Speculative Shorts: Stories that fell out of my brain

Shortlisted for the 2026 Whistler Independent Book Awards and nominated in three 2026 Indieverse Awards categories: Best Collection, Boundary Pusher, and Disability Representation!

A nonbinary Alice accidentally enters their own clubbing wonderland because of a smiley app and Bong Guy. An autistic writing instructor who hates ABA but loves ABBA becomes an unexpected hero. A "silent" mermaid-siren noted for keeping the sea safe from poachers is guided to a Lander who might not be like the others. A disabled space pilot couriers precious cargo for the Network while trying to evade the eugenics-based brigade who wants to keep people like her "safe at home." A descendant of Frankenstein's monster is having her sweet sixteen party, but her mother's gift stops the teen in her rollators tracks.

Explore these stories and more in this collection of fifteen tales of queer life, disability, romance, power, defiance, and resilience.
Words of praise:

"Cait's stories resonate well beyond the disabled community. Having said that, as a disabled Canadian, I cannot stress how significant it felt to read a short story collection that offers such impactful representation." Matthew D. Del Papa for The Fiddlehead

"The stories in Speculative Shorts display Gordon's knack for making the reader privy to the protagonists' thoughts and reactions in an empathetic and often amusing way as the action progresses." Lisa Timpf for the Seaboard Review of Books

"Cait Gordon writes with infectious joy and energy, and with a sense of humour that is never far from the surface even in the darkest moments." Kate Heartfield, Prix Aurora Award-winning author of The Embroidered Book

"Speculative Shorts is a fun, delicious taste of the range of Cait's spice-rack of writing skills, and she blends together those elements incredibly." Dr. Derek Newman-Stille, Prix Aurora Award winner of the digital humanities hub, Speculating Canada