The end of any month is always hectic for me, sometimes more than others. This month is shaping up to be one of the rougher ones. Despite starting with a wonderful Fourth of July weekend, I still found myself recovering from last month and July’s original genre poll slipped through the cracks. With some focus and determination, I managed to turn things around and dive into this month’s patreon stories, beginning with a dramatic tale. Despite knowing the genre it took me far too long to decide what kind of story I wanted to tell. However, as its deadline loomed over me, the perfect narrative had wormed its way into my mind.

When last we visited Samuel and Anna, in Predator’s Home, they were heading out to have a conversation with Old Man Maddock...

After working on Haunting Question, I rolled right into writing this second picture prompt. Again, I’d forgotten about the image and its corresponding rough draft. As a result, I skimmed through the original idea, and I kept a portion of it. While it was an interesting idea, it was missing something else. It didn’t take long for me to realize that I needed another character to interact with. In fact, I didn’t realize I had made this choice until after I started writing this mystery character’s first line of dialogue. Despite the abruptness of this new voice, the drafting process flew by.

There are stories the sea doesn’t give up easily. They are tales told in half-whispers, wrapped in fog and drawn down by disbelief...

With the end of the month looming, I doubled down and tore through my initial prompts to build out the stories I’m hoping to deliver. While I still have a trio of tales to create for my patrons (the first of which should arrive this Friday), the stories I planned to share on my blog this month already had rough drafts. With that stroke of luck, I grabbed the first seed—another picture prompt based on Magic Forest (see below). The moment I re-read the draft, the words flowed through my fingers like a current already charted.

There are places we’re warned never to enter...

Despite a rocky start to the month, I’m determined to publish every planned story, even if a few try to slip through the cracks. With the never-ending thoughts churning through my mind, and the ever growing list of responsibilities, I’m determined to navigate my way through the rest of the month and prevent life from spoiling my creative output. Fortunately, the core concept for this short narrative came to life early in the month, before things went sideways. With the outline already in place, and the calm settling in around me, the drafting flowed quickly. After all, what begins in fire rarely ends in peace.

In a darkened forest lit only by a flickering flame, a wandering individual stricken with a cursed sight must answer his summons...

There’s a certain kind of magic that unfolds when your ideas melt into reality. During a trip to Matthews, Virginia, I wound up on a sunset cruise, which began well before the sun would get its chance to meld with the horizon. I’d hoped for brilliant bursts of amber and violet hues, yet what I received was something far more grounded. I discovered the simplistic beauty of the miles long stretch of land and water bathed in sunlight, and it was rich in stillness and subtle motion.

What these images capture isn’t the dramatic aspects of twilight, rather it highlights the grace of an afternoon...

In Veiled Vision, a young woman named Bethany stumbles upon a buried pair of sunglasses during a final walk on the beach. What’s the last thing you found while exploring the shore? Maybe it was nothing—but what if it changed everything? That’s exactly what happens to Bethany. The moment she slips on the shades, she unlocks a gateway between life and death. What begins as the close of a peaceful vacation spirals into a heart-pounding encounter with a ghost desperate for help...

After publishing my last Wattpad story, I thought this draft of Discovery was already in the queue. But when I sat down to post it, I realized the most recent chapter had already been published, and this one didn’t have a finished draft. At first I toyed with the idea of kicking the story for later this month, but then I realized with everything else swirling in my mind, that wouldn’t have helped. So instead of procrastinating I grabbed the first draft and dove right into the editing process.

The saying, history rarely stays buried (that might not be an exact quote), is true for a reason...

After the dogs had their fill of the beach, I took in the ocean view one last time. In those quiet moments, I was reminded of how simple shifts in perspective can radically alter a scene’s beauty. As I reflected on that inner murmur, I heard the landscape whisper its message through faint changes in light, color, and even angle. The following pair of images emerged from that observation. Though they capture similar environments, the moods they evoke strike very different chords, each tugging at a unique emotional thread.

The first image lingers at the edge of stillness...

In Nick of Time, devastation looms over the Larian colony in this gripping sci-fi short. The undulating horde is on the brink of breaking through their final defenses. With hope dwindling and resources disappearing, the colonists have scraped together one last desperate strike. Whether it saves them, or just delays the inevitable, Tarian bets everything on a potential miracle...

Once again, my best-laid plans ended up getting tossed and forgotten. While my original plans had me revisiting the world of Transformation, I failed to flesh out that larger storyline. As a result, it’s been re-ordered in my ever-growing list of projects. However, in the meantime, I needed a second Wattpad story for publication, so I turned to my backlog of work. The other Wattpad entry I planned on writing was for Discovery, which left me with a single option to delve into Mounting Tensions. Despite having an alternate path to run, I was fortunate to have a rough seed available as a starting ground.

At this point in the series, I wanted to capture the last pilot’s unease with the escalating tensions around the planet. Armed with the seed I wrote so long ago, I dove into the story and crafted something I hope you enjoy...

Life rarely unfolds in a straightforward way. There’s a multitude of clichés that speak to the truth of those words. Sometimes, they’re life altering, while others end up being inconsequential. When I started examining my notes for this month’s micro fiction, I tossed the original idea in favor of continuing Lucas’s journey. Decision made, I returned to my notes on Lucas and Elouise. These two have a destination in mind, and each micro tale marks an important step in their arc.

In a quiet room lit by flickering candlelight, a pair of individuals sit together, one carrying the weight of many lives, the other standing at the threshold of something special. This story is an exploration of memory, magic, and the invisible burdens we choose to carry for others...

There’s something timeless about watching a dog play in the water, but a first trip to the ocean adds to the magic in leaps and bounds. It’s pure joy, relentless energy, and a sense of purpose that feels almost mythical. Throughout the entire series, we’ve followed Goose as he plunged into the surf, danced with the waves, and claimed each moment with fearless delight. These images don’t just capture a playful dog on the beach, they tell a story of movement, freedom, and connection.

As this series ends, the last two images bring his story full circle. Goose is no longer just a blur of fur and motion. He’s a force of nature, emerging from the tide with a sense of triumph...

In The Guardian of Bridges, a pair of children discover a strange stream governed by forgotten rules. What happens when they try to understand what they’ve found? This modern fairy tale is set against a snow-blanketed forest, and it follows two young friends who stumble upon an unfamiliar stream that shouldn’t exist. As they try to make sense of this new intrusion into their trusted sanctuary, something ancient begins to stir. The unsettling quiet, the thick snow, and the eerie atmosphere paint a world that feels both magical and menacing...

As the month draws to a close, I’m once more eager to delve into the world of comedy, with my duo of Sebastian & Jimmy. When I sat down to create a rough plan for the year, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy writing comedies. However, that’s definitely what’s happened, after realizing I could channel the dynamic of my favorite duo Abbott & Costello. As has been my wont when it comes to these stories, I asked ChatGPT for a few items to use as the seed for this tale, and it dutifully obliged, providing me with a trio of items that were a little more embellished than what I could get from my story cubes. I was given a rusted key wrapped in red thread, a mirror with no reflection, and a ledger filled with names and dates.

Immediately, an idea swirled through my mind, bouncing between some of their more fanciful movies. It didn’t take me long to find a basis for the tale. Sometimes, the best stories don’t start with grand adventures or epic battles...

As the exclusive photo shoot for Man’s Best Friend collection continues, don’t forget that you can gain access to the full series over at DeviantArt. In this trio of images, we witness Goose’s joy as he charges through the water. As with last week’s drops, these shots highlight his vivid movement, energy, and excitement. There’s something special about a shoreline sprint, where motion meets rhythm, and instinct rushes to the forefront. In this brief series, we follow Goose as he delves through the water, embracing that magic. Each frame freezes that exhilaration, becoming a study of presence. How can joy take form? How can momentum turn a leash into a ribbon of celebration? And how can a dog’s run become a kind of art?

These aren’t just pictures capturing action. They’re visual echoes of what it means to move with purpose and pleasure. They’re alive, unburdened, and unashamed. Whether Goose is vaulting through the air, slicing diagonals across the surf, or rounding back toward shore, each moment is steeped in clarity...