Every year I group together my favorite short stories and publish them as a collection. This year I’ve written a significantly larger amount of stories than in the past and I have quite the task ahead of me to pick which ones to include in the book.
After I pick the stories, I give them a good edit. Everything I’ve shared here over the course of the year has been a fairly rough draft. I give them a quick pass for any glaring issues, but I’m aware the stories aren’t always the best or most thought out. Before I publish them in the book, I do my best to make them a fuller experience. Some of them become entirely new stories before I’m done with them.
So, here’s where I need your help. I’ve gathered a list of the stories I feel fit the theme of my collections and added a quick summary under the title. If you’ve read them, or if you want to go back and read them, I’d love to know which ones you’ve enjoyed the most and which ones you’d like to see after a rewrite. And if there are any stories I didn’t include, but you’ve read this year and would like me to add, let me know.
As always, this collection will be published on February 28th of next year. It’s become one of my favorite projects and a really interesting way to track my progress as a storytelling. Thank you in advance for any comments or thoughts.
Story Options:
1. A Witch up the Street
-A mysterious house up the street and what goes on at night.
2. Pure Delirium
-A demon interrupts a soccer game.
3. Tip Your Delivery Driver
-In a world of convenience, you never know who’s making the deliveries.
4. Lock your Doors
-A home invasion gone south.
5. Imaginary Friend
-A ghost remembers when it was forgotten.
6. Up a Mountain
-Running from the fallout and trying to survive.
7. A Secret Valentine
-Secret gifts show up on your doorstep and the ominous meaning behind it.
8. The Monster of Snake’s Pass
-A friend goes on a dangerous hike and finds out why everyone avoids it.
9. A Letter in the Desk
-News of an affair and how it’s handled.
10. Snow Was Falling
-Hiding in the mountains after a post-apoc situation. And trying to get to a safe place.
11. To Plan a Murder
-When a decision to kill goes too far.
12. Imaginary Friends
-A variety of tales of imaginary friends and the terrors they bring about.
13. A Horror Setting
-A description of a post-apoc world. (Not sure if this one will fit yet.)
14. Sacred Pass
-A place in the mountains and an impending disaster.
15. He Wears my Face
-A creature picks a victim and slowly becomes them.
16. In the Dark
-Going camping and facing the reality of what’s in the woods when the sun goes down.
17. An Encounter
-The aliens have landed, and they want to take over.
18. Yours Truly
-Letters exchanged about a death on the battlefield and what it might really mean.
19. Counting to Ten Again
-Trying to control your emotions but not always winning the fight.
20. Shower Time
-Taking a shower alone in the house, and what’s that mysterious dark shadow?