In DreamForge Anvil Issue 20, we explore worlds both familiar and fantastical. From a brooding castle inhabited by unlikely immortals to a mysterious rock shop's hidden room, these stories take us from a future Mardi Gras to the barren plains of Mars. Whether through childhood discoveries about mortality, unexpected friendships, or the quiet domesticity of monsters among us, each piece invites readers to find hope in unlikely places and meaning in what endures beyond the ordinary.

We take a look at the remarkable progress in clean energy transforming our world. Through the latest statistics and milestone achievements—from the UK closing its last coal plant to China's renewable surge—this article demonstrates how wind, solar, and innovative storage technologies are rapidly reshaping global power systems. Beyond the numbers, this hopeful examination reveals how shifting values, smart policies, and grassroots actions are driving a quiet but profound energy revolution.

DreamForge Editor Scot Noel reveals the secrets behind memorable plot twists in this practical guide for writers. Exploring how well-crafted surprises can elevate a basic plotline, Noel identifies optimal placement within narrative structure, differentiates between twist types, and provides concrete examples through an enchanting sample fantasy. Writers will learn to create revelations that feel both surprising and inevitable while avoiding common pitfalls.

In this installment, Wulf Moon explores an important turning point in your fictional narrative: the moment when all seems lost. Building on Joseph Campbell's concept of "The Dark Night of the Soul," Moon examines how protagonists must face their darkest moment in order to raise a story to its most compelling heights. Using fun explanations and practical examples, Moon delivers an essential technique for creating a compelling character arc that takes your protagonist from darkness to determined action.

In "The Back Room," Alice Adams crafts a whimsical story set in a peculiar rock shop. When a teenager named Kay becomes obsessed with finding the shop's legendary back room —a magical place that only reveals itself to those ready to find it— she forms an unexpected bond with the enigmatic shopkeeper. Through patience, tea, and quiet wisdom, Adams explores how we seek meaning beyond the ordinary and the magic that exists in genuine human connection.

Reprinted from Fantasy Magazine, May 2023, Warren Benedetto's poignant "It's What Inside That Counts" follows fourth-grader Emily on the day her class performs their first pig dissection. It’s a rite of passage she promised to document for her ailing twin brother. When Emily discovers a mysterious timepiece inside the pig, her teacher reveals an unsettling truth: everyone has one. It’s what’s inside that…

J.K. Stephens crafts a story of isolation and persistence on the red planet in "Prints." Geologist Ticasuk Nu discovers what appears to be a fossilized fish imprint while exploring Mars—an impossible finding that stirs memories of her Inuit childhood and her late research partner, Perrin. As Nu navigates hostile terrain and confronts her grief, she uncovers more than scientific evidence; she finds a connection between Earth's past and the secrets of life on Mars.

In "The House of Us," Marisca Pichette invites readers into a brooding castle on the moors where two immortal beings make their unlikely home. When a determined young researcher appears on their doorstep during a storm, seeking to interview them for her thesis on "local immortals," the reclusive pair—a vampire and a werewolf—find their peaceful existence disrupted.

Raven Jakubowski delivers a bittersweet tale of connection in a transforming world. When Helen, an elderly woman who refused relocation, discovers young Fernand (an alien ‘nucha’) attempting to scavenge her porch ironwork, she invites him to breakfast. As their unlikely friendship blossoms amid memories and music, Helen shares stories of the vibrant past—including the last Mardi Gras before the waters rose.

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