I write both stand-alone sci-fantasy shorts and a series of vignettes showing the life and struggles of interstellar empires called the Periphery Wars. This one is called "Breakdown" about two Galactic Brass discussing the state of their empire in light of an antagonistic ally.
Here's one line highlighting the theme:
"Things have gotten so tumultuous here, we’re ready to fracture at the drop of a hat. The Federation’s never been more fragile, and one more economic disturbance is all we need for all hell to break loose! This guy better be good.”
I had the basic idea for this story in the back of my head for maybe ten years. When I read Lovecraft’s “The Statement of Randolph Carter,” I realized I had the perfect framing device. Hopefully, the hero will return for future stories.
The Janleen clan dominates human space through unity, discipline, and strict generational contracts: every marriage must produce at least six children—two for the Army, two for the Navy, two for the clan—while advancing family fortunes through carefully negotiated “exchanges.” A marriage proposal is no simple pledge of love, but a legally binding document outlining obligations, allowances, offspring quotas, and even fertility expectations.
This story follows the coming of age of three members of that clan, as they navigate marriage, clan expectations, and the deadly fight against the aliens:
The babysitter turned up wearing a bad taste costume. She's troubled, we already knew that, this is her second chance. We never go out to dinner, just the two of us.
Tyler has gamed his way onto an aging, mid-rating reality TV show where the contestants are people living with mental illness, and the prize is a televised treatment. He thinks he's got all the angles covered, but he didn't plan on finding a soulmate. Turns out there's a lot he didn't plan for.
When an intergalactic ledger demands a reckoning of Earth's resources, it takes a world famous astro physicist to break the news to the world. We were being forced to move from an economy based on the gold system, to the old system. Take care of your neighbor and your neighbor will take care of you. We had no choice. A twenty one year clock was ticking but seemed to go faster everyday. Drive into the world of The Cosmic Audit to find out how the world deals with this kind of event.
They put her in the air to drop the atom bomb; they didn't know she wanted to do it.
https://zacharyroush.substack.com/p/fissile-material-471?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=5bis7
She’s been hit before. She expects it again.
Instead, he offers her something else: control.
Not protection. Not sympathy.
A way out—if she can learn to think differently. An award-winning novel, released serially on Substack.
CyberWitch (Chapter 1): https://ericmartell.substack.com/p/cyberwitch?r=d76bb
A flash fiction about how to boar a troll. Fantasy including a warrior who is a host to a sentient being and leads his men in protecting a rural area.
https://talesofkarnum.substack.com/p/boared-troll
I write both stand-alone sci-fantasy shorts and a series of vignettes showing the life and struggles of interstellar empires called the Periphery Wars. This one is called "Breakdown" about two Galactic Brass discussing the state of their empire in light of an antagonistic ally.
Here's one line highlighting the theme:
"Things have gotten so tumultuous here, we’re ready to fracture at the drop of a hat. The Federation’s never been more fragile, and one more economic disturbance is all we need for all hell to break loose! This guy better be good.”
https://rgarron.substack.com/p/blind-trust?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=336zru
I meant the story is called "Blind Trust." Sorry for the confusion!
When the stars went away - Story about the time when the twinkling stars were closer to the ground than sky.
https://theindianstory.substack.com/p/how-people-forgot-that-stars-were-closer-to-the-ground
“Yes, I burned David Ward’s house down. No, I don’t know where he is. No, I did not kill him, although it might have been better if I had.”
https://zaklog.substack.com/p/reunion?r=2nmhek&utm_medium=ios
I had the basic idea for this story in the back of my head for maybe ten years. When I read Lovecraft’s “The Statement of Randolph Carter,” I realized I had the perfect framing device. Hopefully, the hero will return for future stories.
The Janleen clan dominates human space through unity, discipline, and strict generational contracts: every marriage must produce at least six children—two for the Army, two for the Navy, two for the clan—while advancing family fortunes through carefully negotiated “exchanges.” A marriage proposal is no simple pledge of love, but a legally binding document outlining obligations, allowances, offspring quotas, and even fertility expectations.
This story follows the coming of age of three members of that clan, as they navigate marriage, clan expectations, and the deadly fight against the aliens:
https://vonwriting.substack.com/p/two-for-introduction
A dead cosmonaut.
A lunar base full of suspects.
Two visitors find themselves investigating a murder.
Short story "Deputized": https://gallagherstories.substack.com/p/deputized
A young woman wakes up.in a strange world with no memory of how she got there.
https://jasonduck.substack.com/p/the-way-back-home?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2ja1cw
When fans become fanatics: https://davidperlmutter.substack.com/p/fandom
David Bowie Eyes not only see reality differently, they actually twist it:
https://jetse.substack.com/p/david-bowie-eyespart-1
The babysitter turned up wearing a bad taste costume. She's troubled, we already knew that, this is her second chance. We never go out to dinner, just the two of us.
https://hamishkavanagh.substack.com/p/one-night-of-the-year-a-short-story
Unimaginable horror descends upon a science ship entering uncharted space. "Something was very, very wrong on board the SS Hermod…"
I wanted to do something thought-provoking, yet still an homage to old-school space horror. Hopefully, I succeeded.
https://gregoryblairentertains.substack.com/p/celestial-bodies
Bad Banana 🍌
Nature's perfect snack, an invitation from the stars... and the moment the world stopped making sense. A surreal sci-fi short story.
https://jackteichrib.substack.com/p/bad-banana?r=7x9g82&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Tyler has gamed his way onto an aging, mid-rating reality TV show where the contestants are people living with mental illness, and the prize is a televised treatment. He thinks he's got all the angles covered, but he didn't plan on finding a soulmate. Turns out there's a lot he didn't plan for.
https://hammondjohns.substack.com/p/coverage
When an intergalactic ledger demands a reckoning of Earth's resources, it takes a world famous astro physicist to break the news to the world. We were being forced to move from an economy based on the gold system, to the old system. Take care of your neighbor and your neighbor will take care of you. We had no choice. A twenty one year clock was ticking but seemed to go faster everyday. Drive into the world of The Cosmic Audit to find out how the world deals with this kind of event.
https://bobbyjackson1.substack.com/p/chapter-1?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=7qjxjt