Writing
Alex Penland has appeared in the following journals, anthologies, and magazines. More work (prose and poetry alike) is also available to subscribers on the Secret Homepage.
Microfiction: First
Finally the lamp fell.
A contained tale of unexpected consequences.
Short Fiction: We, You, and the Gallery
Now we and you are both stranded on this empty, alien world. We do not know if you have survived. We know that only one of us remains, but we are still we, even when most of us are gone.
Two people are stranded on an alien planet. Their cultures are at war; they crashed here in conflict. They cannot possibly fall in love—not like this.
Flash Fiction: parisian attic cancer dragon
once again a knight appears. he’s breathing heavily, because he had to climb quite a lot of stairs to get here and it was not a pleasant experience in full plate armor. the knight wonders how the dragon got up the stairs and into the attic but when he asks, the dragon says disdainfully, i flew.
Originally published in the Bear Creek Gazette, the author would like to distance themselves from the press and will no longer provide traffic to that publication.
Therefore, the Secret Homepage for PACD is no longer locked behind a subscription: it is free to read for everyone and will remain free as long as the author is able to do so.
The story itself is presented without comment.
Poem: The Notorious
Do you remember Yad Vashem? How
the path that leads you through the
exhibit is chronological and single
lined, each point presented on a hair
pin turn of events[…]
Written well after midnight in Scotland after the announcement of Ruth Bader Ginsberg’s passing, this poem explores the experience of a moment in time among strife.
Content warning: genocide (slightly graphic).
Please also consider visiting or donating to Yad Vashem.
AI Poetry Series: and only darkness was left
a poem written by an ai text synth using a neural network and the titles of rebellious young adult novels during the potential final decades of the human race (and only darkness was left)
A series of poetry resulting from an AI experiment, utilizing stacked prompts. The title of the first poem is self-explanatory.
NB: This was written and published before widespread use of AI text generators such as ChatGPT; the author wants to note that they do not condone the use of AI to replace creatives, nor approve of AI’s usage in its current form.
Flash Fiction: You Do Not Need to Open the Door
pushcart-nominated 2022
You do not need to open the door. It calls to everyone. You’re nothing special.
“An enigmatic, mesmerizing tale about hope, longing, liminal spaces, and the choices we make.”
Travel through a series of doors, leading to strange places.
Poem: Twenty-Twenties Triptych
the courtyard of the fae’s seen better days. / these vines are dead. the flowers all turned brown. / queen mab’s upon the throne in drugged-up haze; / tiresias is sitting on her crown.
This is a poem about risk-taking.
For a number of reasons.
Flash Fiction: How to Read the Lace
Lace is like that. It’s pretty, but it’s tough. My favorite thing in the world is to watch a friend when I pull and stretch at a recent creation—they react like I’ve dropped expensive glass on a stone floor.
Published in the September 2022 issue of the Open Book Unbound newsletter.
Poem: Parcel
i was not expecting the mask / to arrive today from florida / with a cheerful sticker / of an owl and a sweet note
Written in the midst of the Covid-19 Crisis, Parcel is a snapshot in time.
The Isolation Shorts collection is dedicated to exploring such moments.
Poem: These Are The Words
It isn't the anger, / the hurt, / or the doubt. / It isn't the deep-set, / quick need / to get out.
Written shortly after the 2016 election, These Are the Words explores miscommunication between parties.
Primary Carbon is a student-run journal at the University of Iowa. This poem appeared in the first volume.
Poem: The Great
writers digest annual contest, honorable mention 2017
He had a reason for his name: “The Great”
Now buried in the Valley of the Kings—
Statues and treasures, all of which abate
Behind the wheel of fate that spins and sings
Written shortly after the 2016 election, this sonnet explores the patterns of tyranny in history.
The Great was awarded an honorable mention in rhyming poetry from Writers’ Digest in its 2017 contest. It can be read below on Writers Resist.
Constructed Languages
Some of these constructed languages were constructed for stories—some just for fun. Languages marked with an asterisk (*) are licensed under CC BY 4.0, meaning they can be shared, used, and adapted with attribution. Please feel free to tag Alex on social media or email them with any adaptations.
Codon*
Codon is a completely impractical micro-language experiment based on RNA structure, created by Alex in 2014. Read about it in the journal post below, or download and use the language however you like.
Codon may be shared and used freely, but only with attribution.
The Kallerian Language Family
A chosen one who rejects her fate, the daughter she fails to protect, and the son she leaves behind: these are the main characters of Aerklas, a novel in the query trenches.
The Kallerian Language Family comprises the languages of the secondary world in Aerklas. While it is unfinished, interested parties can read about it on the blog, or check out the informal article in /r/Conlangs’ Segments publication.
Writers’ Resources
Free Download: The Career Reference and Submissions worksheet is a spreadsheet which allows writers to…
track their submissions and queries
keep track of future submissions
take notes on future career moves
Color-coding and various formulae make it easy to see your stats, what’s been accepted or what’s coming back soon, and how long an agent’s had your query.
Free Download: A conlanger’s resource, the Constructed Language Template…
keeps track of phonology and grammar rules
contains a dictionary function separated by verbs, nouns, and other parts of speech
will auto-conjugate and auto-decline words on a “cheat sheet” page
The new template (above) more streamlined, though a bit less flexible: it’s great for smaller projects or new conlangers.
The legacy template below is bulkier, but more in-depth.