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Grassbleed
GRASSBLEED is a collection of micro and flash fiction from the internationally acclaimed award-winning Mehreen Ahmed. Beautifully written with such consistency and flair, the stories in this collection paint imagery of idyll and distress while enlivening human emotions with a burst of romantic charm.
91 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 31, 2021
About the author
Mehreen Ahmed
119 books230 followersMehreen Ahmed is an acclaimed voice in Australian literature.The Midwest Book Review hails her work for its "exceptional flair for narrative storytelling" and "compellingly memorable characters." With eleven books across various genres—ranging from novels to micro-fiction—her stories have been translated into multiple languages and featured on NationalFlashFictionDay(NZ), AntipodeSF Radio, to name a few.Currently she is Fiction Editor for the UK-based Panorama: Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature.
University Publications:Academic/Literary
Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning, 15(4), 423–433. Routledge. Indexed in Language Teaching, 36(2), Cambridge University Press. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144480322...,
University of Hawai Press,Michigan State University Press,University of Queensland:Call-ej,University of Saskachuwan:The Sheaf,University of Kent Press,Syracuse University Press:Perception,University of Wisconsin-Parkland:Straylight Lit Magazine,Florida University:The Talon Review,Dundee University: Metachrosis Lit Mag,YSJ:BitterleafBooks,Mcneese State University:Boudin,University of Virginia:Jimson Weed Lit Mag,University of Houston-Downtown:The Bayou Review,Literary Parthenon:Academy of Creative Writing,Greece
Literary Magazines
ChironReview,Bull,BendingGenre,FlashFrontier,Litro UK,miniMag:votedoneoftheBestOnlineLiterary Magazinesof2024,Popshot Quarterly,NationalFlashFictionDay,PanoramaTheJournalofTravelPlaceandNature,BlazeVox,CentaurLit,HootReview,CommuterLit,,SixSentences,LiteraryHeist,RogueAgent,VineLeafReview,InParenthesis.artLitMagNew Modernism,ConnotationPress,DoorIsAJar,ELJ
ScissorsandSpackle,VisualVerse,FlashBoulevard,
FlashFrontier,EllipsisZine,Ginosko#24#29#30,TheCabinetofHeed,HeroinChic,Setu,ImpspiredMagazine,TheBombayReview,FlashBackFiction,DarkWinterLiteraryMagazine,BridgeHouse,CosmicTeapot and more.
Awards/Honours
Received formal Certificate of Recognition for the competitive selection of the bilingual flash fiction piece, 'The Stretch: Greek-Η Ανάβαση' from International Publication Selection, Creative Writing Academy of Greece,August 2026 for inaugural issue,Literary Parthenon.
Substack Featured Author: Selected for Ginosko Literary Journal’s digital spotlight showcase (Ylem), 2026.
Winner, Drunken Druid’s Editor’s Choice | The Pacifist (Cosmic Teapot Publishing 2017, Canada)
First Place, May Flowers Contest | Academy of the Heart and Mind (2022) The Phases of the Moon
Co-Winner, Waterloo Writing Competition | Waterloo Arts Festival (2020) Dolly
Winner, Stream-of-Consciousness Challenge | The Cabinet-of-Heed (2020) Black Mirror
Winner, Gaze Theme Contest | Ayaskala Literary Magazine (2023) Rain and Coffee
James Tait Black Prize for Fiction |Nomination 2021
Gatherings(Bridge House Publishing)
Pushcart Prize | Two Nominations: 2020, 2026
Ylem (Ginosko#24)
Paradox of Love (CentaurLit)
Best of the Net | Four Nominations: 2020–2025
Number Ninety-Four- (The Decolonial Passage)
Of the Blue Evening (The Gorko Gazette)
The Interlude (Literati Magazine)
Elysium (Flash Fiction North)
Best Small Fictions | 2025
The Stretch (Boudin)
Featured Author, Flash Fiction Friday Podcast | Immortal Works (2018)Selected from international submissions to have short story "The Portrait" adapted into an audio broadcast.
Top Fantasy Shortlist, Editor’s Choice Award: Exemplary Eclectic Fiction | Freedom Fiction Journal (2025)-"Around the Bend" and "Flamenco"
Finalist, Fourth Adelaide Literary Award Contest (2020) — Flower Girl
Honourable Mention, Weavers of Words Contest (2022) — Silent Bleat
Bestofs/Best10Read
Paint the City Red,AntipodeSF,2025
Cloud-fields,AntipodeSF,2025
Dear Father,Impspired Magazine,2025
The Other,Mad Swirl,3.21.26
The Lament,Mad Swirl,9.21.24
Translations
The Stretch:Greek-Η Ανάβαση (The Ascent)
Red Land:Spanish-Tierra Roja
Pink Toenails:Bengali-Golapi Angul
The Black Coat:Greek-Μαύρο Παλτό
Anomalo
University Publications:Academic/Literary
Journal of Computer Assisted Language Learning, 15(4), 423–433. Routledge. Indexed in Language Teaching, 36(2), Cambridge University Press. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144480322...,
University of Hawai Press,Michigan State University Press,University of Queensland:Call-ej,University of Saskachuwan:The Sheaf,University of Kent Press,Syracuse University Press:Perception,University of Wisconsin-Parkland:Straylight Lit Magazine,Florida University:The Talon Review,Dundee University: Metachrosis Lit Mag,YSJ:BitterleafBooks,Mcneese State University:Boudin,University of Virginia:Jimson Weed Lit Mag,University of Houston-Downtown:The Bayou Review,Literary Parthenon:Academy of Creative Writing,Greece
Literary Magazines
ChironReview,Bull,BendingGenre,FlashFrontier,Litro UK,miniMag:votedoneoftheBestOnlineLiterary Magazinesof2024,Popshot Quarterly,NationalFlashFictionDay,PanoramaTheJournalofTravelPlaceandNature,BlazeVox,CentaurLit,HootReview,CommuterLit,,SixSentences,LiteraryHeist,RogueAgent,VineLeafReview,InParenthesis.artLitMagNew Modernism,ConnotationPress,DoorIsAJar,ELJ
ScissorsandSpackle,VisualVerse,FlashBoulevard,
FlashFrontier,EllipsisZine,Ginosko#24#29#30,TheCabinetofHeed,HeroinChic,Setu,ImpspiredMagazine,TheBombayReview,FlashBackFiction,DarkWinterLiteraryMagazine,BridgeHouse,CosmicTeapot and more.
Awards/Honours
Received formal Certificate of Recognition for the competitive selection of the bilingual flash fiction piece, 'The Stretch: Greek-Η Ανάβαση' from International Publication Selection, Creative Writing Academy of Greece,August 2026 for inaugural issue,Literary Parthenon.
Substack Featured Author: Selected for Ginosko Literary Journal’s digital spotlight showcase (Ylem), 2026.
Winner, Drunken Druid’s Editor’s Choice | The Pacifist (Cosmic Teapot Publishing 2017, Canada)
First Place, May Flowers Contest | Academy of the Heart and Mind (2022) The Phases of the Moon
Co-Winner, Waterloo Writing Competition | Waterloo Arts Festival (2020) Dolly
Winner, Stream-of-Consciousness Challenge | The Cabinet-of-Heed (2020) Black Mirror
Winner, Gaze Theme Contest | Ayaskala Literary Magazine (2023) Rain and Coffee
James Tait Black Prize for Fiction |Nomination 2021
Gatherings(Bridge House Publishing)
Pushcart Prize | Two Nominations: 2020, 2026
Ylem (Ginosko#24)
Paradox of Love (CentaurLit)
Best of the Net | Four Nominations: 2020–2025
Number Ninety-Four- (The Decolonial Passage)
Of the Blue Evening (The Gorko Gazette)
The Interlude (Literati Magazine)
Elysium (Flash Fiction North)
Best Small Fictions | 2025
The Stretch (Boudin)
Featured Author, Flash Fiction Friday Podcast | Immortal Works (2018)Selected from international submissions to have short story "The Portrait" adapted into an audio broadcast.
Top Fantasy Shortlist, Editor’s Choice Award: Exemplary Eclectic Fiction | Freedom Fiction Journal (2025)-"Around the Bend" and "Flamenco"
Finalist, Fourth Adelaide Literary Award Contest (2020) — Flower Girl
Honourable Mention, Weavers of Words Contest (2022) — Silent Bleat
Bestofs/Best10Read
Paint the City Red,AntipodeSF,2025
Cloud-fields,AntipodeSF,2025
Dear Father,Impspired Magazine,2025
The Other,Mad Swirl,3.21.26
The Lament,Mad Swirl,9.21.24
Translations
The Stretch:Greek-Η Ανάβαση (The Ascent)
Red Land:Spanish-Tierra Roja
Pink Toenails:Bengali-Golapi Angul
The Black Coat:Greek-Μαύρο Παλτό
Anomalo
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 5, 2022
Literary masterpieces!
26 masterpieces indeed. Surrealistic, poignant short (flash/micro) stories, or simply put, snapshots. Very enlightening, thought-provoking, analytical and philosophical.
Always ending with an unexpected twist. None of the stories failed to deliver a powerful and somewhat covert message. Some of them are shocking, surprising, dramatic with a pinch of romance; whereas all of them are emotionally charged with various stark contrasts. Reality vs. dreams or vice versa, even something in-between, rather.
The first one actually reminded me of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but without a happy ending, unfortunately.
''Dolly'', for example, was quite moving, ft. a young orphan girl, a delicate florist that just didn't belong to this cruel world. Maybe, something like ''A little Match Girl" in modern times.
The style is unique, sophisticated and appropriate.
The very title is also spot on!
Highly recommended to connoisseurs.
26 masterpieces indeed. Surrealistic, poignant short (flash/micro) stories, or simply put, snapshots. Very enlightening, thought-provoking, analytical and philosophical.
Always ending with an unexpected twist. None of the stories failed to deliver a powerful and somewhat covert message. Some of them are shocking, surprising, dramatic with a pinch of romance; whereas all of them are emotionally charged with various stark contrasts. Reality vs. dreams or vice versa, even something in-between, rather.
The first one actually reminded me of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but without a happy ending, unfortunately.
''Dolly'', for example, was quite moving, ft. a young orphan girl, a delicate florist that just didn't belong to this cruel world. Maybe, something like ''A little Match Girl" in modern times.
The style is unique, sophisticated and appropriate.
The very title is also spot on!
Highly recommended to connoisseurs.
July 19, 2026
Editorial Reviews
"We absolutely love the sense of urgency and authenticity here," Bengal, 1971 -- Ingrid Jendzejewski, FlashBack Fiction
"Such a strong consistency in your writing, " Debt -- Steven Pearman, Melbourne Culture Centre
"Loved your piece," Thin Wall -- The Editors, The Talon Review
"We love it," Chasing a Dream --- Editors, Door is A Jar Magazine
"Mehreen Ahmed's story adeptly conjures the feelings and emotions at the literary heart of the 19-20th c. Bengal Renaissance channeling Tagore's Last Poem, which recounts an unconventional love story, she presents us with a truely timeless work," Rag --- Editors, Thorn Literary Magazine
"We enjoyed very much," Faus Pax -- Danielle Bentel, Online Editor Straylight Literary Magazine
"A good read - I was melting," Sparky -- Ian Rushton, Free Flash Fiction
"Incredible work," The Beach -- Madison Kalia, Editor-in-chief and Chris Kahil Assistant Editor, Crepe and Penn
"Your Flash. Wonderful, we are intrigued," Love, Uncertainly (Changed to Elusive Love) -- Witi & Michelle, Editors Love in the Time of Covid: A Chronicle of love
"It is quite surreal and truly synergistic," Ylem -- Basha Krasnoff, Editor, Portland Metrozine
"Love it. You write conventional romantic short stories, but they are written in unconventional ways using language and sentence structure unlike any other writer I know," Rain and Coffee -- Steve Carr, Editor, Sweetycat Press.
"Excellent story," Sonorous Waves -- Simon Webster, Editor The Cabinet of Heed.
"I really like your story, touching as it does, on the history and possible future of our present predicament," Lungs -- John Caulton, Editor, Flash Fiction North
"It is a brilliant, evocative, and timely story. I had a great time reading it," Pink Toenails -- Umair Mirxa, Editor-in-Chief, PaperDjinn Press
"Beautifully written," Dirge -- Steve Cawte, Impspired Magazine
"We absolutely love the sense of urgency and authenticity here," Bengal, 1971 -- Ingrid Jendzejewski, FlashBack Fiction
"Such a strong consistency in your writing, " Debt -- Steven Pearman, Melbourne Culture Centre
"Loved your piece," Thin Wall -- The Editors, The Talon Review
"We love it," Chasing a Dream --- Editors, Door is A Jar Magazine
"Mehreen Ahmed's story adeptly conjures the feelings and emotions at the literary heart of the 19-20th c. Bengal Renaissance channeling Tagore's Last Poem, which recounts an unconventional love story, she presents us with a truely timeless work," Rag --- Editors, Thorn Literary Magazine
"We enjoyed very much," Faus Pax -- Danielle Bentel, Online Editor Straylight Literary Magazine
"A good read - I was melting," Sparky -- Ian Rushton, Free Flash Fiction
"Incredible work," The Beach -- Madison Kalia, Editor-in-chief and Chris Kahil Assistant Editor, Crepe and Penn
"Your Flash. Wonderful, we are intrigued," Love, Uncertainly (Changed to Elusive Love) -- Witi & Michelle, Editors Love in the Time of Covid: A Chronicle of love
"It is quite surreal and truly synergistic," Ylem -- Basha Krasnoff, Editor, Portland Metrozine
"Love it. You write conventional romantic short stories, but they are written in unconventional ways using language and sentence structure unlike any other writer I know," Rain and Coffee -- Steve Carr, Editor, Sweetycat Press.
"Excellent story," Sonorous Waves -- Simon Webster, Editor The Cabinet of Heed.
"I really like your story, touching as it does, on the history and possible future of our present predicament," Lungs -- John Caulton, Editor, Flash Fiction North
"It is a brilliant, evocative, and timely story. I had a great time reading it," Pink Toenails -- Umair Mirxa, Editor-in-Chief, PaperDjinn Press
"Beautifully written," Dirge -- Steve Cawte, Impspired Magazine
October 26, 2021
"Grassbleed" is an immersive collection of stories that transports and transcends. Straddling the line between dreams and reality, visions and memory, Ahmed opens up new worlds. The balance of surreal imagery mixed with the joy and suffering of life is painted on the page with unique elegance, leading the reader to reflect on what is true.
“The two distinct worlds of the same reality existed simultaneously; one hinging on the other in perfect harmony.” from “A Blinding Flash”
With strong ties to family and home, Ahmed’s characters journey through human struggle into introspection, and ultimately, a deeper understanding of the world. An evocative book that will haunt the imagination and leave a lasting imprint of wonder.
“The two distinct worlds of the same reality existed simultaneously; one hinging on the other in perfect harmony.” from “A Blinding Flash”
With strong ties to family and home, Ahmed’s characters journey through human struggle into introspection, and ultimately, a deeper understanding of the world. An evocative book that will haunt the imagination and leave a lasting imprint of wonder.
November 18, 2021
This interesting micro/flash fiction collection walks the line between dream and reality, while the struggles take place within individuals, in families, and throughout the wider world. The stories are filled with swans, bats, art, bullets, and all manner of things.
In “Dolly,”a young girl develops wings to escape her human capturer. Mountains speak in, “Pink Toenails,” and the sun gives people a second chance, after they have messed up by letting machines takeover the world. A boy braids his way through charred trees, searching for his dog in “Sparky.” And time ends, at midnight, in the collection’s final story, “The Lights.”
The book takes you on a dreamy ride, throughout. You won’t soon forget it.
In “Dolly,”a young girl develops wings to escape her human capturer. Mountains speak in, “Pink Toenails,” and the sun gives people a second chance, after they have messed up by letting machines takeover the world. A boy braids his way through charred trees, searching for his dog in “Sparky.” And time ends, at midnight, in the collection’s final story, “The Lights.”
The book takes you on a dreamy ride, throughout. You won’t soon forget it.
January 17, 2022
A wonderful collection of flash fiction
What a grand collection of micro/flash in GrassBleed by Mehreen Ahmed. I am a big fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I want to read. This author brings her culture into each of the stories, and it is not easy to tell a complete story within a few short words. This author brings each of the stories to life. I read a lot of stories, and I love the different writing styles and storytelling abilities. This author has a powerful way with words, and indeed can show stories. I love it when a Legacy author sends me more of their work! This author has a great imagination. Each story had its own feel and emotions, and while I read each one, sometimes more than one, one of my favorites was "Thin Wall." It's toward the beginning of the book, and I kept going back to it. It resonated with me. "You sitting by here side, holding each other in the clear, dazzling light, propped up by stars of a night; ... Tonight, you're a different person, sensitive, caring and romantic, play chess, laughing at silly, odd jokes ... Dear Father, did you not see it coming?" This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). Masterfully written! And another note, it ended with the perfect story. GrassBleed and its stories are a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more titles by this author.
What a grand collection of micro/flash in GrassBleed by Mehreen Ahmed. I am a big fan of this author! Whatever this author writes, I want to read. This author brings her culture into each of the stories, and it is not easy to tell a complete story within a few short words. This author brings each of the stories to life. I read a lot of stories, and I love the different writing styles and storytelling abilities. This author has a powerful way with words, and indeed can show stories. I love it when a Legacy author sends me more of their work! This author has a great imagination. Each story had its own feel and emotions, and while I read each one, sometimes more than one, one of my favorites was "Thin Wall." It's toward the beginning of the book, and I kept going back to it. It resonated with me. "You sitting by here side, holding each other in the clear, dazzling light, propped up by stars of a night; ... Tonight, you're a different person, sensitive, caring and romantic, play chess, laughing at silly, odd jokes ... Dear Father, did you not see it coming?" This book deserves a second read! (and maybe more). Masterfully written! And another note, it ended with the perfect story. GrassBleed and its stories are a definite recommendation by Amy's Bookshelf Reviews. I look forward to reading many more titles by this author.
August 6, 2024
GRASSBLEED by Mehreen Ahmed
A Book Review By AZP
August 2024
Written with sophistication, these are dream-like, peculiar collection of short tales navigating a reader to the deepest recesses of human nature and psyche, involving an individual, family and even otherworldly.
Some tales tackle romantic, virtual relationships; others are about tales of a dystopian world; while some delve on futuristic snippets; and showcases kin dynamics, among others.
Each tale is unique and bizarrely interesting! All have an ‘introspective effect’ to the reader.
A curious, wonderful book!
A Book Review By AZP
August 2024
Written with sophistication, these are dream-like, peculiar collection of short tales navigating a reader to the deepest recesses of human nature and psyche, involving an individual, family and even otherworldly.
Some tales tackle romantic, virtual relationships; others are about tales of a dystopian world; while some delve on futuristic snippets; and showcases kin dynamics, among others.
Each tale is unique and bizarrely interesting! All have an ‘introspective effect’ to the reader.
A curious, wonderful book!
April 10, 2023
I really wanted to like this as I love flash fiction but I couldn't finish it. I found the language used was too over the top and sometimes didn't make sense. The stories didn't grab me like other flash I've read. Sorry!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews