On "Egg Toss, 1989" by Meagan Cass (590 words) ****

If flash is an exploration of a moment, then Cass has done her work well. This is the story of a few seconds, a few all-too-short seconds, remembered in hind sight and with longing. Like the egg that is tossed, the peaceful happy moment, at a birthyday party, is fragile and prone to breaking. Read the story here at Smokelong.

On "Matt: How It Will Happen" by Amanda Nazario (562 words) ***

This is dream gone absurd. What makes it absurd but also amusing and interesting is its specificity--and its oddness. I'm reminded a bit of Miranda July's work. Here, a woman obsesses over her ex-boyfriend, but we're not going to see a retread of the romance here. And we're not going to see revenge. We're just going to see more obsession. More really weird obsession. Read it here at Smokelong.

On "Me and Theodore Are Trapped in the Trunk of the Car with Rags in Our Mouths . . ." by Mary Hamilton (648 words) ***

I'm not sure what's going on with this one, but the language is fun--and stunning. Maybe that's the same thing these days. A woman wants to change her life, go somewhere different. Given that she's at a doctor, it's likely she's a little sick. Likely she's actually a whole lot sick. She's looking for a way out. The way out is language. The way out is the imagination. The way out is to build a bridge. To read. Here. At Smokelong. (A note: The title itself was too long to feature in Blogger, so you'll get the rest of the intriguing title there.)