Cosmic cacoethes

I own a spacecraft. It’s called, um, ASpacecraft. I use it for (what else?) space travel. I keep it in the paper-clip box at the bottom of my desk drawer. The paper-clip box is nearly empty, just a couple of paper-clips left in it, so ASpacecraft fits in pretty snugly. I store it at the bottom of the desk drawer to keep it away from the prying eyes of my younger brother. (Actually, I don’t really have a younger brother, but if I did, I’m sure he would have prying eyes.)

ASpacecraft has taken me on many an interesting journey through space. It’s a pretty little thing, red in colour, with cute little antennae...

Read the full article in the February 2011 issue of Expanded Horizons

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1940 words
Humour/Science Fiction
US publication


Read an independent review at The Portal.

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Words from the Wise

"I really enjoyed your story, and found it fun to read. I'd love to publish it."

D. Ash

Editor

Expanded Horizons

"Very, Very, Very amusing. Seriously, it's quite funny."

Geoffrey C. Porter

Editor

Untied Shoelaces Of The Mind

"I absolutely love the cute images, great wit, and casual voice this piece displays... taking us on a tour of a bizarre place... Definitely a world worthy of an adventure!"

Ty Drago

Editor

Allegory

"I really enjoyed the story... You latch onto a voice that not many could make work and run with it flawlessly... a certain winner."

D.F. McCourt

Editor

AE - The Canadian Science Fiction Review

"This piece was charming, a lot of fun, and a delight to read. We enjoyed it."

Djibril Alayad

Editor

Future Fire

"An interesting short story. I do like Calvin and Hobbes, and the "younger girl's voice" really comes out. Some of the details, such as the feet tapping of their own accord on account of the low Mars gravity, were quite memorable."

Samuel Montgomery-Blinn

Editor

Bull Spec

"It would make a good children's book"

Sue Babcock

Editor

Silver Blade

"Your story has some lovely ideas and images in it"

Ellen J. Allen

Editor

Hub

"It is an interesting story. I like the concept of a portable spacecraft that can transport you anywhere."

Anonymous

Editor (1 of 4)

Winged Halo

"I really love the voice"

Anonymous

Editor (2 of 4)

Winged Halo

"It's a cute idea"

Anonymous

Editor (3 of 4)

Winged Halo

"Amusing... and sustains the voice well"

Zara Baxter

Editor

Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine

"The story is well written"

Anonymous

Editor

Alternative Coordinates

"'Cosmic Cacoethes' is a very charming story. It's a really good story."

Alex Korovessis

Editor

Kasma

"This was inventive"

Elizabeth Bear

Associate Editor

Ideomancer

"I really like your sci-fi story"

Dan

Editor

Lightning Flash

Crowning glory

What do the following have in common: “Gone With The Wind”, “Atlas Shrugged”, “The Silence Of The Lambs” and “Cold Mountain”?

Look closely and you may find that apart from the fact that they are all famous stories, the titles themselves are perfect: apt, elegant, eye-catching and unusual. It is also certain that these unique and highly recognisable titles are never going to grace the cover of any other book again!

A title is the icing on the cake of a composition. An appropriate title is one that hints at the essence of the composition, sets the tone without revealing too much and acts as a hook...

Read the full article in the January/February 2011 issue of Writers' Journal

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1720 words
Humour/Writing
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I enjoyed reading it, and you make good use of some prominent authors."

Jonathan Telfer

Editor

Writers' News and Writing Magazine

"I like the piece"

Zachary Petit

Associate Editor

Writer's Digest

Alaliaic Dialogue

‘I am getting married.’

One eyebrow rises.

‘His name is Vaayu.’

The eyebrow lowers into a straight line. Noncommittal.

‘He belongs to a different caste.’

Blink.

‘A… lower caste.’

Both eyebrows come together. The forehead puckers. Thoughtful? Disapproving?

‘You’ll meet him tomorrow. I’ve told him all about you. He’s great! I’m sure you both will really take to each other.’ My voice rises and sounds defensive now. Desperate, too.

A twitch. We’ll see about that.

‘The wedding’s next month.’

Suddenly both eyebrows shoot up. Accusing. So soon?

‘Right here. I’ve arranged everything. Permissions...

Read the full article in the Winter 2011 issue of Ducts

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185 wordsDrama
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Some great gestures and images here, and I like how sparse it is, plus there's a great conflict driving this piece."

Chris Heavener

Editor

Annalemma

"This was very interesting, very compelling. I really liked this piece."

Camille Alexa

Flash Fiction Editor

Abyss & Apex

"The writing is good, and the idea intriguing"

Anonymous

Editor

Fear And Trembling

"Nicely tense, and a good twist at the end."

Krishan Coupland

Editor

Neon

"I did find it crisp and wonderful on a certain level. There's a sense of right and wrong being blurred here and a sense of justice, too."

Antonios

Editor

Vestal Review

"An interesting concept"

Anonymous

Editor (1 of 6)

Flashquake

"A nice idea"

Anonymous

Editor

Necrotic Tissue

Turning disputes into decisions

“It’s a bug!”

“No! It’s a feature!”

“C’mon, you’ve got to be kidding! How can it be a feature? It’s just wrong!”

“Rubbish! You just can’t understand it. It’s supposed to work that way!”

And so saying, my colleague in Production walks off in a huff shaking his head at my supreme ‘thickness’. I, on my part, throw my hands up in exasperation and mentally shudder at the utter lack of quality understanding that permeates through my team.

That was me, half a decade ago. I was only two years old in the corporate industry and was still finding my feet. I had idealistic views and a very black-and-white concept...

Read the full article in the 2 November 2010 issue of What's New Gram

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1000 words
Corporate/Software Testing
US publication

Jewel thief

“This is superb!” I said licking my rapidly melting ice-cream cone.

Mona pointed to a small mysterious tent situated in a corner of the carnival grounds. “Hey, what’s that?”

“Hmm. ‘Hocus-Pocus’. Sounds interesting. Let’s have a look,” Preeti suggested.

“Don’t be silly. It is past seven o’clock and already dark. We ought to go back now,” said Vaayu. “Besides, it’s getting cold. And I certainly don’t fancy poking around in your rotten old tents with Jack Frost nipping at my toes–“

“Nose,” Mona said.

“Toes!” Vaayu said, “in the middle of the day–”

“Nose, my dear,” Mona corrected again, “and anyway...


Read the full story in the November 2010 anthology The Wrong Side Of The Law
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4440 words
Humour/Crime/Mystery
US publication

Against the grain

Retirement hits some people hard. And when my father retired, no one was harder hit than my mother and us two sisters. With time hanging heavy on his hands and nothing much to do but try Mum’s patience and dole out long-winded advice much too often on Shirley’s legal cases, Dad had soon picked up the not-so-subtle hints about doing something better with himself than just being Man of the House. Tiring of the charms of daytime television, he had begun to hunt in earnest for a proper little hobby with which to keep himself occupied. After having steadily taken up and discarded solitaire (too slow)...
Read the full article in the October 2010 Family Matters issue of Chicken Soup For The Soul

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2050 words
Humour
US publication
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Words from the Wise

"It is an entertaining story"

Jennifer Stackhouse

Editor

ABC Gardening Australia

"We enjoyed it"

Sandra Costich

Associate Editor

American Scholar

"Yours is a charming story--lively and whimsical... I enjoyed the story of your father's post-retirement 'employment' "

H. Emerson Blake

Editor

Orion

"Nice story. I enjoyed it"

Pat Stone

Editor

GreenPrints

"This was very enjoyable to read"

Lorna Loveless

Editor

BackHome

"I really enjoyed reading your piece... It is quite funny - I especially liked the ending, I too could picture those pain-spattered walls. You're a very talented writer with good instincts for intriguing stories"

Paula Jolin

Manuscript Reader

Sun

"You are clearly a talented writer"

Alison Weaver

Founding Editor

H.O.W. Journal

Breaking the ice

At forty-five miles per hour, I am going faster than the maximum speed limit of several European roads. The wind screams past my ears with a high whine and wisps of clammy hair stick to my scalp like stubborn lime scales at the bottom of the kettle. All around me, people are flailing their arms wildly and tumbling clumsily on top of each other. I permit myself an un-lady-like smirk and continue smoothly on my way. Past a yelling quarrelling bunch of kids, past a boy who can’t cease spinning like a top, past an elderly couple who look like they are being tortured on a trapeze, past the three stewards...

Read the full article in the September 2010 issue of A Fly In Amber

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1325 words
Humour
US publication
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Words from the Wise

"It's an enjoyable piece"

Tim Kroenert

Assistant Editor

Eureka Street

"Your crisp, detailed voice succeeds at capturing realism"

Colin Meldrum

Editor

A cappella Zoo

"The descriptions are specific and interesting"

Anonymous

Manuscript Reader

Quality Fiction