by David Steffen In Loving Memory of Violet SteffenBorn November 24, 2007Adopted December 20, 2012Died April 26, 2022 This is the story of a gentle loving dog who lived a long happy life with her family. This is the story of Violet the lavender merle Pomeranian. Violet’s Life Bringing Her Home Our papillon Aria passed … Continue reading In Loving Memory of Violet Steffen
So what happened was, I’m back from clicker training Ms. Jordan’s dogs over on Dexter, sitting on the porch with a mojito, thinking how fucked up it is that the Old West Side Association stealth-planted tulips in our garden (because the yard looked so shitty without them, I guess—sorry for having a rental in your … Continue reading DP FICTION #88A: “Timecop Mojitos” by Sarah Pauling
edited by Kel Coleman and David Steffen ‘08 is looking at me like ‘08 always looks at me. Like he can’t believe what he’s seeing. Like I’ve hurt someone or killed someone very close to him. That look on his face makes me sick. His name tag has our name scratched out on it, then … Continue reading DP FICTION #84B: “Coffee, Doughnuts, and Timeline Reverberations” by Cory Swanson
edited by Kel Coleman Sometimes, and I’m stressing the sometimes, wishes muttered within my hearing come true. I’ve invested in a good set of earbuds, noise-cancelling headphones, and have an over-spilling jar of earplugs, yet accidents still happen. “Wish you’d always be my Dasher,” this young guy in a neon orange slouch hat says and … Continue reading DP FICTION #83B: “Delivery For 3C at Song View” by Marie Croke
Shanna’s father was psychic on paper. The first time she saw it, Shanna was eight and Dad sent her to the corner store with a list: skim milk barbeque chips Wait ten extra seconds after the light changes at Canal Street and Vine. toilet paper cereal (no sugar!) It wasn’t that Shanna thought anything would … Continue reading DP FICTION #81B: “Lies I Never Told You” by Jaxton Kimble
The moment the semi-transparent eggshell of bright crimson rippled to life around a tall man down the sidewalk, Abigail knew she was in trouble. Given the hustle and bustle at the end of the workday, personal force fields brushing together was perfectly understandable. The resulting brief shimmers of violet or blue were common and easily … Continue reading DP FICTION #81A: “Forced Fields” by Adam Gaylord
edited by Ziv Wities Jaffa Cakes: 4/10 The Jaffas haven’t aged well. The orange jelly went runny while the box sat trapped in the trunk of that abandoned car sunk in the ditch. A whole ant colony died glorious chocoholic deaths trying to carry them off. There’s all these little antennas sticking out of the … Continue reading DP FICTION #79B: “A Guide to Snack Foods After the Apocalypse” by Rachael K. Jones
edited by Kel Coleman Content note(click for details) Content note: abuse The week I moved into my old family home, the brick one that sat like a triple-layered cake at the end of the street, I spent each day and into the night repainting every wall. Mint living room, yellow bathroom, pink bedroom. I chose … Continue reading DP FICTION #78A: “Fermata” by Sarah Fannon
Editor-In-Chief and Publisher David Steffen is the editor-in-chief and publisher of Diabolical Plots, LLC which publishes Diabolical Plots and The Long List Anthology Series. He is also the co-founder and administrator of The Submission Grinder. Diabolical Plots Editors Amanda Helms (she/her) is a biracial fantasy, science fiction, and sometimes horror writer whose stories have appeared … Continue reading Staff
edited by David Steffen and Ziv Wities At sunrise, I spy on the humans as they arrive. They mill around on the black sand beach; their children splash in the pea-green waves. So many children, born of their brief lives, shorter than those of the elves, shorter by far than mine. The humans clutch their … Continue reading DP FICTION #71B: “Unstoned” by Jason Gruber
