Havok Publishing

Editor & Reader Favorites for January 2021

January’s theme was the color yellow and it was a bright, sunny color to open the new year of stories.

Editors’ Picks

These are the stories our editors especially liked, and what they had to say about them.

Mystery Monday Editors’ Picks

  • Magpie Boy” (Beka Gremikova) – Beautifully written and haunting tale of a young girl struggling to move on after the loss of her sister and a precocious young ghost.
  • Face the Music” (Noah Litle) – Loved the authors vivid imagery and descriptions in this story, and the theme of trying to break free from perfectionism.

Techno Tuesday Editors’ Picks

  • The Hologram Hypothesis” (Pamela Love) is a smart, sharp, chilling story about groundbreaking science and unintended consequences.
  • Down Memory Stain” (A. M. Reynwood) is touching and sinister in all the right ways. Murder, aliens, and a visit to Grandpa’s house. What could go wrong?

Wacky Wednesday Editors’ Picks

  • Mustard Maid” (Cassandra Hamm) —Horrible bridesmaid dress or magical battle armor? Hamm tell a side-splitting tale that combines wedding wisecracks with sci-fi intrigue. This is one ceremony you don’t want to miss.
  • Dances With Werewolves” (Krysta Tawlks) —A quirky narrator (who thinks much too highly of himself) gets a lesson in bravery and humility when he must make a dangerous journey to recover his mother’s missing amulet. Hilarious story with a big dose of heart.

Thriller Thursday Editors’ Picks

  • Abiral’s Goblet” (Cassandra Hamm) – We were quickly captivated by how much worldbuilding this story packs into a small scene, as well as the complicated relationship between its two main characters.
  • Beware the Man of Straw” (Jim Doran) – A field of gently rustling stalks, a hasty bio break . . . what could possibly go wrong? Plenty, in this self-aware thriller-horror piece. Snappy dialogue and a landscape steeped in suspense make “Beware Said the Man of Straw” an absolute delight. Don’t let the wheat swallow you on your way in.

Fantasy Friday Editors’ Picks

  • Mistaken Identity” (Lindsi McIntyre) starts off as an ordinary story of a dragon’s quest for gold, but a twist turns it into a hilarious, sweet story that’s sure to bring a smile to your day!
  • Prince of Bees” (Beka Gremikova) proves that discretion truly is the better part of valor! Prince Ivan’s kindness brings such a sweet truth to this high-stakes, riddle-solving story.

Readers’ Faves

1. “The Yellow Helmet” by Kanchana Menon
2. “Mustard Maid” by Cassandra Hamm
3. “Golden Child” by Beka Gremikova
4. “Last Hope” by A. M. Reynwood
5. “Abiral’s Goblet” by Cassandra Hamm

Stay tuned next month for February’s faves!

Help fund author payments for our next anthology!

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