“Something Borrowed” published by Rising Action Review

My humorous vignette Something Borrowed has been published by Rising Action Review. It’s the story of a wedding disrupted by an unfortunate disagreement about the ownership of the limousine.

“Under no circumstances are you to discuss what happened here today with anyone but people in the immediate family,” my mother said. She used the collar of her gown to dab the blood oozing from her busted lip. “This stays between us, understand?” The assembled wedding party nodded solemnly. Aunt Gracie picked another shard of a shattered champagne flute from my mom’s scalp. My mom winced in pain. “Careful, Gracie!” she hissed. “Christ.”

“Firefly” published by The ManifestStation

My short story Firefly has been published by The ManifestStation. It’s a simple story about a young girl who captures a firefly in the back yard to help cheer up her ailing sister. 

Content warning: terminal illness of a child

Missy caught the firefly in mid-air, cupping her hands around it to form a tiny, dark cave. She could feel the insect’s delicate footsteps tickling her skin as it wandered across her palm, searching for a way out.

“Got you!” she whispered, victorious.

“Pop’s Time Machine” published in Drip Literary Magazine

My sci-fi flash fiction story Pop’s Time Machine has been published in Issue #4 of Drip Literary Magazine. It’s the story of a boy whose father insists he has a time machine in his head.

When I was eleven years old, I told my dad I wanted to invent a time machine. He told me he already had one. I asked him where it was.

“Right here,” he said. He tapped his forehead and smiled. “All I have to do is close my eyes, and I can travel back in time as far as I want.”

“Just What I Want” published by The Stygian Lepus

My dark sci-fi story Just What I Want is now free to read in Issue 9 of The Stygian Lepus. It’s a story about what happens when your digital personal assistant understands you so well that it starts doing things for you before you even ask.

Amy examined the shipping label. It was addressed to her. “Never mind!” she yelled back. She carried the package into the kitchen and opened it. Her eyes lit up. “Clara, did you order this for me?”

Blue LEDs flickered on a featureless black cube hovering over the kitchen counter. Tiny gray text on the front edge identified it as CLARA: Completely Lifelike Autonomous Robot Assistant. A woman’s voice emanated from within.

“I thought you’d like it.”

“Things Are Looking Up” published by 7th-Circle Pyrite

My short horror story Things Are Looking Up has been published by 7th-Circle Pyrite. After a man and his wife are in a fatal car accident, the man decides he will do anything to see his wife one more time.

She’s so close, I can practically touch her. The only thing between us is a few feet of freshly-turned earth.

All I have to do is dig.

“One Last Step” published in Dark Matter Magazine

My post-apocalyptic horror story One Last Step has been published in the Halloween Special Edition of Dark Matter Magazine. It’s a story about a little girl stalked by an unseen shadow-thing across a post-apocalyptic landscape.

“Will it hurt?” I watched my father roll the sewing needle between his fingers, its tip glowing orange-red in the heat of the flame. My eyes welled with tears.

“Just a little,” he replied.

Listen to “Uncle Pumpkin’s Tongue” on The NoSleep Podcast

The audio production of my horror story Uncle Pumpkin’s Tongue has been released on S20E5 of The NoSleep Podcast. It’s the story of a Halloween carnival ride with a sinister secret. 

The story starts around 19:05.

Content warning: sexual harassment