This week is Self-Published Authors Appreciation Week, an entire week dedicated to appreciating self-published authors! This special week takes place between July 21st to July 27th and was started by Jodie over at the Witty and Sarcastic Bookclub blog. You can find out more about SPAAW on Jodie’s blog, as well as ways to take part.
Today, I will be cheating. Before this afternoon, I can’t remember when last I read a short story. I’m starting to think I should change that. It strikes me that taking half an hour to dive into a story might be good for my mental wellbeing. The bus home from work takes about 30 minutes, and using that time to read a short story would be a great way to separate the day at the office from my free time. Let’s see what next week brings…
Want to take part? You can support self-published authors by leaving a book review or shouting about your favourite self-published books on social media. Don’t forget these hashtags: #SPAAW #SelfPublishedAuthorsAppreciationWeek
These are Nils’ picks for the day:
A Classic Short Story Spotlight for…
The Final Act of Jonas Black
He’s had many names, lived many lives, worn many disguises. A travelling magician, Jonas Black has established a reputation as a marvellous one-man act. But there is something no one knows – for all his tricks and skills and sleights of hand, Jonas Black’s magic is all too real. And it’s the very reason no one can know his true name.
Nils’ Comment
I’ve not read nearly enough short stories to be confident in claiming that one is a classic, so I had to think outside the box. However, I know authors who write and publish short stories, and of those one stands taller, burns brighter, and shouts louder than the rest. Of course, I had to pick up one of her short stories, and I was not disappointed.
Find The Final Act of Jonas Black on Goodreads.
About the Author
[[ I was not able to locate a bio on the author’s website or on Goodreads, so I’m assuming they’re not willing to share one (which is fine), or I’m really bad at finding things (which is plausible, but concerning). /nils ]]
A Hidden Gem Short Story Spotlight for…
A Spark of Reverie
Perfectly bite-sized for when time is short, but you want something fun to read.
This collection contains twenty-five micro stories sparked by a love of fantasy, both the sword and sorcery kind and the small acts of magic that can turn a mundane situation into something a little more unusual. Ranging from around 500 to 1000 words each, these very short stories will briefly transport the reader into realms of the imagination in the time it takes to finish a cup of tea or reach the front of the queue at the grocery store. Short, but satisfying, let these tales of wonder sweep you away for just a moment at a time.
• In Penthesilea’s Demise, follow in the footsteps of a warrior in the front lines of the Trojan war.
• See what happens when a young hotheaded prince is pushed too far in Asterion’s Anger.
• Ever been stuck working late on a problematic piece of code? In Line 156 a programmer learns when it’s time to take a holiday.
• Quirky habits can sometimes lead to surprising options, as a beleaguered mother discovers in Lisa’s Choice.
• In a world where water has become the most important commodity, Keisha shows what she’s willing to do to protect something that is Precious.
• In The Lost City, a reclusive goddess has to face the facts and make a bold decision.Set a spark to your daydreams with this fantasy flash fiction collection.
Find A Spark of Reverie on Goodreads.
Nils’ Comments
This isn’t a single short story, but rather a collection of flash fiction from an author I barely ever see getting any attention, Her work is well worth checking out.
My review of A Spark of Reverie.
About the Author
[[ Copied from the About page on the author’s website: ]]
Hi! My name is Suneé and I write urban and high fantasy stories! I live in South Africa with my Welsh husband and a young wizard-in-training.
Ever since I was little I’ve been a voracious reader. I was 10 years old when I first read The Hobbit, after which I devoured The Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, and every fantasy book I could lay my hands on. David Eddings, Robert Jordan, Robin Hobb, George RR Martin… I was in love with these fantasy worlds and I would have done anything to be able to live in them (which of course, led to a love for MMORPG games, but we won’t talk about that right now!).
I soon realised that these books, with their wonderful worlds and their fascinating characters, made me enormously happy, and I wanted nothing more than to create stories of my own that would mean as much to my readers as the stories of my favourite authors meant to me.
Making that dream a reality has been a long journey. Doubts and fears prevented me from sharing my work with others – after all, everyone knew I was a writer, so if I wrote something it had better be bloody good! But what if it wasn’t? I couldn’t face the disappointment. And I used the excuse of a busy life whenever anybody asked about my writing.
Then, one day, all that changed. I realised I could no longer live a life unfulfilled. This is my life’s passion and I needed to pursue it. I quit my full-time job and spent half a year writing for a living. Unfortunately, while this was creatively satisfying, it didn’t pay the bills, so I’m back in the corporate world again, but things are different this time. This time I will make time to write, because I can no longer NOT write.
I hope you’ll share this journey with me and I hope you enjoy reading my stories.
