An award-winning writer, editor and designer, Allyson Longueira has worked in fiction and nonfiction in multiple media, including newspapers, magazines and books. She holds a BA in English from Rutgers University and an MA in design and editing from the prestigious University of Missouri School of Journalism. As editor, she led her newspaper to three general excellence awards in three consecutive years from the Society of Professional Journalism and the Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. She has taught writing and design at the college and professional levels, including a post as adjunct professor at the University of Oregon as well as teaching professional workshops and lectures through WMG Publishing. In 2016, Allyson launched Fiction River Presents, a new series of reprint anthologies, published bimonthly. She is also currently editing a volume in the original Fiction River line. She is the publisher of WMG Publishing, Inc., headquartered in Lincoln City, Oregon.

Fiction River Presents: The Unexpected edited by Allyson Longueira

Expect the unexpected in this latest volume of Fiction River Presents. Be it a twist you won't see coming, an unusual character voice, or a surprising elicitation of emotion, these wonderful stories will catch you off guard and keep you hooked. From some unique retellings of classic tales to some not-so-typical detectives to expressions of love and heroism from the most unlikely of misfits, these ten stories eloquently demonstrate why Astro Guys calls the Fiction River series "a wonderful mind-expanding read."

Table of Contents
 "Generations" by Steve Perry
"Case Cracked" by Joe Cron
"Role Model" by Kevin J. Anderson
"Finally Family" by Ray Vukcevich
"Time, Expressed as an Entrée" by Robert T. Jeschonek
"One-Night Stands for Love and Glory" by David H. Hendrickson
"Earth Day" by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
"Jelly's Heroes" by Louisa Swann
"Nice Timestream Youse Got Here" by Lee Allred
"In the Play of Frigid Women" by Dean Wesley Smith

CURATOR'S NOTE

The Fiction River volume that inspired this bundle. When WMG came up with the idea of Fiction River Presents, the first story I wanted to reprint was also the first story I chose for this volume. Rarely does a story gain the reaction from me that this one did. That set the stage for the rest of this incredible volume of short fiction, which will surprise, shock, and delight with unexpected characters, plot twists, and more. – Allyson Longueira

 
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Introduction

Surprise!

Allyson Longueira

Welcome to the second Fiction River Presents: The Unexpected.

When I was coming up with ideas for Fiction River reprint anthologies, this was the first idea I had. And assembling this volume was as enjoyable as reading these stories for the very first time.

I'm a hard reader to surprise. That's to be expected, really, given what I do for a living. As a writer, editor and publisher, I'm far too involved in what makes a good story to be easily taken in by one. So, when I can't forget a story—or find myself getting sucked in to it again and again when I'm supposed to be doing something, you know, work-related—I take note. And if a writer can surprise me, well, that's something truly unexpected.

Every writer in this volume did just that: gave me something unexpected. Be it a twist I didn't see coming, a voice I didn't expect to hear, or an expression of emotion I wasn't prepared for, these wonderful stories gave me a great gift. They provided me with great reading pleasure, time and again.

I've arranged the stories in this volume in a specific order, and I encourage you to read them that way. My sense of humor has always been a little offbeat. All of these stories have a touch of that and much, much more.

Some stories made me laugh. Others made me cry. I'll guide you through the ups and downs as we go. But all of them surprised me in some way. I hope you find those surprises as delightful as I did.

I knew from the start that I'd lead off this volume with "Generations" by Steve Perry. Rarely does a story gain the reaction from me that this one did. That set the stage for the rest of the volume.

Read this first story to the end, and I promise you'll be as hooked as I was. But be warned, you might not be able to put this volume down once you start…

—Allyson Longueira

Lincoln City, Oregon

March 10, 2016