New Story at Fiction 365

The Great Escape - drama - 583 words - at Fiction 365
It didn't satisfy his daughter. She wanted more. Always did.

New story at The Cynic Online

Speeding Toward Enlightenment - crime drama - 1,138 words - at The Cynic Online
I love my sister and I want to help her, but she doesn't make it easy.

Recs Round Up #2

Stories I have enjoyed recently:

Tight Little Stitches in a Dead Man's Back by Joe R Lansdale - currently free for Kindle at Amazon
I love post-apoc stories, and this is a wonderfully visceral, brutal version with lashings of crunchy survivor guilt and some highly unusual zombies.

New Skin by Peter Kispert at Word Riot
Sharp flash that's a lovely depiction of refracted grief.

Taking Care of Ma by Lee Hallison at Daily Science Fiction
Great story about wariness around technology, with an adorable robot 'character' and an absolutely killer last line.

The Magnificent Rife Machine by R D Kuensting at Eunoia Review
I like unusual format, and this sad story about a potential miracle cure makes good use of news clippings, emails and blog entries as well as traditional narrative.

Requiem in the Key of Prose by Jake Kerr at Lightspeed
Another story in an unusual format, this one using the structures and styles of fiction itself. A full story with plot, worldbuilding and emotional resonance, told using the hint and snapshot technique that gives good flash its impact. A treat for readers and writers alike.

New flash at The Journal of Microliterature

New flash up today at The Journal of Microliterature, another great site:

Toil and Trouble - 606 words - humour. Sometimes, magic isn't the easy way out...

New flash at the Pygmy Giant

New flash piece up at The Pgymy Giant - a great little site, UK-centric. Some real gems there.

Damnable Behaviour - drama - 200 words

New story at Flash Fiction Offensive

Flash Fiction Offensive is a brilliant site. I have a new flash up there today:

Stop Me if You've Heard This Before - crime - 410 words.
Sally's determined to make it as a stand-up comedian, even if it kills her. Or anyone else...

Recs Round Up

Some stories I've read and enjoyed this week:

The Poinsettia by L. Lambert Lawson at Every Day Fiction.
A woman gets an unexpected lover, pot plant and life advice in this great flash. What I loved most about it is the confident weirdness of the writing; this is a story that's totally comfortable in its own skin.

The Long Con by Megan. R. Engelhardt and Frog/Prince by Melissa Mead, at Daily Science Fiction.
I enjoy remixed fairy tales, and these are a couple of excellent examples. The first has a wonderful psychologically logical core, and the second is a touching and beautfully played out backstory.

Out of Thin Air by Kathryn Netzel at Eunoia Review.
I'm not a massive fan of second person POV, as I don't find it a natural method of storytelling. For this, however, with its self-reflective, journalling style, it works perfectly. A raw, emotional piece.

Zombie vs Ninja by Lee Williams at Smokelong Quarterly.
I just love this. Gorgeous, captivating snapshot of a dysfunctional bromance played out against the backdrop of a disintegrating society. Original and surreal.

New story at Hogglepot

I have a new story up now at Hogglepot this week, A Cat May Look at a Queen - fantasy - 683 words

New story at Bent Masses

I have a new post-apocalyptic story up today, What We Leave Behind at Bent Masses - 587 words - horror

New story at MicroHorror

I have a new drabble out today at one of my favourite sites, MicroHorror: Deep - horror - 100 words

New Story at Long Story Short

I have a new flash up at Long Story Short today - In the Eternal Hope of Finding Treasure - drama, 391 words.

New story at Flash Fiction World

I have a new flash up now, Communicaton Skills (250 words) at Flash Fiction World. This is a nifty site!

W1S1 Writing Stats - March 2012

Total new pieces written: 29 (11,505 words)

• Flashes under 500 words:  20
• Flashes over 500 words:  6
• Short stories: 3

Total submissions:  13

• New: 9
• Resubs:  4

Acceptances:  4

• Bring It On at Shotgun Honey – crime  - 383 words
• They Do Things Better at Albuquerque by Infective Ink  - drama - 1,559 words
• Still Life at Fractured West  - drama - 300 words
• A Cat May Look At a Queen at Hogglepot - fantasy - 683 words

Rejections:  11

Publications:  3

• Bring It On at Shotgun Honey
• They Do Things Better in Albuquerque at  Infective Ink
• An Object Lesson in Misanthropy at Untied Shoelaces of the Mind

Pending responses: 16

 

 

 

 

New story at Untied Shoelaces of the Mind

I have a Sci-Fi flash (912 words), 'An Object Lesson in Misanthropy' at Untied Shoelaces of the Mind today. This is both a paid sale and one of my favourite online zines, so I am well chuffed :-)

Review: Don't Cry

Don't Cry by Beverly Barton

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I found this quite a breezy, light read -- as far as a story about a serial killer who poses his victims with toddler skeletons can be. The focus is more on the mystery than the romance, which suited me, since I didn't find the relationship particularly convincing or particularly interesting. I didn't take to Audrey much, and her 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much' sniping at JD frequently irritated me. I also found her instant (and unprofessional) bonding with his wayward daughter a bit implausible.

The plot wraps up nicely, and although there are some characterisation threads left hanging--the source of Wayne Sherrod's antipathy towards his daughter, for example--I imagine these are developed further in the sequel so it didn't bother me unduly.



View all my reviews

New stories at Infective Ink and Shotgun Honey

I have a couple of crime/murder stories up at two wonderful sites, today:

They Do Things Better in Albuquerque (1,559 words) at Infective Ink, and

Bring It On (383 words) at Shotgun Honey

Writing Stats - Feb 2012

Total new pieces written: 30 (13,276 words)

• Flashes under 500 words: 21
• Flashes over 500 words: 5
• Short stories: 4

Total submissions: 28

• New: 18
• Resubs: 10

Acceptances: 4

• Reparations by Linguistic Erosion - drama - 543 words
• Grandpa by Postcard Shorts - drama - 200 words
• Precious Things by MicroHorror - horror - 100 words
• Dear Ingrid by Twisted Dreams Magazine - horror - 1,000 words

Rejections: 12

Publications: 4

Reparations at Linguistic Erosion

Grandpa at Postcard Shorts

Precious Things at MicroHorror

The Fine Art of Fortune Telling (2011) in Orbital Hearts anthology

Pending responses: 16

Woo!

Story Rec: Languaging at Every Day Fiction

Great story posted today at EDF - Languaging by Jessica George

My comment:

This is *fantastic*. Loved it to pieces. Creepy as hell, with a dystopian vibe that reminded me of The Handmaid’s Tale. Like #10, I thought there was a lot being suggested about the silencing of women’s voices. But for all that, the MC was an engaging and sympathetic character (and equally, so were Bekah and Henri, even though they oppose/don’t appear!)

The prose and descriptive details were lush and sensuous, contrasting and complementing the cold, harsh and restrictive world they painted.

Five star fabulous, and one of my favourite stories to date. 

Read: The Irrisistble Inheritance of Wilberforce

The Irresistible Inheritance Of Wilberforce by Paul Torday
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I found this almost unbearably sad. The reverse timeline was fascinating to me, as my assumptions about Wilberforce and his backstory were deconstructed. Wilberforce himself wasn't a traditionally sympathetic character but I found him equally fascinating. As his life and that of those around him implodes in slow motion, it's a compelling and tragic read. This is the 4th Paul Torday book I've read and cements him as one of my favourite authors.

View all my reviews

New Story at Postcard Shorts

I have a mini-flash up now at Postcard Shorts: Grandpa (200 words)