Sorry I’m so late in posting July’s picks, all. Got caught up in work stuff, as usual. I’m also behind on my August reading. And with Worldcon coming up in a couple of weeks I might be late with my picks after that.

Speaking of WorldCon, one of the reasons I started these lists and keeping track of the stuff I read that I like is that I’m trying to be better about suggesting fiction for awards. Not just the Hugos, but also the Tiptree, Carl Brandon, World Fantasy and Million Writers Awards, to name a few. Remembering favorite short stories is harder for me than remembering favorite novels. Now I have all of the stuff I like cataloged over on Delicious with tags that will help me find appropriate stuff easier.

If anyone would like to join me in tagging and keeping up with loved stuff in this manner, my username on Delicious is ktempest.

And now, the fiction:

• One Ear Back by Tina Connolly
  People who don’t like cat stories might still like this one. Again, the conclusion of this story is what sold me on it. And again, it would be a spoiler to tell you why.
• Song Of The Body Cartographer by Rochita Loenen-Ruiz
  I initially wasn’t going to put this on my favorites list because, when I got to the end of this I thought: this is half a story! But I decided to include it, anyway, because I like so many other things about it.
• Lady Marmalade by E. Catherine Tobler
  Not sure I really get this story completely, but I love the imagery and the writing a lot. I like the idea of memories, impressions, essence being stored in jars of marmalade.
• We Can Remember It For You Retail by Mary E. Lowd
  Unexpectedly depressing… Still, a good story. The reason I like it so much has to do with the ending, and I don’t want to spoil it.
• Lost by Seanan McGuire
  Being a tween is hard and full of sorrow.
• Astrophilia by Carrie Vaughn
  Post-apocalyptic stuff usually isn’t my thing, but this story manages to make that trope feel less like window dressing than most other stories I’ve read.
• My Teacher, My Enemy by Kelsey Ann Barrett
  I don’t even know how to describe this one except to say that, when I started reading, I didn’t think I would like it and by the end I did.

Visit my Favorite Fiction stack to see all the other short stories I’ve liked so far this year.