#ShortStory – Jan Sikes

May 3, 2026May 4, 2026

DEPRESSION SOUP

She stood in a line her head bowed low There was nowhere to run, no place to go With clothes that were ragged And shoes that were worn There were millions just like her She wasn’t alone America’s Great Depression had stolen their homes Took its toll on their bodies Tried to squash their souls …

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April 22, 2026April 20, 2026

BLOG STOP #4 – JOHN HOWELL

Our stop today is at a place you are all familiar with, or if you aren't, today would be a great day to subscribe to his blog. John Howell always entertains! John Howell is another author I have known and admired for many, many years. When I met him, I only had two books written …

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April 8, 2026April 8, 2026

Short Story “I’ve Got You”

https://alwayswrite.blog/2026/04/07/story-chat-digest-ive-got-you-by-jan-sikes/comment-page-1/#comment-106752?page_id=135235 Marsha Ingrao shares a short story I wrote for her Story Chat Digest blog that has raised some interesting comments. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Remember this is pure fiction, almost fairy-tale like. Comments here are closed. See you over there!

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April 7, 2026April 6, 2026

It’s Book Release Day! Fringes, Heartstrings, and Lyrics

Whoo hoo!! I am thrilled to release my latest efforts into the world. I owe a big THANK YOU to everyone who pre-ordered. PURCHASE LINK For years, I've had short stories included in different anthologies through various groups and most of them were never seen or read. So, I decided to resurrect and republish them …

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March 27, 2026March 27, 2026

Short Story at Esther Chilton’s Blog!

https://estherchilton.co.uk/2026/03/27/guest-writer-spot-198/comment-page-1/#comment-66734?page_id=36581 I have a short story up on Esther Chilton's bog today. If you have an inkling to head over and read it, I'd be honored! Comments are closed here.

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August 15, 2025March 3, 2026

#CreativePerspectiveChallenge Eight. @DLFinnAuthor #FlashFiction

I have enjoyed all of D.L. Finn's creative challenges, although I haven't been able to join in often. Still, I've loved reading all of them. And today, I'm jumping in with an inspiration from this image she provided. "Come on Betsy. We're almost there." Aiden turned to make sure his little sister was keeping up. …

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April 3, 2025March 3, 2026

THROWBACK THURSDAY

The next book up from my backlist I published June 26, 2020. It was the grand prize winner in a short story contest. The idea for this story came from a conversation I had with my late husband's cousin. It's no secret that Rick Sikes spent fifteen years in Leavenworth Penitentiary for a crime he …

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March 27, 2025March 3, 2026

Throwback Thursday – Brazos Wind

It's time to share another of my older titles and next up is a western, Brazos Wind! As with many of my stories, the inspiration for this one came from a song. Music artist, Phil Hamilton is well known on the Texas music festival circuit and I've always enjoyed his show. During COVID, when musicians …

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March 13, 2025March 3, 2026

Throwback Thursday – Jonah

Hello, friends. As I continue looking back at my early work, next up is Jonah, published on March 18, 2020. This story was inspired by a guided meditation, which is proof that story ideas can come from anywhere. In the meditation, I was asked to visualize a deserted island filled with stinging nettles, brambles, horrifying …

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February 20, 2025March 3, 2026

Throwback Thursday – Micro-Fiction

Hello, friends. I'm sharing another of my earliest attempts at writing fiction. Only this one is in the form of Micro-Fiction, so a very short read. Three things I love to write about: Opposites Love Resilience And that is exactly what Satin & Cinders encompasses. I chose to tell this story with two horses - …

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