Free reads - sci fi & fantasy & humor

PHOENIX, by Alice M. Roelke

This sensitive fantasy short story is about a young girl whose life is saved by a man that can never die.  Or can he?  Set during Halloween, thoughtful, sad and sweet--this is one of my favorite pieces.  Published at "Mindflights" magazine and still available there to read.


A Wizard at War, by A. M. Roelke

This dark short story is a fantasy piece set during WWI.  It was published at Daily Science Fiction and can still be read there.


Blood and Brothers, by Alice M. Roelke

An emotional story about two brothers and a dragon hunt, with not everything being as it appears.  Published at ResAliens, and still available to be read there.

Humor:

A Gentlewoman's Guide to Time Travel, by Alice M. Roelke

This short and silly piece was first published at Daily Science Fiction, and can still be read there.



Piggot Porkins, by Alice M. Roelke

A goofy sci-fi poem, published at Digital Dragon Magazine, and still available there.



The Literary Hollow, by Alice M. Roelke

A short, goofy piece that was my ode to Mr. Bradbury.  First published in Ethereal Tales in April 2009 and currently available here.





image licensed through Shutterstock.com

He Gave Me Coal (short romance - repost)

It was Christmas Eve, and we closed late. We’d had a few late customers wanting something special and fresh for tomorrow’s meal. Every sale helped; it had been a hard year for our bread store.

We were barely making it, my business partner and I. Jack, who’s more than my business partner now.

With the economy so poor, I didn’t know if we would make it another month, much less till next Christmas. These days, people had less to spend on artisan breads, handmade whole wheat rolls, and gluten-free feta-and-spinach loaves.

I turned the sign around. Jack hung up his apron. Then he turned to me, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a lump of coal. His hands still looked clown-white with flour dust. The coal left black streaks.

“This is for you.” He smiled at me.

My heart thumped, the way it always does at that dimpled smile, so unexpected, so pure in a face I had once thought ordinary.

“Coal?” I picked it up, making my own hand dusty, but no darker. I looked up at him with a questioning smile. I wasn’t offended yet, but I felt confused. Was he teasing, or what?

“Coal,” he repeated, smiling into my eyes with his blue ones. “Diamonds are made from coal, and pressure, and time — all the time in the world.”

I closed my fingers over it. For a second, I couldn’t breathe.

He enveloped my hand in both his own. Jack had such warm hands, always had. The coal was a dry lump, pressure against my palm. I stared at him.

“I don’t have a diamond for you yet, Moni. But I love you, and I have all the time in the world, the rest of my life — for you. We can make something beautiful with our lives. We’ll make it through all the pressure, together. So will you — ?”

He couldn’t finish. I’d already flung my arms around him and said yes.

He gave me coal.

It was the best present ever.

Previously published at Everyday Fiction.

c) Alice M. Roelke - do not repost without permission - thank you! :)

Image licensed through Shutterstock.com

8 Hour Ebook Challenge - results

I took part in this challenge from Joe Konrath: http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2013/08/8-hour-ebook-challenge-winners.html  Basically, if you haven't seen it, you write, edit, format, create cover art, and publish a story all in the space of eight hours.

I created this:

The Sword, the Dragon, and the Lie, by Alice M. Roelke

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EUI5FTY/

I felt it was a big success, because it gave me the courage to write a story I wanted to.  I spent time writing and editing, not just second-guessing myself, the story turned out well.  At least, I was happy with it.  :)

I set free promotion for five days, and 219 people downloaded copies.  One of them has now reviewed it (4 stars!!).  :) 

I probably would never have written this without the challenge to give me a little push, even though it was an idea I wanted to play with.  I enjoyed myself, and the story kept surprising me.

Someone has started a regular, off-shoot challenge:

http://8hourebookchallenge.blogspot.com/

I'd love to participate again, but to be honest, I don't know when I will!  Probably not this week.  :)

new ebooks

I decided to start self-publishing some of my previously published older works.

Message to Mars and other stories, by Alice M. Roelke - my Mars stories, previously published by Ray Gun Revival

Thief's Life and other stories - my previously published short Christian fiction, including three prize-winning stories

Dragon Bones - previously published science fiction story in a fantasy setting (sort of)

and this one:

The Runaway Case - a short story about a robot detective -  (Lucy Tingle is an old pen name of mine.  I used it because I wasn't feeling brave enough to publish under my own name at the time!  But I added my real name later.)  This is the only one that wasn't previously published.

Each of these short ebooks sells for 99 cents, though I'm trying to make use of the free days, too.