Karen Heuler
@karenheuler.bsky.social
Writer of real & unreal stories in Asimov's, Conjunctions, F&F, Reactor.com. Last novel, The Splendid City, has Stan, the offensive man/cat; Eleanor, the novice witch who made a mistake; an outrageous president, and Texas secession. karenheuler@aol.com.
Arc Manor has reissued my first collection--reviewed by the NY Times in 1995, when they had a page devoted to University presses:
“Haunting and quirky, these modern-day fables are told with such arresting attention to the details of daily life that the line between reason and reverie is dissolved"
“Haunting and quirky, these modern-day fables are told with such arresting attention to the details of daily life that the line between reason and reverie is dissolved"
November 17, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Arc Manor has reissued my first collection--reviewed by the NY Times in 1995, when they had a page devoted to University presses:
“Haunting and quirky, these modern-day fables are told with such arresting attention to the details of daily life that the line between reason and reverie is dissolved"
“Haunting and quirky, these modern-day fables are told with such arresting attention to the details of daily life that the line between reason and reverie is dissolved"
there's a magic eye looking back at you
November 1, 2025 at 1:48 AM
there's a magic eye looking back at you
It pleases me (for some reason) to know that Walt Whitman used to ghost-write rave reviews for his "Leaves of Grass"
October 25, 2025 at 9:03 PM
It pleases me (for some reason) to know that Walt Whitman used to ghost-write rave reviews for his "Leaves of Grass"
A new very short story is now up on SciFi Journal. It's about a short-circuit in the Rapture. If you didn't ascend a few days ago, this may be why.
www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/20...
www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/20...
Half-Rapt - Sci Phi Journal
What if the Rapture comes and... doesn't go according to plan? By Karen Heuler.
www.sciphijournal.org
September 26, 2025 at 8:04 PM
A new very short story is now up on SciFi Journal. It's about a short-circuit in the Rapture. If you didn't ascend a few days ago, this may be why.
www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/20...
www.sciphijournal.org/index.php/20...
Reposted by Karen Heuler
If you missed Story Hour live, you can catch the replay here! @karenheuler.bsky.social's "The Stray Curse" is an incredible dark fairy tale, and I read my corvid story "One for Sorrow" from Blanket Gravity #1.
▶ youtu.be/CutdQgqel20 ◀
▶ youtu.be/CutdQgqel20 ◀
September 5, 2025 at 2:28 PM
If you missed Story Hour live, you can catch the replay here! @karenheuler.bsky.social's "The Stray Curse" is an incredible dark fairy tale, and I read my corvid story "One for Sorrow" from Blanket Gravity #1.
▶ youtu.be/CutdQgqel20 ◀
▶ youtu.be/CutdQgqel20 ◀
Reposted by Karen Heuler
Episode 262 of Eating the Fantastic is now live! Join award-winning writer @karenheuler.bsky.social for lunch and learn the way in which she considers her short stories to be kittens, the “dud” novels she had to write before she got to the good ones — and more. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...
September 3, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Episode 262 of Eating the Fantastic is now live! Join award-winning writer @karenheuler.bsky.social for lunch and learn the way in which she considers her short stories to be kittens, the “dud” novels she had to write before she got to the good ones — and more. www.scottedelman.com/wordpress/20...
One of my favorite covers is this reissue of a story collection with a starred PW review saying, "readers will find these stories remarkably inventive and brimming with ideas not found anywhere else in contemporary fantasy fiction." Reissued by Arc Manor/Phoenix Picks.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGQGL3N4
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGQGL3N4
August 30, 2025 at 8:53 PM
One of my favorite covers is this reissue of a story collection with a starred PW review saying, "readers will find these stories remarkably inventive and brimming with ideas not found anywhere else in contemporary fantasy fiction." Reissued by Arc Manor/Phoenix Picks.
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGQGL3N4
www.amazon.com/dp/B0FGQGL3N4
When you get a chance, read my story "Frankenstein's Book Launch" in the Sept/Oct Asimov's before he comes after you!
August 16, 2025 at 5:59 PM
When you get a chance, read my story "Frankenstein's Book Launch" in the Sept/Oct Asimov's before he comes after you!
These times require satire! Read The Splendid City, about a witch who changes a bully into a cat and both get sent to Liberty--which used to be Texas before it seceded. There are daily parades, animatronic heads on the streets to hear what people are saying--but wait--a man changed into a cat?
August 12, 2025 at 7:47 PM
These times require satire! Read The Splendid City, about a witch who changes a bully into a cat and both get sent to Liberty--which used to be Texas before it seceded. There are daily parades, animatronic heads on the streets to hear what people are saying--but wait--a man changed into a cat?
Of all the stories you've written, who is your favorite character and why?
July 26, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Of all the stories you've written, who is your favorite character and why?
My Readercon Reading:
6:30pm today at Envision/Enliven.
"Here and There," one of my favorite stories, about a girl who can imagine and build impossible bridges
6:30pm today at Envision/Enliven.
"Here and There," one of my favorite stories, about a girl who can imagine and build impossible bridges
July 19, 2025 at 9:05 PM
My Readercon Reading:
6:30pm today at Envision/Enliven.
"Here and There," one of my favorite stories, about a girl who can imagine and build impossible bridges
6:30pm today at Envision/Enliven.
"Here and There," one of my favorite stories, about a girl who can imagine and build impossible bridges
Break that Bad Writing Habit
At Readercon tomorrow (Saturday)!
Come hear one of my all-time favorite short stories at 6:30pm in “Envision” on Saturday.
(How is that breaking a bad writing habit, you may ask. Develop commitment. Community. Sharing.)
At Readercon tomorrow (Saturday)!
Come hear one of my all-time favorite short stories at 6:30pm in “Envision” on Saturday.
(How is that breaking a bad writing habit, you may ask. Develop commitment. Community. Sharing.)
July 18, 2025 at 9:09 PM
Break that Bad Writing Habit
At Readercon tomorrow (Saturday)!
Come hear one of my all-time favorite short stories at 6:30pm in “Envision” on Saturday.
(How is that breaking a bad writing habit, you may ask. Develop commitment. Community. Sharing.)
At Readercon tomorrow (Saturday)!
Come hear one of my all-time favorite short stories at 6:30pm in “Envision” on Saturday.
(How is that breaking a bad writing habit, you may ask. Develop commitment. Community. Sharing.)
I have a new flash fiction up at The Razor. Creepy? Not creepy? You be the judge.
therazormag.com/articles/the...
therazormag.com/articles/the...
The Oyster Eaters - The Razor — Literary Magazine — Gotham Writers Workshop
He bears a plate of oysters and nods at me, his eyebrows raised. “Take one of these and feel it as it wriggles down your throat.” “I’ve never eaten one,” I say. “I’m not sure I want to.” He grins and ...
therazormag.com
June 5, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I have a new flash fiction up at The Razor. Creepy? Not creepy? You be the judge.
therazormag.com/articles/the...
therazormag.com/articles/the...
Come to my reading at Boskone!
Sunday 11am Independence
I'll be reading from a forthcoming re-issue of Glorious Plague, from Arc Manor. That title says it's glorious, folks!
Sunday 11am Independence
I'll be reading from a forthcoming re-issue of Glorious Plague, from Arc Manor. That title says it's glorious, folks!
February 12, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Come to my reading at Boskone!
Sunday 11am Independence
I'll be reading from a forthcoming re-issue of Glorious Plague, from Arc Manor. That title says it's glorious, folks!
Sunday 11am Independence
I'll be reading from a forthcoming re-issue of Glorious Plague, from Arc Manor. That title says it's glorious, folks!
My Boskone Schedule
Sat 4pm Harbor II
Where Does Magical Realism Stop and Fantasy Begin?
Sat. 7pm Harbor III
Why Are Dystopias So Popular?
Sat 10pm Marina IV
Late Night Magic and Mischievous Magicians
Sat 4pm Harbor II
Where Does Magical Realism Stop and Fantasy Begin?
Sat. 7pm Harbor III
Why Are Dystopias So Popular?
Sat 10pm Marina IV
Late Night Magic and Mischievous Magicians
February 12, 2025 at 7:35 PM
My Boskone Schedule
Sat 4pm Harbor II
Where Does Magical Realism Stop and Fantasy Begin?
Sat. 7pm Harbor III
Why Are Dystopias So Popular?
Sat 10pm Marina IV
Late Night Magic and Mischievous Magicians
Sat 4pm Harbor II
Where Does Magical Realism Stop and Fantasy Begin?
Sat. 7pm Harbor III
Why Are Dystopias So Popular?
Sat 10pm Marina IV
Late Night Magic and Mischievous Magicians
New story in Phano--give this new mag a look!
www.phano.co/issues/issue-2
www.phano.co/issues/issue-2
Phano
Phano delivers wondrous, thought-provoking content about the future to the questioning masses—beautiful stories, essays, interviews, reviews and art to make sense of our world in constant change. We w...
www.phano.co
February 2, 2025 at 10:43 PM
New story in Phano--give this new mag a look!
www.phano.co/issues/issue-2
www.phano.co/issues/issue-2
"The axolotl has the ability to regenerate its brain:
"Axolotls, the aquatic salamanders famous for their ability to regrow limbs, can also regenerate parts of their brains, including the telencephalon — the front portion of the brain."
"Axolotls, the aquatic salamanders famous for their ability to regrow limbs, can also regenerate parts of their brains, including the telencephalon — the front portion of the brain."
February 1, 2025 at 1:18 AM
"The axolotl has the ability to regenerate its brain:
"Axolotls, the aquatic salamanders famous for their ability to regrow limbs, can also regenerate parts of their brains, including the telencephalon — the front portion of the brain."
"Axolotls, the aquatic salamanders famous for their ability to regrow limbs, can also regenerate parts of their brains, including the telencephalon — the front portion of the brain."
When I was in my late teens, I decided that I had to make my name by the time I was 25 or it was all over. That was it. Nothing after 25 had integrity.
January 31, 2025 at 1:01 AM
When I was in my late teens, I decided that I had to make my name by the time I was 25 or it was all over. That was it. Nothing after 25 had integrity.
This was reported in October, and I'm still thinking about it: hackers took control of robot vacuums, which then started chasing pets and also spewing racial slurs.
January 29, 2025 at 10:34 PM
This was reported in October, and I'm still thinking about it: hackers took control of robot vacuums, which then started chasing pets and also spewing racial slurs.
I love how Boo Radley's toy mouse is standing at attention.
January 27, 2025 at 12:35 AM
I love how Boo Radley's toy mouse is standing at attention.
Arc Manor is reissuing 3 of my books:
Glorious Plague: People climb and sing till they die as myths walk around NYC
The Clockworm: Alien cats invade us, time goes crazy, and a girl builds impossible bridges
The Other Door: Jesus returns as a woman, an apartment expands, magic tricks become magic
Glorious Plague: People climb and sing till they die as myths walk around NYC
The Clockworm: Alien cats invade us, time goes crazy, and a girl builds impossible bridges
The Other Door: Jesus returns as a woman, an apartment expands, magic tricks become magic
January 20, 2025 at 6:53 PM
Arc Manor is reissuing 3 of my books:
Glorious Plague: People climb and sing till they die as myths walk around NYC
The Clockworm: Alien cats invade us, time goes crazy, and a girl builds impossible bridges
The Other Door: Jesus returns as a woman, an apartment expands, magic tricks become magic
Glorious Plague: People climb and sing till they die as myths walk around NYC
The Clockworm: Alien cats invade us, time goes crazy, and a girl builds impossible bridges
The Other Door: Jesus returns as a woman, an apartment expands, magic tricks become magic
His arm hanging out of the side of his convertible, the debonair cat asks, "Yes?"
January 16, 2025 at 1:12 AM
His arm hanging out of the side of his convertible, the debonair cat asks, "Yes?"
Do you feel that your own life has a narrative arc? If you don't know what that means, it's the rising set of actions or experiences that form the backbone of a story or novel, that propels it along a kind of track to its resolution. Do you recognize the kind of story you're in?
January 7, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Do you feel that your own life has a narrative arc? If you don't know what that means, it's the rising set of actions or experiences that form the backbone of a story or novel, that propels it along a kind of track to its resolution. Do you recognize the kind of story you're in?
City scenery from the back window
January 6, 2025 at 8:44 PM
City scenery from the back window