2025 Awards Season Eligibility

Updated 12/2/2025 to include one more publication!

2025 has been a…year. Even with all of the incredible, beautifully transformative things that have happened, I’d be hard-pressed to call it a good year even on a personal level.

As far as writing goes, however? 2025 has been pretty spectacular.

I’ve had six pieces published this year so far, with another due mid-December, and I’ve sold another due to come out in January. These stories represent some of my best work, and I’m honored that they were selected to share with the world in a variety of anthologies, zines, and print magazines. Give ‘em a read, if you haven’t yet. Hell, read them again even if you have.

The stories written by Sylvie Althoff that were published in 2025:

• “Bubbe Hates You” – Horror, 1800 words
  Published April 2025 in Punch a Nazi, a benefit project for the Trevor Project.
  Ghost of Jewish grandma returns to wreck Nazi faces and save the transbian polycule.
  If you enjoy the story, please consider donating to the Trevor Project to help them continue their invaluable work safeguarding LGBTQ+ youth.

• “Come F*** Yourself” – SF, 2500 words
  Published May 2025 in Inner Worlds #7.
  Satirical journalistic exposé of just what goes on at Reflections Autophilia Clinic.
  Nominated by the publisher for the Pushcart.

• “The New Sound” – SF, 1500 words
  Published May 2025 in Saros #3.
  A near-future picture of touring musicians and death-spiral capitalist technology.

• “Hot Teeth” – SF, 5400 words
  Published June 2025 in the anthology Lesbians in Space: Where No Man Has Gone Before by Space Wizard Science Fantasy.
  A zany and very queer heist featuring dentists, clowns, and mushroom aliens.

• “Last of the Cigarette Gremlins” – Fantasy, 1000 words
  Published August 2025 in manywor(l)ds #9.
  A cryptid encounter in a dive bar.

• “Root and Branch” – SF, 5800 words
  Published August 2025 in Baubles from Bones #6.
  A tense, emotional snapshot of transgender replicants set in rural Thailand.

• “Sore Winner” – SF, 2400 words
  Expected December 2025 in The /tƐmz/ Review #33
  A hypothetical experiment of queer survival against aliens, Nazis, and fellow Midwesterners.

If you’ve enjoyed any of these stories and you’re in a position to nominate for industry awards, large or small, I’d be damn appreciative if you’d keep me and my words in mind.

Four of these stories were written before 2025, which has proven to be my most productive year ever. But I’ll try to save something for a later blog post.