The end of the year is a natural time for retrospect. As we look back on the year, there is often gratitude for what we have, pride for what we have accomplished, joy for those around us. But, there can also be longing, regret, resolve. It is perhaps, also natural, that we close our year with fiction that reflects this process: the examination of moments in our lives which determine our course of action and our constant, though maybe unconscious, analysis of ourselves and those around us.

This edition’s fiction selections include a snapshot of someone conquering the universal need to be accepted, the longing of separated lovers, the hope of would-be, cross-your-fingers-let’s-hope-so lovers, and the plight of childhood. These stories stood out to us because of their honest portrayals of these singular moments with precise imagery and unrestrained emotion.

As you read the fiction selections for this edition, I sincerely hope that lose yourself in the moments captured and celebrate both the triumphs and the losses.

Elizabeth De Arcos
Senior Fiction Editor
The Citron Review