock, illustrated by Cécile Matthey
• ‘You Are Whole’, Anshritha, illustrated by Dr T. Eratopo
• ‘How to Tell Your Husband You’re a Werewolf’, Katherine Shats, illustrated by Fluffgar

Full issue and editorial

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New issue: 2020.54

“It hurts me that, if global warming still continues, if global warming continues on a large scale, it’s going to affect our future only; we the children and the coming future generation is going to suffer. So I wanted to do something about that, and that’s why I sued my government.”

—Ridhima Pandey

Issue 2020.54

Flash fiction

• ‘Dragon Years’, Juliet Kemp (illustrated by Martin Hanford)

Short stories

• ‘A Stereoscopic Landscape View of Torino with Damsels and Distress’, Celia Neri (illustrated by Josep Lledó)
• ‘The Foraging’, Shelly Jones (illustrated by Joyce Chng)
• ‘Strange Engines’, Jordan Taylor (illustrated by Eric Asaris)
• ‘The Facts Are These’, M. Bennardo (illustrated by Cécile Matthey)
• ‘The Shadow Catchers’, Vanessa Fogg (illustrated by Katharine A. Viola)
• ‘Cascade’, A.J. Fitzwater (illustrated by Fluffgar)

Poetry

• ‘Demon Summoning for the Modern Femme’, Avra Margariti (illustrated by L.E. Badillo)
• ‘This Soundless Murk’, Hester J. Rook (illustrated by Miguel Santos)

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Full issue and editorial.

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