Common Ground Review is, by its own description, primarily a poetry magazine. That fact should shape how fiction writers approach this call. The editors are not seeking to fill a general-interest fiction slot; they are looking for prose that belongs in a journal where language is the first and final criterion. The stated preference for stories that are "attentive to and careful about the use of language" is not a courtesy phrase—it is the aesthetic center of the invitation. Writers whose work is driven by voice, rhythm, and lexical precision will find a more natural home here than those whose primary allegiance is to plot or genre convention. The parameters are clear and conventional: short stories up to 12 pages, double-spaced; flash fiction in sets of up to three pieces totaling no more than 6 pages. There is no reading fee, and simultaneous submissions are permitted, provided the journal is notified promptly upon acceptance elsewhere. Previously published work is not considered, and AI-generated work is explicitly excluded. A brief bio of 50–75 words should accompany the submission. The journal also notes that writers who have already submitted more than once during the 2025–2026 cycle should wait until the next cycle before submitting again—a signal that the editors read with attention and prefer to consider a manageable volume of work from any one writer. What the journal offers is publication in a venue with a demonstrated commitment to poetry, which means fiction accepted here will be read alongside work selected for its linguistic rigor. There is no prize, no fee, and no stated honorarium; the value is editorial and literary. For writers whose fiction is already in conversation with poetry—formally, syntactically, or temperamentally—this is a rare and specific fit. The deadline is May 2, 2027, and the reading period is tied to the 2026–2027 academic year.