I don’t know if the online writing community planned it this way, but May is a kick ass month for short stories. Must be the weather. Everyone’s been hard at work for the last four months, holed up in their apartments, toiling away at the desk. Spring is the time to reveal all the madness you’ve been ruminating on over the winter. However, that argument is a bit dissolved up here in New York, where it’s 50 degrees out. And that sort of weather just doesn’t make any sense.

SSM (looks real dirty in acronym form) is in full swing over at EWN with an in-depth analysis of Alyson Hagy’s “Brief Lives of the Trainmen” which I have not read but looks interesting as all get-out.

Meanwhile over at Everyday Genius, Annalemma contributor and force-of-nature, Amelia Gray has been kicking ass for the past four days by producing work under the restrictions and restraints offered up by Adam Robinson.

Also, while I can’t find it on their website, the new issue of PANK apparently went live yesterday. Some great offerings this month by the likes of past Annalemma contributors Aubrey Hirsch and Ryan W. Bradley, as well as impressive work from Shanna Germain and Nancy Carroll Moody. But the one that really rocked my world was Kyle Minor’s piece. Mainly because it hit so very close to home with some of my past writing. Applause and ouch, all at the same time.

Some amazing things to read this month, so for those of you that just read this blog and no other writing online (I know you exist, I spoke with you recently) then I suggest you explore the world of strange delights known as the online writing and publishing community. This is your challenge for the month of May!