“Sauerkraut Station,” by Ferrett Steinmetz (Giganotosaurus, November 2011): “Little House on the Prairie meets Space Stations” — in the author’s own words.
I found this Firefly-esque space opera featuring a young female protagonist very effective and affecting. The plot is carefully constructed to allow the emotional development of the YA protagonist — something that I can learn a lot from. I especially enjoyed the physics — one scene involving a dark, weightless space station in which our heroine must deal with floating specks of waste in a desperate struggle for survive is unforgettable.
The author has posted a first draft of the story with comments to indicate what has changed. This is the sort of DVD commentary track that’s of great interest to writers.