It seems I had lots of time to read short fiction this past month, because my shortlist of “great speculative short fiction I read online” is even longer than usual. I’ve tried to keep each list to nine stories, but this month it was impossible, so I went with 13 instead. So many fantastic stories, so many fantastic zines, sites, and writers.

Bearskin, by Angela Slatter at The Dark. Angela Slatter is one of my favourite writers right now, and this short fantasy story is a brilliant showcase of her skills. Dark, lustrous prose, and a tale that weaves together both horror, sadness, and bits of joy. It’s beautiful stuff, and it made me cry: definitely a story that I keep turning over in my mind long after reading it.

All The Colors You Thought Were Kings, by Arkady Martine at Shimmer. This is an astonishing science fiction…