The What If Journal
Cynthia SwansonReflections, happenings, and possibilities from Cynthia Swanson, author of The Bookseller, The Glass Forest, and Anyone But Her; editor of Denver Noir.
| Platform |  | Pricing | Only free issues | Publishes | Weekly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Issues | 50 | Founded | 2 years ago | Last Issue | 8 days ago |
| Active | |||||
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thewhatifjournal.substack.comLatest Issues
It's Pub Week!
See what I did there?
I’m excited for the release of This Isn’t New: Women’s Historical Stories on Thursday, May 21, 2026! To celebrate, I’m giving away signed copies to two subscribers to The What If Journal. No need to do anything to ent...
Not Like the Others
I’m one among four, one with the three of you—or no, not really with you but rather fading back into the shadows, receding into darkness…
— From “One Among Four” by Cynthia Swanson
(copyright 2026)
This the the first line of “One Among...
In Praise of Short Fiction
Long cat in long tunnel. Short attention span.
I don’t know about you, but I’m having trouble focusing these days.
More accurately, these evenings. By the time I get through what needs to be done during the day—working on my novel-in-prog...
Sugar and Spice
“If you give me a doll, I’ll throw her on the ground and step on her!”
— My grandmother, Margaret, circa 1923
According to my grandmother, she said these words to her mother when she was about five years old. I always found this story a...
Not One, But TWO Upcoming Performances
Not me. Like, not even remotely me.
I’m a bit off my regular posting schedule with this one, but for my Denver area peeps, I wanted to let you know about two performances coming up the weekend of April 17th - 18th.
FIRST: I’m going to be...
Audience Metrics
Subscribers, engagement, traffic and sponsorship for The What If Journal.
| Subscribers | Engagement | 70 | Monthly Web Visits | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accepts Sponsors | Estimated Cost per Ad | ||||
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Authors
The writers behind this newsletter.
Storyteller exploring disquiet, history, & connections both made and missed. NYT & USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of The Bookseller, The Glass Forest, Anyone But Her, & forthcoming This Isn't New. Editor of anthology Denver Noir.
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