Seasons of Glass and Iron, by Amal El-Mohtar. Tabitha is cursed to walk in iron shoes. Amira is imprisoned, alone, atop a hill of glass. Two fairy tales converse in this story, and two women rescue each other. (Content note: contains some strong language and references to sexual harassment and intimate partner abuse.) (This story first appeared in …

Evangelina Concepcion, by Ani Sison Cooney. A young Latina woman growing up in Los Angeles struggles with grief after her mother is killed in a car accident. (Content note: contains some strong language and references to death.) (This story first appeared in Epiphany Magazine in 2019.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media Patreon camp…

Acknowledgments, by Maggie Shipstead. On the eve of the publication of his self-referential debut novel, The Canon According to D. M. Murphy, Daniel M. Murphy narrowly avoids a moment of self-awareness. (Content note: contains some strong language and a brief reference to suicide.) (This story first appeared on BuzzFeed in 2017.) Bonus Interview: S…

Auspicium Melioris Aevi, by Neon Yang. In a future where famous historical leaders are cloned and trained in a mysterious Academy to become advisors to the world’s nations, the fiftieth copy of Harry Lee Kuan Yew tries to buck the system. (This story first appeared in Issue 15 of Uncanny Magazine.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media…

The Story of the Woman Who Fell in Love with Death, by Chaya Bhuvaneswar. A young boy immerses himself in story, trying to find meaning and wholeness after his sister goes missing. (Content note: contains references to child abuse and gendered violence.) (This story first appeared in The Bangalore Review in 2016, and is included in the 2018 collect…

A Nest of Ghosts, a House of Birds, by Kat Howard. In this lovely and haunting story, a young woman inherits her grandmothers house. When she arrives, though, she discovers that the house is full of birds—and stories. (This story first appeared in issue 17 of Uncanny Magazine.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media Patreon campaign can…

The Friend, by Lindsay Hatton. A WWI veteran comes to the Big Sur coast to oversee the construction of an iconic bridge, and strikes up an unlikely friendship with an unusual stranger. (This story first appeared in the 2017 Short Story Advent Calendar.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media Patreon campaign can hear an interview with a…

Spirit of Home, by José Pablo Iriarte. A migrant father and daughter living on Mars are brought together by a taste of home. (This story first appeared in Motherboard.) Show Notes: José Pablo Iriarte's website is labyrinthrat.com. You can find José on Twitter at @LabyrinthRat. José appeared on episode 23 of Keep the Channel Open, discussing this st…

The Best Light Fades, by Rachel Lyon. A young writer struggles to find her voice and get her artistic career started, all while having to care for her aging father and her literal clown of a boyfriend. (This story first appeared in the New Limestone Review.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media Patreon campaign can hear an interview w…

Crow's Eye, by Sarah Hollowell. "Her entire life, Ruby has known that something lives in the lake. She’s never seen it, but she’s felt its fingers brush her ankle. She’s felt its gaze." (This story first appeared in issue 44 of Fireside Magazine.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media Patreon campaign can hear an interview with author …

How to Be Chinese, by Celeste Ng. Mackenzie is excited to explore and connect with her Chinese heritage when she goes off to college, but finds the question of identity to be complicated. (This story first appeared in issue 26.1 of Gulf Coast.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media Patreon campaign can hear an interview with author Cel…

Whale Fall, by Alvin Park. A whale washes ashore, a village loses its memories, and a relationship falls apart. (This story first appeared in issue 60 of SmokeLong Quarterly.) Bonus Interview: Subscribers to the Likewise Media Patreon campaign can hear an interview with author Alvin Park. This episode is sponsored by the William Male Foundation. Su…

Here's a preview of LikeWise Fiction, a diverse fiction podcast featuring short stories written by women and nonbinary authors, authors of color, and LGBTQ+ authors. Subscribe now to get the first episode when it airs, or visit likewisefiction.com to learn all about the show!