Everything Else

Review of Havok Vice and Virtue

Havok publishes an anthology two times a year with a variety of genres (fantasy, science fiction, thriller, comedy, mystery) and theme (vice and virtue). Anthology series are hard to review unless a system is in place. For Vice and Virtue, I returned to my system where I rate each offering on a scale from 1-10 in the following categories: story, mechanics, and theme. Story is simply how much I enjoyed the entry. Mechanics is not only grammar (often excellent thanks to Havok editors), but the use of language and the author’s stylistic choices. The theme rating is how well authors incorporated the theme into their stories.

This anthology’s theme was interesting. Vice and Virtue proposed many sub-categories to focus on: cowardice, courage, pride, humility, etc. Yet, I had a difficult time teasing out the theme for some of these stories. If I couldn’t discern it, I found my focus slightly diverted from the plot.

The following all deserve recognition for adherence to story, mechanics, and theme. Thirteen Minutes to Kill (excitingly provided by Taylor Rae), Fear of Furniture (creatively supplied by James Scott Bell), One More Time Around (hauntingly written by K.M. Hasling), A Broken Spirit (movingly served up by Andrew Winch), Incendiary (intriguingly offered by Maia Rebekah), Sweets and Soured (delightfully recorded by Emily Barnett), Storing Up Treasures (grippingly described by Ryan Bush), and A Christmas Equation (festively plotted by Hannah Carter).

The Reader’s Choice Award, Dragons are not Heroes by Emily Barnett, was also high on my list. The dragon’s point-of-view and the arc that occurs in this very short tale is striking and deserves the award it received. A Matter of Pride by Hannah Carter nails the theme of pride—it received a top rating—but also explores this vice’s “other” side as well. And Caleb A Robinson’s The Proxy with its selfless main character grabbed my attention, exploring a new twist on what is a usually disturbing concept in science fiction.

Finally, Cadenza by Hailey Huntington, is an accomplishment of flash fiction. An offbeat tale of a pianist haunted by her past is deeply moving. The incorporation of musical terms as nouns and adjectives is clever and effective. And the character’s arc from a stifled life to making peace with her past nailed the theme.

When I read it, I thought Cadenza was a bit of an anomaly for Havok’s genres. Havok specializes in urban fantasy, high fantasy, and science fiction. The publication also offers a mystery, thriller and a comedy category, yet fantasy and sci-fi elements dominate these genres as well. As readers consume fantasy after scifi after fantasy, they expect the next story to have some form of unnatural element to it. Cadenza does not. It’s a tightly written, one-scene, engaging story. And I noticed many more stories in this particular anthology were similar.

For the first time, I decided to record and count the genres of each story. I was surprised at the results. Clearly, urban fantasy (followed closely by sci-fi) was what I’d described most of these offerings, but many were non-magical, non-sci-fi stories. I counted nine that I would classify as either a true mystery, historical fiction, or contemporary. I would encourage Havok to continue to even out the selections in their anthology in this way. The variety keeps the readers wanting more.

Overall, in general, the anthology seems stronger in the second half than the first—though a few examples contradict that assertion. The mix-up of speculative to non-speculative fiction was welcome. I was slightly disappointed in how few horror pieces were included—thrillers were mostly of the action variety. Everything was polished and well-written, a Havok staple. I believe most people will easily find several stories that they’ll love. Stories that will stick with them long after they embark on their (hopefully) virtuous endeavors of the day.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C2RSC3R8

Everything Else

Will Be Done – Behind the Scenes

If you’ve come across this page, a warning. I plan on revealing secrets about my novel, Will Be Done. Be ye forewarned that spoilers a-plenty are ahead. If you’d rather not know some fun facts about the novel, stop reading now.

Cover Daniel Johnson

The cover of Will Be Done depicts various elements of the novel. Will Be Done is a travel adventure meaning the main characters traverse across Kingdom to restore the queens. This is why the compass design is prominent on the cover with a version of the map behind it.

The compass points depict the four symbols of the original four queens, lacking only Snow White’s apple now that she is no longer royalty. Clockwise from top, you’ll notice Cinderella’s slipper, Helga’s frog, Valencia’s “little match,” and Penta’s gloves. The four quadrants in the compass illustrate elements from the story, notably, the Pipes of Perringon, the dagger Hero controls, Penta’s necklace with a soda can charm—her “ring,” and our newest princess, Rapunzel.

Speaking of Rapunzel, her tower sits on the bottom of the cover. It is in the middle of its Towers of Hanoi transformation as executed by Sanders midway through the book.

Some fun Easter eggs in the novel and back story.

The third chapter takes place in the 100-acre wood. When it came to introducing a new world, I wanted to avoid common fantasy environments like Neverland and Narnia.  I knew instantly I wanted the 100-acre wood once I thought of it, but wouldn’t my adult readers think it silly? You may judge, but I’m rather proud of Sondra’s final comments in that chapter. Our society has lost a lot of its innocence and not for the better.

Speaking of the 100-acre wood, I originally wrote Will Be Done in 2017. To avoid infringing on Milne’s copyright, I described it vaguely. My early readers didn’t connect it to the Winnie-the-Pooh setting, and it became just a vague, innocent world. Wondering what I could do, I searched references to Milne for inspiration. To my surprise, the copyright ended in 2023, allowing me to use the setting, Winnie-the-Pooh, and Christopher Robbin from the original story.

Many of the chapter titles are musical terms, relating to both the music-centered plot and the mood or events of the chapter. So Scherzando is a music term for “playful.” Perfect for the 100-acre wood. Berceuse is a lullaby for Valencia’s baby. Teneramente means play with tenderness, and it headlines both Beauty’s lovely farewell to Grr and Cinderella’s reunion with her prince, Roger.

People ask me if characters will return in later novels. Many characters return from the first three novels in the Kingdom series. The queens and others from the first novel are represented here. Sylvia first appeared in the second novel, On Earth, As It Is. I didn’t expect her to turn into Snow White when I first wrote about her, but her progression has worked out rather well. Sanders disguises herself as many characters from that novel; for example, Charlie and Paisley. Alice also is from the second novel. From the third novel, we have Lenore and Julia. While not described in this novel, Lenore is Poe’s The Raven, transplanted to a fairytale world. Julia, is an amalgam of characters, but named after the main female character of 1984. Even characters from my short stories in Kingdom’s Ascension appear in the text. Gilbert Grossenroid, a failed writer from Kingdom’s Ascension, is featured at the Ghael Inn when the queens visit. Will characters introduced in Will Be Done appear in future novels? Of course!

The Towers of Hanoi is a real puzzle that you can play online. Yes, not a leap to see how I put together Rapunzel’s “tower” and the “towers” of Hanoi, but I had fun writing that passage.

What’s in a name? I always make up silly names for my characters, but in this novel “Big Mac” is a clue. My hope as a writer is that you read it thinking Jim was being silly again and didn’t connect it to Joseph McQuin, a character Alice mentions in the second chapter. But the other names are mostly played for laughs. Wysdel is an almost-anagram of Disney. Mr. Silly Putty was a fun one to make up. I’m not sure where Sinope came from; it just felt right for a sprite. And Pollytheenpam? Well if you have Pennilane (Penny Lane), doesn’t Pollytheenpam (Pollythene Pam) make sense? And if you remember a lyric from Pollythene Pam, the Beatles sing “Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.” And then in Polyphony chapter, you have this exchange.

Wysdel broke away and grimaced. “But Polytheenpam?”

Cinderella waved at her. “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

I originally envisioned the cover of the book to be Radiance’s Retreat, the illustration in the same named chapter. Dan did a fantastic job on it, and you can view it in full color elsewhere on this blog, but I was wrong to think that was the cover. When I asked Dan to change and collaborated more with him, we came up with one of the best covers in the series, in my opinion. I really learned something in this series about how a vision may turn into tunnel vision until you invite others express their creativity.

Lastly, some statistics that some may find interesting. Most of the first draft for Will Be Done was written in 2017, the year after I published the first in the Kingdom series. The second revision finished in July 2022. My early readers finished in March 2023. My editor worked on it in May 2023. My illustrator and I have been talking about it since the end of 2022. Finally, I published this novel on July 4, 2023.

Everything Else

Review of Bearly Free

Cover of Bearly Free

The Emerald Realm Series continues with Bearly Free by Abigail Manning. A minor character in the first novel of the series, Aurelia Lockly takes center stage in this novel about a young woman whose parents arrange her marriage without informing her of her upcoming nuptials until the day she meets her suitor. When Ms. Lockly’s parents reveal their wedding plans the morning of her coming-of-age party later, sixteen-year-old Aurelia hightails it away. But being a young lady, our heroine isn’t used to living on her own. Soon, she realizes she’s in over her head and discovers a deserted mansion to rest in. However, the house she found isn’t deserted for long.

Elsewhere in the Reviews section, I’ve listed quite a few Snow White retellings, but a retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bears is rare. It’s a delight to read a book that retells a fairytale that is harder to adapt. Here, Goldilocks/Aurelia is aged up, and the bears are a bit different than one might expect. The narrative follows the main plot points of the short fairy tale, but the author also cleverly weaves a tale uniquely her own. To the novel’s advantage, the original story elements don’t overwhelm the new plot.

In this version, Aurelia finds herself snooping around the mansion while the owners of the residence inhabit it. The chapters dealing with her trying to stay hidden make for some engrossing scenes. Additionally, there are some delightfully funny moments of Aurelia being unladylike and sharply criticizing high society. The story doesn’t end when Aurelia steals away from the house either, continuing an engaging plot that is sure to keep the reader’s attention.

Aurelia is an enjoyable character. She yearns to be free and make her own decisions, the desire of everyone. Unlike Goldilocks, however, she doesn’t want to stay for long in the bear’s residence. The story revolves around her antics there, whether she’s physically present in the mansion or not. All supporting characters are properly heroic or villainous. And while I’d hoped Aurelia had more control at the climax of the novel, the ending of the book is action-packed and creatively designed.

A wonderful idea, an exciting ending, and some callbacks to the original fairytale make Bearly Free a terrific retelling. The first two books of the Emerald Realm series are both winners.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QBFNJMK

Everything Else

Review of Haven

In Haven, author Ashley Nicole establishes a future that could well have been our own. The Mors Certa Virus, or MCV20, has infected a large segment of the population of Earth. This disease is so dangerous that those without the virus, called the Pure, have erected walls around cities, keeping out the infected. Within the boundary of the city lives Lyric.

Lyric is trapped within multiple walls. She’s not allowed to leave the city, the apartment building she lives in or her room on her own. She’s escorted everywhere by a guard. This protection is all due to the fact that she’s the mayor’s daughter.

Lyric longs for the freedom to explore the outside city and even dares to one day to experience the world beyond the walls. For now, she’s stuck inside with her father who works tirelessly with scientists and doctors on a cure. But she has friends. Her protective guard Miles and a helper in the building, Julia, do their best to make Lyric’s captivity comfortable. Even Clang, the robot dog, brings some joy to her secluded life. Eventually, Lyric is allowed to go on one excursion into the city, and this is when everything changes for her.

Haven is an upbeat novel despite being set in a dystopia. This book is not the oppressive noir you may expect—even the cover is filled with bright colors. In the city, the reader experiences delightful encounters with the technology along with Lyric. Not to say the novel has no darkness, as a place called Lantern Alley holds some truly evil dealings.

Characters have more going on than meets the eye. Miles plays the part of Lyric’s steadfast soldier, but he aspires to be more than a Guard. Another character, Charlie, has a tortured past, and no matter what Lyric says and does, she can’t penetrate his grudges. One character reveals their true intentions in the epilogue, and that confession is an eyebrow-raising twist. The novel starts off seeming like a typical YA dystopia with a standard cast, but the characters’ depth and their motivations elevate it.

The writing is straightforward with an emphasis on sensual detail—this works when seen through Lyric’s eyes. The length is on the shorter side, so the narrative flows well, each chapter advancing the story appropriately. Lyric is a likable hero. That said, this book might have benefitted from Lyric being a bit more dismissive of the people outside the walls at first, perhaps resenting their freedom while she’s in a cage. This would’ve given her a moral quandary for what she wanted (to be free and outside) and what prevents it (the infected). Nevertheless, she grows as a person before the end of the novel.

This novel is subtitled Beyond the Wall – Book One. Though this offering comes to a satisfying conclusion, I hope Lyric’s adventures continue in future installments. The worldbuilding, the tension between the Pure and the infected, and the lessons Lyric still needs to learn would make for a fascinating sequel.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09V89944H

Signed Copies: https://www.ashleynicolewrites.com/books

Everything Else

The Curse of the Fourth

The Phantom Menace. Halloween 4. Alien: Resurrection. Jaws 4: The Revenge.

Why do we make fourths in a series? As the titles above prove, they rarely measure up to the first, or the first three. Is the fourth in a series cursed?

Money is behind a lot of fourths in Hollywood, surely, but authors continue to pump out a fourth book in a series. My fourth novel in a series, Will Be Done, comes out on July 4. What motivated me to write another?

It certainly wasn’t money.

The way I look at my Kingdom series is different from most. I have published three, but I don’t consider them a trilogy. Instead, the novels depict the major events in the lives of my fairytale characters. They are standalone adventures set in the kingdom of Kingdom. The prior three aren’t “leading up to this” as in some series, and you don’t need to read the others to enjoy the fourth. The fourth is its own adventure.

Fourths may be repeats of the prior three (Friday the Thirteenth, Jaws) or a slight twist (Alien 4). Another common theme is to mine the past (Phantom Menace). One of the largest sins is to try to make it bigger in scope. You know the drill. “The last time the galaxy was threatened, now it’s the entire universe!” I think that’s a mistake. The stakes are far smaller in my fourth from my third, yet the stakes are real. In fact, they are more personal than ever.

In my opinion, if you care about the characters and allow them to grow, it doesn’t matter if it’s the fourth, tenth, or hundredth in the series. It has to stand on its own and deliver an emotional punch. You care about the outcome because you care about the characters.

And I like the modern point-of-view that major characters can die. I always promise a significant kiss and a significant death in each novel. It exists in my fourth novel as well. Without a death, the stakes seem lower. Perhaps one of the central characters doesn’t die, but the death has to reverberate through the characters and have long-lasting impacts.

In the examples above, you see a movie rehashing old elements. Star Wars must explain what came before. The mystery of the past, how Darth Vader became this horrific villain, was better in my imagination than how the prequels explained them. The creators felt you must explain the past (no, you don’t). Halloween 4 must be gory and kill people in unique ways (no, it doesn’t). Indiana Jones 4 must have a family reference now that Last Crusade was a hit (no, it doesn’t).

Yes, fourths in the series can be done successfully. The key is the writing, the work you put into the characters, plot, and themes. And the risk to change the status quo up a bit (but not too much). There are successful fourths. For example, Toy Story 4. 

Enough said.

Everything Else

Interview with Felicia Change

A husband demands his wife uses a special meat to cook their dinners, but what animal does it come from? A couple go on an illegal night safari to view unique creatures. A bizarre candy shop offers sweet-yet-morbid-themed delicacies to the general public…just don’t visit it after dark. A woman experiences the ride of her life in a bell tower in Ghent.

All of these stories above were written by Felicia Change. Felicia Change is a published prose and poetry author in Divinations Magazine, Run Rabbit Run (A drabble anthology), and Havok Online (https://gohavok). Writing everything from humor to horror, Felicia writes stories that readers cannot put down. On May 1st, she published a poem called “You Should Have Stayed Home” featured in Divinations Magazine. Here’s the link: https://www.divinationsmagazine.co.uk/issue-one-intuition.

When did you decide you wanted to be a writer?

I don’t think there was a time I didn’t want to be a writer. So, I wouldn’t say it was an active decision. Writing and storytelling has always been an important part of my life. I knew even if I went down a different career path, I would still be writing in my spare time and making it work.

Was there a particular book or author that inspired you to write? What was special about the book or author?

Growing up my mother read to me a lot and I think that’s where my love for stories started. A lot of the stories were fairytales and I liked that some had magic and others life lessons. It’s inspired a lot of my work, even when it’s not in plain sight.   

Your stories run the gamut from grim to wondrous. The difference between Deadly Delights (a creepy candy store short story) and The Dragon of Ghent (a whimsical flash fiction piece) are two such examples. How do you determine the tone of your story?

It usually depends on the story itself and what kind of atmosphere I want to create. I knew “Deadly Delights” was going to be of the darker kind due to the premise. A shop assistant decides to break the one rule she’s given: no staying after dark. The premise and setting helped create a darker tone. The Dragon of Ghent is about a girl who helps a dragon in return for a wish. I knew it had to be family friendly, so I decided to focus on the magical aspect. It’s easier to set the tone when I know what type of story it is going to be and if there are any limits I should keep in mind.   

Do you have a favorite story you’ve written, published, or haven’t published yet?

Yes, a few years ago I wrote a witchy urban fantasy novel which I would love to revisit and revise one day. My favorite published piece is probably my poem, “You Should Have Stayed Home.” It was inspired by my love for haunted houses.

Is there a genre that you struggle to write in?

Probably contemporary fiction. I love having the possibility of magic and mystics. Writing realistic stories is difficult because I don’t feel as invested and able to add creativity. I’m hoping that somewhere in the future it will come more naturally.

What comes easier for you: prose or poetry?

Prose. I feel like it’s easier to delve into creativity than delving into emotions. At least for me. I can write prose at any time, but not always poetry. There is usually more of a buildup of ideas and feelings before writing poetry. With prose I just jump straight in.

What do you like most about writing poetry?

Experimenting. For me poetry is all about experimentation. I get to express ideas and feelings using different formats.

If someone said to you, they were going to write their first novel, what advice would you give them?

Read. Not the most unique advice, but some of the most important. Reading opens one’s perspective on writing, especially if you read different formats and genres. The best way to see what works and what doesn’t is to read. Writing without reading is like going on a picnic without packing a basket. You’ll still be having a picnic but there won’t be food or beverages to enhance the experience. Reading enhances your writing, even when it’s not noticeable at first.

What is your main goal as a writer? Or put another way, what would you consider the achievement of your dream for writing?

My main goal is to finish my novel and publish it. My ultimate goal is to be a full-time writer. I’d love to travel the world while writing.

Where can readers find you and your books online?

Readers can find me on Instagram @feliciachange, my story links are available on my Linktree and my newsletter is available on Substack.

Here are Felicia’s full links from above:

https://feliciachange.substack.com/

https://linktr.ee/feliciachange

https://www.instagram.com/feliciachange/

Everything Else

Review of The First Time I Knocked

The First Time I Knocked, fourth in the Garnett McGee series, is a suspense/mystery about a psychologist with extra-sensory abilities who investigates crimes with her chief of police boyfriend. In this offering, Garnett and her boyfriend Ryan fly down from Vermont to New Orleans to help out her boyfriend’s ex-wife solve what appears to be an open-and-shut case. But nothing is as it seems.

A short time prior, a restaurant employee had tried to rob his place of work, and in the process, shot and killed the owner. The restaurant owner, Terry Broussard, his wife and daughter all perished with only the son Scott surviving.

The first three entries in the First Time I series were all set in Vermont, so the change of setting is welcome. Garnett is also in a more settled place in her life than the prior three novels. The first part of the novel establishes Garnett’s experiences in The Big Easy, bringing to life the culture, sights, sounds, and activities of the town. Effective humor drives the pace. The investigation at first uncovers exactly what the newspapers and police have reported—a robbery resulting in homicide. Garnett uses her abilities—by touching an object she can view a scene in the past—to gain more insight into the crime. Her first few visions confirm the events the news reported about the homicides.

Running in parallel with the investigation are questions Garnett has about herself. Consulting a woman steeped in magic, Garnett has to wonder if other encounters with (perhaps) the supernatural are real or a byproduct of her overactive imagination. Author Jo Macgregor does a wonderful job of giving enough credence to the unexplained phenomena. The climax of this conflict is truly a highlight of the novel.

The description of New Orleans, the fully realized characters, and the suspenseful scenes work in harmony to Knocked’s benefit. Using the setting effectively, the novel really shines in a scene in an archaic hotel room. This novel effectively skirts a line into another genre, in this case horror. This novel is much more than an amateur sleuth story.

The mystery is effective and plays fair. Modern novels tend to rely on one small detail that twists the ending, but Knocked’s clues all add up to one solution. While I had figured out most of the mystery, the tense climax unfolds in a gripping manner. The execution of the reveal is action packed and superb.

The First Time I… series continues its streak of mixing the supernatural with a mystery to great effect. Knocked is a worthy entry as a fourth whether you’ve read the prior three books or not. Step into both the mystery and the magic of New Orleans for this exciting read.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BHTHHMHY

Everything Else

Review of Idriel’s Children

Idriel’s Children by Hayley Reese Chow is the second in a series of novels set in the fantasy world of Okarria. I don’t remember the events that led to picking up the first in the series, Odriel’s Heirs, but I was glad that I had. A richly visualized fantasy world, complex characters, and vivid writing made that book a winner. I immediately bought Idriel’s Children, hoping it was as good as the first.

It is.

From there, the heirs set off on a quest to find out who is raising an army of mesmerized people to do their bidding. The first book had an army of the undead. This time, the adversaries are worse. The “army” are regular people—alive, but under someone else’s control. Aza feels sure the key to this mystery exists in a place called the Shadow Plane, and she’s determined to get answers. A trek toward the Maldibor’s home, a diversion to see a magician, and other quests make up the majority of the novel.

Idriel’s Children continues the story with the children of the two main characters of the first book as the stars of this novel. In particular, the narrative follows daughter Aza, one of the three heirs of special abilities who exist to protect the world. Aza’s ability is to step into the darkness and disappear. She is a magic ninja with all the mastery of weapons of an assassin.

When Aza’s parents are called away for an important mission, it’s up to Aza and her brother Zephyr to run the school the heirs have built. Naturally, a group of cursed friends called Maldibors come looking for the elder heirs. When they find out the parents have left, the Maldibors settle for Zephyr and Aza.

The encounters and descriptions of people using their sword skills and magic move the novel along at a good pace. The description of the settings (e.g. chapter 13 has a fantastic description of a magical swamp) is far and away better than most fantasy novels. And Aza herself is as complex a fantasy character as any reader could hope for.

Idriel’s Children is an entertaining read and it has a few scenes that stand out. It also has two major reveals at the end, one about a friend and the other, a villain, that really pays off. The friend revelation is especially well done, and to me, a highlight of the book.

The first act has action and exciting scenes interspersed with character-building and plot-developing chapters. The second act is noticeably slower-paced. But the last third is exciting and really pays off.

Idriel’s Children is book two of (at least) three novels set in this world. I’m excited to read the third and find out where Hayley Reese Chow will take us next.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XLBJJKZ

First book in series: Odriel’s Heirs

Everything Else

Review of The Uncanny and the Dead

The Uncanny and the Dead is a horror anthology of bizarre and oftentimes lethal transformations. Many of the stories the collection presents have a Lovecraftian vibe with regular people encountering the weird or cosmic. Each eerie entry unfolds in a startling yet creative way.

Eight stories comprise the anthology of varying lengths. One of the longer offerings is “The Reluctant Husband” by C. M. Rosens. A collector of rare books is approached by a wealthy man interested in the arcane, and the wealthy man invites the collector back to his estate. A rare story where the narrative takes a sharp U-turn in the middle and changes from “Should I trust my employer?” to a tale of the macabre. I enjoyed the Lovecraftian tone, channeling said author closely. That’s praise, as this offering seems like a lost gem included in a Weird Tale magazine of yesteryear.

Another effective story was by L. J. Thomas’ “Gunslingers and Garlic.” This one stands out as different from the rest in the anthology. A reluctant librarian teams up with western sheriff to hunt down the vampire who turned him. More grounded in traditional creature horror than eldritch beings, this thriller is a small mystery, too.

“Hitchhiking” by Hester Steel is a fantastic use of second-person point-of-view. The reader is placed in the literal shoes of the main character hitchhiking up a hill when a vehicle arrives and picks “you” up. The twist is the character the reader is identifying with is the weird one. Effective and creepy, I’ll remember this one for a long time.

At the top of the list is the first story, “On Reflection” by Michelle Tang. Again, an effective use of point-of-view as a passenger on a cruise ship embarks on a pleasant holiday. But then why is everyone acting so oddly? And is it possible that the ship, and possibly his cabin, is haunted? This narrative unfolds masterfully with a truly gripping ending.

The anthology is worth a read. I preferred the first half of the book to the second, especially with respect to the variety. I appreciate the pains all the authors went through to make their particular story unusual and disturbing, inline with the theme. But “On Reflection” and “Hitchhiking,” in my opinion, really elevated the entire anthology.

URL: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09QP22ZCT

Everything Else

The Cement City

I enjoy story prompts. Havok, a flash fiction site, provides just the sort of prompts to inspire me. Every six months, they present a theme to authors with sub-themes each month. The subjects may be color, music, or vices/virtues. For January through June of 2023, the theme was the continents of the world.

I primarily write novels, but I also enjoy different challenges so I also construct short stories. Flash fiction (one thousand words or less, usually a five-minute read) is an even larger challenge. I love prompts because they constrain, and I enjoy pushing the boundaries of those constraints while still staying within its borders.

I decided with this theme, World Tour, I would write a few connected stories. I’ve tried this before, and while some of the stories were published, the thread running through them was lost. This time, I vowed to do better.

I think I succeeded.

My story “The Cement City” was published March 20, 2023 (https://gohavok.com). Note: If you’re reading this after that date, it will take you to a different story. After the date of publication, Havok puts their stories behind a paywall.

My short tale establishes the pattern of my series. A secret agent who travels the world looking for supernatural creatures to bring them “home” struck a chord with me.

Art by Dan Johnson

I have entitled the series “DEED,” short for “The Department of Extraordinary Emmigration Delivery,” and the stories will chronicle an agent’s, Rebecca’s, attempts to “bring them home alive.” The variance occurs in the settings and the quarry. Some of the fantasy beings are caught in “human” trafficking, but others are happy to remain where Rebecca finds them. Rebecca’s mission is always different, and she must leverage a variety of skills to rescue, convince, or educate her targets to accompany her to a safe haven.

“The Cement City” is set in Greece and Rebecca has her hands full with this mission. The target is highly dangerous to everyone around her, including Rebecca herself. Worse, this creature has run away on her own. Why did she leave the safety of her sanctuary? That’s a mystery that the DEED agent must unravel.

Enjoy!

Spoiler alert. If you want to know the identity of the supernatural creature in the story, scroll down to the bottom of this page.