The Storytime Blog Hop is here, so welcome, blog hoppers. If you’re coming through from one of the other writers’ blogs, you know the deal.
Does anyone else think a blog hopper sounds like a type of shoe?
If this is the first you’re hearing of the blog hop, here’s how it works: this post contains a short story that I wrote. You can read it, and then follow the links to over one dozen other stories. Every story is either short or flash fiction, and somewhere in the genre of speculative fiction—fantasy, sci fi, horror, or any crazy cocktail of those three. Stories in the blog hop are all somewhere around PG-rated: no graphic sex or violence.
I’m excited about this. From what I’ve seen, there’s a nice variety of speculative fiction represented in the link list. Also, it’s probably the closest I’ll come to having a miniature library installed on my website.
My own story takes place in the frigid city of Yauglesk, a place where an uneasy two-hundred year occupation is beginning to falter. The story universe is a secondary world fantasy with a sprinkle of gears and steam. Within it, I’m currently working on two novels, Stars Fall Out and Bitter Machines. This story takes place between them, and is one of five telling how the principal characters of Bitter Machines come to be involved with a rebellion in Yauglesk.
[EDIT 5/16/2016: “Tantrums” has been removed from the site, at least for the time being. Feel free to check out “Banshee” and “Smithereens,” as well as the stories below from other authors.]
* * *
Now read on…
Virginia McClain: Rakko’s Storm
Dale Cozort: Two Letters In A Fireproof Box
Katharina Gerlach: Canned Food
K. A. Petentler: The Twisted Tale of Isabel
Amy Keeley: To Be Prepared For Chocolate
Cherie “Jade” Arbuckle: After I Died
Angela Wooldridge: An Alternative to Frog
Thea van Diepen: Are You Sure It’s That Way?
A well-written story. I especially enjoyed the opening passage. It drew me in and instantly gave me the flavor of the story’s world.
Thanks, I’m glad you liked it. Also glad you managed to read it. I didn’t mean to triple the story length when I revised!
I love the way you spotlight a small part of a larger story. Very well-written.
Thank you. Keeping the larger story in balance was definitely the toughest part of writing this.
As with all the great works of speculative fiction that I have read, this piece left me intrigued and confused, hoping to read more, and wishing there were pictures of the people.
Thanks, although I hope you weren’t *too* confused. You’re in luck with the “hoping to read more.” I had to cut so many words that I basically have an extended director’s cut version.
Intriguing! I’m curious to read more in this setting.
Thanks. :)
Intriguing, interesting, subtle and well written. It’ll be interesting to see how it fits into the bigger story.
A well-pictured world! We can totally feel the beginning of a greater conflict.