Image © Brian Malachy Quinn
Letter from the Editors Dear Reader, Decisions, decisions... Every issue, we're faced with the tough challenge of selecting the top five stories from a long list of superb submissions. Most of the time, we manage it. But this time... we failed! Try as we might, just couldn't narrow it down to five. And you, dear reader, are the beneficiary of our failure. In this issue, you'll find six spec-fic stories awaiting your pleasure. In this issue, we're proud to share: "A Thousand Ways" by Beth McCabe--Mars ain't the kind of place to raise a kid... but if you have the right kid, she may beat the odds anyway. "The Promises of Sisters" by J.C. Pillard--The final rite of a magical sisterhood gives one young woman a chance to undo her greatest regret. "Janet and I Try to Get Frosted Strawberry Pop-Tarts at the Gilbert Road Super Target..." by Saul Lemerond--It's great to be in love. Yet sometimes, learning about your partner's romantic (and supernatural) past can lead to such an awkward scene... "Phantom Limb" by David Cleden--For soldiers with PTSD, a biochip is supposed to keep them from losing their grip. But what happens when it fails? "Shaytandokht" by Jonathan Sherwood--A mysterious traveler comes to town in search of the devil's daughter... but why does he want to find her? "Walking the Bear" I.S. Heynen--When a lawyer in Seattle starts to remember her hidden past, she discovers that a "faerie-tale ending" might mean something very dark indeed... In our Editor's Corner, we have an excerpt from the new novel Neutrino Warning, by our own Lesley L. Smith. Finally, we offer our great appreciation to cover artist for this issue: Brian M. Quinn with "Lady of the Sword." Congratulations to this issue's authors for defeating our best-laid plans with your creativity, writing skill, and irresistible imaginations! Thanks for reading, Lesley, Nikki, Grayson, and the Electric Spec Team