The Birthday Presence

by D.F. Lewis

First published October 1, 2022

About the author

Writer, editor and publisher, active in the small press. Winner of the British Fantasy Society Special Award (the Karl Edward Wagner Award) in 1998.

Reviews

[Chris Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thought-provoking short that brought to mind stories I’ve read in years past, which showcased the ambiguous yet miraculous connectivity of all things in nature. But beyond this, the reigning sentence in this piece for me, was “There seemed something strange about the expression taking photos.” This would’ve made for an interesting ending.

[Andrew · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a persistence of memory that pervades this account of a chance meeting of doppelgangers, a sing-song resonance in the language that greatly appeals, and complexity to be found within its simplicity. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Joel Glover · Rating 4 out of 5]

The construction of this story is so clever and fresh I defy anyone not to instantly re-read it to marvel at the artistry and craft.