Modern Short Stories

As an author and lover of stories, I embarked on a unique creative journey this July. Each morning, I sat down with an AI chatbot as my writing companion, ready to craft a new tale. My goal was simple - to experience something novel, wild, and fun every day through the power of collaborative storytelling. Together, the AI and I explored a vast array of subjects. We ventured into outer space, witnessing humanity's first steps on Europa. We delved into the realms of fantasy, following a brave squirrel's daring pizza heist. We explored profound themes like memory loss and starting a family, ...

In every locked room, there's a secret waiting to be found—and a body left behind. From elite rehearsal spaces to package vaults, from forgotten hotel bathrooms to séance parlors sealed tight, this chilling collection of original locked-room thrillers explores what happens when the walls close in and the truth can't escape. Inside you'll find: A detective trapped in his own interrogation. A woman who wakes in a bath with her wrists taped—and no memory of why. A séance interrupted by someone who was never invited. A delivery crate that holds a body—and your name. An acting class ...

As the pace of modern life accelerates, the old ways wither and die. But to the Society for Magickal Heritage, that just isn’t good enough.

Fairies, elves, demons... Secrets and desire... Dark humour, magic, wonder... Twelve stories that will transport you into other worlds, or twisted versions of our own. If you had magic, what would you do with it? If you loved someone, how far would you go?

I Shouldn’t Have Survived A Modern Horror Anthology They knocked. I answered. They watched. I waved. They waited… and I stayed. Ten chilling survivor stories. Ten doors you should never open. In this razor-sharp anthology of modern horror, victims recount the unexplainable—and barely escape. Each story is told in haunting first-person detail, plunging you into a world where terror hides in the ordinary: an unlocked apartment, a mirror that fogs from the wrong side, a knock that keeps perfect time, or a window that shouldn’t be there. From forgotten rooms to cursed signals, parasitic...

During the day when there is a break in the day’s labor or in the evenings when the sunlight is waning, stories are told from Texas porches. Although these are usually short stories, they can be long, and thus continued at the next porch sitting. They contain humor, sadness, suspense, mystery, philosophy, and instruction about the human condition and, in general, the journey of living. The storytellers find the rhythm of life for themselves, and the listeners hear valuable lessons and truth. Tales from the Texas Timberlands, Volume 1 celebrates this storytelling about East Texans with ...

Love Inspired Clean Romance - Wedding Day Emergency a Contemporary Christian Romance Society's most resourceful wedding planner revives the sacred ceremony only to destroy her own perfect wedding day! Do you like clean and wholesome love stories? Then you'll love reading Roxanne's new clean romance book. The big day has finally arrived months of preparation assure this will be the wedding of the year, or will it? Amy Wilson is expected to work miracles using every trick in the book to rescue the hysterical bride from utter humiliation when her maid of honor fails to show up. But every good ...

Flowers in the Rain & Other Stories collects sixteen of #1 New York Times bestselling author Rosamunde Pilcher’s romantic tales set across Britain from the Scottish countryside to the city of London.

With this, his first collection of stories, Raymond Carver breathed new life into the American short story and instantly became both the recognized master of the form and one of our best-loved fiction writers. Carver shows us the humor and tragedy that dwell in the hearts of ordinary people; his stories are the classics of our time.

Herbert George Wells was one of the most prolific and visionary British writers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. H. G. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels, although he wrote across many genres, including nonfiction. His fiction embraces history, science fiction, horror, satire, fantasy, and social commentary. Wells was also a futurist, foreseeing air travel, tanks (as in “The Land Ironclads” - part of this anthology) space travel, nuclear weapons, and even satellite television.

My new dance teacher had a rhythm that was impossible to resist. I thought I'd explored the depths of my desires with Jenny, Sophia, Claire, and Lisa, but my education in passion was about to take a mesmerizing turn. When Jenny introduced me to her friend Marisa, a captivating dance teacher, I was drawn into a world of movement and seduction. Marisa offered me a free private class, and with the encouragement of Jenny, Sophia, Claire, and Lisa, I stepped onto the dance floor. What I found was far more than just a lesson in dance. Marisa's graceful movements and intense gaze taught me the art...

A crew of experienced astronauts nearing the completion of a 20-year mission in space discover that their ship is being followed by an unknown craft on their way back to earth. In this science fiction novelette, the crew debates an impossible decision on whether to lead the craft back to earth and risk all of humanity, or veer off into space to protect the earth but ensure their own demise. Short story/novelette 13,000 words Science fiction From 13 Acorns-Modern Short Stories for Thoughtful Adults

What happens when Western fantasies collide with Eastern reality? Dive into four riveting tales of romance, deception, resilience, and revolution in modern Ukraine. Foreigner’s Guide to Ukrainian Women and Other Stories offers a sharp, satirical, and deeply human lens into love and life across borders. Based on both fiction and real-life events, this bold collection pulls back the curtain on Eastern Europe’s untold dramas and romantic entanglements. 🧳 1. Foreigner’s Guide to Ukrainian Women Johnny Best is a tech millionaire tired of California’s hollow glitter. Hoping to find ...

Each of the best-selling writers represented in Legends II return to the special universe of the imagination that its author has made famous throughout the world. Whether set before or after events already recounted elsewhere, whether featuring beloved characters or compelling new creations, these masterful short novels are both mesmerizing stand-alones (perfect introductions to the work of their authors) and indispensable additions to the epics on which they are based.

Today is the day I marry a complete stranger. I don’t know anything about him as he was matched with me by the producers of the dating TV show, Marrying a Stranger. As I walk down the aisle, I am shocked to find out he’s white. As a black woman, I never expected to marry a white man, however the more I get to know him, the more I fall for him. Our wedding day was beautiful, but our wedding night was even hotter. This steamy BWWM interracial romance is 3,500 words long and is for mature readers only.

A Selection of Short Stories by Leo Tolstoy read by Bart Wolffe.

Lisa Johnson isn’t a fan of Valentine’s Day, until she is surprised with a bouquet of roses from a secret admirer. Once she finds out who he is, she falls head over heels for him in this holiday instalove steamy romance. This short BWWM interracial story is 3,000 words long and is for mature readers only!

In this captivating collection of stories by the author of Ballet Shoes, there are auditions on stage and antics on ice, trips to the pantomime, holiday adventures and laughter shared with family and friends. Charming, heartwarming and funny, this collection will bring joy to listeners of all ages. Originally written in the 1940s-'60s for annuals, magazines and the radio, these stories have never been collected before.

"...because in Mistletoe Hollow, love is just one meet-cute away!" Living in a town called Mistletoe Hollow sounds adorable, doesn’t it? Snowflakes, cocoa, warm hugs from neighbors—it’s basically a sappy romance movie come to life. Except when you’re me, Emily Bradford, and your idea of romance is a quiet night with a good book and zero meddling matchmakers. After my ex-boyfriend ditched me with a dozen roses and no wedding ring, I retreated to Mistletoe Hollow to lick my wounds, plant some flowers, and keep my head down. No drama, no distractions—just me and a fresh start. Then ...

Hey, did you hear the one about the man who dropped a lit cigarette into the toilet with some gasoline-soaked rags? Of course you did, it happened to your gym teacher's cousin. Or was it your cousin's gym teacher?