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Flash Fiction Online for June 2009 is here with stories by Sarah Adams, Shelly Rae Rich, K.C. Ball, and Bruce Holland Rogers, along with a classic from Kate Chopin

Flash Fiction Online is a website with very short stories, updated every month. These are reviews for their June 2009 issue.

"Branwen’s Revenge" by Sarah Adams is a retelling of the old collection of Welsh myths called The Mabinogion. Branwen had been married off to a king who did not appreciate her. He made her a scullery maid and abuses her. Every day she sings to the mockingbird "Alas for Branwen the White, who suffers every day!" Will her brother hear her call? This was a beautifully written piece.

In "Atypical Research" by Shelly Rae Rich, a man who is usually a cold, dispassionate scientist meets and is attracted to a wild, strange woman named Simmy. How he deals with her makes for a clever tale.

"At Both Ends" by K.C. Ball was of a special appeal to me. In line at a theater, a guy starts talking to another guy about what he’d do if he had super powers. Would he be rescuing people all the time? What if he stopped to have a personal life: would he feel guilty for not saving someone? I liked this a lot a and loved the ending. One quibble: it's Spider-Man not Spiderman.

The Classic Flash for this issue is "The Kiss" by Kate Chopin. Nathalie has set her sights for a rich husband in Mr. Brantain. He is a guest in her parlor when suddenly another man suddenly enters and kisses her. How she deals with the embarrassment and what else happens makes for a perfect little story

Bruce Holland Rogers contributes an essay on Flash Fiction of Idea. He also gives us "Visions of Gingerbread" (a story he had previously published in Analog to illustrate how just an idea can make a story,

Flash Fiction Online will probably have new stories posted by the time you read this, but The June issue will still be available. Check them out and make a donation at www.flashfictiononline.com