Menagerie, by Joan Hall

I’m really excited to have Joan Hall visit today. She’s branched out into short fiction and published her book of 13 short stories, and even published on Friday the 13th. That’s something I’ve done before, and I think it’s cool.

Joan is a long-time author friend and one of my collaborators over at Story Empire. I’ve read a bunch of her books and recommend them without fail. I’m sure Menagerie is wonderful and will be reading it myself.

Make Joan feel welcome everyone, and please use those sharing buttons before you leave. I can almost bet she’s done it for most of you.

***

Thanks so much, Craig, for opening up your sight to me today for the eighth stop of the Menagerie tour. The book is a mixed-genre compilation of thirteen short stories. Each stop features a different story where I tell what inspired me to write it. Today, I’ll talk about the idea behind Storm Rider.

In the early 1980s, I read a book titled A Walk Across America.It’s the true story of a young man named Peter Jenkins who became disillusioned with life and set out on a journey accompanied by his dog, Cooper. During his journey, Jenkins met and lived with several people, often taking temporary jobs to help pay for his trip.

Even though many years have passed since reading the book, it’s one of those stories that stayed with me. Fast forward to last summer when I envisioned a truck driver sitting at a roadside diner and had an “unusual” talk with another customer. I won’t say what was so mysterious about the second encounter because that would give away the story.

I changed things up a bit from that original idea. Mike Travis is a young man who, like Peter Jenkins, was a bit dejected with life. Instead of following his father’s wishes to return to college for his master’s degree, Mike decides to walk across country. One evening, he’s on a lonely stretch of a desert highway when a violent thunderstorm approaches. It so happens a truck driver, Ray Crawford stops to give Mike a ride.

During the trip, Mike tells Ray part of his story and receives some sage advice. After traveling over seventy miles together, Ray drops Mike off at a roadside diner. It’s there where Mike discovers something interesting about Ray.

Part of this story was also inspired by a journey my brother took during the summer of 1977. He traveled by ten-speed bike from San Antonio, Texas to Moab, Utah. As you can imagine, he met lots of interesting people and had a few stories of his own to share.

Storm Rider is set during the summer of 1978. A few other stories in this collection are set during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s—what I call simpler times.

Below is an excerpt.

 

 

 

 

 

Excerpt:

The fresh scent of rain hitting the ground emanated from the parched desert. Mike’s biggest concern was lightning. He considered a culvert or a drainage ditch, but with the rain falling at this rate, the probability of flash flooding was high. He prayed the lightning didn’t strike nearby.

Your wanderlust will get you into trouble someday.

His father’s voice echoed in his head. Hopefully, his words weren’t prophetic.

Times like this made Mike question his choice of walking across the country. He could have purchased a used van by dipping into his savings. The trip would have been easier, but his expenses would have been greater. He wasn’t about to accept any money from his father. Not that Robert Travis would offer any unless it was for a plane ticket home and a promise to return to college.

The clouds darkened the early evening sky, making it appear much later. As he continued toward the valley, the rumble of an approaching vehicle—likely a bus or an eighteen-wheeler—sounded from behind him. A curtain of light cascaded over the road when the semi crested the small ridge. Mike moved toward the shoulder, so the truck could pass, but it slowed to a stop just ahead of him.

Taking it as a sign the driver intended to give him a lift, Mike rushed to the passenger side, then opened the door.

“Where are you headed?” The trucker was a man of around sixty years of age with a waistline indicative of someone who spent a lot of time sitting.

“Eventually, Arizona. Tonight, the next town.”

“Climb in.”

Blurb:

King’s. The Tower of London. Glass. What do these have in common?

Each is a famous menagerie.

While this Menagerie doesn’t focus on exotic animals, it does contain a collection of stories that explore various trials people face and how their reactions shape their worlds.

Survivors of a haunted bridge. Women who wait while their husbands fight a war. Former partners reuniting to solve a cold-case murder.

These are just three of the thirteen stories in this compendium, encompassing past and present, natural and supernatural, legend and reality. The genres and timelines are varied, but there’s a little something for everyone who enjoys reading about simpler times and small-town life.

Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/jh-menagerie

About the Author

Social Media Links

Website | Blog | BookBub | Goodreads

Heck of a deal! #freebook #murder #mystery

Hey, everyone. A couple of years ago I got an invitation to contribute to an anthology of murder mysteries.

This is a little outside my orbit, but they didn’t care if mine was a speculative tale. I decided to give Jason Fogg another spotlight and my story came together.

Jason is a private detective who has the ability to turn himself into fog. This allows him to get inside places and poke around for evidence. Even openings like keyholes are enough for him to pass through.

Jason originated in the first Experimental Notebook, earned another tale in the second Experimental Notebook, and was part of the team in Viral Blues. I might trot him out again some day.

This brings me to Murder They Wrote. I am honored to appear beside some stellar authors in this collection. If you feel like diving into murder mysteries, this is the collection for you, and you might find a new favorite author in the mix.

The best news is this collection is absolutely free for a couple more days. Grab your copy now. I like to read anthologies as lunch-break material to stretch them out. (It’s okay if you want to read them all at once. You do you.)

Here’s the universal link and it should work no matter what country you’re in. http://mybook.to/Murder_They_Wrote

I hope you’ll check this one out. It’s rising on the list, but it will take a lot more “FREE” downloads to get us to number one.

Don’t forget to use those sharing buttons at the bottom. Maybe one of your friends might like a copy.

Interludes 2 #newbook #shortfiction

Hey everyone, I have a treat for you today. Harmony Kent has a new book to tell us about. Harmony is one of my partners over at Story Empire, so make her feel welcome. Using those sharing buttons really helps, too.

***

Thanks so much for having me over at your place today, Craig.

Hi everyone. It’s great to be visiting with you all.

While I’m here, I’d like to talk about my latest book, Interludes 2. This is a book of short erotic romance fiction. As with the original Interludes (which you can find HERE), the book contains 10 short stories, with the first tale totaling 1,000 words, the second one totaling 2,000, and so on up to 10,000 words in the final story.

For each story, I used prompt cards from a great creative tool called Storymatic.  Here’s what the set gave me to work with:

a) nurse, b) astronaut … c) best-selling author … conflict = surprise party

A and B relate to the main character. C relates to the secondary character. And the final prompt gives us the conflict.

From the above set of prompts, I came up with Moon Struck—a shifter romance in 3000 words.

Trapped on a ship orbiting the moon, a horny astronaut falls for a hunky author who has a secret.

Excerpt from Moon Struck:

‘What the hell? You just bit me!’ Rhianna pressed her palm to her oozing neck.

It was a bad idea to bring a civilian on the lunar mission. However, her bosses had made it clear that she either comply or lose her promotion. Until now, she’d thought the choice a no-brainer.

Until now.

What had he done to her? What else did he intend to do?

Kane backed away with his hands held out in front of him, palms facing forward and arms straight. Though he’d paled, a bright-pink flush burned high on his cheeks. ‘I’m sorry. I can explain.’

Rhianna strode to the bathroom, grabbed some toilet tissue, and wadded it against the stinging wound at the base of her throat. Again, but with less vehemence and more disbelief, she said, ‘You bit me.’

Kane hung his head. ‘I got carried away.’

‘No shit, Sherlock.’ She pulled the tissue away and examined it. The flow of blood had lessened. On the verge of panic, she dug deep for humour—though a tad on the dark side—to try and turn the tide, ‘You better not have rabies.’

At a whisper, he admitted, ‘It’s worse than that.’

Her hand slid from the puncture to her lips. ‘Don’t tell me you have HIV or … or … well, just tell me.’

Kane dragged his gaze up to meet hers. ‘I’m a werewolf.’

***

I had so much fun writing this one, and I hope you’ve enjoyed this little teaser. I’d love to hear what you think via the comments at the bottom of the page. Thanks for stopping by.

Interludes 2 Blurb

From author, Harmony Kent, another best-selling collection of short erotic fiction that will tickle more than your taste buds and wet [sic] more than your appetite.

With a range of genres and styles, this book has enough steam for everyone.

WIGGING OUT—contemporary romance in 1000 words. Two strangers. A crowded platform. A collision. And a wig on the floor.

STORM CHASER—ménage à trois in 2000 words. A sabotaged tire. A raging storm. Passion mounts.

MOON-STRUCK—shifter romance in 3000 words. Trapped on a ship orbiting the moon, a horny astronaut falls for a hunky author who has a secret.

THE CLUB—contemporary romance in 4000 words. An invitation and a host, who is so much more than he seems, bring excitement, enticement, and a choice to make.

NUDIST CAMP—contemporary romance in 5000 words. An older woman. A younger man. A gossip discovers their secret tryst. What will happen when it all gets laid bare?

INITIATION—contemporary romance in 6000 words. A pretty daydreamer arrives for her first day at university. A brutal initiation, and a man with an unusual issue, leave her reeling. Strange, the places you find true love.

THE INCOMER—contemporary romance in 7000 words. A divorced beekeeper has spent her whole life in or around her local village. Then a city-slicker architect comes to town. When two worlds collide, a big bang is sure to follow. Can you have a frenemy with benefits?

DOWN AND DIRTY—contemporary romance in 8000 words. On the run from a sadistic ex-husband, Ellie flees to a remote mountain town and takes a job in the mines. Wary of men, she resolves to keep herself aloof, but mother nature has a way of having the last word and will, quite literally, make the earth move if she has to.

REUNION—contemporary romance in 9000 words. A school reunion looms. Not wanting to arrive sad and single, Molly talks her long-time friend Adam into going with her. While the music plays, the sparks fly.

SOUL MATES—supernatural romance in 10,000 words. A bereaved woman seeks solace in remote woodland. All too soon, she discovers that she’s not as alone as she’d expected. And her heart isn’t the only one that needs to mend.

READER ADVISORY: This book contains explicit sex scenes and language hot enough to melt your book. For mature readers only.

Author Bio

After spending around thirteen years as an ordained Buddhist monk, living in a Zen Buddhist temple, and six years after a life-changing injury following a surgical error, Harmony Kent returned to the world at the tender age of forty.

Now, she is famous for her laughter, and has made quite the name for herself … she’s also, um, a writer … and fairly well known for that too. She’s even won a few awards. Harmony lives in rural Cornwall with her adorable husband, ever-present sense of humour, and quirky neighbours.

Harmony is passionate about supporting her fellow authors.

Links

Website: https://harmonykent.co.uk/

Story Empire (co-authored): https://storyempirecom.wordpress.com/

Amazon Author Page: author.to/HarmonysBooks

Twitter: @harmony_kent

LinkedIn: Harmony

Goodreads: Author Page

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/harmony-kent

Interludes 2 Pre-order Link: mybook.to/Interludes2

Ichabod Brooks, on #LisaBurtonRadio

Don’t touch that dial, you’ve found Lisa Burton Radio, the only show on the airwaves that interviews the characters from the books you love. I’m your host, Lisa the robot girl, and this interview is one I’ve looked forward to for a long time. He’s my favorite character from the land of Windemere, and I’ve interviewed a few of them. “Give a warm welcome to Ichabod Brooks.”

“Thanks. Happy to be here and . . . talk. I have to admit that I’m not really sure how this set up works. I didn’t bring anything to help if one of these things explode.”

“Ichabod, your story inspires me. It’s encouraging to find an adventurer with a family. So many adventurers seem to wander from place to place, but it doesn’t have to be that way. I mean, you even have a pet… well, some kind of snort-pig thing. Can you tell our listeners how you make all that work?”

“To be honest, I did the wandering adventurer thing when I was younger. Just followed either the money, the rumors, or whatever caught my attention. Things became more stable when I began taking jobs and issuing contracts to my employers. Guess that’s what helped me make the transition more than most people in my career. Although, I never went for the glory and save the world type of adventures, so I may have been working toward this in the first place without knowing it. Just had to find the right woman and reach an age where I was more interested in putting food on the table than fighting monsters. Not that the latter doesn’t have some appeal.

“How do I make it work? Well, that depends on who you ask. My friends will say that I’m whipped and make it work by letting my wife call the shots. Bards would tell you that there’s nothing I can’t do, which is a blatant lie. My own opinion is that I make sure my wife and I discuss everything. She’s kind of an adventurer too, so we have to plan our jobs in a way that means one of us is always home with our son. There are no secrets between us unless the job involves sensitive material and we can’t legally share. That happens more with her than me since I avoid those headaches on principle. That principle is that I don’t want to deal with those types of messes.

“Only other piece of advice I can give is to make every minute of family time count. Romantic time with my wife and play time with my son are very important to me. Never know when my luck will run out or if I’ll ever reach retirement. This is one of the reasons I bring home trophies for my son and spend time telling him the stories. The real ones and not those abominations that the bards sing about me. Nobody could possibly defeat fifty trolls with a single shot of their longbow. Not unless they used fireball arrows and led the monsters into an enclosed area that’s been doused in oil. Fine, I guess it is possible.”

“There is a clause in your contract that warms my circuits. Before you take any job, they have to agree that you can claim a souvenir for your son. I’ve read your stories, and he must have quite a collection by now.”

“Funny how that started. My son hadn’t been born yet and an employer gave me a souvenir to bring home. This was a pinecone from a tree that had grown to take over an entire castle and I managed to revert it back to its normal state. That gave me the idea of adding the clause because it will help my son remember and learn about my real adventures. Last thing I want is for him to think the bard songs are all true. As far as size, the collection is in one room of the house and he can only get in there with me or my wife. I’ll admit to having a few dangerous items in there, but a friend specializes in display cases and he gives me a good deal for bulk products. “

“Bards? Let me tell you about the bards! Do you have any idea how many of them wanted to sponsor today’s show? I was bombarded with CDs and demo tapes. I finally had to run one off at gunpoint because he staked out the studio. I mean, I’ve had to deal with paparazzi a time or two, but these guys are crazy.”

“Guess they caught wind of you having a big audience. Must be newcomers to the trade because the veterans are a lot more discreet and respectful. They still lie because they claim it’s good for business. There was one adventure where I traveled with a bard to handle some rogue barbarians. His name was Rebec and he latched onto me at a tavern. Couldn’t shake the man and he was trouble from the start. He nearly got us killed a few times and then made it sound like I took out an entire tribe when it was just a handful of warriors in a very narrow mountain pass. This is why I prefer traveling with friends who have no financial interest in lying about my exploits. Can’t get very far in this job without friends.”

“Oh yeah, Dex, Morgan, and Meg. They say no man is an island, and you have some pretty good help when you need it. Dex seems like a handy guy, tell our listeners about him.”

“Where to even start with a piece of work like Dex? As far as dwarves go, he’s fairly cuddly once you get to know him. Feels far too clinical to call him a good example of a great friend, but he’s there for me both on and off the job. We try to get together once a month to have a few drinks and get the families together. Dex doesn’t have kids, so he enjoys spoiling my son whenever he’s over. That and telling exaggerated tales of our adventures in order to get under my skin.

“Hard to remember when we first met too. Dex says it was when we were assigned to the same job, but I swear we got into a barfight two months prior to that. You can’t really forget a beard that red and elegantly braided. At my age, the memory doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to.

“We don’t get to adventure together as often as we used to. Dex’s specialty is mountaineering, so I go to him whenever I have a job that requires a lot of climbing. My knee and lower back make those jobs more difficult. Hate to depend on him more than he depends on me, which is why he’s trying to help me get the kinks out. Now he has Meg helping him with this self-proclaimed quest because she wants me to stay in shape in case she needs me. Her expertise is the ocean and I recently worked with them to retrieve an artifact called Zaria’s Kiss. Kind of wish they were still squabbling instead of getting along because having a dwarf and a gnome teaming up on you is no picnic. Better to have them on my side.”

“I loved that one. It not only provided a great adventure underwater, it also hinted at the larger pantheon of Windemere. Would you like to offer some closing remarks to our listeners today? Then I have one more question, more of a request actually.”

“Not really sure what you mean by closing remarks, but I guess I’m just hoping people enjoy my real story. I’ve had plenty of adventures and this chat has left me more nervous than all of those combined. As you can tell, I’m not much of a talker. That definitely helps in the adventurer trade because you need to listen for danger and to your employer. Guess it’s nice to end with some advice like that.”

“Can I have your autograph?”

“I don’t see why not. Mostly because you asked politely. Good to see a youngster show some manners.”

“For Lisa Burton Radio, I’m Lisa Burton. Don’t forget to tell your social circles about The Life and Times of Ichabod Brooks. You do that by using the sharing buttons on the website. I’ll also include purchase links, and you don’t want to miss this one”

***

Enter the world of Windemere with 11 action adventure short stories featuring a man who is out to make an honest living.

Some heroes seek fame. Some seek fortune. Others simply want to save the world. Ichabod Brooks only wants to put food on the table for his family.

Known and respected as the man who can get any job done, Ichabod has seen his share of adventure. Most of which have been highly exaggerated by bards. Still, the man has his famous reputation for a reason. Whether it be climbing a temperamental mountain for eggs or escorting orphans to their new homes, Ichabod takes every job seriously and makes sure he is as prepared as he can be. Not that it helps since things always take a turn for the worse.

Pick up a copy of The Life & Times of Ichabod Brooks right here.

 

 

Charles Yallowitz was born and raised on Long Island, NY, but he has spent most of his life wandering his own imagination in a blissful haze. Occasionally, he would return from this world for the necessities such as food, showers, and Saturday morning cartoons. One day he returned from his imagination and decided he would share his stories with the world. After his wife decided that she was tired of hearing the same stories repeatedly, she convinced him that it would make more sense to follow his dream of being a fantasy author. So, locked within the house under orders to shut up and get to work, Charles brings you Legends of Windemere. He looks forward to sharing all of his stories with you, and his wife is happy he finally has someone else to play with.

Blog: www.legendsofwindemere.com

Twitter: @cyallowitz

Facebook: Charles Yallowitz

Website: www.legendsofwindemere.com

Aunt Ursula’s Atlas, on Lisa Burton Radio

Lucky you, you've just landed on Lisa Burton Radio, the only show out there featuring the characters from the stories you love. I'm your host, Lisa the robot girl, and today we have an interesting fairytale princess with us today. “Welcome to the show, Anatar.”

“Thank you, Lisa of Burton. It's a pleasure to be here.”

“My bio says you and your sister Eletay were orphans. How does an orphan get to be a princess? Were your parents banished or something?”

“No secret heiresses here, I'm afraid. Our family lived in a small village outside Chantain. I was only seven when our parents died, and Ella was nine, so I don't remember much about what happened. We spent several months wandering and working for food when we could find anyone kind enough to let us stay.

“If we were able to improve our lot, it was because I saw opportunities and grabbed them. But what it really comes down to is me and Ella. All we had was each other.”

“It's nice to have that kind of relationship. At least you still have some family around. What's it like growing up in a castle? There must be some fancy shindigs and beautiful gowns involved.”

“Growing up in the castle? Interesting question. To be clear, Ella and I were servants in the castle then. I got caught stealing food and they made us stay and work. Ella was upset, but I prefer to think of it as one of the opportunities I jumped at.

“Anyway, the king at that time was actually not royalty, either. He was a magician who usurped the throne. People who made him angry would wind up turned into statues, so everyone was afraid of him. There wasn't much entertaining. The court was more oriented to running Chantain and rooting out the nobles who were in hiding.”

“So he turned them into statues? Why didn't he just have them stuffed and pose with his boot on them?”

“Because then you could only lord it over one victim at a time. The king had the statues of his victims all over the castle and grounds. Some of them were defiant, but most of them were pleading for their lives. It was pretty terrible, and nobody could avoid seeing them.

“Mine and Ella's job was to keep the prince entertained. He'd caught me stealing, you see, and he used that to make Ella do what he wanted. At first, when we were all young, he made us sing and dance, tell folk stories, play games. He also pinched us and made us eat things like raw lemons. The other servants resented us because they thought we had it easy. They gave us the worst jobs when we weren't with the prince. “

“Sounds like life at the castle wasn't easy.”

“Luckily, Ella had a way of making friends with people. We would always help people with their chores, when we could. One day, the old gardener took me aside and showed me a spot behind the hedges where I could listen at the usurper's window. He was giving the prince magic lessons, and I followed along. That was my second opportunity.”

“You little sneakthief you.”

“Well, I had to. As we grew older, the prince got strange around Ella. He always wanted to have his hands on her, and there were more psychological torments, too. We both knew we weren't safe in Chantain.”

“Did you ever have to, you know, whammy someone?”

“It did come to that, yes. Ella and I saved enough to try and find another position. When we told the prince, he was furious and tried to make Ella kiss him. There was a big fight. He turned Ella into a statue, and then I turned him into a statue and forced the usurper to restore Ella… It was a mess.”

“Wait, I need to make popcorn. Kidding!”

“What's popcorn?”

“I'll show you later. It's good that Eletay wasn't badly hurt, but it seems like the magician got what was coming. So, is that how you two became princesses?”

“Since the magician usurped first, I figured why not. The people in the castle liked us better than the king, especially Ella. We've been able to make it work.”

“Now your story appears in a collection of stories. What other kinds of characters might readers meet?”

“People might have an idea that fantasy is all about the beautiful, rich and famous, but it's a very broad genre. Some of the other stories feature a disabled soldier, a woman with dwarfism, and a kind-hearted servant boy. Not to mention the goblin, the donkey, and the dragons. Even those who may seem to be typical beautiful princesses don't sit and wait to be rescued. They step up for themselves.”

“As your own story demonstrates. Are these stories meant for adults or kids?”

“We do reach out to young readers, say eight to twelve years. The stories we tell our children become their dreams for tomorrow, so it's important to offer a rich array of possibilities. That said, fairy tales are a beloved art form. Any reader who loves fairy tales will enjoy this collection.”

“It sounds fabulous. My boss has a whole bunch of notes on fairy tale structure, and it's a great way to plan a story. Thanks so much for visiting with us today, and I hope your future is brighter than your past has been.”

“All my plans are for Chantain, to protect my sister's throne and help our country grow. But I'll still keep my eye out for the next great opportunity.”

“Our sponsor today is Aunt Ursula's Atlas, a collection of fantasy short stories by Lucy D. Ford. I'll provide all the links and details on the blog site. Don't forget to hit those sharing buttons on your way out! Lucy will thank you, and you'll want others to share when your characters appear here.”

***

Purchase links:

Purchase hub on Draft 2 Digital: https://www.books2read.com/u/bxg6qP

Connects to Apple, Nook, Kobo, Scribd, 24 Symbols, Inktera, Angus & Robertson

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Aunt-Ursulas-Atlas-Fairy-Tales-ebook/dp/B01N0RIQSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1483500975&sr=1-1&keywords=lucy+d.+ford

Web Site: www.debyfredericks.com

Blog: wyrmflight.wordpress.com

 

Deby Fredericks

Fantasy and Children's Writer

Children's Editor at Sky Warrior Books

My books: The Seven Exalted Orders, The Grimhold Wolf, Masters of Air & Fire from Sky Warrior

The Magister's Mask, Too Many Princes, The Necromancer's Bones from Dragon Moon

In a Small Compass, on Lisa Burton Radio

Welcome to another edition of Lisa Burton Radio. I'm your host, Lisa the robot girl, and with me today is author, James Ferris Wheeler. “Welcome to the show, James.”

“Thank you, Lisa. I feel very honoured to be invited by a charming celebrity like you.”

“Why, thank you. I understand that you just ordered a new suit. Can you tell our listeners why?”

“It is still hard to believe, Lisa. You must know, my previous books, well – they are good, and they sell. And I always craved for a little fame. What the readers say: 'Great books. Who wrote them? Sorry, that name slipped from my mind.' After years of writing one book after the other – my latest novel, “Dagger in the Rock” was nominated for the MFBS Award! The Most Fascinating Books Society is very fastidious and secretive about their nominations.”

“How exciting. This award sounds like a big deal. Tell our listeners something about it.”

“The award ceremony is going to be held in the Royal Hall at the famous Eden University. The TV crews are certainly already setting up their gear, proving once again that red carpet, purple drapes, and shimmering candelabras enhance this prestigious event. Evening attire is required, hence the new suit. Imagine – only the best authors receive a nomination. The respective winners receive a statuette and 100,000 GBP, and continuous news coverage.”

“Sounds like a great place for a red carpet broadcast. People in beautiful clothes entering a beautiful hall. I'll bet your wife is really excited for such a big event.”

“Angela is overjoyed! She knows how I feel after even the tiniest rejection. I tend to assume the worst, I get nervous without a reason, and Angela is there for me, she is my rock, she is my anchor. Ever since receiving the invitation – I am a nervous wreck.”

“Why would you need to keep it together? Most of the time a nomination is great publicity. Winning is awesome, but there are no losers.”

“I am an introvert. Meeting strangers gives me the creeps. It is devastating to know that my readers keep forgetting my name. Angela knows me, she knows how to lift my spirits. She is a real blessing. I have this recurring dream…We are at the award ceremony, and when it comes to my category, Georgia Cartwright opens the envelope, saying 'And the winner is…' – and I wake up before I know the winner's name. Angela keeps telling me to consider this a dress rehearsal. It helps – at least a little. I need to win – for my sanity. I don't want to be second-best for once.”

“Aww, poor baby. There are a lot of introverts in the writing business, and I work for one of the biggest ones you ever saw. You should be enjoying this moment and not dwelling on the actual award quite so much. It sounds like Angela's a keeper and you should listen to her.”

“I love Angela, my guardian angel. But you have to understand that there are a lot of great British writers out there. Some of them have been nominated for the umpteenth time! They know how to socialize, they know how to promote their work. You may now ask yourself why I can talk with you so freely. The answer is easy: The audience does not see me.”

“What if they wrote better stories? You've obviously been nominated, so your work is good too. At that level everything is subjective. Ask five different people, you'll get five different winners. So tell me about this suit. What did you order?”

“I selected a slightly shimmering slate grey one – it is accentuated by the silken bow tie Angela bought me. I have to look my best as the event is shown nation-wide.”

“Sounds very posh. What's Angela wearing?”

“Angela's wearing a charcoal grey dress with turquoise accents – she looks stunning in that dress!

“You don't understand how difficult it is being a fictional author. I thought Karen would never finish my story. Can you imagine that the kept interrupting my story due to her craving for coffee?! Did I mention that she was writing other stories in parallel? How dare she!”

“Oh, I get it. I'm a personal assistant to an author myself. We've had a guy living at the writing cabin for a year now, and his story still isn't finished. So when you talk about these other stories, it's probably a good time to mention this is a collection of short fiction.”

“Yes. There are 15 contemporary short fiction stories with paranormal streaks taking the readers to Boston, Dublin, Dundrum, Galway, Heidelberg, London, Munich, Nuremberg, Skerries, and other places. London, that's my story! The other stories introduce quit normal people and some strange occurrences:

– Rachel has a recurring nightmare. > poor woman!

– Madelyn and her marble. > has the poor girl lost her marbles?

– Jenny and the shadow. > why doesn't she switch the light on?

– Louise and her hunches. > has she visited the lady with the crystal ball?

– Ted and the noises. > try earwax, man!

– Dee and her prison. > poor woman – let her out!

– The heatwave in Willowsend. > a fictional town and a grandfather.

– Judy and her projections. > why don't you join a circus, girl?

– Joe and a voice. > hey Joe, keep cool.

– Roberta and Laura. > a multi-cultural encounter.

– Marty giving directions. > hey boy, it's great that you care.

– James Ferris Wheeler and the award. > my story – I'm so excited!

– Aoife at the Dundrum Town Centre. > hey lass – you're funny!

-The secret of the blue window – with two alternative endings.

These story variants are based on human curiosity. If I had seen that blue window – I would've wanted to find out why it is blue!”

“We love collections and anthologies around here too. They're getting really popular and I think you're going to be pretty successful. The anthology is called In a Small Compass: Volume One, and it's available right now. Pick up a copy for free and find out if James wins the MFBS award. I'll include all the details on the blog site. Any closing words, James?”

“Thank you so much for having me on your show, Lisa. It means a lot! And it helped in keeping my frustrating dream at bay. Have a lovely day.”

“Best of luck to James, and his lovely wife Angela. For Lisa Burton Radio, I'm Lisa Burton.

“Don't forget to hit those sharing buttons on your way out. It won't cost you a dime, and when your character is on the show you'll really appreciate it.”

***

In A Small Compass

15 contemporary short fiction stories with paranormal streaks take you on a journey to Boston, Dublin, Dundrum, Galway, Heidelberg, London, Munich, Nuremberg, Skerries, and other places.

Find out more about:

– Rachel and her nightmare.

– Madelyn and her marble.

– Jenny and the shadow.

– Louise and her hunches.

– Ted and the noises.

– Dee and her prison.

– The heatwave in Willowsend.

– Judy and her projections.

– Joe and a voice.

– Roberta and Laura.

– Marty giving directions.

– James Ferris Wheeler and the award.

– Aoife at the Dundrum Town Centre.

– The secret of the blue window – with two alternative endings.

Karen was born in Central Europe, discovering her love for languages at an early age. She is a linguist, translator, and technical author; writing is done in her spare time. She spends her time mainly in Germany and Ireland, collecting her inspirations on the go.

Her stories comprise some hobbies, favourite locations, animals, topics, beverages, etc. Most of the locations do exist; pubs and/or shops might be gone; people are fictional unless stated otherwise.

+++ Upcoming: “Neighbors!” (a flash fiction series) +++

Karen's personal motto:

Don’t look back in anger!

Karen's 10 statements

A typical work day begins with… black coffee and my schedule.

I lose track of time… when I am reading.

I have always… wanted to live in Ireland.

I have never… been bored.

Home means to me… being with the ones I love.

I am inspired by… almost everything.

I would like to meet… (and discuss with) the Dalai Lama.

My worst character trait… impatience.

My best character trait… open-mindedness.

The best advice I was given… keep an open mind.

***

Blog: https://mytrainofthoughtson.wordpress.com/

Blog: https://inasmallcompass.wordpress.com/

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/okiewashere

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16149973.Karen_Oberlaender

AuthorsDB: http://authorsdb.com/community/profile/6832-karen-oberlaender

Buy/download links: http://books2read.com/u/m0zodW

twitter: https://twitter.com/okiewashere