#shortstories — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #shortstories, aggregated by home.social.
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The wait is almost over! The date is finally on the horizon.
Our very first children’s picture book officially releases on October 3rd! Creating this story has brought so much joy. Filled with heart, wonder, and beautiful illustrations, I can't wait for you and your little ones to explore it.Whether you are looking for a sweet new read-aloud for bedtime or a story to spark curiosity and imagination during cozy family reading time, this book was created with your home in mind.You can check out all the details, learn more about the story, at The Book […]https://heathercongrove.com/2026/09/15/the-wait-is-almost-over-the-date-is-finally-on-the-horizon/
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Patreon
I thought I’d start a Patreon. I don’t know how it will go, or what I’ll post there but in the first instance I thought I’d post some of my previously published short stories that were only ever published in print and not online.
The first one is a free read. Investigating the Sea-hag menace was previously published by Improbable Press in their anthology Dark Cheer: Cryptids Emerging – Volume Blue in 2021.
After that, I might serialise a novel if it generates enough interest. I have one that I wrote for the MFA that doesn’t seem to be able to find a home anywhere. I’m guessing it’s a bit too odd for agents and mainstream publishers alike as I’ve had a few ‘thank you for sharing your work but it’s not for us’ responses and a whole lot of no response at all. I was quite pleased with the novel – a crime thriller with an uncanny twist – as I stepped well out of my comfort zone and my usual genres. But since it’s a stand-alone outside my usual genres and I’m working on other projects now, I thought it might be a good experiment.
We’ll see.
#Writing #ShortStories #cryptids #Patreon -
Behind the Scenes: Part 4
There is something truly magical about watching a children's story come to life long before the final colors are added. I am so excited to share another early rough draft sketch from one of our upcoming picture books. Building a book is a step by step journey of collaboration, imagination, and refining every little detail until the magic lands on the page. Seeing these initial pencil lines turn into fully realized characters is always my favorite part of the process. Stay tuned for more […]https://heathercongrove.com/2026/09/14/behind-the-scenes-part-4/
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Behind the Scenes: Part 4
There is something truly magical about watching a children's story come to life long before the final colors are added. I am so excited to share another early rough draft sketch from one of our upcoming picture books. Building a book is a step by step journey of collaboration, imagination, and refining every little detail until the magic lands on the page. Seeing these initial pencil lines turn into fully realized characters is always my favorite part of the process. Stay tuned for more […]https://heathercongrove.com/2026/09/14/behind-the-scenes-part-4/
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Behind the Scenes: Part 4
There is something truly magical about watching a children's story come to life long before the final colors are added. I am so excited to share another early rough draft sketch from one of our upcoming picture books. Building a book is a step by step journey of collaboration, imagination, and refining every little detail until the magic lands on the page. Seeing these initial pencil lines turn into fully realized characters is always my favorite part of the process. Stay tuned for more […]https://heathercongrove.com/2026/09/14/behind-the-scenes-part-4/
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Behind the Scenes: Part 4
There is something truly magical about watching a children's story come to life long before the final colors are added. I am so excited to share another early rough draft sketch from one of our upcoming picture books. Building a book is a step by step journey of collaboration, imagination, and refining every little detail until the magic lands on the page. Seeing these initial pencil lines turn into fully realized characters is always my favorite part of the process. Stay tuned for more […]https://heathercongrove.com/2026/09/14/behind-the-scenes-part-4/
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#Jadaliyya | We Are Still Here: Voices of #PalestinianStudents From #Gaza
featuring student contributors to the book #WeAreStillHere, edited by Jacob Norris and Zahid Pranjol
co-moderated by Anisa Haddadi and Zahid Praniol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDMHSufeGz0
#Palestine #GazaGenocide #colonialViolence #PalestinianYouth #oPt #books #poetry #essays #shortStories #anthologies @bookstodon
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#Jadaliyya | We Are Still Here: Voices of #PalestinianStudents From #Gaza
featuring student contributors to the book #WeAreStillHere, edited by Jacob Norris and Zahid Pranjol
co-moderated by Anisa Haddadi and Zahid Praniol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDMHSufeGz0
#Palestine #GazaGenocide #colonialViolence #PalestinianYouth #oPt #books #poetry #essays #shortStories #anthologies @bookstodon
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#Jadaliyya | We Are Still Here: Voices of #PalestinianStudents From #Gaza
featuring student contributors to the book #WeAreStillHere, edited by Jacob Norris and Zahid Pranjol
co-moderated by Anisa Haddadi and Zahid Praniol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDMHSufeGz0
#Palestine #GazaGenocide #colonialViolence #PalestinianYouth #oPt #books #poetry #essays #shortStories #anthologies @bookstodon
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Magic, Music, and Secrets
Maybe the title of this fantasy collection, one of four collections available in the Seavy County Kickstarter, describes Seavy County the best. Seavy County is an imaginary part of the Oregon Coast. It’s full of magic and horror and crime and romance and yes, music. The Kickstarter ends at 7 p.m. Pacific Time tonight, so […]…
https://kriswrites.com/2026/09/14/magic-music-and-secrets/#Fantasy #NewReleases #SeavyCounty #Kickstarter #shortstories
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NAMING THE SNAKES: New Writing Scotland 44
Edinburgh launch
15 September, Blackwell’s, South Bridge – £3 / £11 with bookCelebrate the latest issue with a mix of readings of poetry, short fiction & non-fiction in English, Gaelic & Scots – all welcome!
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/naming-the-snakes-new-writing-scotland-44-tickets-1995684361648
#Scottish #literature #Gaidhlig #Gaelic #Scots #Scotslanguage #poetry #shortstories #shortfiction #writing #writingcommunity #booklaunch #Edinburgh
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Ever penned a story so bizarre your document shivered? Nice! Dark Descent seeks microhorror—500 words tops, no fees, just a shot at chilling some spines.
👉 Submit here: https://www.darkholmepublishing.uk/darkdescentsubmissions
#HorrorWriters #Microfiction #DarkDescent #darkesttales #writingcommunity#horrorcommunity #horror #shortstories #twistedtales
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The Writing Slump That Led to ‘The Most Beautiful Woman in the World’
The Writing Slump
A few months ago. I challenged myself to write at least one piece of flash fiction every month after realising I hadn’t written any this year. The words seemed to have dried up, or was it that other stuff was grabbing my attention? Yeah, probably the latter.
Then I started looking at prompts, images, or photos in writing challenge posts. Sometimes the ideas and words flowed, but I also struggled.
Finding Inspiration in Prompts
Two of my most recent pieces of flash fiction came from prompts Esther Chilton posted on her blog.
‘The Man That Knew Too Soon‘ was written in response to the prompt word ‘Cross,’ while ‘The Shape Of His Loneliness‘ came about from Esther’s prompt word ‘Figure.’ I was pleased with how both stories turned out, and so, it seems, were many readers.
A Story Forty Years in the Making
This month’s flash fiction piece didn’t require a published prompt word or photo. The story came from an image that’s been locked in my head for over forty years. It’s of a smartly dressed, curly-haired woman in her late 20s, with a black shoulder bag hanging over her left shoulder, shopping in a large department store on Oxford Street in London’s West End.
I worked at the store, and although I knew the woman, I didn’t know her that well. But the image I saw of her that day immediately gave me an idea for a story that took me over 40 years to write.
Last year, I finally let my fingers bring the image of that woman from my mind onto my computer screen, and I wrote the story, ‘If You Happen to See the Most Beautiful Woman In The World.’ But you won’t find the story here.
Where to Find the Story
If you’re curious who the woman is and what her story is, you’ll find it on the blog of Marsha Ingrao, the very talented host of Story Chat Digest.
The story is a 5-7-minute read, so it won’t take long.
I’d love to hear your feedback about the story, which you can leave in the comments section of the post on Marsha’s blog. Click the image below to go straight to the story and meet the woman who inspired it over 40 years ago.
Image credit – Marsha IngraoAlternatively, click the following link.
If You Happen To See The Most Beautiful Woman In The World
However (there’s always an ‘however’ with me and my stories, isn’t there?), this woman isn’t all she seems.
Story Chat Digest
If you want to know who she is, ask me some questions about her in the post’s comments section on Marsha’s blog, and I may let you in on a secret with a twist.
My thanks to Marsha for accepting my story for this year’s Story Chat Digest, a place where everyone is welcome to submit a story and join other authors over coffee or another beverage to discuss all the wonderful stories.
If you’re interested in submitting a story, contact Marsha.
The latest Story Chat Digest book is now available for purchase. Click here for details.
Writing is a funny thing. Sometimes the words refuse to come, and other times a forty-year-old image quietly waiting in the back of your mind turns into a story you’re proud to share.
I hope you enjoy reading ‘If You Happen to See the Most Beautiful Woman in the World’ as much as I enjoyed finally writing it. If you do pop over to Marsha’s blog, don’t forget to say hello in the comments. I’d love to know what you think.
Copyright @ 2026 hughsviewsandnews.com – All rights reserved.
Mashra Ingrao created the featured image and other images in this post. AI corrected spelling and grammar mistakes and helped with the post layout.
You can follow me on the following sites.
Please feel free to share this post.
#CreativeWriting #FlashFiction #Inspiration #MarshaIngrao #OxfordStreet #ShortStories #StoryChat #WritersLife #WritingChallenge #WritingCommunity #WritingPrompts -
Huge congratulations to @fictionable contributor Lucy Caldwell and all the other #writers on the #BBCNSSA shortlist:
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@nesce
I'd love to know how things go on with Sonya and Lillith. -
October can't come soon enough! Pamela M. Durgin and Karlo Yeager Rodríguez opened the door to autumn (among other times and places) with these spooky tales. You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #PamelaMDurgin #KarloYeagerRodriguez #KarloYeagerRodríguez @kjy1066 https://youtu.be/dxJhsTbzsLA
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This week, Story Hour gets spooky! Longtime Favorite Karlo Yeager Rodríguez returns, and Pamela M. Durgin makes her Story Hour debut just ahead of her novel’s debut. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #PamelaMDurgin #KarloYeagerRodriguez #KarloYeagerRodríguez @kjy1066 https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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This Story Hour, Redfern Barrett and Deborah L. Davitt left our heads spinning with the vast potential of SFF! These four tales are all completely different, comparable only in their excellence. You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #DeborahLDavitt #RedfernBarrett https://youtu.be/6TIbLV927Yc
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This week, two SFF authors make their Story Hour debuts! Redfern Barrett and Deborah L. Davitt will transport us to their realms of fiction. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #DeborahLDavitt #RedfernBarrett @redfern https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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Some of Violet Jacob’s works are available to download as free ebooks via @gutenberg_org
4 novels: Flemington, The Sheep-Stealers, Irresolute Catherine, & The Interloper;
2 poetry collections: Bonnie Joann, and Other Poems, & Songs of Angus and More Songs of Angus;
The Golden Heart, & Other Fairy Stories8/8
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/author/7709
#Scottish #literature #Scots #Scotslanguage #19thCentury #20thcentury #WomenWriters #VioletJacob #novels #poetry #shortstories #shortfiction #fairytales
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Has there ever been a more suspenseful Story Hour? Thrill to these nail-biters from Mackenzie Hurlbert and Errick Nunnally! You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #MackenzieHurlbert #ErrickNunnally https://youtu.be/my0DdbTly-g
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This week, Mackenzie Hurlbert makes her Scary Hour—er, STORY Hour debut! And she’s not alone. None other than Errick Nunnally returns! Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #MackenzieHurlbert #ErrickNunnally https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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This week, Story Hour showed us how SF can go from universal to personal scale and still ring true. Beautiful and beautifully written stories from Wole Talabi and Lauren Parker. You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #LaurenParker #WoleTalabi https://youtu.be/KWlP2Pu0S50
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This week, two favorites return to challenge and entertain us! Lauren Parker and Wole Talabi will read their own SFF stories. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #LaurenParker #WoleTalabi #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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This Story Hour, Jo Kaplan and Angela (A.G.) Slatter walked us through some very dark forests. Both stories had color in their titles; both had a strong oral-tradition feel; both were exquisite and devastating. You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #JoKaplan #AngelaSlatter https://youtu.be/30OrCau9kBo
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This week, two well-known authors make their Story Hour debuts! Jo Kaplan and Angela Slatter read us their own horror tales. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #JoKaplan #AngelaSlatter https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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We had a very companionable evening with Story Hour cohost Daniel Marcus and occasional guest host Douglas Gwilym. Their stories, now—those were melancholy, full of ghosts and time displacement. You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #DouglasGwilym #DanielMarcus
https://youtu.be/IxZdgtVZpVc -
This Story Hour, SFF is on the way! Mainstays Douglas Gwilym and Daniel Marcus will take us to some very strange places. Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #DouglasGwilym #DanielMarcus
https://www.storyhour2020.com/ -
This week's Story Hour guests brought us powerful tales of family and society. Tobi Ogundiran read “Lágbájá,” and Isabel J. Kim read her Hugo-nominated "Wire Mother." Pitch-perfect, harrowing, unmissable. #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading
#FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF # #IsabelJKim #TobiOgundiran
https://youtu.be/CKy-n_R31rc -
This Story Hour is one for the books! Much-lauded authors Tobi Ogundiran and Isabel J. Kim return—and Isabel is even reading her Hugo-nominated “Wire Mother”! Don’t miss this one. #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF # #IsabelJKim #TobiOgundiran
Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! https://www.storyhour2020.com/ -
This week on Story Hour, Charlotte Tierney and Jeffrey Ford read weird horror tales! These stories address relationships, self-respect, and flying heads. Heavy subjects brightened with flecks of the comic. You can still watch! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #JeffreyFord #CharlotteTierney https://youtu.be/Ru2fJAI88fI
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This week, two authors make their terrifying Story Hour debuts*! Join us for spooky stories from Jeffrey Ford and Charlotte Tierney!
*They’re both reading horror. We have no plans to terrify the guests.
Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! https://www.storyhour2020.com/ #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #JeffreyFord #CharlotteTierney -
Call for Submissions for Issue 12!
Pure in Heart is OPEN for submissions!
Calling all writers, artists, poets, and creative people of all ages!
We want you to send us your best, most polished, most beautiful work for Issue 12!
Here’s what we’re looking for:
- Playful and heartfelt poetry
- Nail-biting, suspenseful, and exciting short stories
- Artwork full of imagination
- Funny or adventurous comics
- Unexpected jokes and riddles
- Delicious recipes that you and your family like to make
- Challenging and fun games with Christian themes
Remember to read the full guidelines before submitting.
Send us something before August 31st — that’s when submissions close.
We can’t wait to see your work!
Guidelines (for ages 17 and younger)
Poetry: 1–3 poems (any length).
Short Stories: 1 story, no longer than 2,000 words.
Art & Photography: 1–3 photos of your artwork.
Comics: 1–2 photos of your comics/comic strip.
Jokes: 1-3 jokes, with credit (if you didn’t make it up)
Recipes: 1-2 recipes, with credit (if you didn’t make it up)
Deadline: August 31st
Guidelines (for ages 18 and older)
Poetry: 1–5 poems (any length).
Short Stories: 1–2 stories, no longer than 2,000 words each.
Art & Photography: 1–4 pieces at a time. We also accept image-text hybrids.
Comics: 1-2 photos of your comics/comic strip.
Jokes: 1-3 jokes, with appropriate credit.
Recipes: 1-2 recipes, with appropriate credit.
Deadline: August 31st
Check out our current issue!
Questions? Contact us.
Photo by Cup of Couple on Pexels.com
#art #artist #artists #artwork #callForSubmissions #children #christian #family #fiction #issue #kid #kidPoets #kidWriters #kidlit #kids #literaryMagazine #photographer #photography #poetry #poets #shortStories #stories #story #teen #teenPoets #teenWriters #teenager #teenlit #teens #writer #writers -
This Story Hour, Eliane Boey and Tia Tashiro read us very human stories in all-too-believable futures. Highly recommended! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #ScienceFiction #SFF #ElianeBoey #TiaTashiro @elianeboey https://youtu.be/fxt3V6iussM
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This week, fan favorite Eliane Boey returns—and Tia Tashiro makes her Story Hour debut! Tia will read her Hugo-, Locus- and Sturgeon-nominated “Missing Helen.” Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #ElianeBoey #TiaTashiro @elianeboey https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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This Story Hour brought us beautifully written, superbly voiced horror tales from Katherine Silva and Todd Keisling. Haunting and melancholy. You can still watch—and listen closely. @ToddKeisling #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #ToddKeisling #KatherineSilva https://youtu.be/KIpIjojyQ8c
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Tonight on Story Hour, Todd Keisling returns, and Katherine Silva steps up in her Story Hour debut! We’ll try to get Stephanie M. Wytovich another time, but we’re thrilled and chilled that Katherine will read for us tonight! Join us at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #ToddKeisling #KatherineSilva @ToddKeisling https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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This week’s stories offer spooky chills as a reprieve from the heat. Todd Keisling returns, and Stephanie M. Wytovich makes her Story Hour debut! Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #Horror #HorrorFiction #ToddKeisling #StephanieMWytovoch @ToddKeisling https://www.storyhour2020.com/
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This Story Hour brought us poignant fantasy from Faye Gabriel & Kat Weaver and all-too-real science fiction from Shaenon K. Garrity. Highly enjoyable—and you can still watch! @anoteinpink @shaenongarrity #FayeGabriel #KatWeaver #ShaenonKGarrity #shortfiction #shortstories #authorreading #author #sff #sciencefiction #fantasy https://youtu.be/AElSeFUyPdE
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This Story Hour brings a double debut: Faye Gabriel and Kat Weaver read a co-written story! Also, perennial favorite Shaenon K. Garrity returns to read! Join us Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. PDT! #Bookstodon #StoryHour2020 #ShortStories #ShortFiction #AuthorReading #FantasyFiction #ScienceFiction #SFF #KatWeaver #FayeGabriel #ShaenonKGarrity @shaenongarrity @anoteinpink https://www.storyhour2020.com/
