We are very excited to bring you Issue 4 of Frazzled Lit!
We’re launching into 2026 with another bumper issue, filled to the brim with fantastic flash, stunning short stories, and amazing creative non-fiction and poetry. Some come from seasoned writers, while others are first publications for those new to the scene. Laura and I love them all, and hope you will too!
As in our previous issues, broad themes emerged in the works we selected, and I have structured the pieces around those themes to amplify their meaning.
Okay, that’s enough of a preamble. Let’s dive straight in!
Loss, Grief, and Longing
In this section, you’ll find expressions of loss and grief, of longing and of opportunities missed.
Going Gray // Creative non-fiction by Hana Jabr
Hard To Know // Short story by Edelle Dwyer
Childless // Creative non-fiction by Donna Leamy
Perfect Star // Short story by Elissa Field
What doesn’t make you stronger kills you // Flash fiction by Eirene Gentle
i crave the smell of your old car // Poetry by Evelyn Vozar
Delicates // Short story by Bianca Locklee
After My Father Was Killed // Poetry by Kate Vanhinsbergh
A Month’s Mind // Short story by Ryan Wiles
The Sweetest Lie // Short story by Michael Pettit
4 Hours // Flash fiction by Clodagh O’Brien
Did you see your man Gant? // Short story by Jonathan Cosgrove
The Siren, the Tide, and the Cicadas // Flash fiction by Delphine Gauthier-Georgakopoulos
Indulge Me // Short story by Leslie Cairns
Dangerous & Deadly
In this section, you’ll find those pieces related to death, dying, and acts of deadly consequence.
Shooting Stars // Creative non-fiction by Barbara Byar
The Newest Bags // Short story by Adam Nesbit
Not Just A Number // Flash fiction by Donna Leamy
Pretty is Pain // Short story by Catherine O’Brien
Farm Writing // Short story by Jack Desmond
She Didn’t Know // Flash fiction by Clodagh O’Brien
Reflective & Pensive
These pieces are thoughtful, reflective, even provocative, and speak to deeper truths.
We Want Medals for our Lost Autonomy // Creative non-fiction by Deirdre Maultsaid
Two Poems by Jo Rigg // Poetry
Occupational Hazards // Creative non-fiction by Nancy Moreland
Lotus Buds - a Sestina // Poetry by Joyce Loh
8:23 p.m. // Creative non-fiction by Olivia J. Bennett
Astrolabe // Poetry by Emily Cullen
Liars // Creative non-fiction by Andrew Careaga
My Mind Channels // Poetry by Mervyn Seivwright
She // Creative non-fiction by Loretta Fahy
To Each His Own Pain // Short story by Delphine Gauthier-Georgakopoulos
The balance beam in purgatory is only 4 inches wide // Flash fiction by Amy Barnes
The Philosopical Bug // Short story by Alison Wells
Half a Sleeping Pill // Creative non-fiction by Delphine Gauthier-Georgakopoulos
The Crossing Was Choppy // Poetry by Margaret Hickey
Spatial senses // Creative non-fiction by Linnea Dunne
Asylum // Creative non-fiction by Tim Green
Let’s talk about trees // Creative non-fiction by Clodagh O’Brien
Mercury // Poetry by Don Narkevic
The Russian Front // Creative non-fiction by Katie Piper
Remember To Feed the Dog // Poetry by Kerith Collins
Wishful & Hopeful
In this section, you’ll find pieces that speak in some way to our hopes and dreams.
Three poems // Poetry by Noelle Lynskey
Fireflies Still // Flash fiction by Kaylee Baucom
Lost and Found // Creative non-fiction by Asha Krishna
Before, After, Now // Short story by Sudha Balagopal
Any Human Thing // Short story by Katie Canning
There’s still life // Flash fiction by Kik Lodge
Closeted // Short story by Caroline Heffernan
Blanket Fort // Poetry by Tracie Renee
quarter-century pizzazz // Poetry by Chisom Nwaezuoke
Amused & Amusing
In this section, you’ll find those pieces which I felt were amusing, bemusing, or in which the characters find themselves amused by their circumstances.
Clockwork // Short story by Lauren Loudermilk
The Fill // Flash fiction by Colin O’Sulllivan
Beautiful Parts // Short story by Madeleine Armstrong
Penelope by the Sea // Flash fiction by Beth Sherman
Underbelly // Creative non-fiction by Catherine Daly
The Attitude Cat // Short story by Luc Upson
Sleepover // Flash fiction by Alison Wassell
My Own Auld Style // Short story by Liam Wallace
Letting go // Flash fiction by Cole Beauchamp
Our Little Secret // Short story by Cassie Smith-Christmas
Restless & Uncertain
Here, we find characters who are sometimes ill at ease, but their discomfort is often tinged with hope.
Beirut // Short story by Ali McGuire
Powder // Short story by Johnny Thompson
The Elephant Man in the Room // Flash fiction by Marco Visciolaccio
CANCER PLANE // Short story by Freya Thygesen
Devil’s Elbow // Creative non-fiction by Carrie Griffin
At Chutes Croches Viewing Platform // Poetry by C. E. Collins
Snakes // Flash fiction by Beth Sherman
Cass Tries Yoga (Weekly, Forever) // Short story by Tracie Renee
If Heather Falls // Flash fiction by Kellan Jansen
The Shot Glass // Flash fiction by Tracie Renee
Property Rights // Short story by Abigail Williams
Skin // Flash fiction by Alison Wells
The Flaying of Marsyas // Short story by Cainhurst
And now I feel the benevolent light of Marie Kondo // Flash fiction by Cole Beauchamp
We are baptized for the dead in Taber before going to A&W for burgers and root beer // Creative non-fiction by Cheryl Markosky
The Lies We Tell Ourselves // Short story by Donna Leamy
They Say Junwei’s a Bad Boy // Flash fiction by Ya Lan Chang
Two Poems by Özge Lena // Poetry
The Pile // Flash fiction by Kellan Jansen
Two poems by Rebecca O’Hagan // Poetry
The house burnt down before we lit a candle // Flash fiction by Eirene Gentle
Ars Poetica: Disorientation // Poetry by Alex Carrigan
And finally, a message from the Frazzled Lit team:
It was a huge pleasure to read the submissions for this issue. We included as many pieces as we felt we could, but had to draw the line somewhere. The pieces we selected are the ones we absolutely had to have, and couldn’t pass on.
We are especially grateful to our peer readers who contributed their time and energy to this issue, read nearly all of the submissions, and helped us in the decision-making process. They are:
Kerry Byrne
Louise Machen
Val Harris
Paul Short
Seriously, we couldn’t have done it without them!
To finish: I always say this, because it’s worth repeating: you guys, our contributors and readers, are what make Frazzled Lit work. We can’t do this without you, and are so very grateful to you for your continued support.
We love you guys!
Jennifer & Laura
What a fantastic issue! So so much talent here. I will be savoring this issue for quite some time!