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Unstoppable
The prompt for this short story was: “Center your story around a struggling author who discovers they can control reality through their writing — but there’s a catch.” I decided to write this story partly due to my love of the film “Stranger Than Fiction” (2006, written by Zach Helm and starring Will Ferrell, Emma…
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If Pride & Prejudice Friends Could Text
For this short story contest entry, Reedsy asked us to play with form. For example, the story could have been a recipe, a diary entry, or a series of phone calls. I chose the exchange of text messages between friends, not just any friends, but Pride and Prejudice characters Elizabeth Bennett and Charlotte Lucas. Charlotte:…
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The Ghost Writer
In this new short story, I dip into a new genre: speculative fiction. The writing contest prompt for this story was to “Center your story around an author, editor, ghostwriter, or literary agent.” Jocelyn hoped she remembered all her lies for the impending Zoom call. She’d studied the newspaper accounts and video clips of her…
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Thoughts On “All the Light We Cannot See”
I feel inadequate to review Anthony Doeer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel before I start. All the Light We Cannot See is a novel I’d recommend to anyone. I downloaded it as an audio book because we were going on a long vacation, much of it by bus. I don’t recommend doing that because you’ll ignore your…
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Call From The Vestibule
Kristy’s note: When I look people up online, I’m always looking for interesting tidbits about their life. This is the true story of how Larry and I met. On January 3, 1984, I started a new job, which I hoped would completely change my life. No pressure. At 7:55 a.m., with butterflies dancing in my…
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The Heroine Who Got Thrown Under the Bus
The writing prompt for this story was: write from the POV of a fairy tale character sharing their side of the story. So you know the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, right? You’ve probably seen it more than once. Are you one of those who thinks that Dorothy is the heroine? Well, let me set…
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The Unfriending
The writing prompt for this story was: write a story with a character pouring out their emotions. “I can’t be your friend anymore.” I stood next to Helen’s red front door as her facial muscles migrated from a forced smile to shock. She didn’t like surprise visits, even from her best friend. “What’s wrong?” said…
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Review: Margo’s Got Money Troubles
Margo’s Got Money Troubles didn’t grab me until about page fifty. By the time I got to the last fifty pages, I was staying up past my bedtime and waking up early to read it. The characters have depth. They make interesting, realistic choices, and they’re complicated. We’ve all been Margo, young and having to…
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The Choice
The writing prompt for this story was: write a story about someone who must fit their entire life in a single suitcase. The air filter machine whirred in competition with the TV anchor’s urgent plea for viewers to follow local authorities’ edicts. My phone showed “Evacuation Zone Level 2,” meaning “Be set to depart on…
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Wedding Llamas
The writing prompt for this story was: end your story with someone saying, “I do.” It took all my strength not to roll my eyes as Heather ambled into our family room, juggling three overfilled binders, which she flung onto the coffee table. Dad bristled at the thudding sound. Heather had been planning her perfect…
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Kristy Schnabel 