Halloween is now over, but why let the horror stories vanish? This year I reposted two short horror stories a day for eight days, ending on Halloween. One was a story that I'd had published in an ezine, collection, or someone's blog, while the other was a Friday Flash story I'd written through the years. I'm going to put them all in one place in case you want to see what I released but missed my posts on either Facebook or Twitter. Enjoy the reads!
Eight Days of Previously Published Horror Stories
1. 1-800-FUN-TALK
2. The Bird
3. The Eye
4. Fast Food Zombies
5. Find the Flag
6. Scream Time
7. Weeds and Dead Flowers
8. The Clown Killer
Eight Days of Revisited Friday Flash Horror Stories
1. Shadow in the Mirror
2. Chained Love
3. The Black and White Photograph
4. Pumpkin Patch of the Damned
5. The Scarecrow
6. The Fantabulous Funnybone Floatiboats
7. Bloody Mary
8. The Green-Faced Witch
Showing posts with label short stories. Show all posts
Showing posts with label short stories. Show all posts
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
2012 Writing Goals
With the new year upon us, I decided it was time to publish my writing goals for 2012. I decided I need to write much more this year, so my main goal is to get at least 5000 words down on page each week. That will equal 260,000 words for the year when all is said and done. The plan is to work on a few novels (YA speculative fiction still being the main thrust, though I'd like to throw an adult horror story in, as well), write short stories for publication, and publish Friday Flash stories (more on that last one later). I've also made myself a deal when it comes to editing and plotting--each hour I spend doing one or the other counts as 250 words. This way, as long as I'm working on a novel or short story, it'll count towards my goal. I think that this goal will do well to getting me closer to where I want to be as a writer.
In addition, I need to put more focus into marketing and social media. These are weak areas for me. I'm very sporadic on Twitter, only really post goofy stuff for my friends on Facebook, and largely ignore Google+. This needs to change. I will be more of a presence on Twitter, will make more use of my writing account on Facebook, and will actually use Google+ this year. Also, I will be more on top of submitting short stories and query letters, as well as other marketing areas that I'm not very good at. I hate that part of the writing game, but I know it needs to be done. I will also comment on other writers blog posts in an attempt to get my name out there more often (and to show others how much I appreciate the hard work they put into everything, since I know how much time it all takes).
This blog will also benefit from my wanting to be a better all-around writer this year. I need to post more often, and I have some ideas to make this happen. I will continue to publish Speculative Fiction Writing Prompts each Monday (or at least most Mondays). As I said in the first paragraph, I also want to publish Friday Flash stories on, you guessed it, Fridays. I won't do this every week, but my goal in this area is to aim for at least a couple times a month. So if you're a fan of my flash fiction, keep an eye on that coming soon. I also will do my best to post an article on writing every Wednesday. These may be my thoughts on certain writing topics, book reviews on writing books, occasional movie or television show reviews, or any other topic that pertains to writing. I'm not going to promise that there will be one every single Wednesday, but I will post most weeks. I'm also considering posting a review of what I've done, writing-wise, each weekend, be it Saturday or Sunday, and maybe a preview of what I plan to do in the coming week. If I do this, I doubt I'll advertise much about it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or wherever else might be appropriate. That post will be mostly for me to keep myself accountable. Of course, anyone will be free to read it and leave me comments. I always love to see comments on any blog post.
So there you have it: my writing goals for 2012. I'm hoping this will be a breakthrough year for me, as I'm in the middle of an agent search. With the output I hope to produce, there will also be further agent and publication searches down the line. All in all, I hope this is my best writing year yet!
In addition, I need to put more focus into marketing and social media. These are weak areas for me. I'm very sporadic on Twitter, only really post goofy stuff for my friends on Facebook, and largely ignore Google+. This needs to change. I will be more of a presence on Twitter, will make more use of my writing account on Facebook, and will actually use Google+ this year. Also, I will be more on top of submitting short stories and query letters, as well as other marketing areas that I'm not very good at. I hate that part of the writing game, but I know it needs to be done. I will also comment on other writers blog posts in an attempt to get my name out there more often (and to show others how much I appreciate the hard work they put into everything, since I know how much time it all takes).
This blog will also benefit from my wanting to be a better all-around writer this year. I need to post more often, and I have some ideas to make this happen. I will continue to publish Speculative Fiction Writing Prompts each Monday (or at least most Mondays). As I said in the first paragraph, I also want to publish Friday Flash stories on, you guessed it, Fridays. I won't do this every week, but my goal in this area is to aim for at least a couple times a month. So if you're a fan of my flash fiction, keep an eye on that coming soon. I also will do my best to post an article on writing every Wednesday. These may be my thoughts on certain writing topics, book reviews on writing books, occasional movie or television show reviews, or any other topic that pertains to writing. I'm not going to promise that there will be one every single Wednesday, but I will post most weeks. I'm also considering posting a review of what I've done, writing-wise, each weekend, be it Saturday or Sunday, and maybe a preview of what I plan to do in the coming week. If I do this, I doubt I'll advertise much about it on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, or wherever else might be appropriate. That post will be mostly for me to keep myself accountable. Of course, anyone will be free to read it and leave me comments. I always love to see comments on any blog post.
So there you have it: my writing goals for 2012. I'm hoping this will be a breakthrough year for me, as I'm in the middle of an agent search. With the output I hope to produce, there will also be further agent and publication searches down the line. All in all, I hope this is my best writing year yet!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
New Short Story--The Eye
Happy Halloween! I have a new short story called "The Eye" in the Halloween special of the audio magazine, Dark Movements. You get six great stories in the episode. Check it out here.
(EDIT: Unfortunately, the audio magazine is on longer online. Please enjoy the story below.)
If you'd like to follow along with my story while you listen, here it is:
The Eye
by Eric J. Krause
The eye in the window across the street stared at him. He considered that it might be a poster or picture of some sort, but that wasn't it. He could swear he'd seen it move.
What did it want? Why was it targeting him? And why could no one else see it?
His wife refused to discuss it anymore. The neighbors crossed the street when they saw him coming. Even the mailman rushed to and from the mailbox a bit quicker. All because the eye wouldn't show itself to anyone else.
So now he sat at the window, all hours of the day, and looked at the eye. Which stared back at him. All day every day.
No matter how long he sat there, nothing became clearer. It was still a mystery he couldn't explain. And he needed to know.
Late one night, long after his wife had gone up to bed, he decided it was time. Sure, he could have waited until mid-morning and knocked on the door. He had no clue who lived there, so maybe there was a simple explanation. Yeah, he could do that. But he wasn't going to.
He grabbed the sharpest, meanest-looking knife from the chopping block and headed across the street. He might not need it, or anything of the sort, but better safe than sorry. Maybe the eye would see him coming and hide. Then he really could come back in the morning.
No. It watched him the entire way. Little movements in its iris let him know it saw him. How did no one else notice this thing? It pulsed with life.
Knock or not? He could peek in each window and see what was going on. Maybe he'd find one open, and he could sneak in without anyone any the wiser. Before the decision proved necessary, the front door creaked open a crack.
"Hello?" he called. No answer. He pushed the door open all the way. Damn it was dark in there. "Hello?" he tried again. He almost asked if there were any giant eyeballs home, but that would be absurd. He giggled, and it bordered on deranged, even in his own mind.
Since no one answered, he walked in. Maybe no one lived here at all. He couldn't remember a moving van after that last family (The Joneses? The Smiths?) moved out. He gripped his knife tighter and looked around for the giant eye, though he could barely see past his nose.
The door slammed shut. Something breathed. He could hear it, feel it. He moaned as it slithered past his leg.
And then the pain hit.
#
The neighbors gathered around outside her house. The police had already left, finding no signs of foul play. Her husband, though, was still a no show. They'd all heard his muffled screams, but no one could quite place where.
With his unhealthy obsession with that abandoned house, she figured he'd be inside, but they'd found no sign of him. He'd be back, and then she'd get him whatever help he needed.
As the talks wound down and neighbors began to disperse, she gave one last look back to that house. She gasped. Had that window winked at her?
(EDIT: Unfortunately, the audio magazine is on longer online. Please enjoy the story below.)
If you'd like to follow along with my story while you listen, here it is:
The Eye
by Eric J. Krause
The eye in the window across the street stared at him. He considered that it might be a poster or picture of some sort, but that wasn't it. He could swear he'd seen it move.
What did it want? Why was it targeting him? And why could no one else see it?
His wife refused to discuss it anymore. The neighbors crossed the street when they saw him coming. Even the mailman rushed to and from the mailbox a bit quicker. All because the eye wouldn't show itself to anyone else.
So now he sat at the window, all hours of the day, and looked at the eye. Which stared back at him. All day every day.
No matter how long he sat there, nothing became clearer. It was still a mystery he couldn't explain. And he needed to know.
Late one night, long after his wife had gone up to bed, he decided it was time. Sure, he could have waited until mid-morning and knocked on the door. He had no clue who lived there, so maybe there was a simple explanation. Yeah, he could do that. But he wasn't going to.
He grabbed the sharpest, meanest-looking knife from the chopping block and headed across the street. He might not need it, or anything of the sort, but better safe than sorry. Maybe the eye would see him coming and hide. Then he really could come back in the morning.
No. It watched him the entire way. Little movements in its iris let him know it saw him. How did no one else notice this thing? It pulsed with life.
Knock or not? He could peek in each window and see what was going on. Maybe he'd find one open, and he could sneak in without anyone any the wiser. Before the decision proved necessary, the front door creaked open a crack.
"Hello?" he called. No answer. He pushed the door open all the way. Damn it was dark in there. "Hello?" he tried again. He almost asked if there were any giant eyeballs home, but that would be absurd. He giggled, and it bordered on deranged, even in his own mind.
Since no one answered, he walked in. Maybe no one lived here at all. He couldn't remember a moving van after that last family (The Joneses? The Smiths?) moved out. He gripped his knife tighter and looked around for the giant eye, though he could barely see past his nose.
The door slammed shut. Something breathed. He could hear it, feel it. He moaned as it slithered past his leg.
And then the pain hit.
#
The neighbors gathered around outside her house. The police had already left, finding no signs of foul play. Her husband, though, was still a no show. They'd all heard his muffled screams, but no one could quite place where.
With his unhealthy obsession with that abandoned house, she figured he'd be inside, but they'd found no sign of him. He'd be back, and then she'd get him whatever help he needed.
As the talks wound down and neighbors began to disperse, she gave one last look back to that house. She gasped. Had that window winked at her?
Thursday, September 30, 2010
No Friday Flash This Week
No new Friday Flash for me this week, but I do have some fiction from me you can read.
The first is my book, The Friday Flash Stories of Eric J. Krause: Volume 1. This is my first fifty Friday Flash stories from August 2009 to August 2010. Click the link to go to Smashwords and download it for free. If you don't have an eReader, Smashwords will let you read it right on your computer.
The second is also free. These are some of my short stories that have been published in various places on the Internet. Go ahead and check it out (this'll take you to a link right here on my site). There are a few flash fiction stories in there, but also longer short stories.
The third is my eBook, The Breath of Life and Other Stories. Some of these twenty stories are available here on my blog (in the link above), but there are others you can only find in this book. This isn't free (it'll cost you 99 cents), but I hope you'll find it worth it. You can find it at Amazon for your Kindle or at Smashwords for any other eReader (or right on your computer).
I hope you enjoy some of my previously published fiction. I will be back next week with a brand spankin' new Friday Flash.
The first is my book, The Friday Flash Stories of Eric J. Krause: Volume 1. This is my first fifty Friday Flash stories from August 2009 to August 2010. Click the link to go to Smashwords and download it for free. If you don't have an eReader, Smashwords will let you read it right on your computer.
The second is also free. These are some of my short stories that have been published in various places on the Internet. Go ahead and check it out (this'll take you to a link right here on my site). There are a few flash fiction stories in there, but also longer short stories.
The third is my eBook, The Breath of Life and Other Stories. Some of these twenty stories are available here on my blog (in the link above), but there are others you can only find in this book. This isn't free (it'll cost you 99 cents), but I hope you'll find it worth it. You can find it at Amazon for your Kindle or at Smashwords for any other eReader (or right on your computer).
I hope you enjoy some of my previously published fiction. I will be back next week with a brand spankin' new Friday Flash.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Newest Published Story
I found out today that I have a very short story (only 101 words) in the compilation, Dog Days of Summer 2010. My story is called "Bowl o' Red," and you can find it on page 33 of the collection. (I'm even more excited about the fact that it was chosen as an Honorable Mention.) Check it out, and let me know what you think. And while you're there, give a look at the other stories. It's filled with excellent authors, and each story is only 101 words long, meaning you can read a bunch in a short period of time. Very cool! You can also visit this link to see more about the book, as well as see an interview with Sam Adamson, the author chosen as the grand prize winner (congrats, Sam!). Big thanks to Michael J. Solender for putting this together. I had a good time crafting my story, and I can't wait to dig into the other stories.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
2 short stories to listen to
This week I've dabbled it a couple of podcasts that are new to me, and I'm glad I did. One is Lightspeed Magazine, and when you click the link below, you'll have the option of either reading or listening, so that's nice. The other is Variant Frequencies, and though the story is about Christmas, it's still a great read (listen) any time of year. Both of these podcasts are on iTunes in case, like me, you prefer to download them there. Just search the titles of the podcasts in the iTunes store search function and download the episodes. I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I did!
The first one comes from Lightspeed Magazine, and is called The Cassandra Project by Jack McDevitt. This one deals with an interesting satellite photo from the Russian space program, and what our main character does with this knowledge. What he finds shocks him, and proves why it is classified information. I thought this one was a good ride, and the lead up and reveal are excellent.
The next story, as I said, is a Christmas story from the podcast Variant Frequencies. It is A Real Christmas by Michael A. Stackpole. This is a PI novel which opens with the hero of the story ready to blow his brains out because his life isn't going how he'd like. Luckily a department store Santa Claus comes in to offer him a case. The rest of the story shows how the magic of Christmas can save. This one was a bit gritty, but also had a real whimsy to it that I found enjoyable. I hope you agree.
As always, I'm getting nothing from the podcasts or the authors for talking about these stories. I'm doing so simply because I want to highlight some great short fiction that's out there for free consumption. I hope you enjoy these stories, and until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
The first one comes from Lightspeed Magazine, and is called The Cassandra Project by Jack McDevitt. This one deals with an interesting satellite photo from the Russian space program, and what our main character does with this knowledge. What he finds shocks him, and proves why it is classified information. I thought this one was a good ride, and the lead up and reveal are excellent.
The next story, as I said, is a Christmas story from the podcast Variant Frequencies. It is A Real Christmas by Michael A. Stackpole. This is a PI novel which opens with the hero of the story ready to blow his brains out because his life isn't going how he'd like. Luckily a department store Santa Claus comes in to offer him a case. The rest of the story shows how the magic of Christmas can save. This one was a bit gritty, but also had a real whimsy to it that I found enjoyable. I hope you agree.
As always, I'm getting nothing from the podcasts or the authors for talking about these stories. I'm doing so simply because I want to highlight some great short fiction that's out there for free consumption. I hope you enjoy these stories, and until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
2 Short Stories to Listen to
This week I've chosen a science fiction (of sorts) and horror story for you to listen to. Either use the links below, or go search out the podcasts on iTunes and download the stories to listen to at your leisure. (That's how I do it.) Without further ado, here they are.
The first story is from Escape Pod. It's Episode 244: Non-Zero Probabilities by N.K. Jemisin. This one is about New York City becoming a very lucky place. The problem is that all luck isn't necessarily good. The story revolves around the main character's journey of deciding what to do about this new situation, and if she should do anything at all. I found this one an interesting read. Give it a listen and decide what you think.
The next story is from Pseudopod. It's Episode 182: The Dreaming Way by Jim Bihyeh. This one is about a junior high age girl who doesn't get along with anyone at her school. She has a special ability which helps her get by, and an old man teaches her how to use her ability even further. A horrific event is going to happen at her school, and the old man wants her to be the one to stop it. This one has some bite to it, especially the ending. I enjoyed it thoroughly. See what you think.
As always, I'm getting no sort of compensation from either podcast nor the authors. I don't know any of them. I'm simply giving these links because I enjoyed the stories, and I hope others enjoy them as well. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
The first story is from Escape Pod. It's Episode 244: Non-Zero Probabilities by N.K. Jemisin. This one is about New York City becoming a very lucky place. The problem is that all luck isn't necessarily good. The story revolves around the main character's journey of deciding what to do about this new situation, and if she should do anything at all. I found this one an interesting read. Give it a listen and decide what you think.
The next story is from Pseudopod. It's Episode 182: The Dreaming Way by Jim Bihyeh. This one is about a junior high age girl who doesn't get along with anyone at her school. She has a special ability which helps her get by, and an old man teaches her how to use her ability even further. A horrific event is going to happen at her school, and the old man wants her to be the one to stop it. This one has some bite to it, especially the ending. I enjoyed it thoroughly. See what you think.
As always, I'm getting no sort of compensation from either podcast nor the authors. I don't know any of them. I'm simply giving these links because I enjoyed the stories, and I hope others enjoy them as well. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Two Stories To Listen To
This week I again have two podcast stories: a horror story from Pseudopod and a science fiction story from The Drabblecast. To listen, either use the link to their site below, or do what I do and download them from iTunes. Search for the podcast name and then find the episode number, which I have below, and download it. Or better yet, subscribe and get new great stories each week!
The first story comes from Pseudopod. It's a strange little horror story. It's Episode 180: The Getalong Gang by Barrie Darke. Nothing overtly horrible happens, but it brings you along for a neat little ride through the main character's thoughts, which may or may not be reliable. I took it that the main character's sanity was up to the reader (listener) to decide. In it, he sees various little details about his family that seem off to him, and he believes it is a huge conspiracy to enslave the human race. This one's definitely worth a listen.
The second story this week is from The Drabblecast. I knew I'd enjoy this one before I even heard it for two reasons: First, it's about time travel, and time travel stories always intrigue me. Second, the author is Tim Pratt, and since I've been listening to these podcast stories, I've heard a few of his stories, and none have disappointed. This one is Episode 150: Morris and the Machine. When we think of time travel stories (or at least when I do), we usually think of characters going back in time and doing things to change their present life-style (or being very careful to not change anything). This one was a bit different. Morris invented a machine that only could take him back to one time in history, and instead of being his exact past, they are parallel universes. Personally, the concept of parallel universes fascinates me almost as much (or maybe as much) as time travel, so this story was a slam dunk. I hope you enjoy it, too.
As always, I'm not doing this for any reason other than I enjoyed these stories, and I want people to check out free short story content available on the web. I'm getting no compensation from either the web sites or the authors. I just want you to enjoy these stories as much as I did. Give 'em both a listen this week. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
The first story comes from Pseudopod. It's a strange little horror story. It's Episode 180: The Getalong Gang by Barrie Darke. Nothing overtly horrible happens, but it brings you along for a neat little ride through the main character's thoughts, which may or may not be reliable. I took it that the main character's sanity was up to the reader (listener) to decide. In it, he sees various little details about his family that seem off to him, and he believes it is a huge conspiracy to enslave the human race. This one's definitely worth a listen.
The second story this week is from The Drabblecast. I knew I'd enjoy this one before I even heard it for two reasons: First, it's about time travel, and time travel stories always intrigue me. Second, the author is Tim Pratt, and since I've been listening to these podcast stories, I've heard a few of his stories, and none have disappointed. This one is Episode 150: Morris and the Machine. When we think of time travel stories (or at least when I do), we usually think of characters going back in time and doing things to change their present life-style (or being very careful to not change anything). This one was a bit different. Morris invented a machine that only could take him back to one time in history, and instead of being his exact past, they are parallel universes. Personally, the concept of parallel universes fascinates me almost as much (or maybe as much) as time travel, so this story was a slam dunk. I hope you enjoy it, too.
As always, I'm not doing this for any reason other than I enjoyed these stories, and I want people to check out free short story content available on the web. I'm getting no compensation from either the web sites or the authors. I just want you to enjoy these stories as much as I did. Give 'em both a listen this week. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
3 Short Stories to Listen To
This week I have three short stories for you to listen to. They come from three different podcasts: PodCastle, PseudoPod, and The Drabblecast. To listen, you can either follow the links I have below, or download them on iTunes (my preferred method). Simply search for the podcast, and then download the episode. I hope you enjoy these stories as much as I did!
The first comes from the fantasy fiction podcast, PodCastle. It's called The Queen's Triplets by Israel Zangwill. It's an old story, published in the late 1800s, but it's a fun one to listen to. It reads like a fable, which, in a way, it may just be. I enjoyed the colorful language and the narrator did a great job with it.
The next story comes from the horror podcast, PsuedoPod. It's Fading
Light by Simon Strantzas. This is a bleak ghost story centered around two poor guys who can't get over being dumped by their girlfriends--the narrator from five years prior. He helps his recently dumped buddy find a place to rent, but the place turns out to be haunted.
The final story of the week comes from The Drabblecast. It's called Cassie
by Tim Pratt. This story is worth a listen all on its own, but there is also a drabble (a story of exactly 100 words) and a humorous talk of the Rock, Paper, Scissors World-Wide Organization that make this entire episode a great listen.
I hope you enjoy these three stories as much as I did. As I say every week, I'm getting nothing from anybody for showcasing these stories. They simply entertained me, and I wanted to point them out so others can enjoy them, as well. Until next week, keep reading and/or writing.
The first comes from the fantasy fiction podcast, PodCastle. It's called The Queen's Triplets by Israel Zangwill. It's an old story, published in the late 1800s, but it's a fun one to listen to. It reads like a fable, which, in a way, it may just be. I enjoyed the colorful language and the narrator did a great job with it.
The next story comes from the horror podcast, PsuedoPod. It's Fading
Light by Simon Strantzas. This is a bleak ghost story centered around two poor guys who can't get over being dumped by their girlfriends--the narrator from five years prior. He helps his recently dumped buddy find a place to rent, but the place turns out to be haunted.
The final story of the week comes from The Drabblecast. It's called Cassie
by Tim Pratt. This story is worth a listen all on its own, but there is also a drabble (a story of exactly 100 words) and a humorous talk of the Rock, Paper, Scissors World-Wide Organization that make this entire episode a great listen.
I hope you enjoy these three stories as much as I did. As I say every week, I'm getting nothing from anybody for showcasing these stories. They simply entertained me, and I wanted to point them out so others can enjoy them, as well. Until next week, keep reading and/or writing.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
3 Sci-Fi Podcast Stories
I'm back this week with three stories for you to listen to instead of just two (to make up for not posting last week). I've decided, at least for the next few weeks, to concentrate on podcast stories. I do this for two reasons: one, I have a bunch backed up on my iPod, so I might as well go through them, and two, I've discovered the bliss of kicking back, shutting my eyes, and letting the story take me away. Lazy? Maybe, but at least I'm getting a story out of it.
All three stories this week come from the podcast EscapePod. You can listen to these right from the EscapePod page (I'll give each address below), or you can go to iTunes, search for EscapePod, and download these episodes. However you choose to do it, enjoy! I did.
The first story is Episode 239: A Programmatic Approach to Perfect Happiness by Tim Pratt. This one has a pretty humorous tone throughout. At its core, it's a story about the rights for humans to marry robots. Of course, sex with robots is also a major factor in this debate. It also deals with the ramifications of humans catching the happiness virus (and others like it). This is separate from the human/robot love debate. Also make sure you listen to the poem before the story--"Scientific Romance" also by Tim Pratt. Sci-fi fans will especially get a kick out of it.
The next story is Episode 240: The Last McDougal's by David D. Levine. This one is set a few decades into the future when most people don't venture out of the homes--their entire lives can be run from home, so why bother? McDougal's is/was a fast food franchise (hmm...wonder where that name came from), and a gentleman talking his sullen niece across country finds bliss as he rediscovers this gem from his younger years. The teen, however, doesn't share the same memories, so she's less than enthused. Chaos ensues, and life lessons are learned.
The last story for this week is Episode 241: Thargus and Brian by Stephen Gaskell. This is a funny little story about an alien who must travel many, many light years to Earth to impost his will on a human. Only then can he be accepted as an adult in his society. But there are two problems: one, he doesn't believe in being forceful, and two, he abducted a stoner.
I hope you check these stories out. As always, I'm getting nothing from anyone for publishing the links to these stories; I'm doing it just to bring attention to good fiction. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
All three stories this week come from the podcast EscapePod. You can listen to these right from the EscapePod page (I'll give each address below), or you can go to iTunes, search for EscapePod, and download these episodes. However you choose to do it, enjoy! I did.
The first story is Episode 239: A Programmatic Approach to Perfect Happiness by Tim Pratt. This one has a pretty humorous tone throughout. At its core, it's a story about the rights for humans to marry robots. Of course, sex with robots is also a major factor in this debate. It also deals with the ramifications of humans catching the happiness virus (and others like it). This is separate from the human/robot love debate. Also make sure you listen to the poem before the story--"Scientific Romance" also by Tim Pratt. Sci-fi fans will especially get a kick out of it.
The next story is Episode 240: The Last McDougal's by David D. Levine. This one is set a few decades into the future when most people don't venture out of the homes--their entire lives can be run from home, so why bother? McDougal's is/was a fast food franchise (hmm...wonder where that name came from), and a gentleman talking his sullen niece across country finds bliss as he rediscovers this gem from his younger years. The teen, however, doesn't share the same memories, so she's less than enthused. Chaos ensues, and life lessons are learned.
The last story for this week is Episode 241: Thargus and Brian by Stephen Gaskell. This is a funny little story about an alien who must travel many, many light years to Earth to impost his will on a human. Only then can he be accepted as an adult in his society. But there are two problems: one, he doesn't believe in being forceful, and two, he abducted a stoner.
I hope you check these stories out. As always, I'm getting nothing from anyone for publishing the links to these stories; I'm doing it just to bring attention to good fiction. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
2 Science Fiction Stories to Read
Another Wednesday brings another two stories for your reading pleasure. This week they're both science fiction stories. One is from an ezine, while the other is from a podcast. You can listen to that one right from the link below, or hit up iTunes, search for the podcast name, and then download the episode. Easy as pie. As always, I'm getting nothing from anyone for pointing out these stories. They're simply stories I enjoyed, so I'm passing the links along. I hope you have as much fun reading them as I did!
The first story is called Desolation Springs Eternal by Frank Summers. It's from the Spring/Summer 2010 issue of Allegory Magazine. This one's about a lonely robot left behind on a moon base, and how his eternal hope in humanity keeps him going. Science fiction fans will get a kick out of the names of the robots in this one.
The next one is called Ep. 237: Roadside Rescue by Pat Cadigan. This one comes from the podcast Escape Pod, and it's worth a listen. An alien has its servant fix the car of a stranded motorist, and then asks the guy to get in its limo. Strangeness ensues. This story is well told throughout, and the reveal at the end had me laughing out loud. I'm not going to spoil anything for you, but the quick introduction at the beginning of the podcast will give you a hint.
I hope you enjoy these two stories as much as I did. Give them, and other short fiction out there, a read. And until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
The first story is called Desolation Springs Eternal by Frank Summers. It's from the Spring/Summer 2010 issue of Allegory Magazine. This one's about a lonely robot left behind on a moon base, and how his eternal hope in humanity keeps him going. Science fiction fans will get a kick out of the names of the robots in this one.
The next one is called Ep. 237: Roadside Rescue by Pat Cadigan. This one comes from the podcast Escape Pod, and it's worth a listen. An alien has its servant fix the car of a stranded motorist, and then asks the guy to get in its limo. Strangeness ensues. This story is well told throughout, and the reveal at the end had me laughing out loud. I'm not going to spoil anything for you, but the quick introduction at the beginning of the podcast will give you a hint.
I hope you enjoy these two stories as much as I did. Give them, and other short fiction out there, a read. And until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
2 Short Stories to Listen To
This week I decided to list two stories on podcasts. Check them out at the links I give for each story, or go to iTunes and search the name of the podcasts and find the episode for each. They're entertaining stories, and well worth the listen.
The first story is Ep. 176: The Blessed Days by Mike Allen from the horror podcast PsuedoPod. This one is pretty bloody, with the premise being that every time anyone falls asleep, they wake up covered from head to toe in their own blood. They're not hurt, but the blood seeps out of their pores at each sleep. The main character has learned how to control his dreams using the power of lucid dreams, but ever since the blood has come, no one, including him, can remember dreaming. The real weirdness (and violence) happens when the dreams start up again for him. Be warned, this is a pretty violent story, not for the squeamish, and I'm not even talking about the blood that drips from people each night. I enjoyed it though, so if you don't mind horror, give this one a listen.
The second story this week comes from the podcast, The Drabblecast. It is Ep. 146: Teddy Bears and Tea Parties by S. Boyd Taylor. This is a very strange, somewhat disturbing story about when the magic returns to the world, animating everything. It features killer teddy bears who bleed tasty jelly blood, from concord grape, to strawberry, to apple. A little girl must survive the new world where everything needs to eat by killing teddy bears so she can thrive on their blood. I recommend this on simply because it's so darn strange. Give it a listen!
I hope you get a chance to check one or both of these stories out. As usual, I'm getting nothing from either podcast or author or anyone to give these story links out. I'm doing it because I enjoyed the stories and would like to pass them along. Enjoy them, and until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
The first story is Ep. 176: The Blessed Days by Mike Allen from the horror podcast PsuedoPod. This one is pretty bloody, with the premise being that every time anyone falls asleep, they wake up covered from head to toe in their own blood. They're not hurt, but the blood seeps out of their pores at each sleep. The main character has learned how to control his dreams using the power of lucid dreams, but ever since the blood has come, no one, including him, can remember dreaming. The real weirdness (and violence) happens when the dreams start up again for him. Be warned, this is a pretty violent story, not for the squeamish, and I'm not even talking about the blood that drips from people each night. I enjoyed it though, so if you don't mind horror, give this one a listen.
The second story this week comes from the podcast, The Drabblecast. It is Ep. 146: Teddy Bears and Tea Parties by S. Boyd Taylor. This is a very strange, somewhat disturbing story about when the magic returns to the world, animating everything. It features killer teddy bears who bleed tasty jelly blood, from concord grape, to strawberry, to apple. A little girl must survive the new world where everything needs to eat by killing teddy bears so she can thrive on their blood. I recommend this on simply because it's so darn strange. Give it a listen!
I hope you get a chance to check one or both of these stories out. As usual, I'm getting nothing from either podcast or author or anyone to give these story links out. I'm doing it because I enjoyed the stories and would like to pass them along. Enjoy them, and until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Two Short Stories To Read
I haven't done this in a while, but I recently heard that when I did, it was appreciated, so I figured I should start up again. Each week (or at least most weeks), I'll highlight two short stories that are in various free ezines or podcasts. I do this for two reasons: one, it gets me reading short fiction, which I've been lax on lately (the only short stories I seem to read anymore are #fridayflash stories, which are great, but I need to expand my horizons), and, two, I want to introduce others to stories they might not have seen. These won't be reviews, per say, but usually just a sentence or two on why I liked the story, or why you should read it. And as I said above, some of the stories are from free podcasts, so when I add those, I'll list both the URL from the podcast's web site, as well as how to find it on iTunes. I hope you enjoy these stories I'm sharing with you. And, no, I'm getting nothing from any of the ezines, podcasts, or authors. I'm doing this just to highlight short fiction I've enjoyed.
The first story this week comes from The Absent Willow Review. It's called Dust by Allison M. Dickson. This was an apocalyptic tale of killer moon dust that's brought back to Earth by the newly reopened lunar landing projects. I would have recommended this one simply because it was an excellent premise that was well executed by Ms. Dickson, but what sealed the deal was that there were a number of great lines throughout the story. I'm sure you'll find your favorite, but mine was: "The whole government threw down a steel curtain on Minos, and that left the news channels to do what they do best in the absence of facts: confuse and scare the living shit out of everyone." Love it! Check this one out.
The second story for this week is a podcast. It's from Escape Pod, and it's Episode 233: Union Dues - The Threnody of Johnny Turuko by Jeffery R. DeRego. You can also find it on iTunes. Search for Escape Pod, and download Episode 233. This one is from an ongoing superhero world created by Mr. DeRego, but it's not necessary to listen to what came before to get into this story. I've heard none of the others, and I enjoyed this one with no problems. It's about a group of teenage superheros who have actual powers, but also star in a TV series based on their lives. The main character of this episode is Johnny Turuko, the ladies man of the group. In real life, however, Johnny has a secret he wants no one to know: he's actually gay and in love with his male teammate. This story shows how this secret gets out, and some of the implications it means for Johnny and his team. Give it a listen!
I hope you take the time to check these out. And when you're there, check out the other stories in these great fiction depositories. You won't be disappointed. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
The first story this week comes from The Absent Willow Review. It's called Dust by Allison M. Dickson. This was an apocalyptic tale of killer moon dust that's brought back to Earth by the newly reopened lunar landing projects. I would have recommended this one simply because it was an excellent premise that was well executed by Ms. Dickson, but what sealed the deal was that there were a number of great lines throughout the story. I'm sure you'll find your favorite, but mine was: "The whole government threw down a steel curtain on Minos, and that left the news channels to do what they do best in the absence of facts: confuse and scare the living shit out of everyone." Love it! Check this one out.
The second story for this week is a podcast. It's from Escape Pod, and it's Episode 233: Union Dues - The Threnody of Johnny Turuko by Jeffery R. DeRego. You can also find it on iTunes. Search for Escape Pod, and download Episode 233. This one is from an ongoing superhero world created by Mr. DeRego, but it's not necessary to listen to what came before to get into this story. I've heard none of the others, and I enjoyed this one with no problems. It's about a group of teenage superheros who have actual powers, but also star in a TV series based on their lives. The main character of this episode is Johnny Turuko, the ladies man of the group. In real life, however, Johnny has a secret he wants no one to know: he's actually gay and in love with his male teammate. This story shows how this secret gets out, and some of the implications it means for Johnny and his team. Give it a listen!
I hope you take the time to check these out. And when you're there, check out the other stories in these great fiction depositories. You won't be disappointed. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
Thursday, June 10, 2010
My Book of Short Stories: Kindle Edition
The Breath of Life and Other Stories (click on the title for the link), my book of short stories, is now available on Amazon as a Kindle Edition. Check it out, and if you choose to buy it, I hope you enjoy it!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Published Book on Smashwords
I published a book of short stories today over at Smashwords.com. The book is called The Breath of Life and Other Stories (click here to see). They are 20 shorts that have been published in that last few years, mostly on various Internet magazines. If you look at which stories are included, you'll find that you can read most of the stories for free by following the links right here on this blog Click here to go to that page--16 of the 20 stories, actually.
So why am I charging 99 cents for stuff you can get largely for free?
For a few reasons. One, there are four stories that are no longer available. Think of it as paying a smidgen less than a U.S. quarter per new story. Two, instead of having to click on numerous links, you can get all 20 stories in one handy spot. Three, for those of you with e-readers, Smashwords supports many different types of files that make it compatible with most devices.
For those of you who download the sample, I only made the first 10% available. This shows the table of contents and much of the first story. Why didn't I make more available for free? Because since so much of it is available for free here at my blog, I really only think the table of contents is necessary. For those people who don't visit my blog, however, the 10% does give a good chunk of the first story, too, to give a bit of my writing style.
I hope you will go check it out. If you don't want to buy the book, I hope you will at least download the sample and check out the stories here on my blog. Again, click here to view my book's page at Smashwords. Let me know what you think!
So why am I charging 99 cents for stuff you can get largely for free?
For a few reasons. One, there are four stories that are no longer available. Think of it as paying a smidgen less than a U.S. quarter per new story. Two, instead of having to click on numerous links, you can get all 20 stories in one handy spot. Three, for those of you with e-readers, Smashwords supports many different types of files that make it compatible with most devices.
For those of you who download the sample, I only made the first 10% available. This shows the table of contents and much of the first story. Why didn't I make more available for free? Because since so much of it is available for free here at my blog, I really only think the table of contents is necessary. For those people who don't visit my blog, however, the 10% does give a good chunk of the first story, too, to give a bit of my writing style.
I hope you will go check it out. If you don't want to buy the book, I hope you will at least download the sample and check out the stories here on my blog. Again, click here to view my book's page at Smashwords. Let me know what you think!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
3 Short Stories
This week I want to bring you another few short stories that I've found online and enjoyed.
The first comes from the November issue of the Absent Willow Review. It's a story entitled The Call, written by Daniel W. Davis. This chilling little tale makes you wonder if it might not be better for some phone calls to actually turn out to be prank calls.
The next comes from Volume 10/37 of Allegory Magazine. It's called Simple Pleasures, written by Molly Campbell. This one asks if dolls can replace loved ones, which the main character believes to be the case.
The last one for this installment is an audio story from the podcast, Podcastle. It is called Scar Stories by Vylar Kaftan. Everything has scars, and these are the stories behind them. You can also find this one on iTunes. It's listed as Podcastle Miniature 18 if you'd rather find it there.
Give these stories a shot. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
The first comes from the November issue of the Absent Willow Review. It's a story entitled The Call, written by Daniel W. Davis. This chilling little tale makes you wonder if it might not be better for some phone calls to actually turn out to be prank calls.
The next comes from Volume 10/37 of Allegory Magazine. It's called Simple Pleasures, written by Molly Campbell. This one asks if dolls can replace loved ones, which the main character believes to be the case.
The last one for this installment is an audio story from the podcast, Podcastle. It is called Scar Stories by Vylar Kaftan. Everything has scars, and these are the stories behind them. You can also find this one on iTunes. It's listed as Podcastle Miniature 18 if you'd rather find it there.
Give these stories a shot. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Newest Published Stories
Posting this week about two new published stories out on the World Wide Web, along with two stories that I thought were lost, but are still floating around cyberspace.
First, my flash fiction story, Scream Time is on the webzine The New Flesh. Check out my story, and then stick around and check out other stories. It's full of great little horror stories.
I also placed 5th in a Halloween writing contest on a Twitter horror-zine called Tweet the Meat. I don't believe there is a link to the story, but I'll just print it here, since it is only 13 words: "She grinned and hummed along with her favorite tune: bonesaw with no anesthesia."
In addition to those two stories, I found two more stories that I thought had floated away to the nether-parts of the web. They're still alive and kicking, though. The first is a horror story called Dagger of the Dread King. The second is a fantasy adventure story entitled Graves of Chance.
I've added all four of these stories to my list of published stories you can read. The link, in case you want to check these and more of my stories out, is on the right side of the screen in the "About Me" section (or just click here). I've recently sent out a bunch more stories to see if I can find homes for them, so hopefully I'll be able to update this more later. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
First, my flash fiction story, Scream Time is on the webzine The New Flesh. Check out my story, and then stick around and check out other stories. It's full of great little horror stories.
I also placed 5th in a Halloween writing contest on a Twitter horror-zine called Tweet the Meat. I don't believe there is a link to the story, but I'll just print it here, since it is only 13 words: "She grinned and hummed along with her favorite tune: bonesaw with no anesthesia."
In addition to those two stories, I found two more stories that I thought had floated away to the nether-parts of the web. They're still alive and kicking, though. The first is a horror story called Dagger of the Dread King. The second is a fantasy adventure story entitled Graves of Chance.
I've added all four of these stories to my list of published stories you can read. The link, in case you want to check these and more of my stories out, is on the right side of the screen in the "About Me" section (or just click here). I've recently sent out a bunch more stories to see if I can find homes for them, so hopefully I'll be able to update this more later. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
3 Short Stories
Here are 3 short stories that I've enjoyed. I hope you enjoy them, too.
The first is called When the First Petal Falls by Sylvia Hiven. This is from the August 15th edition of The Absent Willow Review. It's a story of how a young man's true love sees him only as a friend, but he uses the magic of flowers to change that.
The second story also comes from The Absent Willow Review, this time from the September 15th edition. It is called Precious Blood by Greg Chapman. This one is an interesting take on a vampire story.
The third story is called Sweet Breath by Lenora Farrington-Sarrouf. It comes from the Fall 2009 issue of Allegory Magazine. When you read this one, you won't believe how great that breath mint is!
As is the case when I spotlight these short stories, I don't know these authors or anything about them. I'm not getting anything from the magazines. I simply enjoyed these stories and wanted to share. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
The first is called When the First Petal Falls by Sylvia Hiven. This is from the August 15th edition of The Absent Willow Review. It's a story of how a young man's true love sees him only as a friend, but he uses the magic of flowers to change that.
The second story also comes from The Absent Willow Review, this time from the September 15th edition. It is called Precious Blood by Greg Chapman. This one is an interesting take on a vampire story.
The third story is called Sweet Breath by Lenora Farrington-Sarrouf. It comes from the Fall 2009 issue of Allegory Magazine. When you read this one, you won't believe how great that breath mint is!
As is the case when I spotlight these short stories, I don't know these authors or anything about them. I'm not getting anything from the magazines. I simply enjoyed these stories and wanted to share. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing!
Thursday, September 3, 2009
2 Short Stories
Since my blog post this week was sort of self-serving (sometimes it needs to be done, right?), I figured I'd make a second post this week highlighting a couple of short stories not written by me.
The first is called Nemo and Kafka Balance the Books, and it is from the August 15, 2009 issue of The Absent Willow Review. It is a strange tale of bureaucracy where people are scheduled to die. If they don't meet their appointed time, someone else is chosen to die for them. Nemo must save a young child when an old man can't figure out a way to meet his end.
The next comes from the podcast Pseudopod. It is called Front Row Seats by Scott William Carter. It is about a recently widowed man who finds movies to be a great escape from his pain. That is until he notices a strange old man who visits many of the same movies as him. You can also download this one on iTunes. It's listed as Pseudopod #107.
The first is called Nemo and Kafka Balance the Books, and it is from the August 15, 2009 issue of The Absent Willow Review. It is a strange tale of bureaucracy where people are scheduled to die. If they don't meet their appointed time, someone else is chosen to die for them. Nemo must save a young child when an old man can't figure out a way to meet his end.
The next comes from the podcast Pseudopod. It is called Front Row Seats by Scott William Carter. It is about a recently widowed man who finds movies to be a great escape from his pain. That is until he notices a strange old man who visits many of the same movies as him. You can also download this one on iTunes. It's listed as Pseudopod #107.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
My List of Published Stories
I decided, in honor of my short story which was published earlier this week, I'd create a blog post this week to showcase my writing. More specifically, a post that lists all of my published work that can be found online. I hope you enjoy looking through these stories, and I would love to read your comments on one or more of them. Enjoy!
(I have plenty of others which have been published online, but the places they were published - be it the page to the story itself or the online 'zine - no longer exist.)
The Girl on the Wall: This is from the webzine, The Were-Traveler. This issue's title was The Realms of Death, so you can probably guess death was the theme of the issue, and my story, obviously.
Reese Copy Company : This is from the website thewifiles.com. It's a ghostly horror story about a man who has a strange run-in with a copy machine in an abandoned warehouse.
Special Order : This one is available in the Fantasy section of the e-zine short-story.me. It's a modern fantasy/horror tale that takes place in a restaurant that offers unique menu items.
Weeds and Dead Flowers : This one appeared on the website, Escape into Life in April 2011. It's a horror story about a woman finding three young girls in a local graveyard.
The Highest Stakes (Find the Audio Version here) : This one won a writing challenge posted to me by Neil Colquhoun. He challenged me to write a story about all of the numbers on a roulette wheel adding up to 666. He wrote one, too, and put up a poll for people to vote. My story won, and Neil rewarded me by podcasting it. Give it a listen. Neil did a great job with the read!
Twelve Drummers Drumming : This appeared on Christmas Day in the online anthology, 12 Days 2010. This story shows how Santa recruits his elves.
The Clown Killer : This one appeared as the Halloween Day post of the 13 Days of Horror, the 13th story. An amateur ghost hunter eggs on a dangerous ghost...with disastrous consequences.
The Eye : This one appeared in the Special Halloween edition of Dark Movements. Something weird is going on in the house across the street. The problem is no one believes it but him.
Trapped Under Ice : This one is on the Tuesday, July 20th blog post of At the Bijou. It at first appears to be just a horrible bit of bad luck, but you'll have to read through to the end to see if it stays that way.
Fast Food Zombies : This one appears in the March 2010 issue of Aphelion Magazine. Just as the title suggests, it's about humongous zombies who terrorize fast food joints, and one college students adventure in escaping an attack.
The Pit : This St. Patrick's Day horror story is available in the UnLuck of the Irish Anthology on page 18. It's a short story about a man who's trapped after chasing something--something he doesn't even know about.
Between the Strobes : This flash fiction story is in Deadly Love, Be Mine Valentine's Day Anthology on page 20. It's different from my other stories in that I wrote it in 2nd person POV. I normally don't like to write in this style because I don't usually like to read 2nd person stories. It worked for this one, though, and I hope you agree with me.
The Bird : This flash fiction story was published in the January 5th edition of The New Flesh. It's a horror story about a very strange bird who terrorizes a mother and her daughter. Or does it?
Scream Time : This flash fiction horror story was published in the ezine, The New Flesh. It's a horror story about how a newly-reinstated tradition at a college goes terribly wrong for one girl.
Find the Flag : This comes from Dark Fire Fiction. It's a horror story about a group of teen age boys who play a capture the flag type game in an abandoned mansion.
Three Seconds : This one is a young adult story about the last few seconds of a high school football game. It's special because it's a podcast story, so you'll need speakers to "read" it. If you'd prefer to listen to it on iTunes, search "YA Literature Review" and download "Story Corner: Three Seconds." One funny thing about this piece is that the name I give the main character's school was a made up high school when I wrote it, but it became an actual one this year. Funny coincidence!
Village of the Dragons : This one is pure fantasy. It has a bard, a wizard, a dragon, and a young boy who learns he has magical powers, all set in a fantasy setting. I'm proud of all my stories, but I really like this one.
Red Rose on White : This is probably the only story I've had published that you could classify as "mainstream" or "contemporary" or whatever non-genre label you want to put on it. It's a simple story about a quilt square. And imagination.
Children of the Mall : This one is a ghost story. I wrote it to just be a goofy little story, more comedy than horrific events, but I suppose if you really look at the characters it is a pretty depressing story. I had fun writing this one. I guess that speaks volumes about me, huh?
The Door to Nothing : This one never says what genre it belongs to, just that it is a work of speculative fiction. You can decide for yourself whether it is fantasy, science fiction, or something else. I enjoy writing stories that, while they have a beginning, middle, and end (at least I hope), are very ambiguous and let the reader decide for themselves what is going on. I make sure when I write such stories they are very short, like this one, because it's not fair to make a reader comb through thousands of words to end up with ambiguity. With a quick story (usually referred to as flash fiction), though, I think it's fun.
1-800-FUN-TALK : This comes from the February 2008 issue of Down in the Dirt. This one is a horror story about a woman who tries a party line for the first time.
Battle Scars : This comes from the November 2007 issue of Down in the Dirt. It is a science fiction tale about a clone with a soul all his own.
Soul Traveler : This comes from the January 2007 issue of Down in the Dirt. It's about a man who is given a chance to explore the universe, but he must give up his life on Earth.
I also placed 5th in a Halloween writing contest on a Twitter horror-zine called Tweet the Meat. I don't believe there is a link to the story, but I'll just print it here, since it is only 13 words: "She grinned and hummed along with her favorite tune: bonesaw with no anesthesia."
There you go. I do have a number of others that have been published, but one is in a print magazine, and the others no longer exists online. I hope you enjoy reading through these stories that are still available, and please leave me some comments. I'd love to hear what you think. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
(I have plenty of others which have been published online, but the places they were published - be it the page to the story itself or the online 'zine - no longer exist.)
The Girl on the Wall: This is from the webzine, The Were-Traveler. This issue's title was The Realms of Death, so you can probably guess death was the theme of the issue, and my story, obviously.
Reese Copy Company : This is from the website thewifiles.com. It's a ghostly horror story about a man who has a strange run-in with a copy machine in an abandoned warehouse.
Special Order : This one is available in the Fantasy section of the e-zine short-story.me. It's a modern fantasy/horror tale that takes place in a restaurant that offers unique menu items.
Weeds and Dead Flowers : This one appeared on the website, Escape into Life in April 2011. It's a horror story about a woman finding three young girls in a local graveyard.
The Highest Stakes (Find the Audio Version here) : This one won a writing challenge posted to me by Neil Colquhoun. He challenged me to write a story about all of the numbers on a roulette wheel adding up to 666. He wrote one, too, and put up a poll for people to vote. My story won, and Neil rewarded me by podcasting it. Give it a listen. Neil did a great job with the read!
Twelve Drummers Drumming : This appeared on Christmas Day in the online anthology, 12 Days 2010. This story shows how Santa recruits his elves.
The Clown Killer : This one appeared as the Halloween Day post of the 13 Days of Horror, the 13th story. An amateur ghost hunter eggs on a dangerous ghost...with disastrous consequences.
The Eye : This one appeared in the Special Halloween edition of Dark Movements. Something weird is going on in the house across the street. The problem is no one believes it but him.
Trapped Under Ice : This one is on the Tuesday, July 20th blog post of At the Bijou. It at first appears to be just a horrible bit of bad luck, but you'll have to read through to the end to see if it stays that way.
Fast Food Zombies : This one appears in the March 2010 issue of Aphelion Magazine. Just as the title suggests, it's about humongous zombies who terrorize fast food joints, and one college students adventure in escaping an attack.
The Pit : This St. Patrick's Day horror story is available in the UnLuck of the Irish Anthology on page 18. It's a short story about a man who's trapped after chasing something--something he doesn't even know about.
Between the Strobes : This flash fiction story is in Deadly Love, Be Mine Valentine's Day Anthology on page 20. It's different from my other stories in that I wrote it in 2nd person POV. I normally don't like to write in this style because I don't usually like to read 2nd person stories. It worked for this one, though, and I hope you agree with me.
The Bird : This flash fiction story was published in the January 5th edition of The New Flesh. It's a horror story about a very strange bird who terrorizes a mother and her daughter. Or does it?
Scream Time : This flash fiction horror story was published in the ezine, The New Flesh. It's a horror story about how a newly-reinstated tradition at a college goes terribly wrong for one girl.
Find the Flag : This comes from Dark Fire Fiction. It's a horror story about a group of teen age boys who play a capture the flag type game in an abandoned mansion.
Three Seconds : This one is a young adult story about the last few seconds of a high school football game. It's special because it's a podcast story, so you'll need speakers to "read" it. If you'd prefer to listen to it on iTunes, search "YA Literature Review" and download "Story Corner: Three Seconds." One funny thing about this piece is that the name I give the main character's school was a made up high school when I wrote it, but it became an actual one this year. Funny coincidence!
Village of the Dragons : This one is pure fantasy. It has a bard, a wizard, a dragon, and a young boy who learns he has magical powers, all set in a fantasy setting. I'm proud of all my stories, but I really like this one.
Red Rose on White : This is probably the only story I've had published that you could classify as "mainstream" or "contemporary" or whatever non-genre label you want to put on it. It's a simple story about a quilt square. And imagination.
Children of the Mall : This one is a ghost story. I wrote it to just be a goofy little story, more comedy than horrific events, but I suppose if you really look at the characters it is a pretty depressing story. I had fun writing this one. I guess that speaks volumes about me, huh?
The Door to Nothing : This one never says what genre it belongs to, just that it is a work of speculative fiction. You can decide for yourself whether it is fantasy, science fiction, or something else. I enjoy writing stories that, while they have a beginning, middle, and end (at least I hope), are very ambiguous and let the reader decide for themselves what is going on. I make sure when I write such stories they are very short, like this one, because it's not fair to make a reader comb through thousands of words to end up with ambiguity. With a quick story (usually referred to as flash fiction), though, I think it's fun.
1-800-FUN-TALK : This comes from the February 2008 issue of Down in the Dirt. This one is a horror story about a woman who tries a party line for the first time.
Battle Scars : This comes from the November 2007 issue of Down in the Dirt. It is a science fiction tale about a clone with a soul all his own.
Soul Traveler : This comes from the January 2007 issue of Down in the Dirt. It's about a man who is given a chance to explore the universe, but he must give up his life on Earth.
I also placed 5th in a Halloween writing contest on a Twitter horror-zine called Tweet the Meat. I don't believe there is a link to the story, but I'll just print it here, since it is only 13 words: "She grinned and hummed along with her favorite tune: bonesaw with no anesthesia."
There you go. I do have a number of others that have been published, but one is in a print magazine, and the others no longer exists online. I hope you enjoy reading through these stories that are still available, and please leave me some comments. I'd love to hear what you think. Until next time, keep reading and/or writing.
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