I've been enjoying the short "Futures" science fiction stories in Nature since they started. They tend to be concise, punchy, taut, and perfectly suited for the science-savvy audience. The most recent entry, "How Kameron Layas rode out the crash", is an ideal example. It breezes through some post-cyberpunk hallmarks without getting bogged down in anything but the most critical details, yet hints at a fully-fleshed periphery. It might even make a nice novella.

The author is Rahul Kanakia. The guy studied economics at Stanford but now writes SF. It's a natural progression but not a common one. He's also just a tad older than I am, a sure fire trigger for the "what are you doing with your life when this guy has already written a bunch of novels" effect.  This is alleviated somewhat by his great blog.  It's very analytical and unpretentious. If I ever decide to give up science for science fiction, I'll have to follow some of his examples. He's not big on advice, though.