February was always a tough month growing up in Chicago. I was always in search of a place to hide from the blackened gas-ridden, pissed-on snow, gray skies with no sun in sight, and hordes of other depressed faces looking out from under hoods, hats and hunched shoulders. I can't say the month has improved much over the years, but I can say we have our mini get-aways in great stories.

This issue of Connotation Press may not be a full-on vacation, but will at least bring you moments inside other lives and a bit of sun in the beauty of language at its best.

Jan LaPerle is our featured fiction writer for this issue. She radiates a sublime melding of poetry and magic realism in three flash stories, "Pickle," "Harvest," and "The Landlord." The interview with her is memorable and fascinating.

Scott Campbell mesmerizes with his riveting 'on-the-edge' story, "TV Talk."

Fred Miller captivates with his haunting, 'it-does-happen' story, "Vigilant."

John Riley engages with his three unforgettable flash, "Another Dream," "Kepler on the Bus," and "Chatter."

Ron Heacock gives us the story of a child finding his own equation for death in, "Where Do They Go?"

Daniel Romo presents three mystical flash pieces, "The Men Who Make Houses Creek," "Shopping," and "The Man Who Hibernated, and the Woman Who Loved Him."

Hope you get a chance to escape into these stories when you can. Let it shine!