On "The Tree Poachers" by James Zerndt (3925 words) ***

Stealing a tree is not the first thing that comes to mind when I think of an action story, and I suppose this isn't so much an action story as one that involves an old man and a younger one and what life teaches you--or doesn't. Will the two succeed? And who gets the credit if they do? Read the story here at Fiction Weekly.

On "Fracture" by Bryan Walpert (3055 words) ***

We build our stories around little things. When we build the stories well, the little things relate to the big things, and everything makes a nice whole. This story here is about the hand--or more precisely the fingers, and even more specifically the thumb. Walpert manages to use finger nicknames to full effect while also telling us much about the human hand--and about this particular couple and an unfortunate incident with their baby. Read the story here at Fiction Weekly.