SSDG / Archive
93+ stories · 2022–present
93+ stories
66+ authors
6 all plays
ALL STORIES BY SESSION
Story Author Picker Session
"A Poor-Aunt Story"
Ghost on his back. John's reflection on loneliness gap.
#surreal#haunting#relationships
Haruki Murakami (2001)HannahJan 28, 2026
"Can Only Houses Be Haunted"
Farm stand zombie. Exit Zero collection.
#surreal#haunting#relationships
Marie-Hélène Bertino (2025)HannahJan 28, 2026
"Plants, Stones, Dirt, and Sky"
All Play
#all-play#time#conformity#death
Yan LiankeJCDec 17, 2025
"Wing's Chips"
All Play
#all-play#time#conformity#death
Mavis GallantHannahDec 17, 2025
"Repent, Harlequin! Said the Ticktockman"
All Play
#all-play#time#conformity#death
Harlan EllisonRubenDec 17, 2025
"My Dear You"
All Play
#all-play#time#conformity#death
Rachel KhongJohnDec 17, 2025
"Unreasonable"
#devastating-ending#death
Rivka GalchenJCNov 21, 2025
"Hunter's Moon"
#devastating-ending#death
Thomas LynchJCNov 21, 2025
"Signs and Symbols"
John's birthday. Accidental attachment became bonus read.
#devastating-ending#surreal
Vladimir NabokovJohnOct 22, 2025
"Origin Story"
John's birthday. Accidental attachment became bonus read.
#devastating-ending#surreal
Kelly LinkJohnOct 22, 2025
"The Lesson"
John's birthday. Accidental attachment became bonus read.
#devastating-ending#surreal
Kelly LinkJohnOct 22, 2025
"Artist"
Second Carver (first was "Cathedral" Jan 2023).
#literary#aging
Lydia MilletRubenSep 24, 2025
"After the Denim"
Second Carver (first was "Cathedral" Jan 2023).
#literary#aging
Raymond CarverRubenSep 24, 2025
"Sophistication"
Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play
#all-play#coming-of-age
Sherwood AndersonHannahAug 27, 2025
"Point of View"
Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play
#all-play#coming-of-age
Lucia BerlinRubenAug 27, 2025
"The Fête"
Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play
#all-play#coming-of-age
Tom CreweJCAug 27, 2025
"The Man Stopped"
Theme: Weather/Whether. Ruben's birthday.. All Play
#all-play#coming-of-age
Vladimir NabokovJohnAug 27, 2025
"Walter, Like Water"
NY vs LA. Homes is a contemporary LA riff on Cheever. Cheever's birthday week.
#literary#class
A.M. HomesJCJun 18, 2025
"The Swimmer"
NY vs LA. Homes is a contemporary LA riff on Cheever. Cheever's birthday week.
#literary#class
John CheeverJCJun 18, 2025
"The Lottery"
John: "I was hoping to become more familiar with the stories before sharing."
#conformity#horror#too-long
Shirley JacksonJohnMay 28, 2025
"Procession of the Black Sloth"
John: "I was hoping to become more familiar with the stories before sharing."
#conformity#horror#too-long
Laird BarronJohnMay 28, 2025
"Cinnamon Shops"
Ruben's dad Bob joined. Both authors also visual artists. Stories about "perception and taking walks."
#surreal#childhood
Bruno SchulzRubenApr 30, 2025
"Speaking of Bashies"
Ruben's dad Bob joined. Both authors also visual artists. Stories about "perception and taking walks."
#surreal#childhood
A. Kendra GreeneRubenApr 30, 2025
"The Yellow Wallpaper"
"Perception shifts—the idea of multiple truths." Gilman divorced by 1894, "an early adopter of divorce."
#surreal#unreliable-narrator
Charlotte Perkins GilmanHannahMar 19, 2025
"Axolotl"
"Perception shifts—the idea of multiple truths." Gilman divorced by 1894, "an early adopter of divorce."
#surreal#unreliable-narrator
Julio CortázarHannahMar 19, 2025
"Up in the Gallery"
"Perception shifts—the idea of multiple truths." Gilman divorced by 1894, "an early adopter of divorce."
#surreal#unreliable-narrator
Franz Kafka (bonus)HannahMar 19, 2025
"The Particles of Order"
Li's characters live in literary worlds. Character says: "My life is a William Trevor story." Trevor is "the Irish Chekhov."
#literary#irish-lit
Yiyun LiJCFeb 26, 2025
"The Piano Tuner's Wife"
Li's characters live in literary worlds. Character says: "My life is a William Trevor story." Trevor is "the Irish Chekhov."
#literary#irish-lit
William TrevorJCFeb 26, 2025
"The Little Flashes"
John: "I lay prostrate before you, tardier than I'd ever anticipated."
#fairy-tale#open-ended
Greg ShutzJohnJan 22, 2025
"The Girl Who Did Not Know Fear"
John: "I lay prostrate before you, tardier than I'd ever anticipated."
#fairy-tale#open-ended
Kelly LinkJohnJan 22, 2025
"Revision"
John: "I lay prostrate before you, tardier than I'd ever anticipated."
#fairy-tale#open-ended
Daisy Hildyard (bonus)JohnJan 22, 2025
"The Great Silence"
Theme: Time. Chiang's story was commissioned as visual art for Marciano museum. Chopin rec'd by Ruben's dad.. All Play
#all-play#time#death
Ted ChiangJCDec 18, 2024
"Wait a Minute"
Theme: Time. Chiang's story was commissioned as visual art for Marciano museum. Chopin rec'd by Ruben's dad.. All Play
#all-play#time#death
Lucia BerlinHannahDec 18, 2024
"The Story of an Hour"
Theme: Time. Chiang's story was commissioned as visual art for Marciano museum. Chopin rec'd by Ruben's dad.. All Play
#all-play#time#death
Kate ChopinRubenDec 18, 2024
"I Like All Colors"
Freeman's "Conclusions" anthology. "Writing is quite a personal thing that doesn't make much sense unless you are practicing for the last word."
#anthology
Semezdin MehmedinovicRubenNov 18, 2024
"Pillory"
Freeman's "Conclusions" anthology. "Writing is quite a personal thing that doesn't make much sense unless you are practicing for the last word."
#anthology
Omar El AkkadRubenNov 18, 2024
"The Creek, the Wind, the Holly"
Freeman's "Conclusions" anthology. "Writing is quite a personal thing that doesn't make much sense unless you are practicing for the last word."
#anthology
Lacy JohnsonRubenNov 18, 2024
"Little Rabbit"
"Surreal/spooky/horror/haunted." Bonus: "Time and Distance Overcome" – Eula Biss (essay on lynching).
#surreal#horror
Maria RevaHannahOct 23, 2024
"Slumberland"
"Surreal/spooky/horror/haunted." Bonus: "Time and Distance Overcome" – Eula Biss (essay on lynching).
#surreal#horror
Laura van den BergHannahOct 23, 2024
"Gimpel the Fool"
JC: "I'm not really sure if we will have a productive discussion; it could be a quiet 75 minutes."
#jewish-lit#folk-tale
Isaac Bashevis Singer (trans. Saul Bellow)JCSep 25, 2024
"Invented Jewish Tales"
JC: "I'm not really sure if we will have a productive discussion; it could be a quiet 75 minutes."
#jewish-lit#folk-tale
Sam SaxJCSep 25, 2024
"Job History"
Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play
#all-play#short#coming-of-age
Annie ProulxJCAug 28, 2024
"The Crossing"
Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play
#all-play#short#coming-of-age
Mark SloukaJohnAug 28, 2024
"A Quarreling Couple"
Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play
#all-play#short#coming-of-age
Jane BowlesHannahAug 28, 2024
"Forever Overhead"
Theme: Succinct (<10 pages). "We contain multitudes.". All Play
#all-play#short#coming-of-age
David Foster WallaceRubenAug 28, 2024
"A Small Good Thing"
"Rabbit rabbit rabbit."
#grief#class
Raymond CarverJohnJul 24, 2024
"The Overcoat"
"Rabbit rabbit rabbit."
#grief#class
Nikolai GogolJohnJul 24, 2024
"The Company of Others"
Inspired by Peter Attia's "Outlive" on self-compassion. "Would you be this hard on your friend? No? Then go lighter on yourself."
#self-compassion#relationships
Sara FreemanRubenJun 21, 2024
"Annunciation"
Inspired by Peter Attia's "Outlive" on self-compassion. "Would you be this hard on your friend? No? Then go lighter on yourself."
#self-compassion#relationships
Lauren GroffRubenJun 21, 2024
"The Devourings"
Read Bender first. "Image system near the end is downright incredible."
#surreal#relationships
Aimee BenderHannahMay 29, 2024
"The Floating Bridge"
Read Bender first. "Image system near the end is downright incredible."
#surreal#relationships
Alice MunroHannahMay 29, 2024
"Kansas"
JC's 20-year history with Gilead. "I was afraid the book would reveal me as I am: sedate, thinky, begrudgingly sentimental."
#literary#meta
Marilynne RobinsonJCApr 24, 2024
"A Conversation with My Father"
JC's 20-year history with Gilead. "I was afraid the book would reveal me as I am: sedate, thinky, begrudgingly sentimental."
#literary#meta
Grace PaleyJCApr 24, 2024
"Whoever is There, Come on Through"
John: "I'll leave it to each of you to surmise" the theme.
#irish-lit#devastating-ending
Colin BarrettJohnMar 27, 2024
"Bullet in the Brain"
John: "I'll leave it to each of you to surmise" the theme.
#irish-lit#devastating-ending
Tobias WolffJohnMar 27, 2024
"Raymond's Run"
Running theme—Ruben recently got into distance running.
#childhood#running
Toni Cade BambaraRubenFeb 21, 2024
"Crown Heights North"
Running theme—Ruben recently got into distance running.
#childhood#running
Rivka GalchenRubenFeb 21, 2024
"The Semplica Girl Diaries"
Both share "diaristic frame" and are "wildly dark and wildly funny and wildly strange."
#diaristic#dark-humor#class
George SaundersHannahJan 24, 2024
"Christina the Astonishing"
Both share "diaristic frame" and are "wildly dark and wildly funny and wildly strange."
#diaristic#dark-humor#class
Kirstin Valdez QuadeHannahJan 24, 2024
"Rip Van Winkle"
Theme: Time. Irving is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.. All Play
#all-play#time
Washington IrvingRubenDec 13, 2023
"Cortes the Killer"
Theme: Time. Irving is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.. All Play
#all-play#time
Samantha HuntHannahDec 13, 2023
"The Perfume Thief"
Theme: Time. Irving is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.. All Play
#all-play#time
Susan FinleyJCDec 13, 2023
"If it keeps on raining"
"I am obsessed by the chauffeur who falls asleep in 'Heart'. My mom passed away in the Spring."
#identity#open-ended
Jon McGregorJCNov 15, 2023
"Gogol"
"I am obsessed by the chauffeur who falls asleep in 'Heart'. My mom passed away in the Spring."
#identity#open-ended
Jhumpa LahiriJCNov 15, 2023
"Heart"
"I am obsessed by the chauffeur who falls asleep in 'Heart'. My mom passed away in the Spring."
#identity#open-ended
Shuang XuetaoJCNov 15, 2023
"The Husband Stitch"
Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play
#all-play#horror
Carmen Maria MachadoHannahOct 18, 2023
"The Last Rung on the Ladder"
Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play
#all-play#horror
Stephen KingJohnOct 18, 2023
"Red Wind"
Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play
#all-play#horror
Raymond ChandlerJCOct 18, 2023
"October in the Chair"
Theme: Mystery/Horror.. All Play
#all-play#horror
Neil GaimanRubenOct 18, 2023
"The Student"
Bonus: ["The School"](https://loa-shared.s3.amazonaws.com/static/pdf/Barthelme_School.pdf) – Donald Barthelme.
#literary#faith
Anton ChekhovRubenSep 24, 2023
"Rainbows"
Bonus: ["The School"](https://loa-shared.s3.amazonaws.com/static/pdf/Barthelme_School.pdf) – Donald Barthelme.
#literary#faith
Joseph O'NeillRubenSep 24, 2023
"Does a Bee Care"
Bonus essay: Le Guin intro to Left Hand of Darkness.
#sci-fi#surreal
Isaac AsimovHannahAug 12, 2023
"Madame Bovary's Greyhound"
Bonus essay: Le Guin intro to Left Hand of Darkness.
#sci-fi#surreal
Karen RussellHannahAug 12, 2023
"Between Zero and One"
#class#identity
Bo Young KimJohnJul 27, 2023
"Rich Boy"
#class#identity
F. Scott FitzgeraldJohnJul 27, 2023
"Bruto"
Hannah's first session.
#class#escape
Helen DeWittJCJun 28, 2023
"The Fall of Edward Barnard"
Hannah's first session.
#class#escape
Somerset MaughamJCJun 28, 2023
"The Moor"
From Murakami's Birthday Stories anthology.
#anthology
Russell BanksRubenMay 25, 2023
"Angel of Mercy, Angel of Wraith"
From Murakami's Birthday Stories anthology.
#anthology
Ethan CaninRubenMay 25, 2023
"The Circular Ruins"
#surreal#southern-lit
Jorge Luis BorgesJohnApr 20, 2023
"High-Water Railers"
#surreal#southern-lit
Barry HannahJohnApr 20, 2023
"Story of Your Life"
#sci-fi#time
Ted ChiangRubenMar 16, 2023
"The Last Question"
#sci-fi#time
Isaac AsimovRubenMar 16, 2023
"Here We Are"
#relationships#language
Dorothy ParkerJC/RubenFeb 17, 2023
"History of a Disturbance"
#relationships#language
Steven MillhauserJC/RubenFeb 17, 2023
"Cathedral"
Founding session. Blue-collar first-person.
#childhood#irish-lit#first-person
Raymond CarverRubenJan 13, 2023
"Foster"
Founding session. Blue-collar first-person.
#childhood#irish-lit#first-person
Claire KeeganRubenJan 13, 2023
"The Lame Shall Enter First"
Self-deluded parents become monsters.
#parenting#dark-humor
Flannery O'ConnorJCDec 16, 2022
"The Mom of Bold Action"
Self-deluded parents become monsters.
#parenting#dark-humor
George SaundersJCDec 16, 2022
"The Snows of Kilimanjaro"
Men fucking it up. George and Harry could be friends.
#death#masculinity#class
Ernest HemingwayJCNov 17, 2022
"A King Alone"
Men fucking it up. George and Harry could be friends.
#death#masculinity#class
Rachel KushnerJCNov 17, 2022
ALL PLAY SESSIONS
Dec 2025
Theme: Time
JC: "Plants, Stones, Dirt, and Sky"
Hannah: "Wing's Chips"
Ruben: "Repent, Harlequin!"
John: "My Dear You"
Aug 2025
Theme: Weather/Whether
Hannah: "Sophistication"
Ruben: "Point of View"
JC: "The Fête"
John: "The Man Stopped"
Dec 2024
Theme: Time
JC: "The Great Silence"
Hannah: "Wait a Minute"
Ruben: "Story of an Hour"
John: "The Letter"
Aug 2024
Theme: Summer/Succinct
JC: "Job History"
John: "The Crossing"
Hannah: "A Quarreling Couple"
Ruben: "Forever Overhead"
Dec 2023
Theme: Time
Ruben: "Rip Van Winkle"
Hannah: "Cortes the Killer"
JC: "The Perfume Thief"
Oct 2023
Theme: Mystery/Horror
Hannah: "The Husband Stitch"
John: "The Last Rung on the Ladder"
JC: "Red Wind"
Ruben: "October in the Chair"
THINGS WE'VE SAID
"It's hard to pick stories for this group. I find myself wanting to share, wanting to show off, trying to be clever... And then I realized that you all just like good stories."
— JC, Nov 2025
"Two stories, two different authors, hopefully two different time periods/generations. I feel like we're reading good stuff and have good conversations. That's all I wanted out of the group."
— JC, Jan 2023
"Another catnip is an open-ended story. The clean-cut ones we don't talk about as much."
— Dec 2025 session
"This idea I feel in my life: if you could just hold on to one thing. If just one thing could be enough."
— Hannah on "Wing's Chips", Dec 2025
"Saunders has this gift of dissecting a story in a warm, embracing way—he has an ability to expose the scaffolding and the skill to make me like a story."
— JC on George Saunders Story Club, Nov 2023
THINGS WE LIKE

What we love:

Things to avoid: Skinning of human beings (<1% target), stories too long to read twice