🚀 SF/F Magazine 👻Flash Fiction + Poetry 👁️Closed for Submissions 📒 Stories are Free to read NOW Editor Sam Asher https://bsky.app/profile/samasherwriter.bsky.social https://www.thecosmicbackground.com https://linktr.ee/thecosmicbgrhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3miyk7nbdnc2nSubmissions are OPEN! thecosmicbackground.moksha.io/publication/1 NABOKOV'S SUSPENSION Edited by Jehanne Bell 👅🧵👻🎤✍️ We are looking for flash fiction about the things that fall away, transform, and negotiate new bodies as the words that create shapeshift around them.08 Apr 2026 14:52 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3miyk7nbdnc2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3miwoeyxvbc2lTomorrow April 8 we open for our next Guest Editor issue... NABOKOV'S SUSPENSION Edited by Jehanne Bell 👅🧵👻🎤✍️ We are looking for flash fiction about the things that fall away, transform, and negotiate new bodies as the words that create either their home or their prison shapeshift around them.07 Apr 2026 21:01 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3miwoeyxvbc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3miwj7uo4ec2n"In Daniel’s memory, the waters of the swift and scalding spring were dark and viscous, like the back of a seething serpent..." Check out "We Have Always Bathed in the Scalding Spring" by Stefen Holtrey. 👇 https://www.thecosmicbackground.com/stories/stefen-holtrey-we-have-always-bathed-in-the-scalding-spring07 Apr 2026 19:29 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3miwj7uo4ec2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3miwifzglik2iWe are excited to announce the stories for our issue “Ghosts & The After Life” edited by Ai Jiang @aijiang.bsky.social 👻 EC Dorgan “Flehmen Grimace” Samir Sirk Morató “unwell naturalist’s historic fairy collection” @spicycloaca.bsky.social Emmi Khor “The Art of Rebirth” @emmikhor.bsky.social07 Apr 2026 19:14 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3miwifzglik2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3misfqi5u6k2qAnd submissions are closed! Thank you to everyone who submitted to this call! We have another call and guest editor coming right up. Stay tuned. [contains quote post or other embedded content]06 Apr 2026 04:16 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3misfqi5u6k2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3mirvmxnock2eJust a few more hours to get your submissions in! [contains quote post or other embedded content]05 Apr 2026 23:27 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mirvmxnock2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3midrxahrrk2sSURPRISE! To celebrate spring break, we our extending this call for stories through APRIL 5! Kick back, get the gold on Rainbow Road, and polish up that flash fiction. Time is ticking. [contains quote post or other embedded content]31 Mar 2026 08:44 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3midrxahrrk2shttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3mgo2hnvm222pSubmissions are OPEN for our special issue theme: THROWBACK TECH 🎥📺📻🎮📀📼🕹️👾 Edited by @prof-bogs.bsky.social Let's do this. You have until March 31. It's a new year, let's celebrate with old tech. ➡️ https://thecosmicbackground.moksha.io/publication/the-cosmic-background09 Mar 2026 23:53 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgo2hnvm222phttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3mgo2amh7os2pThe Cosmic Background is BACK. We know. It's been a minute. After getting lost in the static for a while, we are opening up submissions and we will soon announce the stories from our Ghost & Afterlife issue. Stay tuned for that! We are super excited about these ones 👻09 Mar 2026 23:49 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgo2amh7os2phttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3mbeu2jnp622qYelp. [contains quote post or other embedded content]01 Jan 2026 16:58 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3mbeu2jnp622qhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3m5fatm27ss2wLet's do this! "A Galaxy Run in 30 Minutes or Less" by J.D. Harlock! https://www.thecosmicbackground.com/stories/j-d-harlock-a-galaxy-run-in-30-minutes-or-less11 Nov 2025 23:06 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5fatm27ss2whttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3m4eo5t4zqc22A unsettling tale for Halloween Week. heck out "By The Spine" by Anya F. Bloom! https://www.thecosmicbackground.com/stories/anya-f-bloom-by-the-spine30 Oct 2025 00:07 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3m4eo5t4zqc22https://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lyc4ycntms2lThis story is the first of our stories sought specifically from writers of Palestinian descent. Elise Stephens is smart, and articulate, and brave. She is talented, witty, and a spectacular writer. Check out "Suspension" by Elise Stephens @elisestephens.bsky.social08 Sep 2025 02:13 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lyc4ycntms2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lxusydjx2s2fYOU are the gem💎 [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Sep 2025 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxusydjx2s2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lxuo6qzxsc2xAww shucks. What he said 😭 [contains quote post or other embedded content]02 Sep 2025 17:44 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxuo6qzxsc2xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lxun3uxpe22xHellllooooo from the static! It is fundraising season for many spec mags out there. We are doing things a little differently with a small gofundme to help us into 2026. We are already at $2 and just need a little boost to help us to our goal of $2400 👻 https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-cosmic-backgrounds-diverse-voices02 Sep 2025 17:24 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lxun3uxpe22xhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lsdaln7a4k2mSTORYTIME! Yes, we are a little behind on uplifting the latest stories we've published but that just means we can REMIND YOU THEY ARE AWESOME! Check out "Burn it Down" by Beth Dawkins @bethwrites.bsky.social : https://www.thecosmicbackground.com/stories/beth-dawkins-burn-it-down24 Jun 2025 04:19 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lsdaln7a4k2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lo6z4rrudc2tHey everyone. Sorry for the delay in opening submissions. Our editor is in the hospital. We need a few to get him healthy and settled. We will announce our new opening date very soon. Thanks for your patience.02 May 2025 14:14 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lo6z4rrudc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lk6tjosxnc2kWe are closed for the moment! But hold tight to those hats and glasses and short stories! We will see you May 1! [contains quote post or other embedded content]12 Mar 2025 14:53 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lk6tjosxnc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3li66tgzeuc2kHell yes! [contains quote post or other embedded content]14 Feb 2025 21:53 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3li66tgzeuc2khttps://bsky.app/profile/thecosmicbgr.bsky.social/post/3lg7rjjmnqs23Spread the word👇🏽 [contains quote post or other embedded content]21 Jan 2025 02:09 +0000at://did:plc:yh2vkfa6ix27rdya3vs3pytz/app.bsky.feed.post/3lg7rjjmnqs23