Interfictions

Nineteen writers dig into the imaginative spaces between conventional genres--realistic and fantastical, scholarly and poetic, personal and political--and bring up gems of a new type of fiction: interstitial fiction. This is the literary mode of the new century, a reflection of the complex, ambiguous, and challenging world we live in. To illustrate the broad range of interest in this style of fiction, the editors gathered stories from new and established authors in the USA, Canada, Australia, and the UK, and also fiction translated from Spanish, Hungarian, and French. These nineteen stories, by some of the most interesting and innovative writers working today, will change your mind about what stories can and should do as they explore the imaginative space between conventional genres. Features an introduction by Heinz Insu Fenkl and an afterword by the editors, and original interstitial fiction from Christopher Barzak, Colin Greenland, Holly Phillips, Rachel Pollack, Vandana Singh, Anna Tambour, Catherynne M. Valente, Leslie What, and others. What Is Interstitial Art? Work that falls in the interstices--between the cracks--of recognized commercial genres. Interstitial Art wanders across borders without stopping at Customs to declare its intent. So Who Are We and What Are We Doing? The Interstitial Arts Foundation is dedicated to bringing together readers, writers, scholars, critics, listeners, musicians, viewers, artists, performers, audience and participants to celebrate and further explore work that resists categorization. What Are the Rules of Creating Interstitial Art? Interstitial art is a moving target. It's work that demands you engage with it on its own terms. Interstitialartists don't make rules--we debate and interrogate them. Interstitial fiction is an umbrella term for a wide variety of writing that does not preclude or discount the use of other terms. The IAF is not creating a new movement; we're a barometer, measuring (and celebrating!) what already exists. Contents: What we know about the lost families of House by Christopher Barzak Post hoc by Leslie What The shoes in SHOES' window by Anna Tambour Pallas at noon by Joy Marchand Willow pattern by Jon Singer Black feather by K. Tempest Bradford A drop of raspberry by Csilla Kleinheincz The utter proximity of God by Michael J. DeLuca Alternate anxieties by Karen Jordan Allen Burning beard by Rachel Pollack Rats by Veronica Schanoes Climbing Redemption Mountain by Mikal Trimm Timothy by Colin Greenland Hunger by Vandana Singh A map of everywhere by Matthew Cheney Emblemata by Léa Sihol When it rains, you'd better get out of Ulga by Adrián Ferrero Queen of the Butterfly Kingdom by Holly Phillips A dirge for Prester John by Catherynne M. Valente Afterword : the spaces between by Delia Sherman and Theodora Gross