Underground Bookshelf

This means you get to choose the genre, format, and theme. All forms and lengths of flash fiction and poetry will be accepted as long as the story is under 2,000 words. The first chapters of books are also accepted (as long as the chapter is 2,000 words or less). (I do not put an age restriction on these contests - please refrain from egregious sexual or violent content and let me know if there is an important content warning).

Garuda soars on wings of flame,

Garuda soars on wings of flame,

Happy Epilepsy Awareness Month! It can be hard to find literary representation for disabilities and chronic illnesses, especially when you're looking for something specific. Epilepsy representation is no different. The collection below organizes books according to age group. You'll find genres noted in parentheses for middle grade, young adult, and adult readers. While handbooks and seizure logs are the easiest books to find, I've done my best to balance those with works of fiction and memoirs as much as possible. I hope you'll find something in this collection worth reading.

Broken warriors, swords, and helms

***Please note, this essay most definitely contains spoilers for the mini series, Agatha All Along.

Genre: Horror

Native American Heritage Month, celebrated each November, honors the knowledge, traditions, languages, beliefs, and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities. Indigenous communities in the Americas have been fighting for generations to preserve their peoples and identities in the face of colonization, broken treaties, residential schools, and other injustices. Native American Heritage Month helps to raise awareness of the continued struggles that Indigenous communities face, support Native people reconnecting with their cultures and languages, and brings visibility to the continued presence of Native and First Nations peoples.

Genre: Horror (supernatural, paranormal)

Thank you to everyone who participated in this month's Flash Fiction and Poetry Contest! First, I'd like to congratulate everyone on a job well-done. The stories and poems submitted this month were each spooky, creepy, or otherwise fitting of the prompt. There really are no losers and I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every submission.

October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month! The most common permanently disabling birth defect, spina bifida occurs in the first 28 days of pregnancy. It impacts each individual differently depending on the location it develops on the spine and its size. There are many types of spina bifida, the most common of which are: spina bifida occulta, meningocele, and myelomeningocele. World Spina Bifida Day is celebrated annually on October 25th. Many celebrate by wearing teal on this day. Learn more about spina bifida or find a support association near you using the links below. Scroll down to find a collection of books with spina bifida representation.

In a forest down the river,