November Statistics
In Harvest
By Sophie Jewett
Mown meadows skirt the standing wheat;
I linger, for the hay is sweet,
New-cut and curing in the sun.
Like furrows, straight, the windrows run,
Fallen, gallant ranks that tossed and bent
When, yesterday, the west wind went
A-rioting through grass and grain.
To-day no least breath stirs the plain;
Only the hot air, quivering, yields
Illusive motion to the fields
Where not the slenderest tassel swings.
Across the wheat flash sky-blue wings;
A goldfinch dangles from a tall,
Full-flowered yellow mullein; all
The world seems turning blue and gold.
Unstartled, since, even from of old,
Beauty has brought keen sense of her,
I feel the withering grasses stir;
Along the edges of the wheat,
I hear the rustle of her feet:
And yet I know the whole sea lies,
And half the earth, between our eyes.
Statistics for the month:
Free Subscribers: 12,560
Total Cash Payout: $617.50
Total Stories Submitted: 158
Appendix
Short Story Substack Winners (Paid Subscription Unlocks All 49 Stories)
The Giant’s Cave - Coming of age by the sea.
The Silence That Answers - A little mystery and journey.
Charlotte of Caen - On political violence.
A Fait Accompli - Family can be complicated.
Rest Stop - When the call comes, how will you answer?
Death and Mercy - Duty and honor in war.
Intimacy Issues - Taking a chance and acting on advice.
The View From Down Here - A story on finding the right words.
The Note in the Wood - On observation.
In Cherry Time - Moral questions and choices.
I Know - Psychological thriller.
Rosemary and Reuben - Life as a perfect dish.
The Museum of Subjective History - Political spiral.
An Echtra - Of magic, mystery, and love.
Fields Where Lilacs Fade - A lot can be said with just a little.
Anomaly - Healing the world.
Seasons Change - Reverse chronology on the choices of life.
Less - Only keep things that spark joy.
A Gentleman of Sterling Character - Character can’t be bought.
Exit Duty - Old teaches young and young teaches old.
Becoming Cheyenne - Identity, friendship, and human nature.
The Imposter Carla Cluckins - Not all stakes must be huge.
Epilogue - It is only through evil that good can be known.
The Magnifying Tongue - Cult and subtext.
SIDESHOW - How many choices do we really have?
It’s Just a Rattlesnake - Magical realism in the desert.
Smiley’s Tavern - On listening and understanding what we hear.
Sweeter Than Honey - Love and magic and art.
One Brief Shining Moment - Conspiracy theory or conspiracy fact?
Ten Seconds - The Devil only wants ten seconds of your life. Do you take the deal?
Bear - Simple and beautiful love between a father, his daughter, and a stuffed bear.
Mr. Harold’s Gift - Not all gifts that are given are well received.
The Mummer’s Parade - Love that is real and true is often messy.
The Garden Club - The power of rumor to destroy. A story that is both fictional and educational.
Depression Séance - Magic is real in the eyes of a child.
Abrama’s Endgame - Sci-Fi look at artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and the struggle to survive.
Do-Over - What happens when you get to re-do your life? What does that answer say about the life that was lived?
Goodbye, Debbie Sue - Freedom on your own terms.
The Pawnshop of Intangible Things - The most valuable things aren’t physical.
Make It a Double - Comparison is the thief of joy.
Worms - Creeping horror.
Do Not Resuscitate - Life’s complex choices in end-of-life care.
I Hate Killing People in Kansas City - An action-packed story better than most movies in the past 20 years.
Sometimes, People Just Have Things They Have To Do - Getting the band back together.
There’s Not Much I Don’t Know - Fatherhood and the instinct to protect.
No Greater Love - Sacrifice in the face of slavery.
Oil On Canvas - The future, and regret, always come.
Blues For Rashid - Music turned into story.
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Webster’s 1913 Dictionary - Inspirational dictionary that appreciates the art and beauty of words.
Hemingway App - Online tool that will tighten your writing.
One Look Thesaurus - Wide-ranging thesaurus that goes beyond simple synonyms.
Free Online Short Stories
How To Tell A True War Story - Tale of violence and what it means to know the truth.
Good Old Neon - A look at life and death from a different perspective.
Hills Like White Elephants - One of the best uses of subtext ever.
The Egg - Mind-bending sci-fi look at the reason for humanity.
I Have No Mouth But I Must Scream - Sci-Fi horror about a malevolent AI.
Flowers For Algernon - Looking at the limits of intelligence and love.
To Build A Fire - Tale of survival in the bitter cold.
The Cask of Amontillado - Revenge.
The Garden Of Forking Paths - Spy thriller set in WW2.
Rikki Tikki Tavi - On courage in the face of danger.