Size / / /

Aquarius, the virgin whispers, giggling,
so close to the schoolgirl she is,
always tells the worst jokes, although
Cetus seems to enjoy them.

Orion’s the night's hunter,
steadfast and sure, always dodging
sting and stung. He gives way
only to the kings and queens,
keeping an eye on their dogs,
daughter, and all her wings.

Castor and Pollux are, perhaps,
the most human, loyal in their love,
the most curious about the lives
they once lived. We were all once you,
they confide, peering over the edge
of the dawn. We all remember.

The seven sisters link hands,
weave crowns from what beams
the sun leaves behind
with the coming dusk.
They treat the heavens as a field,
sitting cross-legged in circles
when they are not linked,
playing games with those below,
creating stories, much like we do
about them.




Stefanie Maclin's poetry and short fiction have appeared in such publications as Battered Suitcase, Illumen, Star*Line, Astropoetica, and Dreams & Nightmares. A full list of her publications can be found at http://thesilentpoet.livejournal.com/253812.html. She currently lives in the Boston area, where she spends her days as a librarian.
Current Issue
7 Sep 2026

Strange Horizons
Strange Horizons will open to general fiction submissions on October 1, 2026, at 3 p.m. UTC! This window will remain open until we hit our submission cap of 1,000 stories. Our maximum word count for this window will be 5,000 words. We offer payment of 9¢/word USD. We do not read simultaneous or multiple submissions. Response time: Our goal is to respond to all submissions with either a hold notice or rejection within eight weeks. We hope to send acceptances or rejections within one month of hold notices. This is ambitious, and we might fall behind schedule. Please be patient
iii. There are no protocols for plotting to kill the King, so Alise talks about killing the King, whispers her plan in the Queen’s ear while they lie tangled in the Queen’s marital bed, Alise’s fingers tracing bruises that should not be there.
missed his mouth; tongue slipped in
but to live in that dusty old apartment house... crawling with Satanists
In this episode of Critical Friends , the Strange Horizons SFF criticism podcast, AJ Odasso and Electra Pritchett join Dan Hartland to talk about popular fiction.
We’re especially happy to announce some new appointments at the Reviews Department.
Friday: The Language of Liars by S. L. Huang 
Issue 31 Aug 2026
Issue 24 Aug 2026
Issue 17 Aug 2026
Issue 10 Aug 2026
Issue 3 Aug 2026
Issue 27 Jul 2026
Issue 20 Jul 2026
Issue 13 Jul 2026
By: Aimee Ogden
Podcast read by: Jenna Hanchey
Issue 6 Jul 2026
Issue 29 Jun 2026
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