Like many of you, I like to read. However, due to a number of factors, I like to read stories that I can finish in one sitting. Perhaps you feel the same way. If so, please consider reading one of the short stories I read this summer.
- “The Wish” by Diane Burke
This was definitely a thought provoking, emotional story. Mike Stone was facing one trial after another, some of it being his own fault. He desperately wishes that some how he can go in the past and make better decisions. However, even a do-over has consequences. This is a nice sci fi short reminding us of the need to be careful what we wish for. Sometimes what we want can cost us what we already have.
2. “Stitches in Time” by Ronda E. Ross
The crew of the Labyrinth decides to discover something that seems to be a tear in space itself and ends up entering into the anomaly. What they discover there makes them question all they know about science and space. This is good for a quick sci fi read. This does remind me of Star Trek and I like the fact that it reminds us that our knowledge of the universe is very limited. Very original and I hope Ronda E. Ross publishes more work like this on Amazon.
3. “Added Time” by David Witte
Rick Harlan is the protagonist of this story. In a Kansas City setting, he attends a FIFA Fan Festival and loses his wallet. Being the obsessive guy he is, he starts building spreadsheets and compiling whatever information he can on who stole his wallet and made unauthorized purchases. This is a nice psychological mystery. A good reminder of the reality of what happens on the inside of some of us when we face a puzzling challenge. The ending is very satisfying to me. It shows the importance of having supportive friends and to be understanding.
4. “Ten Minutes Ago, Everything Was Fine: A Sci-fi Comedy about time travel, bad decisions, and a refrigerator with entirely too much authority” by Georgia H Townsend
Martin Bickle discovers that his refrigerator could send things back in time, but for only ten minutes. He can’t resist using it to fix small mistakes. Little does he know that the refrigerator itself is taking note of how he is using it and the fridge isn’t happy. This could very well be the most unusual, unique time travel story I have ever read. Clearly, there was a moral lesson intertwined in the story. It reminds us of the need to accept, admit, and learn from our mistakes instead of just going back in time to reverse them.
5. “Why Am I” by Prabhdeep Singh
This could very well be the best short story I read this summer so far. Alex is a young man who wakes up in a world where everyone else disappeared. Everything still works, but he is all alone. At first, he wants to die, but then he decides to focus on survival. He leaves his city so as to avoid eventual death from an eventual dam or nuclear disaster, but as he tries to enter another city, something is there to prevent him, which ends up changing his view of the silent, empty world he’s trapped in. The ending is both unexpected and very satisfying. In the back matter, the author confesses that out of fear, he didn’t publish his stories for a long time. I am glad that Singh chose to break away from that fear. I hope he continues to write and publish clean and interesting stories.
Keep Searching!
Finding clean and interesting short stories can be a challenge at times. I hope this list of what I read helps you a bit. With the exception of The Wish, all of these stories were just published within the last four months. If you decide to read these stories, please leave a review. It helps indie authors! Thank you and happy reading!