Leah R Cutter started life as a writer. Eventually, she became a founding member of Uncollected Anthology back in 2014, as well as co-founding Boundary Shock Quarterly, in 2017. But that wasn't enough, so she moved on to editing her own anthologies and magazines.

She's edited issues of Fiction River, as well as curated Storybundles. She has her own anthology series called Cutter's Final Cut which publishes genre-pushing fiction once a year. She also edits Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem, an award-nominated quarterly mystery magazine.

Leah works as the CEO of Knotted Road Press, Inc. She writes fantasy, science fiction, mystery, literary, and horror fiction. Her short fiction has been published in magazines like Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine, anthologies like Fiction River, and on the web. Her long fiction has been published both by New York publishers as well as various small presses.

Read more books by Leah Cutter at www.KnottedRoadPress.com.

Follow her blog at www.LeahCutter.com.

Witches: Cutter's Final Cut - Issue 4 by Leah R Cutter

Witches. Who doesn't need more witches in their life?

These pages contain stories of witches, big and small.

There to save a baby's life. Or perhaps a town. Or searching for a helping hand, a friend, or even a very special book.

If you're looking for upbeat, contemporary stories with just that little bit of extra sparkle, you need this anthology!

Issue Four of Cutter's Final Cut: dedicated to pushing the boundaries of genre fiction.

Be sure to pick up the whole series today!

CURATOR'S NOTE

I edited this collection of stories about witches as part of Cutter's Final Cut, an annual anthology series that I publish. The stories are all contemporary fantasy, with witches who actively practice magic. They're almost all upbeat as well. I was delighted with the stories I received for this anthology, and I think you will be too. – Leah R Cutter

 
 

BOOK PREVIEW

Excerpt

Introduction to the anthology:

Welcome to Cutter's Final Cut! CFC is an annual anthology series edited by me, Leah R Cutter. I'm a professional writer and editor. In addition to CFC, I also put out a quarterly mystery magazine called Mystery, Crime, and Mayhem.

Why an anthology series, and why this theme?

I love short stories. I grew up reading both short fiction as well as long fiction. I've always both read as well as written short stories.

Since the technology now exists that makes it relatively easy to publish anthologies and magazines, I'm doing both. I enjoy the entire process, from reading new short fiction to figuring out the puzzle of putting together all these stories into a cohesive emotional flow.

There are many ways of putting together an anthology or a magazine. In this one, I'm trying to entice you with fun, bring you in for the ride, take you up and down on the emotional roller coaster a couple of times, then leave you with hope. (And the hope that you'll buy the next anthology as well!)

As for this theme, I personally write a lot of witches stories. I had a tighter spec for this anthology than I usually do.

I define a witch as someone who must practice the art of witchcraft. She (or he) is not a magic user—she can't just automatically manipulate the world around her. She must study the craft.

In addition, I was looking for contemporary, urban fantasy. I was willing to stretch the urban part, which I'm glad of, because I got some fantastic rural tales of witches that are sure to delight you.

I also wanted hopeful, lighter tales. These days, I'm less willing to dip into darker material, and many of the other readers who I talk with are feeling the same way. Though there are a couple of stories in here that start darker, I want to assure you that everything does work out in the end.

I ended up with thirteen tales. That wasn't planned on my part, just how it worked out. I'm rather pleased with that.

And I think you, too, will be pleased both with the stories and with the emotional journey that they'll take you on.

Enjoy!