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Welcome to the Glade!

Thank you for joining the Storyfire Glade, my inner circle of readers and writers! I’m so glad you’re here. Every month, you’ll receive enjoyable short stories to stir your senses, monthly writing prompts to spark your own creativity, and an inside look at my writing process. I can’t wait to take this journey with you!

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Why Short Stories?

So, in the land of 30-second TikTok videos (or, if you’re a millennial like me, Instagram Reels) and mountains of novels for [basically] free on Amazon, why should you spend your valuable time reading short stories? Three reasons:
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1. Quick Reads, Big Feels

One of the great strengths of short stories is that they pack a punch in only a few words. I can read your standard novel in a week or two. I can read an amazing novel in a couple of days. Back in 2007, I read HP7 overnight.

But a short story? I can knock out that sucker in an hour, tops. And because short stories are still stories, you get everything you’d expect: curiosity, conflict, a huge revelation, and a satisfying conclusion. They tend to be emotionally intense because the compressed format leaves no room for fluff. It’s like a brownie bite: the perfect two-bite treat that satisfies your sweet tooth. And, like that second brownie bite you grab, the best stories leave you looking forward to the next one.

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2. Meet a Stranger, Make a Friend

Short stories are an excellent introduction to new authors. Novels require a substantial investment of time and money. With a short story, you get a feel for the author’s writing style without the risk of a DNF (“did not finish”) or a wasted book taking space on your shelf. And, if you love the story, you know you want to fill your shelf with their books!

I read in many genres, but in the last couple of years, I’ve most enjoyed mysteries and thrillers of all varieties (fantasy or no). One of my favorite authors right now is Fiona Veitch Smith. She’s a British historical cozy mystery writer who has been releasing books prolifically in the last few years. Her writing sparks curiosity without fear, and her confident female characters are always a joy to follow. If you like mystery that feels like a warm cup of tea, Veitch Smith is your girl. I get so excited when I see a new story coming out! That’s what happens when you find a great author. (And, she just released a new book. Watch for my review in an upcoming newsletter!)

By the way, this is one of the reasons I’m so glad you’ve joined the inner circle! I hope my writing and stories delight you and leave you wanting more.

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3. Your Path to Creativity

A third reason to read short stories, and one often neglected, is that short stories spark creativity. In 100 or 1,000 or 4,000 words, you can be transported to a world unlike our own – or very like it, but with a different ending than we usually get. Haven’t you sometimes wished you had a magic wand that could take you back 10 seconds, before you said that thing you regret? Or that a wise mentor had given you an enigmatic device all those years ago – that thing that would’ve changed everything? Wouldn’t it be nice to be solving a mystery or stopping a villain in Bermuda right now?

Short stories allow us to be there, to do that thing, to have that experience and say the right words and make the right choices. The best ones show us that, against all odds, hope wins despite adversity. Light flourishes from darkness.

Short stories can even spark the creativity we need to tell our own stories, and that’s where I hope we go together.

Each month, I’ll send you a few story prompts. They’re designed to spark your creativity, to put you on the journey of creating something meaningful. Don’t worry about being “not good enough” or staring at a blank page, not knowing what comes next. Everyone is made with a creative spark. Short stories give us a bite-sized place to exercise that gift. I think if you try it out, you’ll be surprised by the magic that unfolds!

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Sinking Ship

Although I loved writing as a kid, I fell out of it in college. The pandemic shutdown brought me back. My first foray into publishing was a drabble – a 100-word story – that was accepted into a dark microfiction anthology called Oceans. I’m not normally a horror writer, but as I got back into fiction, it’s what I found to try. And I thought: hey, why not? Here it is:

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The giant squid had been having a normal Tuesday up to this point. Swimming along, it now watched as a colossal cruise ship sank into its territory. The squid found a porthole and peered one huge eye inside. A woman struggled, fighting to open her cabin door against the rising water. With a final desperate heave, she pulled it open — and stared aghast at a single, roving tentacle that had snuck through a neighboring porthole. The woman screamed and flailed, clawing her way backwards, thrashing about for some kind of protection. The tentacle followed and gently stroked her face.

Dinner.

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So there you go! 100 words, and a challenge to write a story that sparks a feeling. Did I do it? Did you enjoy it? Reply and let me know!

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Story Prompts

You’re turn! Can you write a 100-word story based on one of these prompts?

1. You find a coin that rewinds time when you flip it, but only by 10 seconds.
2. You find and eat a brownie bite. Yay! So why do you feel so funny now?
3. Your Bermuda vacation is going perfectly – until you meet them.
4. Your reclusive elderly neighbor wants to talk.
5. Your magic wand can perform one spell and one spell only. You’ve been saving it for just this moment.
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Here’s my challenge for you: take a stab at the prompt that sparks your curiosity. Write 100 words (or 1,000 – who am I to judge?) and see what happens. Focus on your character, what they do, what happens because of their action, and how they respond. Have fun with it!
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And if you’re feeling brave, hit reply and share your work! I’d love to see it. It could even be featured in next month’s newsletter!

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Writing Update

So, I wrote a book! Each month, I’ll share an update about how the writing process is going. But first: what’s this story all about?​
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Here’s a quick synopsis: When Rachel Winters becomes the youngest professor ever at Anora Academy, a school of alchemy, she is thrilled to have finally found a chance at a new life. Although her chosen field of blood alchemy is shrouded in mystery and suspicion, she is determined to prove her mettle so she can begin her most important research: finding an alchemical cure for cancer to atone for not being there when her mother died from it. The problem is, the ghosts of her past won’t stop haunting her. She’s also distracted by Alex, an attractive young professor – and her boss’s son. But when she finds a student murdered and the cult she escaped starts showing up, Rachel has to find out what’s really going on before she’s forced to take the fall for it all.
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The Crimson Alchemist is a dark academia fantasy novel. I’ve written the story and gone through one round of edits. I expect to do two more rounds of edits before I take the next step toward publication in the fall. Right now, I’m picking apart each scene to make sure there’s plenty of great action, conflict, and intruigue. My goal is to send the manuscript to agents for traditional publication by September.
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I’m really excited to put The Crimson Alchemist into the world! Stay tuned for more updates.

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Thank you for joining the Glade!

Once again, I’m so glad you’re here. I can’t wait to take this journey with you.

What do you think of the newsletter? What do you want to see? Reply and let me know – I’d love to hear from you.

See you in May!

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Liz

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