Penny Magic
@pennymagic.bsky.social
Fill your days with fiction. Helping readers read more and writers write more. Find us at pennymagic.co. Browse our bookshelves at bookshop.org/shop/pennymagicpress.
“Sharing a booth is the most personal thing in the world, aside from sharing a kiss or a mausoleum.”
Sunburn — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
January 22, 2026 at 8:50 PM
“Sharing a booth is the most personal thing in the world, aside from sharing a kiss or a mausoleum.”
For those of us who are book-hungry, those mighty tomes can add up to more dollars than we’d like to spend. If you’re looking for a way to add books to your reading list without adding to your book budget, here are a few places you can find books online cheap or even free.
Best Sites to Read Books for Free: Libraries, Project Gutenberg, and More — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
If you’re looking for a way to add books to your reading list without adding an extra zero to your book budget, here are a few places you can find books online cheap or even free.
www.pennymagic.co
January 20, 2026 at 8:48 PM
For those of us who are book-hungry, those mighty tomes can add up to more dollars than we’d like to spend. If you’re looking for a way to add books to your reading list without adding to your book budget, here are a few places you can find books online cheap or even free.
“It was on the prince’s first voyage out, when he was only ten years old, that he first saw the oyster girl.”
Sail away and fall in love with this Penny Magic throwback story from 2019, Oyster Girl.
Sail away and fall in love with this Penny Magic throwback story from 2019, Oyster Girl.
The Oyster Girl — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
January 15, 2026 at 8:32 PM
“It was on the prince’s first voyage out, when he was only ten years old, that he first saw the oyster girl.”
Sail away and fall in love with this Penny Magic throwback story from 2019, Oyster Girl.
Sail away and fall in love with this Penny Magic throwback story from 2019, Oyster Girl.
One of the best ways to get your writing brain moving is by reading. Here are five flash fiction writing prompts to tackle based on famous short stories that you can read for free on Penny Magic.
5 Flash Fiction Writing Prompts and Ideas — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
One of the best ways to get your writing brain moving is by reading. Here are five flash fiction writing prompts to tackle based on famous short stories that you can read for free here on Penny Magic.
www.pennymagic.co
January 13, 2026 at 8:32 PM
One of the best ways to get your writing brain moving is by reading. Here are five flash fiction writing prompts to tackle based on famous short stories that you can read for free on Penny Magic.
"In Sylvia’s village, all roads leading away eventually led back again. You could leave, but the road would only hold you for a few hours before you ended up back in the village where you started."
On the Long Road — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
January 11, 2026 at 8:31 PM
"In Sylvia’s village, all roads leading away eventually led back again. You could leave, but the road would only hold you for a few hours before you ended up back in the village where you started."
What kind of books does the new year hold for you: Penguin Classics, the BBC, or Rory Gilmore? We look at classic literature book lists to answer the question: What classic novel should you read next?
Classic Literature Book Lists: What Classic Novel Should I Read Next? — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Looking for classic literature book lists to guide you as you expand your bookshelf? Look no further. This is a list of lists for you to choose from as you look for your next classic novel to read.
www.pennymagic.co
January 9, 2026 at 8:31 PM
What kind of books does the new year hold for you: Penguin Classics, the BBC, or Rory Gilmore? We look at classic literature book lists to answer the question: What classic novel should you read next?
With all the other things that need to be done for the holidays, don’t worry about tackling a giant novel. Sit with a quick book (most of these have audiobooks under five hours), and get all the satisfaction of a novel well-read.
Another 5 Short Novels You Can Read in a Weekend — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
With all the other things that need to be done for the holidays, don’t worry about tackling a giant novel. Sit with a quick book (most of these have audiobooks under five hours), and get all the…
www.pennymagic.co
December 19, 2025 at 2:40 AM
With all the other things that need to be done for the holidays, don’t worry about tackling a giant novel. Sit with a quick book (most of these have audiobooks under five hours), and get all the satisfaction of a novel well-read.
“The worst part of the storm was that she couldn’t see her friend’s face anymore.”
Climb a snowy mountain with a friend. Read White Vida from Penny Magic.
Climb a snowy mountain with a friend. Read White Vida from Penny Magic.
White Vida: A Short Story from Penny Magic — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
"Every step up the mountain got harder. At first she couldn’t feel her hands or her legs as she moved, and eventually she couldn’t even see them."
www.pennymagic.co
December 17, 2025 at 2:40 AM
“The worst part of the storm was that she couldn’t see her friend’s face anymore.”
Climb a snowy mountain with a friend. Read White Vida from Penny Magic.
Climb a snowy mountain with a friend. Read White Vida from Penny Magic.
Don't forget to support Penny Magic and independent bookstores by shopping on Bookshop.org this holiday season!
Penny Magic Press Bookshop
Delightful stories of literary & speculative fiction. Take a break from your everyday life and step into fictional worlds you've never visited before. Publishing original short stories and shining a…
bookshop.org
December 12, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Don't forget to support Penny Magic and independent bookstores by shopping on Bookshop.org this holiday season!
"Eagerly the wanderer spoke. She started at the sound of his voice. He could not see her well, because she was turned towards the darkness of the cave."
Travel through the darkness with this classic short story from George MacDonald.
Travel through the darkness with this classic short story from George MacDonald.
The Gray Wolf: A Classic Short Story from George MacDonald — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Read the story on Penny Magic. "One evening-twilight in spring, a young English student, who had wandered northwards as far as the outlying fragments..."
www.pennymagic.co
December 10, 2025 at 2:51 AM
"Eagerly the wanderer spoke. She started at the sound of his voice. He could not see her well, because she was turned towards the darkness of the cave."
Travel through the darkness with this classic short story from George MacDonald.
Travel through the darkness with this classic short story from George MacDonald.
Looking for a Christmas present for the person in your life who is always tucked behind a book? Look no further! Here are seven ideas for Christmas gifts, from big presents to simple stocking stuffers.
Christmas Gift Ideas for Bookworms and Readers — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Looking for a Christmas present for the person in your life who is always tucked behind a book? Look no further! Here are seven ideas for Christmas gifts, from big presents to simple stocking…
www.pennymagic.co
December 4, 2025 at 10:36 PM
Looking for a Christmas present for the person in your life who is always tucked behind a book? Look no further! Here are seven ideas for Christmas gifts, from big presents to simple stocking stuffers.
"She was eighteen when she met him, nineteen when she fell in love with him, and twenty when they last spoke."
Take a break today for fiction with this quick short story from Penny Magic. Estimated reading time: 8 minutes.
Take a break today for fiction with this quick short story from Penny Magic. Estimated reading time: 8 minutes.
Solid, Liquid, Robot — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
December 3, 2025 at 12:42 AM
"She was eighteen when she met him, nineteen when she fell in love with him, and twenty when they last spoke."
Take a break today for fiction with this quick short story from Penny Magic. Estimated reading time: 8 minutes.
Take a break today for fiction with this quick short story from Penny Magic. Estimated reading time: 8 minutes.
Looking for epic or antic-filled? Here are five more books and series to pick up after you finish Artemis Fowl.
5 More Books and Series Like Artemis Fowl for Kids or Adults — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Following up our first list of recommendations, here are five more books and series to pick up after you finish Artemis Fowl.
www.pennymagic.co
November 20, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Looking for epic or antic-filled? Here are five more books and series to pick up after you finish Artemis Fowl.
"When I go to sleep, I see Genghis Khan’s ghost."
Wrestle with the past and the future in this story from Penny Magic's fourth volume of short stories, Long Live the Legends.
Wrestle with the past and the future in this story from Penny Magic's fourth volume of short stories, Long Live the Legends.
All the Khans Before Me — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
A short story by Matt Mills. "When I go to sleep, I see Genghis Khan’s ghost."
www.pennymagic.co
November 18, 2025 at 7:41 PM
"When I go to sleep, I see Genghis Khan’s ghost."
Wrestle with the past and the future in this story from Penny Magic's fourth volume of short stories, Long Live the Legends.
Wrestle with the past and the future in this story from Penny Magic's fourth volume of short stories, Long Live the Legends.
"It was a hot, dry afternoon when Christina’s husband did that extraordinary thing, that thing no one else in Rustvale had done for as long as anyone could remember: He left."
The Star Map — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
November 14, 2025 at 4:41 PM
"It was a hot, dry afternoon when Christina’s husband did that extraordinary thing, that thing no one else in Rustvale had done for as long as anyone could remember: He left."
Make a choice. Commit a crime. Receive a gift. Are you looking for inspiration for your next short story? Here are five prompts developed from famous short stories. Read the classic short story and then tell your own tale based on the prompt.
5 Short Story Writing Prompts Based on Classic Short Stories — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Are you looking for short story inspiration and ideas? Here are five prompts developed from famous short stories, perfect for use in a classroom or as a writing exercise.
www.pennymagic.co
November 13, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Make a choice. Commit a crime. Receive a gift. Are you looking for inspiration for your next short story? Here are five prompts developed from famous short stories. Read the classic short story and then tell your own tale based on the prompt.
"Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death."
This November, read the classic short story from Kate Chopin!
This November, read the classic short story from Kate Chopin!
The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Read this classic short story from American novelist and author of The Awakening, Kate Chopin (1850-1904).
www.pennymagic.co
November 11, 2025 at 8:44 PM
"Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death."
This November, read the classic short story from Kate Chopin!
This November, read the classic short story from Kate Chopin!
Looking to buy books for friends and family this holiday season? You can support Penny Magic by buying your books from Bookshop! Use this link to buy your books and to check out our recommended books in our Penny Magic Bookshop store!
Penny Magic Press Bookshop
Delightful stories of literary & speculative fiction. Take a break from your everyday life and step into fictional worlds you've never visited before. Publishing original short stories and shining a…
bookshop.org
November 7, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Looking to buy books for friends and family this holiday season? You can support Penny Magic by buying your books from Bookshop! Use this link to buy your books and to check out our recommended books in our Penny Magic Bookshop store!
"Yessir, Mervin had it all: unicorn blood, dragon scales, eyelashes from a leprechaun, the fossilized skull of a werewolf, and a whole host of bewitched and bedazzled magical doodads and whatsits. Any kind of charm or trinket you could ever want, Mervin had it."
Mervin Q Peevler & the Monkeywrench Express — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
November 5, 2025 at 12:04 AM
"Yessir, Mervin had it all: unicorn blood, dragon scales, eyelashes from a leprechaun, the fossilized skull of a werewolf, and a whole host of bewitched and bedazzled magical doodads and whatsits. Any kind of charm or trinket you could ever want, Mervin had it."
Looking for a cozy story to kickstart your reading in the cold-weather months? Read this classic, The Monkey's Paw, on Penny Magic.
"Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnam Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly."
"Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnam Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly."
The Monkey's Paw by W. W. Jacobs — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Read this classic short story from English novelist and short story author W. W. Jacobs (1863-1943).
www.pennymagic.co
October 24, 2025 at 1:44 AM
Looking for a cozy story to kickstart your reading in the cold-weather months? Read this classic, The Monkey's Paw, on Penny Magic.
"Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnam Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly."
"Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnam Villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly."
"This was the best cargo in months. It didn’t smell or leak, and it wasn’t illegal. It might not even be worth it for pirates to steal, so on the off-chance that they met a competent pirate, they might get away without losing a page. Because on this voyage, they were transporting books."
The Things We Know But Never Say — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
October 22, 2025 at 1:44 AM
"This was the best cargo in months. It didn’t smell or leak, and it wasn’t illegal. It might not even be worth it for pirates to steal, so on the off-chance that they met a competent pirate, they might get away without losing a page. Because on this voyage, they were transporting books."
Looking to tell your own spooky story around a campfire this fall? Try out these five prompts to get you started, inspired by classic spine-tingling short stories. Read the stories for free online, and then try your hand at spinning your own unnerving tales.
5 Writing Prompts for Adults Inspired by Spooky Stories — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Looking to tell your own spooky story around a campfire this fall? Try out these five prompts to get you started, inspired by classic spine-tingling short stories. Read the stories for free online,…
www.pennymagic.co
October 16, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Looking to tell your own spooky story around a campfire this fall? Try out these five prompts to get you started, inspired by classic spine-tingling short stories. Read the stories for free online, and then try your hand at spinning your own unnerving tales.
Looking to buy books for friends and family this holiday season? You can support Penny Magic by buying your books from Bookshop! Use this link to buy your books and to check out our recommended books in our Penny Magic Bookshop store!
Penny Magic Press Bookshop
Delightful stories of literary & speculative fiction. Take a break from your everyday life and step into fictional worlds you've never visited before. Publishing original short stories and shining a…
bookshop.org
October 9, 2025 at 8:24 AM
Looking to buy books for friends and family this holiday season? You can support Penny Magic by buying your books from Bookshop! Use this link to buy your books and to check out our recommended books in our Penny Magic Bookshop store!
We've told you about the books we missed. Now it's time to talk about the classics we loved. Here our five of our favorite required reading books from school. What was the best book you were required to read in high school?
5 Books We Loved in High School — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
From The Great Gatsby to The Outsiders, here are five books we loved reading in high school, that continue to hold up years after graduation.
www.pennymagic.co
October 3, 2025 at 8:24 AM
We've told you about the books we missed. Now it's time to talk about the classics we loved. Here our five of our favorite required reading books from school. What was the best book you were required to read in high school?
“The land of Filigri was like every other land, except for one thing: Filigri had no animals.”
Read The Animal Sculptors, a short story about a land with artists but no animals.
Read The Animal Sculptors, a short story about a land with artists but no animals.
The Animal Sculptors — Penny Magic - Delightful Literary & Speculative Fiction
Truthful stories of unreal things. A short story anthology website.
www.pennymagic.co
October 1, 2025 at 8:24 AM
“The land of Filigri was like every other land, except for one thing: Filigri had no animals.”
Read The Animal Sculptors, a short story about a land with artists but no animals.
Read The Animal Sculptors, a short story about a land with artists but no animals.