From the editor

Dear Reader,

I write to you from my kitchen table without the company of the geese or deer. However, I did have my first sighting of Gertrude (or Gertie for short) my skittish, backyard-neighbor groundhog. While watching her search the grass for something to nibble on fresh out of hibernation, I surrounded myself, once again, with the stories presented in this issue.

"New Beginnings" instantly became an act of experimentation and exploration within the minds of all the writers who responded to the call. Whether through video games, family ties (both knotted and/or severed), rules and regulations. Each of the selected stories found new ways to define what a new beginning may encompass, may destroy, may mean for their unsuspecting characters.

I hope these stories tickle your imagination and nestle deep within your bones, revealing the different ways you or your characters may continue to discover a multitude of new beginnings.As always, stay weird. Be fearless. Experiment! Have fun! Run away with your characters!I hope to read where they've led you someday.

Avitus B. Carle

About Avitus B. Carle

Avitus B. Carle lives and writes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her flash has been published in a variety of places including Okay Donkey Magazine, Lost Balloon, CHEAP POP, Five South Lit., and elsewhere. K.B.’s stories have been nominated for The Pushcart Prize, and her story, “Soba,” was included in the 2020 Best of the Net anthology. Her story, “A Lethal Woman,” will be included in the 2022 Best Small Fictions anthology. She can be found online at avitusbcarle.com or on Twitter @avitusbcarle.