For this issue we chose four very different stories, each dealing in their own way with concepts of family and home.

You'll notice that one of our stories is in the form of a play. Stories can be told in many different ways and if a certain way--like the format of this play--works, it works. We try to keep an open mind because art isn't about putting everything into the same size box. We first have to enjoy a story as a story, regardless of format. And that's the bottom line. We like to see creative approaches but--and this is an important but--an author has to have a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of writing and storytelling to present a story in a creative way.

On the other hand, we continue to see submissions that seem to trample over the same storytelling ground. Locations, occupations, characters' names may be different but the path these stories take are fundamentally the same. We now have three issues of examples of the type and quality of story we want to see. These stories were written with care, revised, rewritten, and revised again. The authors obsessively checked for typos and misspellings before submitting to us. They understand the protocols and rituals of this strange business.

I'm always delighted that we can offer stories that reflect the unique imaginations and voices of the authors. In this issue, Barbara Davies takes the concept of family to the genetic level in the gripping science fiction tale, The Krestyanova Genes. Kam Caddell creatively strips an ordinary bedtime conversation to the deceptively simple format of a stage play. Sandra Dee's Lips is a moving story about a truly memorable woman who leaves a lasting impression upon the story's narrator. Nann Dunne weaves a graceful metaphorical tale in The Broken Teddy Bear.

I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I enjoyed putting it together.

Carrie