On "Dating a Somnambulist" by Kate Folk (849 words) ***

In Kate Folk's world, weird stuff happens. That weird stuff is metaphorical for the angst we feel in regular life over the mundane. This mundane finds its way into lists here of what her sleep-walking boyfriend picks up a night. And yet, despite the trouble, Folk's narrator lives on--there could be worse things in other worlds. Read the story here at Hobart.

On "Fame" by Siamak Vossoughi (1261 words) ****

Vossoughi is an Iranian American writer whose book of stories showcases his unique style, a style that is also on display in this piece. His stories often aren't stories in the conventional American sense. They aren't heavy on plot or even on character development. Instead, they are often philosophical asides, opportunities to explore what something means or is--in this case, fame. And while this piece isn't perhaps as thought provoking as some of his other work, it is a good introduction to it. Read it here at Hobart.

On "The End of the World and Karate" by Al Dixon (1947 words) ****

What I like so much about this strange little story is the seeming randomness of it and the attitude the characters convey to one another. Sure, it's a story in which nothing much seems to be happening, but then there's this whole talk of UFOs and of Kenny the foot stomper and of highjackers--one never knows where the story is going to go. Read it here at Hobart.

On "Ping-pong, 12 Loring Place" by Meagan Cass (1619 words) *****

This one sent chills up my spine. It's a tale about growing up in a divided household. It's a tale about coping. It's a tale about coming to love ping-pong as an escape, as a contest, as a life, as a eulogy. Read the story here at Hobart.

On "Interoffice Romance" by Dan Pinkerton (934 words) ***

Pinkerton's romance is a study in group thought, one person upping the next but everyone sort of doing the same thing. It captures, as a few recent works have, the kind of camaraderie that exists in office cultures--and the lack of camaraderie (secretly, of course). As such, it's a humorous piece, all about Valentine's Day, the awkward holiday that those who take such things seriously get depressed over--or spends lots of money on. Read the story here at Hobart.