42 Stories Anthology Presents: Karla Hailer

 

Story in the anthology:

THE TRUE SACRED CATHEDRAL OF MY REBELLION

Location in the world:

Boston (because I love that dirty water) Massachusetts

Writing Space:

Office in my home

Pen names in the 42 Stories Anthology if applicable:

Frances DeLisle (for steampunk)

Bio:

Karla Hailer is a retired teacher and lifelong Red Sox fan who has spoken educational conferences, at the Thoreau Society about misreading “Walden.” She is in “Bolts of Fiction,” an anthology of flash fiction and publishes steampunk under the name Frances DeLisle.

Best animal in earth?

The best animal on earth are cats because they understand boundaries, and are furry purry fuzzy wuzzy balls of love.

Books/authors you like? 

Far too many to name them all but I love that George Plimpton taught me at an early age that you can get paid for writing about sports, even if I ended up as a political journalist for a while. Ursala K. LeGuin ignited my passion for fantasy and H. G. Wells my love of science (speculative?) fiction. As a history nerd, I am glad John Meachem, David McCullough, and Rob Chernow all have eBook editions so I’m not breaking my arms carrying their books. Henry David Thoreau started as a “You need to read…” in school and he quickly became the man who opened up the whole world to me - even if I misread “Walden,” at the age of 15 and felt he was telling me I needed to learn how to garden.

Artists/paintings...?

Raphael… so much love for Raphael and the Madonna Della Seggiola inspired me to go to Florence to see the original. Like books and authors, there are just so many! I adore Milton Glasser’s work, Peter Max, R. Crumb, and Bob Waldmire (who Fillmore from “Cars” is based on).

Songs/bands...?

Jonathan Richman’s “The Morning of our Lives” is a song every writer with imposter syndrome - which is all of us - need to take to heart.

Places...? 

I am a Boston girl, born and bred. As Jonathan Richman of the Modern Lovers once said, “I’ve been all around the world but I love New England best.” Outside of New England, I love Amsterdam, the Grand Canyon, and Key West.

Countries...? 

Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy.

Do you have a writer?

I am a member of Activated Authors and Heartbreathings writing communities.  Having a wonderful circle of people to sprint and goof with is truly inspiring.  I am also a member of the Boston Urban Sketchers group who draw what’s going on around them live reminds me how much I enjoy just going out in the wild to paint and draw.

Who do you write for? Why?

I love writing Middle-Grade fiction - which is the steampunk stuff.  Currently, I am writing it in serial form on Ream Stories and Substack to build an audience. Because of my “misread” of Thoreau as a teen, I am working on a series of Middle-Grade fiction about the Transcendentalists where Thoreau is fighting off a Kelpie at Walden pond or Louisa May Alcott is trying to soothe a Puckwudgie’s feelings after her father accidentally insults it. The idea of using the paranormal to introduce that philosophy appeals to my goofy side.

What inspires you?

I was first inspired to write when I read “Paper Lion” by George Plimpton. I was way too young and most of it went over my head, but it was the first time someone told the story of sports and I realized you could get paid for being a writer. I’m not a football fan, but I love that it inspired me to think of writing as storytelling.  We all tell stories, whether it’s about something that happened to us yesterday or a well-crafted narrative tale. The thought that it could be about fun things made my heart sing.  Most kids grew up with game recaps that were the box scores in words.  Guys like Plimpton and Frand DeFord wove a tale of the game that inspired imagination. Like listening to a baseball game on the radio - it’s such a visual game and yet, a good broadcaster is weaving threads together to make it real.

When I am creating a Steampunk world or taking someone back to Walden Pond during the time of Thoreau or to my “magical” contemporary town in Maine, I am doing what those people did for me growing up: taking symbols on pieces of dead wood and turning them into compelling stories for others to see.

Tell me about your outline process.

Until fairly recently my outlining process was “This is why we can’t have nice things” or “everything blows up here” or “wacky, tragic misunderstanding for why they can never be in love…” such things.  Then I started using some software that has helped me more and more with the outlining process.  While I will never be that 32-page Jeffery Deaver level of outliner, I am no longer that Lee Child form of “So, what do we have to write today?”  I have to admit that the skeleton blurb Protagonist must do this or this horrible thing will happen sort of statement to help set up the stakes really does help me be able to craft things before I start writing.

Kind of ironic coming from someone who, until recently, taught kids how to pre-write and then write essays using graphic organizers when I was sitting down with the people in my head and saying, “So, what part of the story do you want to tell me today?” Now that I can do better pre-writing, I feel my narratives are stronger and I can tell my story with more clarity.

Social media links or links to your published works:

Instagram: @pikagirl59  (Karla Hailer) and @authorfrancesdelisle (Frances DeLisle, my steampunk penname)

About the Anthology:

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² features 1,764 stories, each exactly 42 words long, spanning 42 different genres. This global collection brings together 1,281 authors from around the world—new voices, seasoned writers, and everything in between—united by the challenge of saying more with less.

Available now in print, ebook, and audiobook formats:

www.42storiesanthology.com

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Karen Petersen

 

Stories in the anthology:

ESCAPING DEATH ONE SLEEPY SUMMER AFTERNOON (Escape, as Karen Petersen)
BEWILDERED REFLECTIONS UPON AN ACHING LIFE (Romance, as Kushka Girl)

Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico
Writing Space: Bed
Website and social media: karenpetersenwriter.com

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Selected Q&A with Karen Petersen

(Karen answered every question. We didn’t have the heart to cut it.)

Favorite artists/paintings?
Renoir

Favorite movies/shows/actors?
Black Orpheus

Favorite countries?
Madagascar

Do you have a writer/artist circle?
No. Only a few people I occasionally use as a touchstone for edits.

Who’s your audience?
I write for adults. Define that as you wish.

Do you drink anything to get in the mood to write?
No. I just sit down and focus.

What do you wish humans would stop doing?
Being cruel to other sentient beings, and being careless towards the environment.

What’s the best way to make art?
I don’t like the way the question is posed.

How do you relax?
By watching British detective stories.

Best animals on earth?
The elephant (land) and the whale (sea) because they are ancient and wiser than we are.

Greatest achievement in writing?
Finishing.

What got you into writing?
Been a writer forever. Created a neighborhood broadsheet when I was 8.

Books you’ve read recently?
All the Light We Cannot See

Best writer besides you?
Absurd question. There is no hierarchy, only differences.

Do you write with music or shows on?
Nope.

Is anyone in your family a writer/artist?
Father. Mother. Grandmother.

Living or deceased writer/artist you'd like to meet?
So many...

What’s the greatest award you hope to receive?
Anything with serious money attached to it. Being poor is exhausting.

Are your friends writers/artists?
Yes. But they like their privacy, sorry.

Have you ever been in a writing group or workshop?
Avoid them like the plague.

Most drafts you’ve done of a piece?
3

Main distractions?
My ass gets sore from sitting too long.

Pet peeve?
Incompetent editors with tin ears. But when you find a good one, priceless.

Editing process?
Alone, then sometimes a friend.

Writer/artist you hate?
I hate all poseurs.

Fill in the blanks:
A reader who likes poetry and short stories will enjoy my story, which they can find in links on my website: karenpetersenwriter.com

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Longform Answers

What inspires you to write, and what keeps you going?
The stories of the world. I have a duty of care to tell them.

How do you handle rejection and celebrate acceptance?
Shrug and move on. Small smile.

Do you outline?
WTF who outlines? Lol

What do you do if you get creative block?
Stop writing and go outside into Nature to relax. Watch murder mysteries. Sooner or later, a sense of guilt and anxiety hits me and I go back to writing.

First story you ever created? Was it published?
An elegy on the death of a friend from a drug overdose one summer in Italy. I was 19, and it ran in The Vassar Quarterly.

How do you organize your creative life?
Organize? An artist’s life is not a normal one. It dominates everything. Total commitment.

Your current goal?
Finish and deliver my book before the year is out. All else will follow.

Was there a question we didn’t ask that you wish we did?
Why are you bothering with this?

Where can people find your work?
Kushka53 on Twitter, FB, and LinkedIn.
https://karenpetersenwriter.com

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📘 About 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42²

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² features 1,764 stories, each exactly 42 words long, spanning 42 different genres. This global collection brings together 1,281 authors from around the world—new voices, seasoned writers, and everything in between—united by the challenge of saying more with less.

Available now in print, ebook, and audiobook formats:
🔗 www.42storiesanthology.com

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Susmita Ramani

 

Story in the anthology:

NOT A GOUDA STATE OF AFFAIRS: MELTING DOWN

📍 Location: Palo Alto, California, USA

✍️ Writing Space:

Wherever I am! A few times while on my phone, up on the catwalk at the Mountain View Center for Performing Arts between times when I worked the spotlight for productions of the play Shrek, which both of my daughters were in. Also, in the car, curled up on a comfy chair with the cats and/or dogs, at a café, anywhere.

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Author Bio

Many of Susmita Ramani’s publications are on her WordPress. She attended U.C. Berkeley for her undergraduate degree in English and Juris Doctorate in Law. She is Associate General Counsel at a Bay Area investment fund that invests in the biotechnology sector.

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💬 Is there something you passionately want the human race to stop doing? Something that might subtly appear in your writing/art…

Sometimes I think that if everyone had the same skin color, people could view each other with a lot more impartiality. In one of my pieces, The Influencer, an extraterrestrial-guided social media influencer excitedly advises everyone to turn their skin green the way that she has, and then “Greening Booths” pop up everywhere, and everyone eventually turns the same shade of green.

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🐾 The best animal on earth is _______ because _______

The best animal on earth is whatever animal is in front of me, because I adore all animals. Our family has dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and aquatic frogs. But I love all animals that cross my path—goat, cow, pig, horse, duck, etc. They are tied with human babies as being the most vulnerable population there is—or perhaps they are even more vulnerable than babies, because a large number of humans view it as their right to farm and eat many types of animals. They can’t communicate with humans and need protection.

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✍️ What got you into writing?

Definitely my parents. My dad read to me a lot, and did jigsaw puzzles with me. My mom, an English major well before I was, read to me constantly. One of my earliest memories is when she told me the stories of Shakespeare’s plays (as well as stories of Hindu gods and goddesses, of course!). Her favorite play was The Merchant of Venice, because of how noble Portia saved the day by posing as—what else?—a male lawyer named Balthazar! Note that I also later went into law!

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📚 Is anyone in your family a writer? If yes, who?

My mother is the Artistic Director of a South Indian Classical Dance (Bharatanatyam) school called Shri Krupa, the oldest such school in the Bay Area (since the early 1970s). She has trained thousands of students, and they’ve won competitions all over the world—most recently including my two daughters, Zoey and Ava, who participated in a group dance performance in Italy and they won first place. My mom’s ability to make money from dedicating her life to the art form she most loves was always so inspiring to me.

My mother-in-law has acted in community theater in and around Berkeley (in the East Bay part of the Bay Area).

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🌟 What inspires you to write?

The process of creating a story (of any size) feels like pulling off a magic trick, and I’ve found that I need steady doses of that kind of enchantment to sustain me emotionally and mentally. It’s the same thing that propels me in improvisational theater (which I also love and belong to a performing group)—finding the game, creating a world, discovering who the characters are and how they are related, and so on—i.e., just like writing, creating something out of nothing.

To get something published (= to reach an audience who wants to read the kind of stuff one writes) is tremendous. To think that people can hear my voice, and maybe that it made a positive ripple in the universe somewhere, is everything to me. It’s an antidote to anxiety about the general state of things in the world.

Also, as someday I, in my body, will be gone, perhaps some will still read my words. Perhaps my own daughters will, if they miss me enough and want to hear my voice. (They’ve read some of my stuff, but nothing close to all, being busy teenagers!)

The person who inspires me to keep going is the person I call my BeWriFri (Best Writing Friend), Rani Jayakumar. We read everything of each other’s, usually before submitting it anywhere, and we nearly always enter things together and both win. Once we co-wrote a story that got an Honorable Mention. Without her to spur me on, I think I might sometimes have let it drop for a while here and there, or at least not have been nearly as prolific as I have been. (As we both have been!)

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📩 How do you handle rejection, and celebrate acceptance?

This is one of the greatest lessons of all. I have had loads and loads of rejection…and some acceptances peppered in after a while, then more acceptances than rejections. It was a long road to get there.

My journey as a writer more or less started out with my writing a novel (a few years ago), then a second, then a third—but, after unsuccessfully querying about them each in turn and getting no interest, I shelved them all. For the first novel, which I wrote over two or three years, I hired two professional (MFA teacher style) editors in succession to read each draft of the novel. I learned boatloads from them both. Sometimes a draft of a novel would be out to one of them, and I would be on pins and needles until I heard back, unable to stop obsessing about it. Then if the feedback was negative, I felt despondent. Then I tried Critique Circle (a great online writing workshopping community), and posted chapters of new novels, and got in turn both applause and evisceration, as one does. It toughened me up a lot.

After letting the novels go, I restarted with short pieces. Writing pieces of any size, but short pieces especially (100 words or under, like 42!), feels like it caters to the current attention span that I see around me, in my friends, husband, kids, and even myself. Now I have had somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 pieces published (including both poems and longer pieces, but all less than 20k words). I’ve also had scores of poems published at AllPoetry (a great writing community).

And now, either way, when I hear any news, I pride myself on being able to nod (either with a smile or a shrug) and just go on with normal life.

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🔗 Social Media and Links to Work

• susmitaramani.wordpress.com

• allpoetry.com/SusmitaR

📘 About 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42²

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² features 1,764 stories, each exactly 42 words long, spanning 42 different genres. This global collection brings together 1,281 authors from around the world—new voices, seasoned writers, and everything in between—united by the challenge of saying more with less.

Available now in print, ebook, and audiobook formats:

🔗 www.42storiesanthology.com

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Tom Prentice Interview

 

Tom Prentice Also writes as Martin Swallow, Drake Mandarin, Robin Swift

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Writing Space: “Café works quite well for me, but usually on my work desk at home because my dog hates being alone.”

Stories in the 42 Stories Anthology:

• HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANA AND MANY HAPPY RETURNS (Alt Realty)

• ORDER AND SAFETY IS THE ENEMY OF CREATION (War)

• TECHNOLOGY REALLY BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER (Mythopeia)

• WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR HERO IS OFF SICK? (Satire)

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About Tom

Tom writes short horror and science fiction. His work has been featured by Scare Street, Sci-Fi Shorts, and Transmundane Press, among others. From Worcestershire, UK, Tom now hangs his hat in Dublin, Ireland, where he works in the tech industry. He is happily married with one unruly dog.

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Do you drink coffee or tea or something else to get you in the mood to write?

I drink coffee to get in the mood to exist. Alcohol sometimes works to break the seal. It’s difficult lately to find long stretches of time to write, which is why crafting 42-word stories had such appeal—I don’t have to find the mood.

What’s your greatest achievement in writing?

The first time I published something it was a good validation. That was a story called Bouncer with Transmundane Press. You need to face a lot of rejection when submitting stories which can be tough unless you have at least one win in the bag.

What got you into writing?

I was between jobs with one idea so I thought I’d give it a try. Now I have a hundred ideas and I can’t stop.

Who is the best writer on earth?

Stephen King.

Bob Dylan. You can listen to stuff of his from any era and it’s all good. Lyrics are really evocative even if you don’t know what he’s on about. And he doesn’t give a fuck.

How do you handle publisher/editor rejection, and celebrate acceptance?

It’s important not to feel in a rush to get it out there. The process of shaping the story is the fun part. The validation of acceptance is just the icing on the cake, not the thing in itself. If that’s what you’re craving, that’s a lot of hungry nights.

Writing goals:

I’m going to write a novel one day. As long as I can remember I’ve seen that as the ultimate achievement. I’ve given it a shot a couple of times but I get lost in the weeds, so getting better at outlining is my current objective.

Artists you like:

Francisco Goya, William Blake, HR Giger, & Arnold Bocklin.

Movies/shows/actors:

I’m a bit of an Alien fanatic.

Mountains:

Mountains I’ve been at the top of include Snowdon in Wales and Seoraksan in Korea, both pretty amazing.

Books/authors:

I’m partial to Kurt Vonnegut, Stephen King, and my spooky homeboy HP Lovecraft and all of his descendants.

Books you read recently:

Finally got around to finishing the Three-Body trilogy. Amazing stuff.

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Where to find Tom’s work:

• Online story: “Take Care of Yourself” on Sci-Fi Shorts

• Horror story in a Scare Street collection on Amazon

• Twitter/X: @teeayeprentice

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Tom appears in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42²

A collection of 1,764 stories written by 1,281 authors across 42 themed chapters—each story just 42 words long. Explore the full anthology at:

🌐 www.42storiesanthology.com

Jill Bronfman's 42 Stories Anthology Interview

 

Meet San Francisco-based author Jill Bronfman—an MFA candidate, speculative fiction writer, and someone who knows how to turn a legal outline into a compelling narrative. 

Her story AWAKENING THE WEREWOLF ON MY CHESTERFIELD appears in the 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42², a global collection of 42-word flash across 42 genres, where Jill’s knack for tight, impactful fiction shines.

Whether writing from home or from her co-writing space on Page Street, Jill grounds her work in both wit and conviction. Her fiction doesn’t shy away from themes she’s passionate about—civil rights, climate change, reproductive justice, and the growing tension between technological progress and personal freedom. These aren’t just causes—they’re currents running under her prose.

When asked about her outline process, Jill says, “I outline like I’m writing a contract.” And she means it. The structure of I, 1.1, 1.2 isn’t just legalese. It’s her scaffolding for building flash fiction that can scale up into novels. She’s currently finishing one of those novels as she nears the end of her MFA, supported by edits from notable writers and her own college-age daughter, whom she calls a great reader and editor.

Organization? She’s got it. Jill uses platforms like Submittable not just for submitting, but for generating writing prompts. She even writes entire pieces specifically for quirky contests she stumbles across. 

Her work: poetry, speculative fiction, and more, lives in a carefully managed set of Google files, with plenty of backups just in case the digital universe misbehaves.

Jill’s voice is clear and self-aware. She’s sarcastic when she wants to be, serious when the story calls for it, and never afraid to let real-world issues filter through her fiction.

“A reader who likes sarcasm will enjoy my poetry,” she says. “A reader who likes speculative fiction and near-future world building will like my novel.”

And as for literary heroes? She admits to being obsessed with Margaret Atwood, so much so she once published a fake book review of Atwood’s future work set 100 years from now. That’s the kind of clever layering Jill brings to her own writing.

Explore more of Jill Bronfman’s work at www.jillbronfman.com, and be sure to check out her microfiction in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42²—because sometimes, all it takes is 42 words to wake a werewolf on a chesterfield.

For more authors in the anthology go to www.42storiesanthology.com

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Daniel Getzoff

 

Daniel Getzoff

Award-Winning Story:

THEY TOOK MY UNICORNS AWAY FROM ME FOREVER (Fight Chapter winner)

Location: Los Angeles, California, USA (most of the time)

Writing Space: “My desk is at the threshold of a closet in my living room that used to be a Murphy bed. But the desk faces out, sorta floating. I love this arrangement, yet I’m annoyed when someone tells me on Zoom, ‘Hey, you’re in a closet!’ I also write in cafés. But I’m used to multiple screens (laptop + external monitor). I need real estate but in a café, that doesn’t happen.”

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🚴 Meet Daniel Getzoff

Daniel Getzoff has biked across the continental U.S.—three times. That alone earns some kind of literary street cred, but he’s also a playwright, essayist, and novelist-in-the-final-stretch. You can read about his cycling adventures and reflections on writing at handlebarconfessional.com, and you’ll find the raw voice of a writer who doesn’t shy from confession, structure-shattering experiments, or humor.

His prize-winning story in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42², THEY TOOK MY UNICORNS AWAY FROM ME FOREVER, appears in the Zombie chapter—an absurd, poignant punch of 42 words that judges couldn’t ignore.

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🧠 On Writing and Art

What’s the best way to write?

“I have discovered that I need to trust what comes out of me, that I have my own distinct voice, my own ‘thing’ that I need to remain true to. I try to focus on being authentic to that voice—speaking in it, asking what it wants and listening to it, not overly judging it but definitely making an effort to interpret it. Feeding it treats if it retreats and hides under the bed, letting it know I’m here when it has something to confess, begging it for forgiveness when I have to edit it, and it’s pissed and threatens to shut up for good and needs reassurance all over again when we both realize that it can’t have everything we think it needs.”

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How do you relax?

“Well, for my mental health I run and ride my bicycle a lot. Being productive relaxes me: making a list and checking off tasks as completed. Probably should be the opposite but there you have it.”

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Are you part of a writing group?

“Yes! I am part of 3 groups at the moment. One is a twosome—someone I’ve been meeting with pretty much weekly for over 10 years (used to be 3 of us but shit happens).”

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What was the first story/art you created?

“My first full-length play—wait, shit, it’s my only full-length play…to date—At Least Until You Die, wasn’t published but it was fully realized: produced, mounted, performed for 6 weeks to pretty damn favorable reviews. I wrote it inspired by dreams and Jungian creative dream work. It was a two-person show, a mother and son. I wrote the roles for myself and the late, brilliant Maureen Byrnes. The experience spanned the very landmine-laden landscape of ego-boosting and -busting.

That was almost 20 years ago. I wish I’d done more with the piece—rewrites, other productions. Edinburgh Fringe. But it’s fucking hard to make yourself make shit happen.

Earlier than that? When I was a little kid, I used to write plays—reimaginings of stuff that already existed—and make the class perform them. I was fearless before junior high broke me. I admire that version of myself.”

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🎧 Favorite Things...

Books/Authors

Toni Morrison’s Paradise meant a lot. Finishing it was an achievement. I even dug into her interviews. She once said she trusts her readers—she can challenge them. That stuck with me. It gave me permission to write my novel how I needed to write it. Not traditionally. Not easily. But honestly.

Foods/Drinks

“I fucking love farmers markets. Boughs of produce make my soul sing.”

Music

“I started making a list, but got caught in the trap. These questions are moment-bound. I listen to music for so many reasons: creative inspiration, workouts, curiosity, holiday mood-setting, even sex…

One of the best experiences I’ve had with music was listening to NPR’s list of the 150 Greatest Albums Made by Women. Every single one. It took a month. Some albums I loved, some I hated. But I learned a ton about myself and my ‘true’ preferences. It cracked something open.”

Best Animal on Earth

“The fox.

They have a mixed reputation.

They are clever. But are they cunning?

They are playful and resilient.

They are cute as fuck.”

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✏️ Outline Process: Backwards, Mostly

“I don’t outline before I write—I just start writing. My novel’s outline came after 100,000+ words. I needed to figure out what the hell was in there. So I made a board: chapter summaries, character tracking, stylistic insertions (poems, texts, dreams, imagined movie scenes, etc.).

But now, I’m converting my cycling blog into a memoir. I’ll have to plan more this time. Do I organize it by ride? By theme? By essays? I haven’t decided. Or I’m not ready to.”

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🔗 Follow Daniel

• handlebarconfessional.com – blog + 2018 & 2021 rides

• handlebarconfessional.blogspot.com – full 2009 ride

• Instagram: @handlebarconfessional

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Stay tuned for more author features from 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42²—the project where voice, genre, absurdity, and brilliance converge in exactly 42 words. www.42storiesanthology.com

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Kyle Shepherd

 

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Kyle Shepherd (a.k.a. K. J. Shepherd / Jorsin Alkestes)

This week, we’re featuring Kyle Shepherd, a writer who doesn’t just bend genres—he bends universes. Appearing in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² under the names K. J. Shepherd and Jorsin Alkestes (more on that in a minute), Kyle brings readers not one but two reality-warping tales:

• LAST NIGHT I TRAVELED TO ANOTHER UNIVERSE

• I DESTROYED ALL OF SPACE-TIME LAST THURSDAY

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🪐 Jorsin Alkestes...

“is a character from Brent Weeks’ trilogy The Night Angel. I didn’t steal it, please don’t sue me lol. I just love that trilogy so much, I read it twice back to back and it was so inspirational to me as a writer and fan of all fantasy.”

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🏡 Location: San Marcos, TX

✍️ Writing Space: “I write a bit of everywhere. Bars. Cafés. Coffee shops. Parks. Sometimes even in my own office. Lately, I’ve been writing by hand on my eNotebook, and it’s been great to have that kind of mobility to write where I please, or where the mood strikes. It might not be the best for discipline; it’s something I’m working on.”

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📚 Favorites...

“My favorite authors are Steven Erikson, Brandon Sanderson, Christopher Wooding, GRRM, Michael Swanwick, Tolkien, and Brent Weeks. I think my favorite book of all time is Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson, there’s just something about this world he’s created that resonates with me. The magic, the places, and especially his characters. It’s just a fantastic book and a great introduction to an entire universe.”

Also:

• Mountains > beaches

• Death metal all day (but also Celtic music and video game soundtracks)

• Recently obsessed with Electric Callboy and Spirit Box

• Grew up on Iron Maiden (shout-out to his older brother for that)

• Favorite films and shows? Hereditary, Dr. Sleep, V for Vendetta, RRR, LotR, Dark, The Boys, Invincible, Breaking Bad, and “a healthy plethora of anime”

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🌶️ On Why He Writes...

“I love creating things in general. Food; I love cooking. I’ve made my own beer, jam, bread, and now I’m working on my own mustards. I also garden and have grown watermelon, tomatoes, cucumbers, habaneros, and various other peppers. Stories are kind of the same way for me. I love to see the characters in my head, give them wants and dreams and desires, and then put them through unholy terror that will surely crush them.”

Oh, and:

“I also noticed a theme of amputation in a lot of my stories and I’m not sure why.”

“My friend Zach Chapman got me to finally realize that I could also be a writer; it just seemed oddly out of reach for me growing up, even though I started writing stories at twelve years old, I only started submitting my work in 2017, at the age of 31. I keep going because he’s dumb and if he can make cool shit then I certainly can. It’s ok, he’ll never read this!”

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🌘 On His First Story and more...

“The first story I conceived of was an epic fantasy, that would span several books, and be reminiscent of Final Fantasy in terms of epic scope. I loved Final Fantasy IX and Xenogears, and wanted to emulate that feeling of discovery and wonder.”

The concept?

“An Earth in the far future, in which the moon had smashed into and shattered into dozens of shards, but which was held together by some unseen force. And a magical essence issued forth from the Earth, and it permeated everything and changed the course of evolution, each shard developing humanity into vastly different, sometimes corrupted, creatures…”

It also featured:

• Guardians of the Earth

• Guardians of the Moon

• And a collective of planet-bound guardians tasked with protecting sapient life

“I have thousands of receipts with various scenes, concepts, plot points, and characters written on the back, but I haven’t really pieced it all together yet. It became too daunting a task and I have put it off in favor of working on new pieces and short stories, and horror novels.”

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In the Anthology

Kyle’s two 42-word stories in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² feel like tiny neutron stars—explosively compact, heavy with implication, and weirdly hilarious in their existential panic. He plays with tropes of time, space, regret, and paradox while anchoring it all with voice and tone. A little doom. A little absurdism. A lot of fun.

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📘 Want more of Kyle’s work?

Check out his Linktree: https://linktr.ee/kyledoeswords

📖 Read his micro-stories in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42², available now in print, ebook, and audiobook via 42storiesanthology.com

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Michael Jai Grant

 

This week’s spotlight shines on Michael Jai Grant, contributor to 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42², where his story ZIPPERS AND CHEESE ARE THE OBSTACLES TO LOVE appears in the collection’s more whimsical (yet truthful) corners. With a style that moves fluidly between razor wit and spiritual depth, Michael’s work captures contradictions with clarity—and heart.

📍 Location: North Stamford, Connecticut, USA

🖋️ Writing Spaces: Libraries and his home office

📚 Website & Socials:

• MichaelJaiGrant.com

• Facebook

• Instagram

• His debut novel on Amazon

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✍️ Author Bio

Michael Jai Grant writes until his fingers go numb, his ulna aches, his butt falls asleep, and his husband growls. Then he picks up the camera. He lives for travel, theater, dogs, the chewiness of language, and appreciation. Read his novels. They’re worthy.

Fun fact: Despite owning a coffee shop for years, Michael has only had two cups of coffee in his life... and one ended up in his lap.

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Quickfire Round with Michael Jai Grant

Q: Is there something you passionately wish the human race would stop doing?

A: I wish the human race would stop seeing God as a creator or judge or parent or mythic being—external, in any form. That idea divides us. God is internal. The light we all share is pure, but we prism it through religion, culture, and ideology until it splits and breaks us. That light should illuminate, not separate.

Q: What’s your greatest achievement in writing/art?

A: Writing my first novel—and having a publisher believe in it. Even more powerful: people read it, love it, and tell me how it’s affected them. That’s magic.

Q: A reader who likes…

Humor, adventure, drama, and a unique voice will enjoy The Limited Edition Bicentennial Cadillac Convertible Joy Ride, available on Amazon, B&N, or MichaelJaiGrant.com.

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🎤 Longform Reflections

💡 What inspires you to write/make art, and who, or what keeps you going?

Oddly, I don’t know. The urge to write, take a photo, make a film—it just is. Even if no one sees it, I have to do it. My husband is supportive, but this drive doesn’t come from him. It’s internal. I might hear something, see light fall a certain way, or rethink a familiar idea—and suddenly I’m in motion: jotting a note, grabbing the camera, recording a voice memo.

It might be the intersection of OCD and autism in my wiring. But more than that, it’s a calling. The muse is always there; I just need to clear the space. That’s the hardest part—because life is noisy. Mortgages, errands, food, relationships. But when I make room? It flows. And I don’t stop because there’s no “off.” I just keep going. I have to.

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📖 What was the first story or art piece you created—and was it published?

Mrs. Silverman. Fifth and sixth grade. She made us write weekly journal entries from Friday prompts. Most groaned. I thrived. I rewrote them obsessively before transferring the final version into the journal.

Each week, three “Happy Grams” were awarded for the best entries. For two years, I received one every single week—undefeated. I was bullied badly back then, but something strange happened: when I stood up to read, those same kids listened. No fists. No mocking. Just attention. Applause, even.

That early validation didn’t erase the bullying, but it made the weekends lighter—and gave me a way to connect, to matter. That journal became my first body of work. Childish? Sure. But it was art. It was mine. And it changed the way I saw the world—and myself.

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📖 Want more of Michael’s work?

Visit www.MichaelJaiGrant.com or read his story ZIPPERS AND CHEESE ARE THE OBSTACLES TO LOVE in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² — available now in print, ebook, and audiobook. More details here: 42storiesanthology.com

Stay tuned for more author interviews in the 42² series.

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Linda Rae Apolzon Interview

 

We’re excited to feature children’s author Linda Rae Apolzon, one of the many talented contributors to 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42². Her story, “I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED CREATURES OF THE WOODS,” appears in the Werewolf category and reflects her knack for voice-driven storytelling and emotional honesty—even in just 42 words.

🏠 Based in: Chicago, Illinois

🖊️ Published Works:

Linda writes primarily for children and has been featured in beloved magazines such as SPIDER and RANGER RICK. Some of her titles include:

• Max Helps Out

• I’ll Share With You

• The Day David Wasn’t There (currently out of print)

• “How Winston Lost His Math Homework” – SPIDER PRESENTS: SHORT STORIES, BIG LAUGHS

• “To the Rescue” – RANGER RICK’S STORYBOOK

💡 Fun Facts from the Interview:

• Former Aspirations: Linda originally wrote adult stories for The New Yorker, but her passion quickly shifted to writing for children.

• Writing Setup: She prefers writing at the dining room table, finding it more comfortable than a traditional desk.

• Family of Writers: All of her siblings write, and her father was a gifted storyteller.

• Pets: She has a deep love for rescue dogs, citing their loyalty and ability to love unconditionally.

🎶 Favorites:

• Books: Neverwhere (Neil Gaiman), The Beatryce Prophecy, The Magician’s Elephant (Kate DiCamillo)

• Music: ABBA, James Taylor, and “The Rainbow Connection”

• Movies: It’s a Wonderful Life, Now, Voyager, Blazing Saddles, The Producers

• Sweets: White cake with buttercream frosting, Snickers, and bridge mix

✍️ Writing Process:

Linda starts each session with a comforting cup of coffee or hot chocolate. She’s a big believer in writing freely—especially bad first drafts—and stops mid-scene to make it easier to return later. Her plotting method involves a detailed chapter grid to track arcs, tension, and subplots.

🧠 Advice for Writers:

• Allow yourself to write terribly at first.

• Outline strategically—but flexibly.

• Accept rejection with grace: one day of misery, then back to the page.

• Celebrate every win—even small ones.

💬 “I want readers to feel something when they read my work.”

And yes, her last name is pronounced “apples on”—as in, apples on a tree.

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📚 Visit Linda’s website: www.LindaRaeApolzon.com

📖 Read her story in 42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² – now available in print, audiobook, and ebook. www.42storiesanthology.com

Interview with Arushi Singh – 42 Stories Anthology

Name: Arushi 

Location: India 

Profession: Registered Nurse 

Writing Space: No fixed space – writes wherever and whenever inspiration strikes 

Story Title(s) in the Anthology: TILL DEATH DO US APART – A TRICKY PROMISE (award-winning) 

Website: https://unfilteredarushi.wordpress.com

🎤

Q: Who do you picture as your reader or target audience?

Not any particular audience. I just wish that anyone who reads my work may feel a little joy and peace.

Q: What inspires you to write, and who or what keeps you going?

There are many factors. First and foremost is my sister—she is a major driving force behind all of this. Then, there is this feeling of contentment and peace whenever I write something. For me, it is like coming up for air when life weighs you down. And finally, in today’s times, when people are more involved in creating videos and reels, I want to keep alive the world of imagination within our minds, which is incomparable with any of the visual aids.

Q: What are your writing goals?

I want to be a full-time writer/poet. I know there is a long way to go and I have to polish my skills a lot before even thinking to go there. So yeah, just hoping in time I will get there.

Q: What are some of your favorites…

• Books/Authors: Dan Brown, Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, Sapiens by Yuval Harari, A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini, and many English classics

• Food & Drink: Indian cuisine and tea

• Movies/Shows: The Big Bang Theory

• Actor: Shahrukh Khan

Q: What got you into writing?

My sister. She is the one who pushed me into writing. She is a great storyteller. All credit goes to her.

Q: What’s your greatest achievement in writing?

This book :-D

Q: What do you want the human race to stop doing?

Stop discriminating between people on any grounds and give love a chance to grow in that space.

📘 About the 42 Stories Anthology

42 Stories Anthology Presents: Book of 42² is a globally curated collection featuring 1,764 micro-stories written by 1,281 unique authors across 42 genres. Each story is exactly 42 words long, forming a mosaic of voices, styles, and perspectives.

The anthology’s goal was to spotlight both emerging and seasoned writers through one constraint: say something unforgettable in 42 words.

🔗 Learn more: 42storiesanthology.com

📖 Available in print, audiobooks, and ebook formats