With my desire to focus on my psychological thriller, I almost forgot about my micro-fiction. However, when I woke up this morning and checked out my writing schedule, I realized the story was due. So I went to my journal and checked what I’d lined up for May’s first micro-tale. Up first, I needed to write a brief narrative revolving around my monster hunter, Solomon. Yet I needed something to ground the story. As a result, I hurried over to ChatGPT and asked for it to provide me a story limited to 250 words that features a ‘brief fight with something that bumps in the middle of the night.’ I took that initial concept and shaped it into a story that I wanted to tell...

After a conversation with Gilras about the mysterious shifters, Jarvis sends dispatches a small unit of his people along with a contingent of highly skilled dwarven warriors to explore the ruins of the original settlement to search for the tonic that will allow them to face such a foe. Once they arrive at the ruins, they split up into pairs, with each pair striving to locate the formula. Among the ancient wreckage of a once-mighty colonization ship, Fenton and the gruff warrior Ferrek uncover more than just data...

There’s something special about being the passenger on a drive. When you’re behind the wheel, your attention is locked on the road and the cars around you. But as a passenger, you’re free to let your eyes wander, to watch the world unfold through the window. While individual details often slip by in a blur, the overall landscape reveals itself gradually over the course of the journey. Every curve in the road offers a new perspective. Sometimes its a subtle shift, other times its a dramatic transformation. Yet the familiar terrain is constantly shifting into something new. These fleeting moments invite a quieter kind of observation, not a search for grandeur, but an appreciation for gentle details and the evolving relationship between the natural world and human presence...

In Assault on the Walls, Tarian and his people were promised a peaceful world, one that wouldn’t require defenses. The scans said the planet was empty of dangers. It was safe. But Morven had other plans. As colonists begin to vanish and monstrous creatures rise from the wilderness, Tarian pushes for a wall, a last line of defense against the unknown. Half-built and surrounded, the colony faces more than a battle, because this assault isn’t about territory. It’s a message from the planet itself...

The moment I wrapped Okay and Reunion, I turned my focus to the final Patreon tale of the month—science fiction. As soon as I saw the genre top the poll, I knew the next story had to pick up where Fraught Wait left off. Rather than bog the pacing down with negotiations, I dropped us into the middle of the mission, where the stakes, and suspicions, are already rising. With news of Tia’s recovery fresh in hand, Charles agrees to a simple job. He and his healthy crew are to transport a nervous client and a mysterious woman to another station. The client promises no trouble once they depart—just a quiet run through space...

As I looked over my list of genres for my patrons, I was once again disappointed not to see comedy among them, strange I know. I must be a masochist. Though I was also staring down a publication deadline without a post in sight. With both of those factors rattling around my brain, I repeated what I did last month with Unlucky Voyager, I turned to Sebastian and Jimmy. This time, I didn’t have my trusty story cubes on hand, but I did have access to ChatGPT. So I turned to the AI and asked, can you give me a random story prompt with three objects/ideas? As I waited, I wondered what kind of nonsense it might toss my way...

There’s a quiet kind of magic that reveals itself when we slow down and truly examine the world around us. When we stop chasing after dramatic views and simply pause to appreciate the subtleties that nature offers, beauty takes on forms we weren’t searching for. Often it emerges from an absence rather than abundance, through restraint in lieu of spectacle. Whether it’s the simplicity of a tree’s skeletal outline or the careful placement of outdoor furniture, the natural world can find harmony in unexpected ways. While artificial elements can sometimes clash with nature, there are moments when the two align to create a unique visual that amplifies beauty rather than disrupting it...

In The Last Resort, humanity clings to fading hope. Broken by devastation, the world’s survivors discover a seemingly abandoned battleship, a symbol of strength turned into their last chance at survival. What they find hidden in the ship’s endless dark could be their salvation… or their ultimate mistake...

Fresh off writing Okay, I turned my attention to the second genre for April, a historical fiction. From the moment the poll results came in, I knew I’d be revisiting Samuel and his dragon, Pearl. Beyond that, the rest of the story escaped me, at least for a while. But the more I thought about it, the more it made sense to bring Anna back into the mix. Reintroducing her (and her dragon) would make for a fun story. And once I remembered Samuel’s last appearance, delivering flowers to an old friend who could replace his defensive ward, the pieces fell into place...

When I sat down to work on this tale, I stared at the image below for quite a while. Nothing came to mind at first, so I asked ChatGPT to take a look and suggest some prompts. It obediently spat out several, so many, in fact, that I may return to this image for additional stories in the future. But for the moment, I only needed one. And one of them instantly caught my eye. Unfortunately, that spark didn’t exactly lead to a full story, let alone a partial idea.

However, after a few back-and-forths with the AI, I managed to tease out a memory of an old character of mine—a personal take on the Puck archetype...

As the journey unfolded along the coastal road down in Mathews, Virginia, the scenery whispered stories I couldn’t ignore. With each curve, an extra layer of the landscape revealed more of the coast, like a canvas slowly coming into focus. What began as fleeting glimpses of distant shorelines evolved into a richly textured panorama, punctuated by wild grasses and the occasional burst of resilient greenery. These scenes, captured in passing moments, reveal the quiet drama of nature in motion, where subtle shifts in light and texture breathe life into every frame. The visuals serve not only as a record of the area but also as an ode to nature’s enduring ability to create harmony through simplicity...

In the third installment of Colonization, the expedition’s leadership grows increasingly desperate as more colonists have vanished without a trace. To dispense with the rising fear and uncertainty of the colonists, they have dispatched several teams out to search the areas near the shipwreck. Each team is charged with searching for the truth behind the disappearances and resources that they can use to repair the damaged systems. One such mission is led by Keldon, and it takes an unexpected and chilling turn...

After pulling the results of the genre poll, I was excited with the results and pleased to have a new ghost story. My initial thoughts were to pull at the note-based tales I started with Journey of Thanks. While the idea of returning to Partners was entertaining, I ran towards a fresh note tale. While I typically write narratives filled with sharp edges, tension, risk and the ticking pulse of danger, there are times when writing softer tales is a wonderful change of pace.. However, these note tales allow me to slow everything down and tell a truly human tale, as my dad would say...

After finishing Last Laugh, I turned my attention to the second piece of micro-fiction for the month. While I’ve already selected the genre, a fantasy, and who would be the primary figure, Ramas, I didn’t know what to do as far as creating this story. However, after a few days and a surprising rainstorm, I had an idea. Why not highlight Ramas’s abilities a little more than I have previously? So with the question firmly entrenched in my mind, I went right crafting the tale...

After being forced to reveal a glimpse of his secret project to Lia, Darren continues to carry an even greater personal burden. The Academy’s teachers each approach magic through their own philosophies, and Darren’s conviction to better himself but him right in front of them. While Arlen is a patient and composed teacher, she pushes Darren to find the subtle side of magic to perfect his healing craft. Her lessons revolve around understanding the body’s natural energies, how to mend rather than force, and how to find a balance despite the chaos of an injury. In fact, it was her insistence that spurred Darren to create his special project...