EXCERPT: "Goldene Medene" by Amy Gustine

Dr. Spencer looked up from his misery to the long, winding lines—dark eyes, brown clothes, the occasional red and yellow native costume—and each day before this and after seemed a wretched sameness to him, as if Ellis Island were a prison rather than a reception point, only he, not them, was the one locked inside. He wondered for the first time if these people were worth all the trouble.

Dr. Hauss, down the line, was new, so his inspection—just clubfeet and goiters—still took twice as long as it should. Waiting for him to finish, Spencer slumped against the elbow in the metal railing behind him and pressed his palms over his ears, gently rubbing his temples with his extended pinkie fingers, aware that he looked haggard but not caring. Their murmurings—a dozen disparate languages ricocheting like a symphony of ignorance off the tiled walls—made his head throb after last night’s bottle of brandy. But who were they to judge him? Human flotsam. Desperate castoffs. They had no right. They did not know him.

The next person was a woman in her forties, then a man in his twenties, and after him a family of four who all had conjunctivitis. He passed them on, but stopped and glanced at their backs. Really? Had he run his finger under every eyelid? Of course. It was so mechanical now, he did it without thinking.

Spencer reached for his face then jerked his hand back. Damn her! He’d almost touched his eye without disinfecting. Spencer dunked his hands up to the wrists, splashing solution onto his instrument stand. It only took a moment to risk his sight, his whole life.

Just like it took Laura only a moment to excise him from hers. Six words—“I don’t want to marry you”—had reduced thirty years of confidence, work, friends, and good looks, to the simple, ridiculous fear of not being good enough to love.

To read more of Gustine's story as well as 8 other great fiction and creative nonfiction stories, purchase "Crossroads and Weigh Stations" and our upcoming "Sin and Redemption" issue together at the Ballyhoo Store.

ANNOUNCEMENT: Big Changes At Ballyhoo Stories

We at Ballyhoo Stories have been spending the summer months assessing the work we've done over the last three issues and have come to some fairly strong conclusions. We are incredibly proud of the work we've published thus far, but we think we can do more. More stories, more promotion, more of everything. To do more, however, we are going to have to publish fewer issues. So beginning immediately we are switching to an annual.

Those of you who submitted to our "Sin & Redemption" issue should know that the issue is now scheduled to print Spring 2007. We are still going to try to get acceptance and rejection letters out sooner than later, but if your work is accepted elsewhere please e-mail editors at ballyhoostories dot com and let us know.

We will also begin publishing comics with "Sin and Redemption," and our pleased to announce that comic artist Joel Priddy has enthusiastically agreed to be Ballyhoo Stories's comics editor. Joel is the author of Pulpatoon Pilgrimage and his work has been featurd in AdHouse Books' acclaimed anthologies Project Telstar, Project Superior (sorry, but the very last copy was purchased by Ballyhoo Stories. Really.), and the upcoming Project Romantic.

The guidelines for submitting comics to the "Sin & Redemption" issue of Ballyhoo Stories are as follows:

Page size: 8.25” x 10.75”
Safe Area: 6.75” x 8.25”
8 pages, Black and White

Please submit files for consideration as 150 dpi
JPEGs. Higher resolution images will be requested of
accepted stories. Files may be submitted via email
(comics at ballyhoostories dot com), or mailed on CD to:
Joel Priddy/ Ballyhoo Comics Editor
c/o Memphis College of Art
Overton Park
Memphis, TN 38111

You should be familiar with current trends in comics and graphic novles and familiar with the work of artists like those being published by AdHouse Books. Please, no pornography.

We are very excited about these changes and hope all of you are as well. Currently, you can order "Sin and Redemption" and our most recent issue, "Crossroads and Weigh Stations" at our online store.

DEFINITION: Previously Published

Ballyhoo Stories does not accept previously published work for either our print edition or our 50 States Anthology. With some of the big changes in internet publishing/blogging there has been some confusion as to what previously published means. Let us clarify.

If your work has been accepted by a literary magazine or published in a book or anthology it has been previously published. If you have self-published your story and attempted to market it to people other than your family and friends it has been previously published. If your work has been published in a literary magazine that is no longer in business or a book that is out of print it has been previously published. If your work has been published on an online literary magazine is has been previously published. If the online literary magazine has gone offline, it still has been previously published. If your work has been published on your blog it has been previously published. If it has been published on your friend's blog, your friend's mom's blog, or any blog at all it has been previously published. If your story can be found in any corner of the internet in any format it has been previously published.

Ballyhoo Stories wants to attract readers and introduce an audience to a diverse range of work. We cannot do that if the stories we publish can be found throughout the internet and in other literary magazines. The incentive to read our publication and Web site is gone if your story can be Googled and found elsewhere. Considering how much time we put into producing Ballyhoo Stories your previously published work is not wanted. Thank you for understanding.