The 2014 AuthorsFirst writing contests brought submissions from a wide range of profound and wildly entertaining talent. From this group of nearly a thousand entrants, we have chosen seventeen works of short fiction that will dazzle the imagination and thrill the heart. What happens when the most remarkable woman you've ever met disappears for weeks at a time leaving only magic and mystery in her wake? What happens when a hostel worker slowly loses his sense of identity? What happens when a woman's reinvention leads her away from her husband and children? What happens when a veteran rocker meets the inspiration for one of his biggest hits — his long-estranged daughter? You'd be surprised. PORTABLE MAGIC is a rich anthology of rewarding stories from names you're going to want to remember.ABOUT AUTHORS FIRSTWe believe in authors, and we understand that building a community for authors to explore and improve their craft is key to a vibrant future for books. To support this belief, in 2013 The Story Plant launched the website Authors First to provide a home for writers created by writers who understand all of the iterations of the writing life.