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Migration: Queer Sci Fi's Sixth Annual Flash Fiction Contest
MI-GRA-TION (Noun)
1) Seasonal movement of animals from one region to another.
2) Movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions.
3) Movement from one part of something to another.
Three definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell. Here are 120 of our favorites.
Migration feaures 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
1) Seasonal movement of animals from one region to another.
2) Movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions.
3) Movement from one part of something to another.
Three definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell. Here are 120 of our favorites.
Migration feaures 300-word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.
256 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 24, 2019
3 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
J. Scott Coatsworth
90 books188 followersScott lives with his husband in a leafy Sacramento, California suburb, in a cute yellow house with a pair of pink flamingoes in the front yard.
He has always been in the place between the here and now and the what could be. He started reading science fiction and fantasy at the tender age of nine, encouraged by his mother. But as he read the golden age classics and more modern works too, he started to wonder where all the queer people were.
When Scott came out at 23, he decided he wanted to create the kinds of stories he couldn't find at the bookstore. If there weren't gay characters in his favorite genres, he would reimagine them, filling them with a diverse universe of characters. He'd remake them to his own ends, and if he was lucky enough, someone would even want to read them.
Scott's brain works a little differently from most folks - he sees connections where others don't. Born an introvert, he learned how to reach outside himself and connect with other queer folks.
Scott's fiction defies expectations, transforming traditional science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something fresh and surprising. He also created both Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, and is an associate member of the Science Fiction Writer's Association (SFWA).
His writing, both romance and genre fiction, brings a queer energy to his work, infusing them with love, beauty and strength and making them fly. He imagines how the world could be, and maybe changes the world that is, just a little.
Scott was recognized as one of the top new gay authors in the 2017 Rainbow Awards, and his debut novel "Skythane" received two awards and an honorable mention.
He has always been in the place between the here and now and the what could be. He started reading science fiction and fantasy at the tender age of nine, encouraged by his mother. But as he read the golden age classics and more modern works too, he started to wonder where all the queer people were.
When Scott came out at 23, he decided he wanted to create the kinds of stories he couldn't find at the bookstore. If there weren't gay characters in his favorite genres, he would reimagine them, filling them with a diverse universe of characters. He'd remake them to his own ends, and if he was lucky enough, someone would even want to read them.
Scott's brain works a little differently from most folks - he sees connections where others don't. Born an introvert, he learned how to reach outside himself and connect with other queer folks.
Scott's fiction defies expectations, transforming traditional science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something fresh and surprising. He also created both Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, and is an associate member of the Science Fiction Writer's Association (SFWA).
His writing, both romance and genre fiction, brings a queer energy to his work, infusing them with love, beauty and strength and making them fly. He imagines how the world could be, and maybe changes the world that is, just a little.
Scott was recognized as one of the top new gay authors in the 2017 Rainbow Awards, and his debut novel "Skythane" received two awards and an honorable mention.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
October 1, 2020
Receiving this year's Flash Fiction Annual, themed Innovation caused me to notice that I never reviewed last year's, which I read, um, last year? It feels like a decade ago. Back when we could travel. I read this on trains and in transit lounges. Flash fiction is perfect for that sort of setting. You can have the satisfying finishing of a story without worrying that you'll be sucked in and miss your boarding call or station.
I don't remember many individual stories at this point -- there are over 100 -- but I did feel that the overall quality was high and I enjoyed the majority of them. There are horror and fantasy categories as well as sci-fi. It's always fun with these themed volumes to see what variant meanings authors come up with. Of course many stories feature groups or individual people moving from one location to another (often in search of freedom or safety) but there are also stories about data migration, migration of souls, etc. I look forward to the next volume.
I don't remember many individual stories at this point -- there are over 100 -- but I did feel that the overall quality was high and I enjoyed the majority of them. There are horror and fantasy categories as well as sci-fi. It's always fun with these themed volumes to see what variant meanings authors come up with. Of course many stories feature groups or individual people moving from one location to another (often in search of freedom or safety) but there are also stories about data migration, migration of souls, etc. I look forward to the next volume.
August 12, 2019
My story is one of those included here.
But I'd give the collection 5 stars anyway because I truly enjoyed reading it. Flash fictions are great for. busy life--you can read one or two when you have a few free minutes. But they're really hard to write well, so I admire the talents of the authors here. I also really liked the diversity of ways authors interpreted the theme.
But I'd give the collection 5 stars anyway because I truly enjoyed reading it. Flash fictions are great for. busy life--you can read one or two when you have a few free minutes. But they're really hard to write well, so I admire the talents of the authors here. I also really liked the diversity of ways authors interpreted the theme.
May 25, 2020
My story "Not How We Planned It" is in this book and I'm all the more proud of that after reading all the stories. I was honestly surprised by the quality. In only 300 words or less, all of these entries manage to tell complete and appealing stories, and it doesn't get boring to read 120 of them because the takes on the theme are so different. I had several "wow, that's so original!" and "wow, I wish I had come up with that" moments.
I started writing down my favourites while reading and ended up with a very long list (while there were still many more that I enjoyed a lot). It follows the order in which the stories appear in the book and I'm putting it in spoiler tags just to be sure:
I started writing down my favourites while reading and ended up with a very long list (while there were still many more that I enjoyed a lot). It follows the order in which the stories appear in the book and I'm putting it in spoiler tags just to be sure:
Want to read
August 27, 2019I'm in this! And I have it!
I'm looking forward to reading all the contributions.
I'm looking forward to reading all the contributions.
April 19, 2020
Migration is a delightful collection of widely varied bite-sized stories. Reading it, I felt like I was consuming many types of tasty morsels that can be appreciated by so many different palates.
I like how many creative ways different authors interpreted the theme. Many subgenres of speculative fiction are represented as well, including clever blending of genres.
Just as importantly (to me, as a queer person with many queer loved ones), the queer identities of characters range across the spectra of sexualities and gender identities. They also range from being a centermost part of a plot, to part of the worldbuilding, to part of character development.
I also really dig the variety of writing styles and tones to the pieces. Some stories blew me away with their intensity, others made me grin because they were cute/sweet, some made me think "huh, interesting", while still others left me shocked and rereading them in light of a twist ending. I think this anthology has at least a few stories for every taste and mood.
I highly recommend Migration to anyone who enjoys (very) short speculative fiction and is interested in variety - in terms of subgenre, character identities, and tone!
Disclaimer: Migration includes a story I wrote. My rating is for the rest of the stories/the anthology as a whole.
I like how many creative ways different authors interpreted the theme. Many subgenres of speculative fiction are represented as well, including clever blending of genres.
Just as importantly (to me, as a queer person with many queer loved ones), the queer identities of characters range across the spectra of sexualities and gender identities. They also range from being a centermost part of a plot, to part of the worldbuilding, to part of character development.
I also really dig the variety of writing styles and tones to the pieces. Some stories blew me away with their intensity, others made me grin because they were cute/sweet, some made me think "huh, interesting", while still others left me shocked and rereading them in light of a twist ending. I think this anthology has at least a few stories for every taste and mood.
I highly recommend Migration to anyone who enjoys (very) short speculative fiction and is interested in variety - in terms of subgenre, character identities, and tone!
Disclaimer: Migration includes a story I wrote. My rating is for the rest of the stories/the anthology as a whole.
July 26, 2019
A thrilling collection of flash fiction tales all told arlond the theme of migration. From sci fi to a fantasy to the absurd, over a hundred up and coming and established authors take a crack at telling their story in a flash.
A brilliant book, a great way to find some new authors, and another wonderful flash fiction anthology from the Queer Sci Fi crew.
A brilliant book, a great way to find some new authors, and another wonderful flash fiction anthology from the Queer Sci Fi crew.
May 10, 2021
I have a flash fiction included in this collection, but I still really love the concept of 100 ideas and stories that flash across the pages with promise and creativity and some linger long after :)
November 14, 2019
Good collection of micro stories. I think I liked this set better than last year's (Impact), and I more often agreed with the judge's picks.
Disclosure: I have a story in here under a different name.
Disclosure: I have a story in here under a different name.
February 4, 2020
Really enjoyed this anthology, would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews