STORIES

THE PERFECT HOST

Ken Walters has the perfect life; family, career, beautiful wife. But when he finds his beloved garden shed infested with rats, he is horrified, and is very eager to defeat them. What he doesn’t recognize is that the real war will take place in his head as he battles insomnia, paranoia and hallucinations. Will he declare victory against the squealing army of vermin, or will his mind be overthrown?

You can read "The Perfect Host" in Mobius Blvd Magazine, Volume 17, or in Infinity Wanderers #15. It will also appear in the March issue of Exquisite Death Magazine. Click the links below for access.

SPREAD THIN

Wesley Phillips needs to change his life. He's out-of-shape, divorced and lonely. Moving to a new city and starting a new job should fix that. But his pursuit of a beautiful stranger sets him on a path not only of recovery, but of compassion. After springing into action to save the life of a mysterious old man, he begins to feel manipulated. Will he find love in a new romance, or will his misgivings about the old man prove to be warranted?

​You can read the print version of "Spread Thin" in Meat for Tea: The Valley Review, Volume 19, Issue 1, or the online version in Books & Pieces Magazine. Click the links below for access.​

REFLECTION

Peyton Simmons is on the run–not only from her cruel benefactor, Jack–but from the law. As she becomes increasingly desperate to pay her debt, her risks become more dangerous. When she meets a kind, but naïve elderly stranger named Lilith, she sees a way out. As an unlikely friendship grows, Peyton begins to see glimpses of her future self in Lilith. Peyton now faces a choice: take advantage of the old lady and pay her debt, or cut ties with her criminal past by facing Jack. Either way, somebody’s going to get hurt.

You can read "Reflection" in Umbrella Factory Magazine, Issue 72. Click the link below for access.

HOW TO MURDER YOUR HUSBAND'S CAT AND GET AWAY WITH IT

Jennifer Sutcliffe can’t explain her intrusive thoughts. They are sudden and they are violent. Her friends think it’s perimenopause, her doctor thinks it’s prescription medication, Google thinks it’s psychosis and her useless husband doesn’t think anything at all–he would have to pay attention to her to notice. When Jennifer finally figures out the root of her problem, she makes a plan to fix it. As a skilled chef, she is accustomed to concocting recipes for success, but her plot to murder her husband’s malicious cat is doomed to turn out half-baked.

"How to Murder Your Husband's Cat and Get Away with It" will soon be available online at The Brussels Review.

Under a Star-Speckled Sky

​Petra and Alice are friends only through Book Club, where things can get a little bit wild, as they dish out more than just charcuterie and Pinot Grigio. The two are really opposites–Petra a confident, charming beauty with a crush on a mysterious stranger and Alice a quiet, quirky loner with a troubled past. When Petra suddenly disappears, Alice decides to investigate. But the investigation takes Alice to a very dark place where her courage and her resolve will be tested. Will Alice be able to save her friend or is she walking into a cleverly crafted trap? 

"Under a Star-Speckled-Sky" will be available soon in print and online at The Phoenix.

The Grandparent Scam

Frederick Telford is tired of all the disrespect. Everything from telephone scams to the neighbourhood kids tormenting him. It’s hard enough dealing with the recent death of his wife and his newfound solitude. And when a kid in a suit representing The Global Human Fund–an obviously fake charitable organization–starts pressuring him for a donation, he reaches his breaking point and decides to teach the kid a lesson in respect. But the old man’s scare tactics end up going too far, and Telford embarks on a much darker path than he intended. 

"The Grandparent Scam" will be available soon online at Blood + Honey Magazine.

When the Dream Ends

Liam Barnes’ father just died. He’s been struggling to process his feelings and wondering if the catalogue of prescription medication he’s been taking has made things worse. As he sorts through all of his father’s possessions, he makes an unexpected discovery that changes the truth of his identity. Why was it kept hidden from him this whole time? What really happened to the brother he never knew he had? He quits his prescriptions cold-turkey and desperately searches for answers with his psychiatrist. He’s about to uncover who he truly is, and there will be no turning back this time. 

​Coming soon!

The Silver Fox

Blake Miller is caught completely off-guard when he spots a man who looks just like him, only 30 years older. His geriatric doppelgänger has a message, a desperate message, that Blake doesn’t want to hear. He’d prefer to carry on with his life as it is, with the passion he feels for his wife and the pride he has in raising his young daughters. But when tragedy shatters his idyllic existence, Blake begins chasing the past. He’ll have to summon all the strength and speed he has if he wants to beat the Silver Fox, and he’ll have to do it in a hurry. Time is running out.

​Coming soon!