Short-Story Vending Machines.

• Position: FICTION - Short Edition - Brief article

Instead of dispensing chips or soda, new vending machines popping up around the country spit out short stories. Short Edition, a French company, designed the short-story dispensers to be installed by businesses with long wait times. The machines, which cost $9,200 plus an additional $190 per month for content and software, have been placed at more than 30 locations in the U.S., including bus stations, restaurants, and universities. Readers select the story length-one that takes one minute, three minutes, or five minutes to read-and the tale is printed on a receipt-like strip of paper for free. The...