"The warlock said, 'These are not new jokes.'"

December 24, 2022 5:39 AM

Three fantastical stories about trying to heal. "Isabel said, 'I think I’m being possessed.' You said, 'You’re not being possessed.' You also said, 'Don’t be so dramatic,' which you would later look back on and regret." "Spirochete" by Anneke Schwob (please note the content warnings on that page) has a demanding friendship and a chronic illness. “Did you regret what you said before Carl passed?” "Reprise" by Samantha Lane Murphy (please note the content warnings on that page too) portrays the end of a car ride, over and over. "Traditional witches and green witches don’t always see eye to eye. With a life on the line, Berthe is very persuasive." "Berthe the Green Witch" by Catelyn Winona (Caffeine and Magix on Tumblr) features a snob getting comeuppance.

All 3 of these stories were published in 2022 and are eligible for award nominations.

posted by brainwane (5 comments total)

Probably won't have time to read these today because holiday travel, but I just wanted to put in a note that I've greatly appreciated your short story posts, brainwane. They've enriched my life. Thank you.
posted by Halloween Jack at 7:31 AM on December 24, 2022 [4 favorites]

Thanks so much for sharing these, and for your past posts as well. I always find pieces I love and would never have discovered otherwise. This is the Best of the Web!
posted by rpfields at 8:41 AM on December 24, 2022 [1 favorite]

I suspect this isn't the first time you've posted a Caffeine and Magic story? At any rate, something got me started on that tumbler, and I ended up reading the whole dang thing a few/several months back, and then deleted the bookmark so I wouldn't just obsessively update/re-read. Thanks for bubbling it back up? (No really, thanks)
posted by solotoro at 4:13 PM on December 24, 2022 [1 favorite]

solotoro, hope you have a controlled pleasurable time with the Tumblr this time around! Maybe you are remembering this front page post back in April?
posted by brainwane at 5:40 PM on December 24, 2022 [1 favorite]

I think so!
posted by solotoro at 5:49 PM on December 24, 2022