Short Fiction

Michael McLaughlin continues to unveil the secrets of a successful retirement in Lake Chapala, Mexico.

The Agency wants to investigate Lucy Jade, because everyone knows that it's just not right for a young girl to see ghosts. And her parents want Lucy investigated too, because they know that seeing ghosts is not normal. "Cure her," they say, "and stop her from writing those awful stories." Can they be both wrong and right?

Win every bet? Make money hand over fist? Sounds good to some of the Jennan Clan, and they don't want to give up the opportunity, even to the point of war ...

Sand and Bernie zoom to the theater to see The Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, and eat tons of popcorn -- and clap at the end.

Getting off the highway and onto to streets isn't always enough. Sometimes, if you want to do something special, you have to be in the right place at the right time.

When an alliance of clashing colors becomes a game of chance, and a betrothal turns out to be a bad deal, you can be sure that no one -- no one -- is going to be a winner.

If you're hot and thirsty, the best thing in the world is a glass of ice water. If you're stranded in the snow, you'd just as soon be having your eyebrows scorched off at the seat next to the fireplace.

Fat, dumb and happy? Aser and Danner get it their way, right away, and it ain't over 'til the dwarf in the coconut bra dances the hula...

Sand and Bernie return to their favorite movie theater, settle into rocking stadium seats with lots of popcorn to see Pirates 3 -- and end up avoiding looking at excessive crabs.

Yet another time that a war was begun over a lovely woman ... but this time the war will end with a defeat, even though Bert will call it "a truce."

"Flower clairsentience," it's called, or "flower reading." Vampire writer Lydia Manx takes us with her to a friend's flower reading party. No one bothered to tell the medium there was a writer in the room, not even the spirits.

The nature photographer knows the importance of getting close to his subject in order to obtain the clearest, most natural picture. And it follows that the photographer must be a veritable genius at disguising himself and his equipment to be a success ...

It's the ever-popular question: "Why me?"

Marion Robert Morrison was born in Winterset, Iowa, in 1907. At the time, no one knew he would grow up to be an icon of the American West -- John Wayne.

Creatures of the supernatural who thirst for blood and emotional fears have taken a shine to Jenny, and the Wild West is about to get a bit Wilder...

Riding along behind a herd of cattle, the dust coating your hat and your sun-weathered face, you get a sense of how little stocks and bonds matter. It's the sky, and the movement of the earth beneath your horse's hooves that matter, and how they let your heart fill all that space that gives your life a meaning ...

The voices are always there. Jack has tried to drown them out with medication and mutilation, but they call to him, and sometimes, he can't resist going to see if he can help them ...

Ase Ur-Jennan receives a letter asking for help, and remembers an incident in the woods ...

Sand and Bernie go to the movies and giggle madly at "Shrek the Third."

Sometimes things only work if the boss believes they will work -- and if the boss is determined to believe they did work!

Moving to Lincoln Heights was a compromise, at best. I was born and raised in the city. I liked the convenience of having dozens of small stores all within walking distance. Mina had lived most of her life in a gated community; the sort of place where you needed a six-figure income and a relative in politics to even apply for residence. To her, I lived in a ghetto; to me, she lived in a police state. There were truths to both opposing opinions neither of us wanted to admit.

What are you willing to give up in order to do what you want? Will you sacrifice your time? Your morals? Your money?

Cloudraft the Wizard is eager to begin his vacation -- and my, won't he love to meet new people at the Nudist's Faire. Who knows, maybe he'll meet the broad and greasy sisters Knifeheart, Thiefheart, and Wolfheart ...</

It's disgusting to see someone's ear bitten off, but you had darn well better watch what you have to say about it afterwards!

The nightmares are never going to go away, Harry. Is it the lonely nature of your vampire life, or the memories of what might have been from when you were still human?

Aser and Danner manage to unload some cash, score some authentic minestrone, and meet a wizard and a griffin.

He was everywhere; she could not escape him. Then she found her fortune and knew what she had to do. Short fiction based on the Fever Dreams comic.

All spring we wait for the celebrations of May Day, the music, the dance, the celebration of our community ...

Have you ever wandered around an art show and tried to figure out the rationale of the judges? Have you ever made a work of art so wonderful you were sure you deserved a prize?

There are treasures and wonders to be found in the magical forests -- but you don't have to get greedy and mean about them ... !