Unknown Number
{{Short description|Short story by Blue Neustifter}}
{{for|the fantasy police procedural|Signal (South Korean TV series)}}
{{Infobox short story
|image = File:Unknown_Number.png
|caption = 2023 ebook cover
|author = Blue Neustifter
|language = English
|genre = {{idp|
}}
|published_in = Twitter
|publication_type = Thread of tweets
|media_type = Text message (SMS) screenshots
|pub_date = 27 July 2021
}}
"Unknown Number" is a science fiction epistolary short story by Blue Neustifter. It was initially published as a thread on Twitter under the username "Azure" in 2021 and later compiled into an ebook in 2023.
Synopsis
{{Tweet
|name = Bi Dyke Energy
|username = Azure_Husky
|text = [I don't usually preface writing with this, but given the format it seems prudent in this case:
This thread is a work of fiction]
|date = 27 July 2021
|ID = 1420177932518137862
|archive-url = http://web.archive.org/web/20210730173027/https://twitter.com/Azure_Husky/status/1420177932518137862
|archive-date = 2021-07-30
|url-status = live
|block = yes
}}
The story unfolds through a series of text messages between Gaby — a trans woman — and an alternate version of herself from a parallel universe where she did not transitioned.
Reception
"Unknown Number" was a finalist for the 2022 Hugo Award for Best Short Story.[https://www.tor.com/2022/04/07/announcing-the-2022-hugo-award-finalists/ Announcing the 2022 Hugo Award Finalists] at Tor.com; published April 7, 2022; retrieved July 31, 2022{{cite web |title=2022 Hugo Awards |url=https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2022-hugo-awards/ |website=The Official Site of the Hugo Awards |access-date=13 September 2022 |date=5 September 2022 |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20220920172701/https://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2022-hugo-awards/ |archive-date=2022-09-20 |url-status=live}}
CBC.ca called it "intimate and moving".[https://www.cbc.ca/books/canadians-c-l-polk-fonda-lee-nominated-for-2022-hugo-award-for-best-series-1.6415903 Canadians C.L. Polk & Fonda Lee nominated for 2022 Hugo Award for best series] at CBC.ca; published April 11, 2022; retrieved July 31, 2022
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://twitter.com/azure_husky/status/1420177932518137862 First post] of the "Unknown Number" Twitter thread
- {{itchio|azurefemme|unknown-number|"Unknown Number"}}
- [https://genderdysphoria.fyi/tweets/12943B76C8 "Unknown Number"] (full story) at That's Gender Dysphoria, FYI
Category:Short stories about parallel universes
Category:Transgender literature
Category:2021 LGBTQ-related literary works
Category:LGBTQ speculative fiction
Category:LGBTQ literature in Canada
Category:Canadian science fiction
Category:Canadian speculative fiction short stories
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