I don’t write many short stories, I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because I think writing a short story is like trying to fit someone’s entire life on the back of a used napkin. It takes expertise and, I suppose, a certain knack in not doing too many spelling mistakes or inkblots. That doesn’t mean, however, I haven’t managed to be creative in the short format, I have.
What I have manage to finish so far, is listed here.
CODY’S DREAM — Supernatural Romance
When you’re dead, it’s hard to know what’s real and what’s not. So when Amelia Chirac finds herself in someone else’s dream of heaven, she has to wonder about life after death.
“A GENTLE BREEZE caressed and tossed light brown curls, as a lover might. Amelia Chirac was blissfully unaware of that fact. Unaware of where she was and more, who she was. She stood quite still—stooped over—head bowed. An expanse of neck exposed to the heat of the midday sun, which beat down on her from a clear blue sky. All her concentration appeared focused on a pair of dainty bare feet but the truth was, her unfocused eyes saw nothing.”
READ EXCERPT
THE BEE CHARMER — SF
Amid a witch-hunt being conducted by her nemesis, Admiral Cairns (who would see her a latter-day Joan of Arc, burnt at the stake) Fleet Captain Helena ‘Hel’ Blackthorn finds that a chance encounter with the Bee Charmer is more than it appears, in more ways than one.
“THE FIRST TIME Fleet Captain Helena (Hel) Blackthorn saw the Bee Charmer was in the park of the fountains. Blackthorn sat, as she nearly always did, at the top end away from the main concourse. Her chosen spot the fountain where water cascaded from an urn held between the breasts of a mermaid with an enigmatic smile.”
SOULMATE — Romance
Looking for love isn’t easy especially when you are convinced there is that special someone, somewhere, waiting for you. So when Kate Mackenzie sees an ad in her favourite newspaper, she’s hooked and has to find out more.
“THE AIR WAS decidedly damp rather than chilly as Kate Mackenzie stepped off the back end of the big red double-decker bus. Which was nothing unusual for an average winter’s day here in London. If it snowed in the heart of the city you knew the rest of the country was in dire straights.”
READ EXCERPT
OBITUARY — Urban Fantasy
This ultra short piece of flash fiction was inspired by something I read and an idea that we could code the ‘Law’ into people’s genes and DNA. Read more »
FINLEY’S LAST CHAPTER — SF
The ‘Uglies’ have arrived, invading aliens hell bent on taking over earth and on the absolute destruction of the human race. But small groups of resistance fighters struggle on, against all odds, trying to turn the tide and who knows, maybe win. Available, 2010, in The Last Man Anthology Ed. Hunter Ligoure, Sword & Saga Press.
TWIST OF FATE — Supernatural
When She looked at me and began twisting the threads, I was dumbfounded, She really was going to do it. I couldn’t believe it. Not now, please, I still have three books half finished and three others already in outline mode. It isn’t fair I wanted to scream at her, knowing, of course, it would not make the slightest bit of difference. Read more »
THE DARK — Supernatural
There was no light. That was precious knowledge. The realisation of which had cost her more than she would have thought possible. If she had but known. Everything needs a context. And for the darkness to mean anything there had to have been a memory of light. The memory was fading fast. Read more »
JEHANNE D’ARC — SF
She felt a bead of sweat trickle down her back, while others formed ready to soak her shirt beneath her encounter suit. The overwhelming urge was to scratch the irritation of carbon leaching out from the suit, but she couldn’t. Couldn’t primarily because of the overly large rubber gloves covering her hands, hands which rested lightly either side of the communications rig, waiting. Waiting for a signal. A word. Anything that would tell her what was happening in her own little sphere of the war. Read more »
The Crew
All ‘hail’ to my Beta Readers & Editors. Without whom I’d be in an unedited mess at all times. Thanks to them, I’m some what semi-literate. All mistakes, errors and omissions are, however, all mine and mine alone.
» Karen Sloan — Associated Press, Foreign Editor (Online Content)
» Susan H. Taylor — Editor (ex-HarperCollins)
» Mark J. Howard — Author & Artist
» Lisa D-D — Computer Wiz, Niece & Nitpicker
