We often imagine the future in spaceships and AI. Sometimes it arrives in steel plants and power systems. The End of Steam explores a quiet revolution that could change everything. Read The End of Steam by Scot Noel go.dfstory.com/steam
What mystery lies in the wake of the Horace Society disaster? DreamForge author and senior advisor Jane Lindskold has a new story out in Gavagai (where you'll find original literary fiction, speculative fiction, essays, and poetry). Read "Tomb of Young Dreams" at gavagai.com/posts/2488
Today's Word: Paracosm
An imaginary world created by writers, complete with its own history, geography, and rules. From Greek para- (beside) and kosmos (world); You can enjoy many hopeful paracosms of SF & Fantasy in DreamForge. Pick an issue and dive in: dreamforgemagazine.com/digital-issu...
Meet Leo Rose Rodriguez. They/he grew up on the beaches of occupied Tongva land, and now lives in the city of Minneapolis, on Dakota land. Read their latest story "The Boy & The Turtle, A Fairy TAle" at dreamforgemagazine.com/story/the-bo...
Today's word: Quiddity
The essential nature of something, its “whatness.” From the Latin quidditas (whatness). Used in philosophy to describe the true essence of a person or concept. The essence of art lies in the quiddity of human experience.
Meet Hap Aziz. Hap has been an educator for nearly thirty years, but he’s still happiest when he’s learning something new—or playing bass in his punk rock band. His latest story is "First Words" dreamforgemagazine.com/story/first-...
Word of the Day: Lethologica
The inability to remember a particular word or name, often frustratingly on the tip of your tongue.
From the Greek lēthē (forgetfulness) and logos (word). The older I get, the more the words slow. Yesterday I wanted 'snarky' and could only come up with 'sarcastic.'
Too many writers think “in medias res” means chaos first, clarity later. Scot Noel explains why that’s costing them acceptances — and how to fix it. Read In Medias Res: It’s Not About the Explosions, by Editor Scot Noel. go.dfstory.com/inmediares
Wulf Moon doesn’t believe in waiting for inspiration. In SUPER SECRETS: Finding Your Path Around Writer’s Block, he gives you actionable routes forward — no mysticism required. go.dfstory.com/writersblock
Meet Brandon Case. He has work in Escape Pod, Flash Fiction Online, and Small Wonders, among many others. You can catch his alpine adventures on Twitter and Instagram @BrandonCase101. His latest story is The Indoor Prince dreamforgemagazine.com/story/the-in...
Today's Word: Kenopsia
The eerie, forlorn atmosphere of a place that is usually bustling with people but is now abandoned. Our communities often have these for decades before they are demolished or repurposed: malls, hospitals, factories. Post apocalyptic postcards caught in time.
Looking for speculative fiction that blends heart, intelligence, and imagination? Get Anvil Issue 23 and all our previous issues online - at DreamForge or at Amazon. Read Free online : go.dfstory.com/anvil23 or BUY on Amazon: go.dfstory.com/Anvil23Amazon
In A Guide to Helping Your House Elf, Teresa Milbrodt blends the domestic and the fantastical into something deeply human. go.dfstory.com/guideto
The Boy and the Turtle is a beautiful fairytale about growth, friendship, fear, and the world waiting beyond our carefully built walls. Read Leo Rose Rodriguez’s modern fairytale. go.dfstory.com/turtle
This warm and truly charming story by @brandoncase101.bsky.social in @dreamforgemagazine.bsky.social makes me want to snuggle my kitties even more than usual. 🥰
dreamforgemagazine.com/story/the-in...
First Words asks what we’ll do once we can no longer pretend we don’t understand. Is the world ready to hear? Read First Words by Hap Aziz. go.dfstory.com/firstwords
A look at the anxiety behind automation replacing human jobs, starting with ballet-dancing robots and wondering why we tie our identity and self-worth to being paid for what we do — and what happens if we stop? youtu.be/YD2kmvEqJhs
Today's Word: Waldeinsamkeit
The soothing, enlightened solitude of being alone in the woods. Unfortunately, I never find myself alone in the woods. Around here, there could be hundreds of ticks every square meter and 50% of tick bites happen in back yards. Ooops, did I destroy your solitude?
In a kingdom where stories mean death, Gwen has only one weapon left: her voice. Read Fifteen Silver by Alexandra Wingo. go.dfstory.com/15silver
In Core Sample, Marie Brennan gives us a poem that reads like a descent — into earth, into memory, into self. It’s speculative poetry at its most intimate. Read Core Sample by Marie Brennan. go.dfstory.com/coresample
Speculative fiction isn’t about escape. It’s about perspective. This issue of DreamForge explores identity, courage, technology, humor, craft, and hope —through stories that linger long after the last page.
Read Free online : go.dfstory.com/anvil23 or BUY on Amazon: go.dfstory.com/Anvil23Amazon
The ABCs of Science Fiction and Fantasy. Each week, I’ll follow down the alphabet with a new movie, show, book, or story. This week is Mad Max. George Miller made his debut as director and made the move for only $400K and it went on to make over $100M.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Max...
Sometimes a story plants something that only blooms after you've finished reading. This is one of those stories — a tale you can return to and discover it's been quietly teaching you something about what we carry when we think we're just passing through. dreamforgemagazine.com/story/the-be...
Today's Word: Monachopsis
The persistent feeling of being out of place or not fitting in. Combines "monachus" (alone) and "opsis" (appearance or view). If you haven't felt that way in a while, the reunion at Monachopsis High is coming up this summer.
Prince Geodendry: Swatter of sunbeams. Menace of midnight. Ruler of the windowsill. Until one careless click leaves him outside his kingdom. The Indoor Prince is a charming story from Brandon Case.
go.dfstory.com/indoorprince
A ghost mariachi band arrives to escort Darren to the afterlife. Only problem? He doesn’t die on schedule. Now everyone’s improvising. The Ides of Mariachi by Pete Lead is funny, strange, and hearfelt. go.dfstory.com/ides
For 142 years, we’ve boiled water to make electricity. In December 2025, a steel plant in southwest China ended that tradition. What happens next could reshape energy — and the future. Read The End of Steam by Scot Noel.
go.dfstory.com/steam
In our latest issue, Teresa Milbrodt delivers a story of house elves, where the real message is how caregivers must deal with the trials and trauma of care giving itself. "A Guide to Helping Your House Elf: Etiquette, Cooperation, Commiseration" go.dfstory.com/guideto
Today's word: Yūgen (pronounced "you-gen").
A Japanese aesthetic concept of the universe's subtle grace and hidden but profound beauty. Sounds like an anti-Cthulhu Mythos to me. Instead of the abyss staring back with madness, it’s abiding with infinite understanding.
In medias res does not mean “start with an explosion.” It means starting inside the motion of the story — without confusing your reader. In this article, Scot Noel breaks down why so many openings fail — and how to get yours right. go.dfstory.com/inmediares