"These stories are not merely flashes in the pan; there's pay dirt here!" —DeWitt Henry, editor of Ploughshares

"In just a little more time than it will take you to read this paragraph you can sample any one of the seventy-two very short stories in this anthology of brilliant miniatures. Some of the selections have already become so-called 'modern classics,' while many others deserve to become much more widely known. You can space out your reading of these epiphanic delicacies over a week or even months. Dear Browser, I have to confess, I gobbled them up in a day!" —Alan Cheuse, National Public Radio

"Flash Fiction is fun. I loved the variety and surprise of these stories. They should spark great dinner conversation, class discussion, and perhaps inspire some marathon writers to sprint and see what happens." —Jerome Stern, author of Making Shapely Fiction

"Flash Fiction is purely and simply a delight. Lots of stars are mustered here, but best of all for my money are the newer names and voices that speak well to and for the future." —George Garrett, Henry Hoyns Professor of Creative Writing, University of Virginia

Excerpts from: "A Long Way From Home"

When life comes full circle, you will realize
All you ever needed, you already had
You just refused to listen

Envisioned Freedom

Denise, like the prodigal son, was eager to vacate the family nest and begin her journey as an adult. She would be eighteen years old soon, and she had been planning her birthday for months. Denise had been contemplating and envisioning her "freedom." She thought of freedom as getting away from Mom and Dad and being on her own. So many teens are seduced this way. Life is hard and often the "realness" of life is camouflaged by television, lies, and suggestions of friends. Parents' warnings often fade to the background once a teenager has his or her mind made up.

Denise believed that she knew all about life and was in control of her destiny. There would be no curfew, no rules to abide by, no more church, and no one to answer to.

Satisfaction in Suffering

William finally made it home and frantically entered the door and rushed into Denise's room. She was all packed and sitting on her bed. Her face was filled with sternness and an uncompromising expression. It would seem that she had rehearsed this moment-that she had predicted William's response, anticipated and even longed for the hurt, which flushed in his frightful face. With each word that William poured forth in anguish and desperation, Denise felt gratified, justified. She felt satisfaction in his suffering. She was delighted as Denise looked still-faced into William's tear-filled eyes. She seemed to be without feelings. Denise poured forth with a mocking, bitter spirit. It was too hard to watch. Her eyes were all aglow, not with joy but with revenge, anger, and hostility. She displayed this arrogance as William emptied himself at her feet.

How Did the Light Get Broken?

They questioned one another about how the back light could have been broken. They arrived at a local hardware store, purchased some items, and returned the van only to find that the trunk was left opened once again. They each looked with fear into the eyes of the other and jumped in the van and raced back to the abandoned apartment building. Without saying one word to the other, they both knew what the other was thinking-the last few hours, the door being left unlocked, the trunk left unlocked, the back light broken and finally, being stopped by the cops. Something wasn't adding up.

They exited the half-parked van and ran into the apartment building. They raced to the place where they thought they had left Denise. It was like the last few miles of a long, long race, with the finish line in view. One man ran and pushed the other man, who then fell to the floor with both eyes focused toward the room where Denise had been held captive. The other man, panting, full of fear, anxious, and now flushed with anger, pushed through the door and ran toward what seemed to be a body covered by a worn, dust-filled blanket. As he swiftly threw the blanket back, his mind raced with the possibilities of imprisonment and even the charge of murder. The cover came unpeeled in his hands, as it moved at the horrified man's forceful command. His eyes stared down toward the image. The other man still lay fearfully on the floor, near the entrance. The man on the floor knew that bad or good would be determined by the next words from that room.

She was gone

The Imaginary West, the Real West, the New West, and the Old West converge in this celebration of that fascinating landscape. Selected from over 100 periodicals, 16 contemporary stories by both established writers and relative newcomers tell of the contradictions of a landscape where cowboys may wear tennis shoes and limos park near pickups, but it's still a long way between towns.