Welcome to Apex Magazine issue 138!
Wow! This issue marks the end of an insanely busy period in the Apex offices. Not that we ever truly have a slow period (that’s not how publishing works), but between having a new issue release in March, April, and May, and running the Robotic Ambitions Kickstarter, the past few months have been exceptionally hectic. Luckily for you, our readers, that means more amazing stories to read, and this issue is packed with fantastic stories!
Alex Langer opens the issue with a story that feels both very timely as well as deeply rooted in our past. “The Relationship of Blood and Ink” tells the story of the Clerk, just one cog in a fascist machine. The power of this story comes from the way Langer makes the reader see how easy it is to become complicit. The Clerk doesn’t see himself as a bad person—he’s just doing his job, and that is what makes this story truly terrifying.
The world-building in “Ncheta” by Chisom Umeh is absolutely outstanding! With only a few thousand words, Umeh fleshes out a world completely separate from our own. A world where gods and spirits swap stories in a tavern, where rumors of a virtual world overtaking the human psyche fly among the patrons. “Ncheta” is a story epic in scope and rich in detail. It’s one you won’t want to miss.
Our next story shifts back to something a bit darker. “Thank Mother For Your Life” by Mary G. Thompson begins “Mother loves me. I know this as she zips the suitcase closed around my body.” These chilling words set the tone for a story that explores what a mother is willing to do to make sure their child gets what they need, no matter what the risk to herself or the world. It’s a beautiful story full of love and desperation, and I highly recommend it.
Tre Harris Salas tells a complicated story about family, immigration, and making a home in a new country in “Chupa Sangre.” When first pets and then children begin disappearing, Carlos’s abuela is the only one who understands what is truly going on. Together the two search for the monster who is hunting in their neighborhood, but this isn’t your typical monster story. This isn’t a tale of destruction or becoming the hero, rather it’s a story about taking responsibility and honoring where you are from. This story is heartwarming and wonderful. Don’t miss it!
“A World Unto Myself” by P.A. Cornell is the story of a decommissioned robot. Rather than being recycled or stored with other robots past their prime, this robot’s owner has it sit on a bench in a scrapyard and leaves it. This flash piece could have been heavy and downtrodden, commiserating about what it means to age and no longer have value, but instead it celebrates the way one evolves and finds new worth. It is lush with detail and bright spot amid darker tales of aging.
Suyi Davies Okungbowa brings us a unique story style with “Lady Koi-Koi: A Book Report.” As indicated by the title, this story is told through a child’s book report. It slowly unfolds in a way that is creepy and very effective. I have read many stories in my life, but I think this may be the first told in this particular way.
For this month's flash fiction, we have two darkly emotional pieces about how we face loss and inequity. K.R. March's "Measure Twice, Cut Once" is a dark fantasy with more than a touch of body horror. This story was selected for the SWALLOW theme. For the theme LAND & SEA, we have "Smoke Fire Wind Sea" by Valerie Kemp, a surreal piece about loss and love. Enjoy!
We only have one essay this month, “Words Wielded by Women: The Hidden Half of Horror” by Carina Bissett, but it is an in-depth piece clocking in at more than 8,000 words. Carina includes direct quotes from many women currently writing, editing, and publishing in horror today, and shares some fantastic insight into women in horror. If you’re a fan of Monster, She Wrote by Lisa Kröger and Melanie R. Anderson or if you’re looking to fill your TBR pile with more fantastic women horror writers, then this is an essay you won’t want to skip!
A.C. Wise is taking a small break in her Words for Thought posts while she reads submissions for the World Fantasy Awards. We here in the Apex offices wish A.C. the best of luck reading for the awards, and can’t wait for her short fiction review column to return.
Our classic fiction this month is by Marian Denise Moore and Tim Pratt.
Apex Associate Editor Marissa van Uden chatted with Alexander Langer and Tre Harris Salas in our author interviews, and Bradley Powers sat down with Robson Michel for our cover artist interview.
And that is Apex Magazine issue 138. I hope that you enjoy this issue as much as I’ve enjoyed putting it together. If you haven’t already, please consider subscribing to Apex Magazine direct through our website or at Weightless Books. Or back us on Patreon to make sure you get every issue and loads of extra patron perks! Subscribers and patrons make Apex Magazine possible.
Until next month, yours in reading,
Lesley Conner
Co-Editor-in-Chief
