Issue # 1, January 2009.



Fiction was invented the day Jonas arrived home and told his wife that he was three days late because he had been swallowed by a whale.

— Gabriel Garcia Marquez





Dear Reader,


Welcome to the first issue of Writing Shift.

This e-zine is a small spec of dust in the universe of publishing, but in its undersized stature you'll find the soul of the speculative fiction genre. The authors below are not Random House phenoms. They are not the face of speculative fiction, they are its heart. These writers form the steady base from which great writers have risen from, and if you look, you will find thousands more like them, each spinning a unique web of imagination.

Within these writers you will find the living soul; the burning question that has fueled speculative fiction throughout the glory days of the last century and into this new one.

“What if...?”


Share the magic.

— Justin Schwan, editor




Four stories for your enjoyment....




"Can't afford Biomechanical enhancements? Purge your impurities cheaply, and effeciently, with a traditional flesh chemist."

The Purger by Anthony J. Langford



"War reporters on planet Earth have it rough, yeah, but when you work for the Daily Data on this planet, you better put down the camera and watch your backside. And forget about making new friends."

The Accidental Emissary by Kendall R. Hart



"In a hotel, there is a sound. It is the sound of dogs. They bark, they growl, they howl. They are on every floor, attacking every guest. Soon there will be dogs, even in your head."

Barking by Joshua Scribner



"The hair is soft and black, warm to the touch, filled with memories and love. Wouldn't you do anything to have hair like that?"

Mother's Hair by Joseph W. patterson





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An interview with


Kim Hoff


Growing up in Seattle during the early 90's, Kim's emotions hold no punches when confronting life. Her weapon of choice the pen, her battlefield the blank page, she strikes swiftly with the poem. Below is a short interview with Kim, detailing what drives her to write, and that passion for writing, as she shows, is in direct relationship with passion for life.




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Three Steps to Writing Your Short Story


An article by Justin Ryan Schwan







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