Meg Sefton's Blog

A Good Karen is Hard to Find

John Cameron, Unsplash

A flash fiction for these tumultuous times. It contains elements of humor, raucousness, racism, classism and a smooth finishing note of redemption, published today on Medium. This is a friendship link, no paywall. I hope you are well. Yours, Margaret

The United States, an Alternate History

Today, I published a flash fiction piece in A Dark Wood. I wrote this 500-word piece after the 2020 election. It is a fantastical fictional take on a US presidential candidate who, at the time of writing, had been the incumbent. It is a satiric apologetic, a microfiction hopepunk. The story still applies in that fictional way that fantastical writing applies to various circumstances. Perchance to dream? Why not!

I hope this finds you well. Margaret

Friend link, no paywall.

photo by Matthew Gonzales, Unsplash

Blood Maiden published in A Dark Wood

Photo by Herman Sanchez on Unsplash

I developed my short story “Blood Maiden” from a fifty-word story I posted here on my blog a couple of years ago. A reader commented on it, and I felt encouraged to expand it. Comments mean so much, and I thank readers who do this. Sometimes they make me think more than I might normally think about a story and stir up my curiosity.

Even though I composed this some time ago, I realized the other day while reading it that there are aspects of our life in the United States that unfortunately correspond to this. I wasn’t intentionally writing with this in mind, but the thing about fiction is that in writing it, we are pulling up things that live in our collective subconscious, in our dreams and nightmares.

I hope this finds you well. —Margaret

A Witch in the Woods of North Carolina

This story has been long in the works for me and I’m so happy Imogene’s Notebook accepted it for publication. It was published today. To write this, I used my interest in fairy tale, and specifically, the enigmatic character of the Baba Yaga, to help me tell a story of something of an autobiographical nature at least in its emotional component, a story told slant. 

The link provided above is a friend link, no paywall. I hope this finds you well.–Margaret

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Lost Children: Halloween Micro Horrors

Photo by Katarzyna Pracuch, Unsplash

For the spooky season, I’ve been publishing mini-collections of my 50-Word horror stories. Here is my most recent collection. (This is a friend link, no paywall.)

I am very interested in having writers apply to write for my journal A Dark Wood. If you write dark stories of any length and are a member of Medium, stop by the journal. I will post more about this later.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I hope to be more active here, especially during my favorite time of year: the holiday season.

I hope you are well.

Margaret

Lethe

Photo by Megan Nixon on Unsplash

One day, Miss Bingley will have to purchase a stepladder to reach the top leaves of the West African tree she grows on her apartment patio. As it is, the tallest leaves are now up to her shoulders, but one day, the tree will be as tall as a man. Taller. Every morning, she lovingly wipes down the dusty, lyre-shaped leaves, thinking of Hermes who had appeased Apollo with the gentle sounds of his stringed instrument.

Later, Ms. B, as the children at the apartment complex call her, appeases her father with a rich meal of beef bourguignon. She sets beside him a crystal lowball of whiskey while she finishes her preparations. He flips through the pages of his newspaper, his presence and expectation of service a sign he had forgiven her for her divorce. If he naps on her sofa after the meal, it means he is satisfied. If he harumphs and leaves early, something is off. She never asks.

She stays up late after he departed to transcribe legal depositions and court proceedings to earn her keep. She will never marry again, she thinks later as she turns off the light for bed. But is that a terrible thing? She doesn’t know. Her son is off somewhere in the world, dreaming his young-man dreams. It seems to have worked out after all, hadn’t it? She hasn’t decided. She closes her eyes and dreams dreams of a man ferrying a boat over a river of forgetfulness where, in a moment, she will be no one.

“Travelglam” in Morning Musings Magazine

Florida Memory: Unidentified woman boarding the Orange Blossom Special train: Sebring, Florida, flickr

My flash memoir “Travelglam” was published in Morning Musings Magazine last week. Here is the friend link, no paywall. I hope you are doing well this Monday. Sincerely, Margaret

Publication in Imogene’s Notebook

Photo by Iván Díaz on Unsplash

My quirky fictional love story “Closing the Distance” was published today in the beautiful Imogene’s Notebook on Medium. I am providing you the friend’s link, no paywall. I hope you will take a gander if you get a moment. Thank you for your support. Most sincerely, Margaret

View at Medium.com

“Hefeweizen Jesus” in Rainbow Salad

Photo by Jack Harner on Unsplash

A piece of mine was published in a wonderful journal on Medium called Rainbow Salad. I hope you like it. Have a wonderful Saturday. Thank you for reading. Sincerely, Margaret

“A Woman Rides a Train” Imogene’s Notebook

Photo by Diego Marin, Unsplash

A piece of mine was published today on #Medium in Imogene’s Notebook. It is a romantic flash fiction piece about a near encounter. Have a wonderful Sunday. —Margaret

View at Medium.com