After Dinner Conversation: Philosophy

This magazine publishes fictional stories that explore ethical and philosophical questions in an informal manner. The purpose of these stories is to generate thoughtful discussion in an open and easily accessible manner. Names, characters, businesses

Content Disclosure: Explicit Sexual Content; Strong Language Caroline proposed we open our marriage—over a midday snack, as blasé as she possibly could have been. Truthfully, I didn’t think so much about it. At the time, I was writing a book that att

Content Disclosure: None Meg tipped back the remnants of her third cup of coffee as the notification bubble emerged at the bottom of the screen. It was from her editor Susan: Story on the asteroid is yours. Use Trifecta. Heavy fear settings. Post by

Content Disclosure: Mild Violence; Strong Language Duane had just settled comfortably into his favorite easy chair with his Kindle and a cup of tea when his wife completely and utterly lost her mind. “Goddamn shit piss FUCK!” “Honey?” Duane said mild

Content Disclosure: Medical Procedures; Death or Bereavement Beth never liked doctors’ offices—the white sterile surfaces, the antiseptic smell, the degrees pretentiously hung on the wall. Bob’s gently putting his hand on hers was comforting, but sti

Content Disclosure: Mental Health Issues All people have had ill luck, but Jairus’s daughter and Lazarus had the worst. ~ Mark Twain Laz pulled the parka closer to his body, ineffectually trying to ward off the gelid wind that blew from the mountains

Content Disclosure: Mild Violence; Mild Language Often, as thirteen-year-old Nelson moseyed through the hallways of Oak Ridge Middle and Upper School, he wished he was living in the Old West. This was his first semester in regular school—his mother’s

Wow, there are a lot of stories in this issue about sex and relationships! As always, this is just luck of the draw, but it does get me thinking about the After Dinner Conversation–Themes series we released this year. In 2023 we decided to lean into

Content Disclosure: Sexual Innuendo Martin and Mari married the year after graduation. Martin was a tall, thin White man with black glasses. Mari was a short, fat Black woman with white glasses. It was a mixed marriage—sort of—they both majored in ma

If you enjoyed reading these stories, please consider doing an online review. It’s only a few seconds of your time, but it is very important in continuing the series. Good reviews mean higher rankings. Higher rankings mean more sales and a greater ab

After Dinner Conversation gratefully acknowledges the support of the following individuals and organizations. Anonymous, Marie Anderson, Arizona Commission on the Arts, DB Babak, Ria Bruns, Brett Clark, Jarvis Coffin, Rebecca Dueben, Tina Forsee, Deb

Sam Franzini is a freelance arts and culture writer based in Washington, D.C. His reviews and interviews have been featured in NYLON, Office Magazine, and Shondaland, and he’s a staff writer at The Line of Best Fit, Northern Transmissions, and Our Cu