Rocket Stack Rank™ (RSR) aims to help casual SF fans find and discuss great original short fiction. It reviews science fiction and fantasy short stories, novelettes, and novellas, and publishes articles of interest to fans.
(Caribbean Fantasy) Approaching 50, Mabel decides to become a glass bottle dancer. She tries to hide it from her family, but the local cockroaches notice it for sure when she gathers up their bottles, and they’ve got dreams too. (5,683 words; Time: 18m)
(Alternate History Fantasy) Long ago, some people leapt from a slave ship, and something transformed their bodies so she they could breathe water. Today, her descendants try to cope with a changing ocean. (9,146 words; Time: 30m)
A note on the dialect: This story is written in the Caribbean dialect, which is related but not identical to African-American Vernacular English. Here are some tips to make it easier to read:
First, read in the morning when you’re fresh. It’s harder to read an unfamiliar language/dialect when you’re tired.
Second, if you find yourself getting tired, stop. Put it aside until later—or until the next day. Your brain will often improve its ability to read it while you sleep.
Third, stick with it. It may take a few tries to get the hang of it.
