2018 The Year of the Short Story!

I’m still looking back at 2018, and one thing that stands out for me, in the literary world, is the number of short stories that were published.

Part of the reason for the large surge was a 90 Day Alpha/Omega Beginning to End Short Story contest sponsored by the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB.

While I didn’t read every entry, I did devour a good many and was completely amazed at the writing talent!

I’m going to list a few of the top reads I found and hope you’ll check them out.

I have to start with some shameless self-promotion. “Two Shorts and a Snort” won the GRAND PRIZE in the contest! Needless to say, I was speechless.

This book consists of two short stories and a poem. The first story, “Obsessed” is a story about a man who will do anything, even commit murder to win a lady’s hand in marriage. The second story, “Maggie” is about a baby found in the snow. Could it be that Frank and Mary prayed this baby up? The poem is one that is all-too-familiar. When friends of the opposite sex cross lines and become lovers. “Well, I think I liked you better when we were friends instead of lovers.”

Next up is the first-runner-up from the contest, “Tequila Rose Virginity Blues” by Wendy Jayne!

It is no secret that I’m a huge fan of Wendy Jayne Scott’s writing. And this short story grabbed me from the first page!

Here’s a short excerpt from my review:
“When Tequila Rose wakes up one morning with a hangover and no memory of the night before, things get even more complicated as a strange man is there with coffee and soup. Who is this incredibly hot and handsome man?”

The author of this next great short story is Rhani D’Chae. “I’ve Always Loved Women” took me by surprise and the twist that came was unexpected.

Here’s an excerpt from my review:
“When a man falls in love for the first time and she is married to an abusive man, it can’t possibly end well. But, what happens next shocked and surprised. Is he an angel of mercy or a cold-blooded killer? You decide. Well-written and easy to read in thirty minutes or under.”

Another short story I read that was absolutely fantastic was “Open, Shut” by Nonnie Jules. It tells such a compelling story of the power of faith.

Here’s an excerpt from my Review:
“This is an easy-to-read short story you can finish in around thirty minutes. It shares of one girl’s unwavering faith and the ripples of that faith long after she’s gone from this life. I loved the way so many people were deeply affected and changed in the short duration of this story. “

Another short story I thoroughly enjoyed came from Author, D.L. Finn entitled, “Bigfoot – A Short Story.”

Here’s an excerpt from my Review:
“Many stories have been told about the mythical Bigfoot, but in this short story, D.L. Finn presents a different twist on every theory out there. With only a few characters, the author manages to weave an entire story including some backstory. Could it be that Bigfoot was from another planet in our galaxy? I don’t know. Read this short story and find out. This is a quick read and can easily be done on a lunch break. It will leave you wondering.”

I normally wouldn’t list two short stories by the same author, but this story was that good and I wanted to include “Hexed: A Purr-fect Catastrophe” by Wendy Jayne.

An excerpt from my Review:
“I loved, loved, loved this short story! It has a bit of everything in the mix from magic to shapeshifters. When Cassidy finds herself with a big problem, she is determined to find out who has put this damnable hex on her and what she can do to reverse it. Warlock, Hunter Rutherford, wants Cassidy. He’s courted her for months and is no closer to getting intimate than he was at the beginning, but why? He can see the desire in Cassidy’s eyes.”

That’s six short stories you can read in a short period of time and be thoroughly entertained. I hope I interested you in at least one.

All these authors are members of the RAVE REVIEWS BOOK CLUB and RAVE WRITERS INT’L SOCIETY OF AUTHORS.