Weekly Recommendation - Short Fiction

I've decided to do something new. Once a week, instead of trying to convince you to buy my book, I'm going to recommend someone else's book. Or books. I might settle on a theme for the week and throw a bunch at you, like I'm going to do this time. Hell, I might even go as far as actually reviewing the books I'm recommending beyond just saying, "It's really good, guys." But I'll probably still say that a lot.

This week I decided I'd focus on some short fiction. I have two short stories and a short story/poetry collection. All reads that you can likely finish in under an hour each. Two from writers I know, and really think you might like as well, and one I only recently discovered, but who might be a little better known.

Let's begin, shall we?

First up is a little piece anyone that knows me might be familiar with already:

Demon: The Dark House

I have to start this recommendation by pointing out that I know the author of this one. He's an old friend, and one of my most trusted beta-readers. So I'm biased and I know it. Doesn't mean I don't actually love this story. Because I do love this story. Not only for what it is, but for what it's going to be. This story, on the surface, at least, is a simple action piece. A man hunting a pair of demons through a dark house using a sword forged from his own soul. For every demon he kills, his sword grows darker, and the voices of those he's killed torment him, slowly pushing him closer to insanity.
I talk to Mayne on a regular basis, and I always enjoy turning the conversation to the follow up story he's currently working on. If it even comes close to matching my expectations, we're all in for a treat.

Next on this week's list:

Regurgitations

Again, I have to give a disclaimer. I also know Austin James. I know, I know, I must really be a big deal. Well, I appreciate you all thinking that. But I only know him because of this collection of stories and poems, so you don't have to accuse me of being totally biased. I helped with some of the ebook formatting and I got to write an awesome blurb you can read on the book's amazon page: 

"The stories and poems in this collection all have an edge. The kind that can cut. All previously published, these are Austin James’s regurgitations. Reflections on human emotion and experience. Stories about the failings of love and the sharp, twisting knife of loss. Poetry that reveals the tragedy that is winter, the painting that is the rearview mirror, and the feeling in the stomach that only the right nutmeg blonde can produce. In this collection are two short stories and three poems, each ready to impart something, maybe wisdom, to the reader."

And I meant every word. While not what anyone would call genre fiction, which is my usual wheel house, I would still heartily recommend this short collection to anybody. I've been lucky enough to read a few more of James's stories, and the guy knows what he's doing. Do yourself a favor and drop the $0.99 for this quick read.

And finally:

The Litany of Earth

The Litany of Earth by Ruthanna Emrys is a short story, or Novelette if you want to get fancy, inspired by the Lovecraft mythos. The narrator, Aphra, is one of the last surviving residents of Innsmouth(yes that Innsmouth) trying to start her life over after everything was taken from her.

Anyone familiar with the Lovecraft's stories will know what I mean when I say she has the "Innsmouth look," and I have to say, I loved the fact that the protagonist is a character that in almost any other story inspired by Lovecraft likely would have been cast as the villain.

I mean, she worships Cthulhu. You know, Cthulhu? Yeah, you know him. But the whole time I read this story I just sympathized with her. I almost understood why someone would want to worship a massive winged-squid-faced-monster-of-madness. I won't say too much about the story, other than to tell you that you can read it for free on Tor.com. I recommend it. 

I really enjoyed this story, and upon completion was super excited with the news that there is a full length novel just released starring Aphra. Winter Tide. In fact, apparently, there's a whole series planned. Winter Tide has moved up on my reading list pretty fast, and it's likely going to be one of the next books I read. Fingers crossed that I like it as much as Litany.

Alright, everybody, those are my recommendations this week. Read them. Or don't. I'm not the boss of you. I just thought you might enjoy them. 

Have your own recommendations? Got a short story(or novel, or tv show, I'm not going to regulate this) you love more than life itself? Please share.

A Park Bench

So I realize I've been silent for the past little while. I was doing the whole NaNoWriMo thing. That story has taken up the bulk of my time. I'm pretty excited to share the finished product. For now here's a really short story(seriously, short) I wrote a while ago. Hopefully I'll have something new to share soon. Until then, Enjoy.

Unwoken

Unwoken

by

James Jakins

              I had found this home several days before. The residents had been kind, and had given me the nourishment I had needed. I sat in their front room, the shades shielding me from the sun. I closed my eyes and tried to relax. But as always when I tried to find sleep, my mind raced back to the day my nightmare had started.

Answers

Answers

By

James Jakins

There is a tower. Everyone has to climb it at some point. Some sooner than others. The reason for climbing varies. It is usually to receive answers to a question. Or it is simply to climb, because that is what people do. They climb.

A Worthy Sacrifice

     The following story is one I wrote a few years ago. I don't think this will be the final draft, but I'm happy with it for now. It's based on a dream I had once. It doesn't really show in the story, but I've never been more scared by a dream in my life. I think that's the reason I'm so fond of the setting. There's a lot more going on than we see in this particular story. This won't be my last time visiting the Webster First Church of Christ in my writing. I have a lot of ideas I'm excited to play with. Enjoy.

A Not Incredibly Original Story I Wrote Once

     So I've been thinking about what I should share on here, and I think I'm going to start forcing my terrible prose upon you non-existent readers.
      In other news, I played The Last of Us. I loved it. But so did anyone else that owns a PS3.
      It's one of those titles that makes me wish there was no console war. That everyone could afford to own every system and buy every game. This way there would be peace.
But sadly, there is no peace, and I have no original thoughts regarding games at the moment. So until that time I will grace you with a short story I wrote about the time a friend and I tried to unclog our shower. *Spoiler* It ended in our deaths. If anyone actually reads this, I apologize if the story sucks, I liked it.