I enjoy when authors write short stories exploring the worlds they’ve built in their novels. This is common in epic fantasy, detective fiction, and science fiction. In the same spirit, Karen Diem writes and distributes short stories for her Arca series in between her novels. These stories help to flesh out her superhero world. The following isn’t a review per se, but more of a notification that these stories exist and a little bit about each one.
Note: These stories are found in either a free flash fiction series (Octopus) or from links the author sends out after you join her email list. They aren’t free for the casual reader to download. However, Diem’s emails are usually a hilarious read so it’s well worth joining her list.
Washout – This short story occurs between two chapters in Diem’s initial novel in the Arca series —Super. This is one of Diem’s shorter stories that introduces the reader to her main character Zita Garcia and her friend Andy. It’s a fun segment that, if you read it outside of the novel, serves its purpose admirably. Washout shows off Diem’s talent for action writing and Arca’s character motivations. It has a good dose of humor too.
Octopus – This is flash fiction so it’s extremely short. It serves as an introduction to Arca’s main character Zita, and it captures her personality well. An action-packed, weird little story, it could be summed up as “Zita goes to lunch when everything goes wrong.” You won’t believe the results.
To find it on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LZIUFIW
Tourists – A longer short story with Zita, Wyn, and Andy, along with another character, fighting what might be aliens that have landed on the Las Vegas strip. But all is not what it appears to be. This is an action-heavy sequence so professionally done that it could start of a novel. Like Octopus, I found this short story exploring the esoteric side of the Arca world. Up to this point, the novels seem more realistic to me than the short stories. If you’re interested in Diem’s work but haven’t taken the plunge of reading her novels yet, Tourists is a good place to start.
Pie – A more character-driven, down-to-earth tale than Octopus and Tourists, this story revolves around Zita en route home for Thanksgiving. “Travel home” stories are a personal favorite. I’ve always felt there’s so much you can do with them. Diem doesn’t waste the excellent premise and gives us a story about community and love, the very things Thanksgiving should symbolize. Oh, and pie. Her literal set piece becomes an important element in the story in multiple ways. Taking place after the novel Power, the last novel I read (so far!), it’s fun to catch up with Zita and see that a hero isn’t a hero simply because they’re the ones who can punch the hardest or fly. It’s who they are inside.
Roses in December – As the short stories continue, Diem’s writing increases in character and plot complexity. Roses in December stars Wyn instead of Zita and puts our favorite witch (Wyn) in a situation where Zita would normally excel. Unfortunately, it’s Wyn who has to deal with the situation. It also details some of Wyn’s world from her perspective and not Zita’s—a welcome change. This short story zipped by and is a wonderful holiday companion piece to Pie (Thanksgiving and December holidays). Finally, I stood in reader awe of the clever device Wyn uses to get out of a literal cliffhanger. Truly inspired! A very touching, as well as exciting, short tale.
Quarry – An interesting side adventure between Zita and her mysterious, athletic superfriend starts with the two of them competing in a rock climbing contest. When they’re interrupted by a group of less-than-lawful people, Zita has to go it alone to save the day. An interesting take on how Zita uses strategy to her advantage rather than busting in and knocking heads, this short story extends the Arca world with an amazing adventure.
Concrete – The stories were getting longer until this one. A short, action-packed ditty in between Monster and Toga, this is a blind date gone horribly wrong (like most of Zita’s dates, unfortunately). The hook with this one is Zita has to be a hero without revealing her identity, and the way she does it is most of the fun. While I’m still debating the title, the story is a fun self-contained romp.
Tough Love – Included in the Beneath the Mask anthology. A story where Andy is the main star is my type of story. I’ve always liked that Andy is both “Superman” and “Clark Kent” at the same time. Andy is waiting for his secret lover and their date doesn’t start off well when…I’ll let you read the rest. The main plot extends another one of the short stories and I have to wonder if this is leading to a novel in the future. Action, romance, witty banter are all here in this short offering—one well worth reading.
Pick it up here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08TGG7ZWB
Breaking the Ice – I was delighted to see another Andy story. In this short, he’s focused on starting a new job with a renown Physicist who might be a little eccentric. After first meeting the professor, the reader finds out people have been missing in his new boss’ neighborhood, including the last assistant. Does this spell doom for Andy’s chances of working in his field? This story is a barrel of goofy fun while having an Andy vibe all its own. The final confrontation is choreographed well. Another solid Arca story. (Available via Karen’s newsletter).