Also, If the #sffshortsclub discussion group intrigued you,
allow me to direct your attention to the Short Fiction Club on Reddit's r/Fantasy — they've got a great discussion lineup for January:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/zsou97/short_fiction_book_club_january_2023_story/

@shortsff #ShortSFF

I've, hrmmm, stalled out a bit on running #sffshortsclub, a regular SF/F short story discussion club here on Mastodon, the way I started out.

I'm a bit more comfy here, and also "here" is a bit bigger than it was a few months back.

What I could really use now is a small coterie — a few interested people who'd like to try to get this thing going. It's not a lot of work, but it does mean consistency (to my detriment 😅 )

Interested? Drop me a line!

@shortsff #ShortSFF

Some small, mid-week admin for #sffshortsclub!

(a) How's the club so far? Any thoughts, any suggestions?

(b) Moving forward, I'll be making the club post on Monday rather than Sunday. I kind of liked this as a weekend thing, but weekday engagement is better. 🤷

(c) I'm loving a lot about Mastodon, but following threads and conversations is not trivial. What if the weekly post linked to a blog, with comments, for the actual discussion? Thoughts?

Ground rules for #sffshortsclub:

(a) Be kind and respectful, to both authors and participants.
(b) Please to not @-tag the story's author or magazine.
(c) Be considerate of Mastodon nettiquette; a fun discussion for us shouldn't be an annoyance to others.
(d) Please DM me for any questions or suggestions!

More on these guidelines here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQ2bv4UWZ1XndDCakQ7-wsS-wUzvclPav_QaYPiV69Fp7wFAyZ11F7z-TpRLp9_XJbwc-oEGlaUdiXs/pub

OK, on to discussing the story! /+

Today's #sffshortsclub story is "The Alternity of Dead Universes," by #MonteLin, published in #Kaleidotrope!

>The Alternity, a council of sentient dead universes, has come to watch another universe die, but receives a puzzling message broadcasted on all frequencies.<

Story here: https://kaleidotrope.net/archives-2/spring-2022/the-alternity-of-dead-universes-by-monte-lin/

Some convo openers downthread.
PLEASE READ our quick guidelines before posting: /+

#sff #ShortFiction #bookclub @shortsff @bookstodon
#AlternityOfDeadUniverses

Hey, friends of the #sffshortsclub!

Our next selection is "The Alternity of Dead Universes," by Monte Lin, published in Kaleidotrope!

Read it here: https://kaleidotrope.net/archives-2/spring-2022/the-alternity-of-dead-universes-by-monte-lin/

I'll open discussion on SUNDAY, be sure to check the #sffshortsclub tag to join in!

This story was recommended by @elisec — and we're always happy for new recommendations! Thank you, Elise!

#sff #ShortFiction #bookclub @shortsff #MonteLin #Kaleidotrope

@antipode77

Hey, sorry, I missed this!
I usually try and post at 17:00 UTC.

As discussion groups go, I'm not expecting it to be very synchronous 😅 So checking in on the #sffshortsclub hashtag is probably the easiest way to find the discussion!

SEND SHORT STORY RECS PLZ!!

In #sffshortsclub, we discuss a different #sff short story every week(-ish). We want YOUR recs for stories that would make for great discussion!

(a) Please only stories available freely online. Add a link!
(b) I'm inclined towards new stories, from 2022 (which makes 'em relevant to awards). I'm open to anything, but new stories are particularly nice!

@shortsff @bookstodon #ShortSFF #ShortStoryRecs

I think I agree with you about the overall vibe — I feel like some elements were underdeveloped, or uneven throughout the piece? But they were good and overall it was really nice!

@Jsuttonmorse #sffshortsclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval

@Jsuttonmorse I really liked the bit when they could no longer perceive each other, but still made each other coffee and tea.
That was a great image,
and oh my dear goodness it felt familiar 😅

#sffshortsclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval

:nodnod:

That's one of the things I really like about the review format. It really helps keep the tone feel grounded and everyday,
and it kind of does two things at once -- makes things feel semi-normal, and at the same time also make clear how far from normal things are!

@cyigit #sffshortsclub

Our short story discussion club is going strong!
Yesterday we started discussion on "Ten Steps For Effective Mold Removal," by Derrick Boden -- come join in!

https://wandering.shop/@standback/109416782825567526

@bookstodon @shortsff #sffshortsclub

@standback

Apart from "It'll never be over" message, the story's conclusion spoke to my own preoccupation with how our addiction to social meda and living through our screens can begin to erase the real people in our physical environment or even, by colonising our minds with a million crowd-spawned thoughts, erase our own selves.

#sffshortsclub #bookclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval #PandemicStory

@standback
It really does work as a pandemic story. There's a warning in it: that things may appear back to normal, but they aren't and never will be. DId it surprise me? Only in a good way: the writer cleverly dropping clues about what's happening, but I could only put it together at the end.

#sffshortsclub #bookclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval #PandemicStory

Diving right in with my thoughts on the pandemic fiction aspects.

I don't know what "too soon" is for pandemic fiction influenced by a (still ongoing) global pandemic but parts of #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval hit too hard.

I think I'm uncomfortable reading conspiratorial pandemic fiction (maybe it's too close to my work) and the "the truth is being hidden from you" aspects of this bothered me.

#sffShortsClub #ShortFiction

As the story progresses, we learn that the mold makes things (and people) invisible to others.

What did you think of as a conclusion? What is being said here? Is this, too, keyed to our real-life pandemic, or is it speaking about something more universal?

#sffshortsclub #bookclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval #PandemicStory

Elephant in the room: this very much feels like a pandemic story, referencing a lot of experiences with COVID-19.

What do you look for in new fiction that addresses the pandemic? Have you read other pandemic fiction you've enjoyed? Did this piece work for you, as a pandemic story? Did it surprise you? /+

#sffshortsclub #bookclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval #PandemicStory

This is a story in an unusual format — it's written as a series of product reviews.

Did this work well for you? Why do you think the author chose this format for the story? What does the format add, that we wouldn't have gotten with "regular" narrative? /+

#sffshortsclub #bookclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval #FormatStories

First off: General impressions!

What did you think of the story?
What stood out to you?
What worked well, and what didn't? /+

#sffshortsclub #bookclub #TenStepsForEffectiveMoldRemoval

Ground rules for #sffshortsclub:

(a) Be kind and respectful, to both authors and participants.
(b) Please to not @-tag the story's author or magazine.
(c) Be considerate of Mastodon nettiquette; a fun discussion for us shouldn't be an annoyance to others.
(d) Please DM me for any questions or suggestions!

More on these guidelines here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQ2bv4UWZ1XndDCakQ7-wsS-wUzvclPav_QaYPiV69Fp7wFAyZ11F7z-TpRLp9_XJbwc-oEGlaUdiXs/pub

OK, on to discussing the story! /+