Special Announcement: Monthly Story Releases for Newsletter Subscribers
For you, dear readers, I am releasing special eBooks and audiobooks of my short fiction regularly and exclusively for my newsletter subscribers. I’m attempting monthly releases, and have so far made good on that. I started in April with my flash fiction story, The Dragon of Dalhart.
The stories will be an eclectic mix of fantasy, science fiction, and other speculative fiction (often with an alternate history bent and some humorous moments).
What makes these releases special? While many of the stories will be/have been available in other compilations, like my Flashing Lights: Short and Weird series originally published on Amazon Kindle Vella, these releases include About the Story afterwards and previously unavailable audiobook editions. And new stories are added all the time. Newsletter subscribers get them for the price of a mouse click.
Depending on your reading interests, not all stories will fit your preferences. But I promise each story will be my best attempt at telling an interesting and entertaining story. Each release announcement will include a description that should let you know whether the story concept will interest you. And since each is a 10-20 minute read, you won’t need to invest much time to try ones at the fringes.
How to Sign Up
You can subscribe to the newsletter here on the website or you can click on a story that interests you below. The link will take you directly to the story download and require an email address to get the download.
Limited Time for Each Story
Most stories are available for a limited time (2 months), so sign up now to make sure you get them all.
What’s Available?
Let’s take a quick look at the stories released to date.
The Dragon of Dalhart: A Dust Bowl Tale
(Available April 5 – July 5)
The Dragon of Dalhart: A Dust Bowl Tale is based on the catastrophic windstorm of April 14, 1935. The day known as “Black Sunday” became iconic of the “Dust Bowl Days,” or the “Dirty Thirties,” memorialized in The Grapes of Wrath (1939) by John Steinbeck. So, it seemed perfect for an April “anniversary” release. Besides, Lori and I visited Dalhart just a few weeks ago and had to flee south to dodge a horrible windstorm called a “derecho” in the region.
As speculative fiction, The Dragon of Dalhart is not typical of the other stories in the series, but the writing and storytelling is exemplary of my style in any genre. And, I couldn’t resist releasing this story in April, in memorial of the historical event.
In The Dragon of Dalhart, I weave a young girl’s experience in the storm with a modern fairy tale.
Strangely, the Titanic sank on April 14, 1912. Is there a connection? What else has happened on that day in history? Sounds like a story…
Souls at Sea: A Bermuda Training Voyage
(Available May 25 – July 25)
In January, 1880, HMS Atalanta set out for Falmouth, England from Bermuda. With a crew of nearly three hundred mostly seasick lads and too few officers to train them, Captain Stirling didn’t like his chances of reaching their destination in the cranky old vessel.
HMS Atalanta never arrived in Falmouth, and its wreckage was never positively identified. The disappearance became an early addition to Bermuda Triangle lore.
Be sure to read the bookend story, released together, Derelict in Space: Suspicious Survey (below). I call the two flash fiction stories (about 1000 words each) “bookends” because together they tell one overall story with a time gap in the middle. They are probably best enjoyed in chronological order.
Derelict in Space: Suspicious Survey
(Available May 25 – July 25)
As Captain Stirling and her crew survey the Oort Cloud for mining opportunities, they find an unlikely derelict ship almost two light years from Earth.
Could it be an illusion? A trap? Both?
There’s plenty of starship bridge banter while the crew investigates and speculates.
Perhaps there’s a plausible explanation that only Captain Stirling could understand.
Be sure to read the bookend story, released together, Souls at Sea: A Bermuda Training Voyage (above). I call the two flash fiction stories (about 1000 words each) “bookends” because together they tell one overall story with a time gap in the middle. They are probably best enjoyed in chronological order.
Christmas Angel
(available annually, Thanksgiving through January)
For the first Christmas in forever, my treetop Angel didn’t fall over after I was done decorating and put the ladder away. Then my holiday plans took a weird turn. Then another… and another…
At just over 1000 words, Christmas Angel is flash (family) fiction to brighten your holidays.
Sign up now to receive this holiday gift just when you could use a little holiday cheer.
What I Get Out of this Deal
Your downloads and feedback for each story help me understand the types of stories you enjoy most. So, please don’t hesitate to comment or email even if you don’t like a particular story. Subscriber feedback about the Christmas Angel audiobook compelled me to include audiobook editions with each release. I’m not only listening, I’m trying to meet your wishes. So, sign up for the newsletter, download your free stories, and keep the feedback coming.