"It is a sad and beautiful world!" It was true long ago, in that back alley in New Orleans, where the Radio DJ told the Good Egg to BUZZ OFF, and it's still true now, as this dark and delicious issue of LSQ illustrates.

We've got vampires and Venice, post-apocalyptic Canada (?!?) haunted woods and stolen names, and more darkness on the edge of town than you'd care to admit, especially if it was your town. There might even be a happy story or two in here as well, but I won't tell if you won't.

Just as we wait impatiently for Autumn here in the Northern Hemisphere, these tall tales and melancholy monsters are waiting for you, to let your guard down and be pulled under by their velvety subterranean goodness. Best not to keep them waiting.

This issue features:

• "Good News, Bad News" by Rhonda Parrish

• "Lips Like Sugar" by Cynthia Gómez

• "The Very Hand of God" by Ellen Morris Prewitt

• "Built for Her" by Camden Rose

• "Forest-sister" by Avril Mulligan

• "In The Field" by L.S. Johnson

• "Skip, Hop, Jump" by Amanda Bintz

• "Sleep Well, My Prince" by Lyndsey Croal

• "Technical Magic" by Samantha Carr

• "The Dreamweaver’s Name" by Megan Chee

• "Who Do We Become?" by Tannara Young

• "Captain Courageous in Venice" by Janna Layton

• "Fittonia" by Libby Feltis

• "Kryvoye Lake" by Oksana Marafioti

• "A Lullaby for Mattie Barker" by B. Zelkovich

• "Jovis" by Kemi Ashing-Giwa, Tali Arima