In this collection of seven stories, all under 1000 words, Madison introduces us to a cast of eccentric characters and situations. In the opening story, a nameless narrator’s body is auctioned off—eyelids, hair, skin, and all—to friends, family, and a chorus of ex-boyfriends. In Lik-M-Aid, a pair of sisters grow up strong and proud on a steady diet of paint chips. An old man with a broken neck lays in his hospital bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to distinguish between blonde nurse Stacie and brunette nurse Stacie; a woman fantasizes that her boyfriend has turned into a stingray—these stories are weird, funny, and precisely written. Whether she’s writing about a couple racing through the desert on a motorcycle, or an overweight pet frog, Madison doesn’t mince words. She’s a gifted young writer with a bright future ahead of her.  

Madison Ellingsworth is a writer and ceramicist based in Portland, Maine. Her stories have recently appeared in West Trade Review, Fractured Lit, and Bending Genres, among others. Madison’s piece, “Growing House,” was nominated by Apple Valley Review for Best of the Net 2026, and she was a finalist in Lucky Jefferson’s 2025 Poetry and Prose Contest. She can be found at madisonellingsworth.com and on Instagram @madisonellingsworth.