Dear Robot: An Anthology of Epistolary Science Fiction

by Kelly Ann Jacobson (Editor), Terri Bruce (Contributor), Micah Vider (Contributor)

Dear Robot is an anthology of nineteen science fiction stories told in a variety of epistolary styles. Letters, scientific notes, manuals, and emails all tell different stories about the future. From a behavioral contract for interstellar exchange students to a transmission from an astronaut in space, these sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking stories all use their structure to amplify their message—especially when that message is that a band of deadly robots are chipping away at the door.

Genres: Short Stories, Science Fiction

126 pages, Paperback

Published November 19, 2015

About the author

Dr. Kelly Ann Jacobson is the author or editor of many published books, including her contest-winning chapbook An Inventory of Abandoned Things (Split/Lip Press), her young adult novel Tink and Wendy (Three Rooms Press), and her forthcoming young adult novel Robin and Her Misfits (Three Rooms Press).

Kelly received her PhD in fiction from Florida State University and teaches as the Assistant Professor of English (Creative Writing) at the University of Lynchburg and as an Instructor of speculative fiction and short story writing for Southern New Hampshire University’s online MFA in creative writing.

Kelly’s short works have been published in such places as Best Small Fictions, Boulevard, Southern Humanities Review, Daily Science Fiction, Northern Virginia Review, Iron Horse Literary Review, New Plains Review, and Gargoyle.

Reviews

[Jacquelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a contributor I may be (definitely am) biased, but this is a great little collection! Highlights for me were DRINK, KILL, CONTRACT by Michelle Vider, SELECTIONS FROM THE INTRAGALACTIC ENCYCLOPEDIA OF HABITABLE PLANETS by Kate Lechler, and WELCOME TO OASIS by Terri Bruce.

[Terri]

I really enjoyed this collection - very different from any other anthology I've read. All the stories were good, but my three favorites were:

Christina Keller's #IAmHuman was the stand out story for me - a very thought-provoking story about people manipulating their DNA to contain all known DNA markers (in effect, making everyone genetically the same). I loved it!

Rafael S.W.'s "God Article" snuck up on me - it's good on the first read through, when you don't really understand what it's about/what's happening, for it's beautiful and interesting prose and then great on a second read through when you understand what the narrator means/is talking about.

Llanwyre Laish's "Dodona 2.0" was unsettling and horrifying (in a good way/the way SF horror should be). That one is going to give me nightmares. ::shudders::

[Colby Foley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book overall, but a few of the stories feel sort of rushed. The stand-outs of the collection are Misha Herwin's WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, Sarena Ulibarri's FUN(DRAISING) WITH METEORIOIDS, Bruce Markuson's Al'S ROBOT REPAIR, and #IAMHUMAN by Christina Keller.

[Robin Kirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this. There's so much fantastic work going on now in speculative fiction short stories. This is a wonderful exploration of what can be done in the epistolary style. I especially enjoyed the first story, "Nickerson Interstellar Exchange Behavioral Contract" by Tara Campbell.