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Patti 209

Fifteen Tales of the Very Near Future

by K.G. Anderson

The 15 short stories in the new collection by K.G. Anderson tackle the classic science fiction query: “What if this goes on?” Her answers span magic realism, humor, science fiction, horror, and fantasy. Each story is firmly rooted in the familiar present and moves seamlessly into a very near political future—chilling in most cases, but darkly humorous in others. Stories include:

“A Sign of the Times”—A Seattle protestor is tried under the new Corporate Personhood laws
“Wishbone”—An elderly woman faces euthanasia under the Age Equity Act designed by her politician grandson
“The Bodies We Carry”—A young widow bankrupted by medical bills joins a “death camp” protest in front of the mansion of an old college friend who is now a healthcare CEO
“Unwanted Visitors”—Seattle is declared a “terrorist zone” and the new Federal Security Agency comes calling
“Yoga for Protesters: A Field Guide”—Advice for combining political fury with physical fitness
“The Right Man for the Job”—Summoned by desperate Democrats, the ghost of Lyndon B. Johnson returns to haunt the Trump White House
“Unnoticed”—The teenage daughter of frightened immigrants demands her native identity

Published:
Cover Artists:
Clarissa C.S. Ryan

Genres:
Fantasy, Fantasy - Magical Realism, Horror, Horror - Man-Made Horrors, Sci Fi, Sci Fi - Dystopian & Post-Apocalyptic, Sci Fi - Hopepunk, Sci Fi - Near Future

Tags:
author - american, format - book, format - kindle, format - short stories, potential trigger - death, potential trigger - murder, potential trigger - traumatic past, potential trigger - violence, what - condition - disability, what - topic - compassion, what - topic - crime, what - topic - multicultural, what - topic - politics, what - topic - revenge, when - period - near future, who - occupation - assassin, who - occupation - politician, who - type - ghosts

Word Count: 30,000
Languages Available: English
Word Count: 30,000
Languages Available: English
Excerpt:

I shook my head. I bit my lip. I looked up at the stars as though I could fly up to them and leave this world. Then I took a deep breath and came to grips with the fact that I was still here. In this extraordinary place: surrounded by dead bodies and talking to one of the people responsible for their needlessly painful and expensive deaths. A man I’d once been in love with. Back in the days when we all were young and healthy.

“The cancer destroyed everything,” I whispered. “He lost his job. I lost my job because I ran out of leave to care for him. I tried to freelance. We went through our retirement savings. Stopped paying bills. Now he’s gone. He’s gone.”

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This time, I looked right at Jeff as I spoke. He sat across from me, and the streetlight showed only the side of his face, leaving his eyes in shadow. He looked so much younger than I did: A tan, probably cosmetic surgery, an expensive haircut. A touch of silver glinted in his thick, wavy hair. I’d read he was on his third wife. He didn't meet my gaze, and my heart sank. When he said nothing, I went on, “Sick people commit suicide to save their families from going bankrupt.”

I saw him stiffen, repelled by my ugly words, but I couldn’t stop. “Two people here did that. But I made Dean promise me to stay with us for as long as possible. And that cost us everything we had. How about you, Jeff? Ever lost anything? Or do you just buy replacements?”

COLLAPSE

About the Author

K.G. Anderson (she/they) writes short fiction: urban fantasy, space opera, alternate history, Weird West tales, near-future science fiction, horror, poetry, and mystery. Many of her stories reflect her Jewish heritage, her work in the tech industry, and time spent living in coastal cities from Genoa to Seattle—as well as her activism on behalf of women, elders, and universal affordable healthcare. She attended the Taos Toolbox, Viable Paradise, and Cascade Writers workshops and belongs to SFWA and Broad Universe.

K.G. grew up in the Washington, D.C., suburbs where her parents worked in the aerospace and information technology industries. In college, she took the Daily Themes creative writing course and majored in Psychology, studying the effectiveness of juvenile justice system reforms. She covered rock, folk, and country music for regional newspapers and magazines, attended a graduate program in journalism, and went on to report for New England dailies, including travel writing for the Boston Globe. After moving to Seattle, K.G. wrote for alternative media, managed public information and marketing communications programs for non-profits and community arts groups, served on the board of the Northwest Folklife Festival, and reviewed books (mostly crime fiction) for January Magazine. In 2001 she joined Apple and worked as a writer/editor for projects including the launch of the iTunes Music Store. After leaving Apple, K.G. freelanced for technology, healthcare, lifestyle, and design publications including Houzz.com, Rover.com, and the Seattle Times Home section. She served on the board of the Clarion West writing workshop, and her poetry appeared in several public literary programs. After attending the Viable Paradise writing workshop, she began publishing speculative fiction in anthologies and magazines. She's currently involved with Pacific Northwest conventions and writing programs including Norwescon, Orycon, Foolscap, Rain Forest Writers Retreat, and the Two Hour Transport reading series.