We're in love with Helen McClory's story, "An Apocalypse in Seven Stages" -- this November's featured flash. Here, she shares with us just one thing about the writing of the story, as well as a snapshot of the van where she was living when she wrote it:

"I wrote 'An Apocalypse in Seven Stages' while volunteering on a horse farm in central Portugal, far from anyone I knew. The farm was out on its ​​own down a dirt track, miles from the nearest hamlet, and the farmer could only put the electricity on th...

Pictured:

I don’t always write in the same place. Sometimes I write on the couch, other times I write at the kitchen table, or at my standup desk made from the scraps of an old TV dinner tray. Lately, maybe because it’s getting darker and chillier out, I’ve been writing from bed. This bed is a beast of comfort and refuge. I go here when the sun settles down, after a long working day, after concocting dinner, after folding laundry, after impromptu dance parties with my kiddo and our Boston Terrier pup...

We are so happy to share that we're nominating these small-but-powerful stories for Best Small Fictions:

Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint, "Ghost Story"

Tyler Barton, "Mannequins" (find this story in our first print issue!)

Megan Giddings, "A Husband Should Be Eaten and Not Heard"

Joshua Jones, "Forty-Five Feet"

Brooke Larson, "Space-time Goggles"

Best of luck to our nominees!

We've been so thrilled to feature the art of Claudia Griesbach-Martucci this past month. "Portrait of Veda" immediately grabbed our attention, and the literary quality of Claudia's paintings, as well as their richness in detail, rewards the viewer the longer they look. She talked to us about how the literary influences behind "Portrait of Veda" and how she approaches her work:

1. One of the most captivating things about your art is the push-pull of realism and the fantastic. Can you talk a bit about h...

We're thrilled to share our Best Microfictions nominees:

Kathy Fish, "The Champion of All Time"

Raven Leilani, "Kanekalon"

Beth Gilstrap & Jim Warner, "Revelation 154"

Each of these micro-but-mighty pieces was published in our first print issue.

Best of luck to our nominees!

Most days of the year, we're bringing you literary goodness. Today, we're bringing you our thanks for getting out and voting and some resources in case you encounter questions at the polls -- all in one handy place.

Vote.org has the answers for problems a voter might face, such as the polls closing while you're in line or finding your name is not on the rolls. 

Election Protection / 866 Our Vote has information about your local polling hours and ID requirements if any, reporting any incidents at t...