New Fiction Published at 10,000 Tons of Black Ink

"She didn’t bother to leave him a note, having nothing more to say. Still the house looked tidy and clean, as if she’d dusted and vacuumed and straightened up. She watered the gardens front and back, and given her canary more seed." --from Words of the Whale by Anna Sykora


Notes from Chad Peterson, Managing Editor...
Every so often you come across a story that seems to hit you at just the right moment. For me, “Words of The Whale” was very much that story. I can’t remember why, but I was a little down at the time, and this story—nicely textured and beautifully layered, weaving together themes of loss and mourning, the minutia of daily life and, ultimately, a surprisingly strong sense of hope—resonated deeply with me. Ultimately, I found this to be an extremely well-executed story, and one that I’m proud to see in 10ktobi.

Read the full story at www.10ktobi.org.