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Sunday, May 7, 2023

Voyage Observation - @MicrocosmsFic

It's been ages, but I'm working on my new volume of short stories and thought writing some flash through Microcosms would be a good way to dust off the form. 



Voyage Observation

It took four cycles of the coin-operated pirate ship ride in front of the Piggly Wiggly for Observation Subject #4 to nod off. The little girl’s mother let the machine slow to a halt before putting another quarter in and starting the ship rocking against the invisible waves again. The woman checked her watch and rattled the last three quarters in her hand. It was enough to fulfill the agreed-upon time that allowed the person from the agency to watch her adopted daughter.


Martha pulled her binoculars down again and wrinkled her nose. She then impulsively yawned and rubbed her left cheek. She’d somehow picked up this exact trio of actions when she was a child. No idea where it came from, just born with the unusual trait. Unlike the rest of the lab team she had to observe the dozen Observation Subjects from afar and, while she liked to keep tabs on their placements, sitting in the heat of the car always tired her out.


Today her cheek was numb. That wouldn’t last too much longer. The Botox was her little treat for learning the Nobel committee had nominated her work again. Ultimately, they would probably reject it again. Martha’s ethics on cloning were at least a decade ahead of that stodgy institution. If they surprised her and Martha did finally win the prize, she wanted to make sure she walked on the stage fresh-faced.


The final voyage of the pirate ship ended, and the mother roused her sleeping daughter. The girl opened her eyes and wrinkled her nose before yawning and rubbing her left cheek. Just like all the others. Just like her source watching her in the binoculars.

Sunday, February 19, 2023

New Book Incoming: The Negotiated Death of Sara Glen releases February 24th.


The results of an at-home DNA testing kit reveal the key to eradicating an emerging threat. Getting that key may cost Sara her life. 

I'm still here and still writing. After a number of years working on new material I'm proud to share the first of four books that will be published this year. Like Voltron, all four of these stories stand alone, but interweave into a larger work called All Our Forgotten Futures. 

While Guns, Gods and Robots, dabbled in the golden age of mid 20th century science fiction, The Negotiated Death of Sara Glen is near-future sci-fi that leans into suspense and paranoia. 

Look out for it at Amazon and all your other favorite online retailers. 

Tuesday, December 7, 2021

Mission Drift: A Single Page RPG Now Available

I took a break between the novels I'm editing and writing to create a single-page RPG for the Tiny Tome game jam

Mission Drift

Will you achieve your charity's vision of a better realm or lose all integrity to chase donations

While townsfolk sing songs of adventurers prevailing over ancient evils and visiting rogues tell tales of hidden, distant treasures awaiting plunder, your mind always drifts to the immediate needs of the world around you that are going unmet. With a vision of a better future guiding you and a single gold coin willed to you from your dear departed Aunt, you go forth into the world to attempt a feat that would cause even the realm's bravest warriors to cower: start a charity!

How long can you keep your charity afloat when your donor has drifting interests? What will you compromise to keep meeting the needs across the realm?


Tuesday, November 10, 2020

Drive Thru Fiction

I posted the two free flash collections and GGR on Drive Thru Fiction and they seem to have found a new audience. 

Trophy Case

I was looking for something else and discovered an older short story of mine was published on The Stray Branch. It's like finding an old business card from a job you no longer put on your resume.