Category Archives: Flash Fiction

“Malignant”

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Co-authored with Steve Thompson
Synopsis of our story:
A man fleeing a creature of pure evil gets unexpected help from a brave knight looking for redemption..

Crystal Lake Publishing

Shallow Waters Vol.2: A Flash Fiction Anthology – edited by Joe Mynhardt:

Description from Amazon:
Shallow Waters—where nothing stays buried.

With 26 dark tales diving beneath the surface of life, death, and the pain between them.

The TOC includes Jess Landry, Dan Weatherer, Mark Cassell, Michael Harris Cohen, Mark Allan Gunnells, Chad A. Clark, John Boden, Chad Lutzke, Dani Brown, David Charlesworth, Kenneth W. Cain, Steve Thompson, Raven Dane, Linsey Knerl, Andrew Garvey, Darryl Foster, Austin James, and Pedro Iniguez. With more names to be announced.

Shallow Waters is the official monthly flash fiction challenge hosted by the award-winning Crystal Lake Publishing. Every month a new challenge is posted online, with authors submitting via email. The best submissions are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page, where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner. What you’ll find in these Shallow Waters anthologies include the best of our finalists.

Stay tuned for more volumes in this series, or find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to enter or vote on future challenges.

Volume two includes horror, thrillers, suspense, and stories of life after death, the supernatural, murder, and the beauty beneath it all.

Proudly brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

“Standing Tall”

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Synopsis of my story:
An ancient soul finds himself and his people threatened by an ever-growing hostile race.

Crystal Lake Publishing

Shallow Waters Vol.2: A Flash Fiction Anthology – edited by Joe Mynhardt:

Description from Amazon:
Shallow Waters—where nothing stays buried.

With 26 dark tales diving beneath the surface of life, death, and the pain between them.

The TOC includes Jess Landry, Dan Weatherer, Mark Cassell, Michael Harris Cohen, Mark Allan Gunnells, Chad A. Clark, John Boden, Chad Lutzke, Dani Brown, David Charlesworth, Kenneth W. Cain, Steve Thompson, Raven Dane, Linsey Knerl, Andrew Garvey, Darryl Foster, Austin James, and Pedro Iniguez. With more names to be announced.

Shallow Waters is the official monthly flash fiction challenge hosted by the award-winning Crystal Lake Publishing. Every month a new challenge is posted online, with authors submitting via email. The best submissions are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page, where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner. What you’ll find in these Shallow Waters anthologies include the best of our finalists.

Stay tuned for more volumes in this series, or find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to enter or vote on future challenges.

Volume two includes horror, thrillers, suspense, and stories of life after death, the supernatural, murder, and the beauty beneath it all.

Proudly brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

“Not Your Average Monster”

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Synopsis of my story:
In our ever-changing world, what we view as a monster is constantly evolving but at what cost?

Crystal Lake Publishing

Shallow Waters Vol.1: A Flash Fiction Anthology – edited by Joe Mynhardt:

Description from Amazon:
Shallow Waters—where nothing stays buried.

With twenty-two dark tales diving beneath the surface of loss, love, and life.

Shallow Waters is the official monthly flash fiction challenge hosted by the award-winning Crystal Lake Publishing. Every month a new challenge is posted online, with authors submitting via email. The best submissions are then posted on Crystal Lake’s Patreon page, where patrons read daily entries and vote for the winner. What you’ll find in these Shallow Waters anthologies include the most popular of our finalists.

Stay tuned for more volumes in this series, or find Crystal Lake Publishing on Patreon to enter or vote on future challenges.

Volume one includes horror, thrillers, suspense, and stories of love lost, death, 2nd chances, the monsters within, and the beauty beneath it all.

Introduction by Joe Mynhardt
“Closure on a Bed of Nails” by Chad Lutzke
“Fast Car” by Tracy Fahey
“Tears of Buddy” by Patrick R. McDonough
“Puzzle Pieces” by Armand Rosamilia
“Pretty Like Butterflies” by Tim Waggoner
“S1:E7” by Robert Ford
“Pain is Your Teacher” by Michael Harris Cohen
“Memory Lane” by Red Lagoe
“The Silence of the Sirens” by Loren Rhoads
“It’s Me Not You” by Jonathan Winn
“Sisters of Loss” by Mark Allan Gunnells
“Talisman” by Jezzy Wolfe
“The Melting of Your Gods” by Mercedes M. Yardley
“Charms” by Dino Parenti
“Not Your Average Monster” by Kenneth W. Cain
“Where the Children Run in Darkness” by Guy Medley
“Tunnels” by Tom Over (winner)
“The Truth about Dani” by Joe Mercer
“Baby Savannah” by M.J. Sydney
“Rats Scratched in the Linen Cupboard” by Dani Brown
“Raining” by John Boden
“The Death Experience” by Leigh Ann Story

In this volume…

  • Taunted by a cactus, a man copes with grief after the loss of his wife.
  • Alondra DeCourval visits Franz Kafka’s grave to think about death.
  • A lovestruck woman strives to connect with a man she’s convinced is The One.
  • The perfect funeral for a child—all according to a Mother’s well-crafted plan. The exception is one small, unexpected development no one could have ever prepared for.
  • A short meditation on the haunting nature of love and loss, and the aftermath of both.
  • Victor’s sanity has been threaded together by the memory of his daughter’s voice, until now, when her laughter falls silent.
  • An adrenaline junkie believes he can take on the ultimate challenge—coming back from the dead.
  • Sisters share everything. The good…and the bad.
  • Sometimes being a hoarder is dangerous…
  • In our ever-changing world, what we view as a monster is constantly evolving…but at what cost?
  • Buddy’s heart aches for his family’s arrival.
  • Bright colors may be beautiful, but sometimes they can be dangerous.
  • Sometimes the darkness we harbor within is best left behind closed doors.
  • Rats scratch in the children’s ward.
  • A surprise wedding present from daughter to father, built over a lifetime, reveals his true nature to all his guests.
  • Can a mourning Mallory find comfort before she loses her mind?
  • While coming to terms with the death of his mother a man learns that he harbours a strange ability, one that could threaten to tear his reality apart.
  • A woman’s last letter to her abusive ex-husband returns the favor of his tutelage.
  • Lillian’s search for her daughter’s doll leads her on a journey through tragedy, loss, and madness.
  • The brutal murder a man’s only child leaves him burdened with a question only he can answer.

Proudly brought to you by Crystal Lake Publishing—Tales from the Darkest Depths.

“The Hunted”

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Synopsis of my story:
A man is hunted for his crimes. (This story is included in DARKER DAYS).

Post Mortem Press
44 Lies by 22 Authors – edited by Eric Beebe:

Description:
To follow.

  • Eric Beebe – “All Authors Lie (and Some Editors, Too)”
  • J. David Anderson – “Retirement” & “Happy Birthday”
  • Paul Anderson – ” Passive” & “Lead into Gold”
  • David Bernard – “A Ghoul’s Gotta Eat”, “After Midnight in the Dairy Case”, & “Attack of the Vampire Slayer”
  • Max Booth III – “Like Something Died” & Kurt Cobain Murdered My Father”
  • C. Bryan Brown – “A Vision in Red” & “Legacy”
  • Kenneth W. Cain – “Adaptable” & “The Hunted”
  • Brad Carter – “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Shooter” & “The Legend of Johnny Kudzu”
  • Kyle Dickerson – “Notice” & “Rag Dol”
  • Emma Ennis – “Surrogate”, “The Lady of the Hills”, “Lullaby”, & “Inside Job”
  • Robert Essig – “Moonlight Sonata”, “Names in the Sidewalk”, & “Meeting the Quota”
  • Teel James Glen – “Knight Before Christmas” & “Mama-San”
  • Scott Goudsward – “Winter Wonderland” & “Valentine”
  • K.T. Jayne – “Unionized Freaks” & “They Taste Better with Ketchup”
  • Tally Johnson – “Four Parts of a Prologue for a Novel Not Yet Written” & The Phantom Rider of the Confederacy”
  • M.F. Korn – “Golly Mister, Will You Sign My Laundry List?” & “They Speak Creole French at Those Places”
  • Christian A. Larsen – “Chief Chatzahoaken” & “The Lightning Makes a Stop”
  • Michael Matula – “Mausoleum Monster” & “Copperleaf Road”
  • Josef Matulich – “Foot in the Door”, “Stalker”, “Ukai”
  • Jessica McHugh – “To the Willow”, “Shipwrecked”, & “The D-Word”
  • P. Andrew Miller – “Fifty Shades of Day” & “Troll Hunting”
  • Georgina Morales – “The Beast” & “Memento Mori”
  • Billie Sue Mosiman – “One Too Many” & “Behind the Door”
  • G. Elmer Munson – “Therapy 124″ & “A Man in a Room”
  • Andrew Nienaber – “Colchis, Connecticut” & “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”
  • Cynthia Pelayo – “Funeral Print”
  • Nelson W. Pyles – “Regards, Eleanor” & “The Trouble with Unicorns”
  • Patrick Scalisi – “Missing Bicycles” & “Residual”
  • Rob Smales – “Spreewald Dreams” & “Was it Good for You, Baby?”
  • Tim Waggoner – “The Good Neighbor” & “A Face in the Crowd”

“Adaptable”

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Synopsis of my story:
An explorer finds himself trapped in a horrifying society. (This story is included in DARKER DAYS).

Reviews for my story:
“‘Adaptable’ by Kenneth W. Cain was also pretty damn good.” ~ The Grim Reader’s book & metal reviews
Post Mortem Press
44 Lies by 22 Authors – edited by Eric Beebe:

Description:
To follow.

  • Eric Beebe – “All Authors Lie (and Some Editors, Too)”
  • J. David Anderson – “Retirement” & “Happy Birthday”
  • Paul Anderson – ” Passive” & “Lead into Gold”
  • David Bernard – “A Ghoul’s Gotta Eat”, “After Midnight in the Dairy Case”, & “Attack of the Vampire Slayer”
  • Max Booth III – “Like Something Died” & Kurt Cobain Murdered My Father”
  • C. Bryan Brown – “A Vision in Red” & “Legacy”
  • Kenneth W. Cain – “Adaptable” & “The Hunted”
  • Brad Carter – “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Shooter” & “The Legend of Johnny Kudzu”
  • Kyle Dickerson – “Notice” & “Rag Dol”
  • Emma Ennis – “Surrogate”, “The Lady of the Hills”, “Lullaby”, & “Inside Job”
  • Robert Essig – “Moonlight Sonata”, “Names in the Sidewalk”, & “Meeting the Quota”
  • Teel James Glen – “Knight Before Christmas” & “Mama-San”
  • Scott Goudsward – “Winter Wonderland” & “Valentine”
  • K.T. Jayne – “Unionized Freaks” & “They Taste Better with Ketchup”
  • Tally Johnson – “Four Parts of a Prologue for a Novel Not Yet Written” & The Phantom Rider of the Confederacy”
  • M.F. Korn – “Golly Mister, Will You Sign My Laundry List?” & “They Speak Creole French at Those Places”
  • Christian A. Larsen – “Chief Chatzahoaken” & “The Lightning Makes a Stop”
  • Michael Matula – “Mausoleum Monster” & “Copperleaf Road”
  • Josef Matulich – “Foot in the Door”, “Stalker”, “Ukai”
  • Jessica McHugh – “To the Willow”, “Shipwrecked”, & “The D-Word”
  • P. Andrew Miller – “Fifty Shades of Day” & “Troll Hunting”
  • Georgina Morales – “The Beast” & “Memento Mori”
  • Billie Sue Mosiman – “One Too Many” & “Behind the Door”
  • G. Elmer Munson – “Therapy 124″ & “A Man in a Room”
  • Andrew Nienaber – “Colchis, Connecticut” & “FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE”
  • Cynthia Pelayo – “Funeral Print”
  • Nelson W. Pyles – “Regards, Eleanor” & “The Trouble with Unicorns”
  • Patrick Scalisi – “Missing Bicycles” & “Residual”
  • Rob Smales – “Spreewald Dreams” & “Was it Good for You, Baby?”
  • Tim Waggoner – “The Good Neighbor” & “A Face in the Crowd”

“Night of the Fireworks”

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Synopsis of my story:
The end is near, but there’s always time for one last fireworks display.

Apokrupha
Vignettes From The End Of The World – edited by Jacob Haddon:

Description from Amazon:
Filled with 58 apocalyptic flash fiction pieces.

Authors: Adrian Ludens, Arno Hurter, Bryan Hughes, Cameron Shifflet, Cameron Suey, Christine Morgan, D.J. Tyler, Damir Salkovic, Darcie Little Badger, Darryl Dawson, David Turnbull, Doug Murano, Dusty Wallace, E. Catherine Tobler, E.E. King, Erik B. Scott, Eryk Pruitt, Essel Pratt, George Cotronis, Glen Rolfe, Guy Anthony De Marco, J.A. Martin, J.P. Freeman, Jamie Lackey, Jason Sharp, Jennifer Loring, Jessica McHugh, Joana Eça de Queiroz, Josh Strnad, K.Z. Morano, Kallirroe Agelopoulou, Kelda Crich, Ken MacGregor, Kenneth W. Cain, Kristopher Kelly, L.C. Mortimer, Lee Clark Zumpe, Leslianne Wilder, Lex T. Lindsay, Lincoln Crisler, Mandy DeGeit, Marie DesJardin, Matilda Finkelbunker, Michael H. Antonio, Michael Haynes, Michael Penkas, Pedro Iniguez, Rebecca, Barbee, Rebecca J. Allred, Richard Thomas, Rose Blackthorn, S.R. Mastrantone, Steve Calvert, Sylvia Spruck Wrigley, T. Joseph Dunham, Terry M. West, Victoria Dalpe, and William R.D. Wood.

“Visitors”

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Synopsis of my story:
A son struggles to convey to his father that he must leave the nursing home. The father hears him well enough, but has already made other plans. (This story first appeared in THESE OLD TALES).

Apokrupha
Dark Bits – edited by Jacob Haddon:

Description from Amazon:
Dark Bits is a collection of 52 +1 horror flash fiction stories. Short, but not sweet, they move quick to grab you. Got a minute? Go ahead, try one.

Authors:
Angela Pritchett, Apple Ardent Scott, Bruce Boston, Bryce Hughes, Cameron Suey, Carson Buckingham, Chantal Noordeloos, Chantel Delulio, Cynthia Ray, Dane Hatchell, Darryl Dawson, David Bernstein, David Greske, Die Booth, Edd Vick, G.N. Braun, Guy Anthony De Marco, James Roy Daley, James S. Dorr, Jamie Lackey, Jeff Heimbuch, Jeremy C. Shipp, Jessica McHugh, Johannes Pinter, Kallirroe Agelopoulou, Kathryn Ptacek, Keith Armstrong, Kenneth W. Cain, Kevin David Anderson, Kevin Lucia, Mandy DeGeit, Mark C. Scioneaux, Mary Pletsch, Matthew Wilson, Max Booth III, Meriah L. Crawford, Michael H. Antonio, Michele Mixell, Randolph Andrews, Rebecca L. Brown, Richard Farren Barber, Robert Ford, Robert Smales, Robin Devereaux-Nelson, Sandy Shelonchik, Sheri White, Stephanie Jessop, Tina Rath, Tracy L. Carbone, Wesley Southard, William Gracey, William Meikle, William Whorton