Issue 7, Vol. 1 – August 18, 2021

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Time to Read:

3–5 minutes

Did you check out the Annual Issue? It was pretty good if I do say so myself, but I’m partial to the Shuffle, which will return in a few weeks while our newest contributor makes his debut.

What can be said about the Reginald? I will say that his debut this week introduces us to a whole new character, a whole new world that’s never graced the Serials before and you, dear readers, are in for a treat. I won’t spoil anything, but it’s times like these that make me very happy to be the editor of these Serials, I get an advanced look at the best serial fiction on the internet. 

But what to say about Reginald? His work will speak for itself while we form a proper introduction to the man behind the serial. We are happy to have him on board and we couldn’t be more excited for the expansion of the Serials in the wake of Volumes I-VI. You can always check those out on the blog (PRL SERIALS), but that’s not why we’re here is it?

You came for Issue 7, and we have delivered. Enjoy and we’ll see you next week!

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This week:

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I’ve never liked Leeland more than I do as I go through the Black Dream Cycle. The Dreamlands are bonkers and he’s the only thing that makes them interesting. Even the Earth Gods hate the Dreamlands. 

The Black Dream Cycle: “I don’t need anything from you,” Geb said and he lifted both his dark, bare arms flexing muscles that were big and obvious. “I am an Earth God. I saw you running, I was curious why. Things like you don’t hang out in this stony desert of the Gods.”

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Wes’s exploration of masculine intimacy and interaction started with his Introduction in the Annual Issue, and the stories start here. First up, a sad tale of intimacy gone wrong.

Wes E. L.’s Relationships and Men: “James took two shots of whiskey and stumbled up from his chair. He felt sweat on his nose and wiped it away with his hand; the momentum made him fall to the side. His hand was heavier than he remembered.”

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Reginald’s first ever PRL Serial debuts here and you’ll want to pay close attention to the details. Jarrold struggles with social interaction and he compensates in an extraordinary way. What is real, what is imagination? If you have an answer, Jarrold would be glad to hear it. 

Test Reality: “As he sat in the park, Jarrold was caught in a snare that no hunter had set for him. This trap was the product of his own thinking; he had built it with the thoughts that he let consume him. The blueprints were of his own design, but he still struggled to escape.” 

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Also from the Annual Issue, the prose poem I wrote 10 years ago continues. Money troubles are always topical, they persist like bugs. But I’ll let the poem explain it.

Life in Marvelous Time (2010): “The man with his mouth open may collect b.u.g.s.* and when his mouth is full the flies will form high piles at his feet as they tumble out. He is usually sitting and, these days, the b.u.g.s. are usually rampant everywhere:”     

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As the first chapter of the story comes to a close, Dr. Geoffrey realizes that he has a very strange mystery on his hands. As he gets to know his patients in the clinical setting, things get weird. 

The House of Sorrows:  “When he was alone, Dr. Geoffrey sighed and eyed the file of the patient named Vances. At the group session, Vances had mentioned the man she believed was responsible for the fire at her home and the death of her family.”

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Sabrina recounts her dream and the black figure rears its head. The VIV team is perplexed, and I’m more jealous than ever that I wasn’t at that summit. 

Welsh Rarebit: “When I went to bed last night I didn’t dream about anything, I just woke up to pee and when I was on the toilet, I started feeling kinda peckish. I went down to grab something and I saw that cheesy bread. I went back to sleep really easily afterwards, but I didn’t realize I was asleep until I woke up.” 

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It’s the PRL Serials Volume 1! Tomorrow may be full of doubt, but you, dear readers, can count on the PRL for the best serial fiction on the internet.

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