Short Stories – Page 2

Menagerie Book Tour: Day Nine with Beem Weeks

Published on February 14, 2023February 14, 2023 by Joan Hall

Hey, Readers! Happy Valentine’s Day! We’re at the mid-point of the shortest month of the year, and the Menagerie book tour continues. Today’s featured story is “Without a Trace,” a mystery/suspense story that takes place in the 1980s. I’m visiting with another of my fellow Story-Empire colleagues, Beem Weeks.

Beem joined the group last year and has been a valuable member. He’s published books of short stories, a novel, a novelette, and has contributed to various anthologies for other authors. He is also an editor and audio/video producer for Fresh Ink Group publishing. Beem’s book Strange Highway is coming up on my TBR list and I look forward to reading this collection.

Below is a list of the stops. Links will be updated as each post goes live. Comments are closed here, but I look forward to seeing you today at Beem’s site.

Day One – Mae Clair
Day Two – Staci Troilo
Day Three – Harmony Kent
Day Four – D. L. Finn
Day Five – Gwen Plano
Day Six – Jan Sikes
Day Seven – John Howell
Day Eight – C. S. Boyack
Day Nine – Beem Weeks
Day Ten – Stephen Geez
Day Eleven – Marlena Smith Burris
Day Twelve – Judi Post
Day Thirteen – Teri Polen

Menagerie Book Tour: Day Eight with Craig Boyack

Published on February 9, 2023February 1, 2023 by Joan Hall

Hey, Readers. Welcome to the eighth stop on the Menagerie blog tour. Each day I talk about a different story in the collection and tell what inspired the idea. Today’s featured story is titled Storm Rider. Like some of the others, this one is set during the late 1970s – a great time to have lived.

Today, I’m visiting with another of my fellow Story Empire colleagues, Craig Boyack. I’ve often said I don’t know anyone with a more vivid imagination. His books have a cast of characters that will astound you. While I’m a big fan of his Lizzie and the Hat series, I’m still fond of his root monsters in the Lanternfish trilogy.

Speaking of The hat, Craig released the sixth book of the series last fall. Be sure to check out The Midnight Rambler on Amazon.

Below is a list of the stops. Links will be updated as each post goes live. Comments are closed here, but I hope you’ll hop over to Craig’s site to visit with me.

Day One – Mae Clair
Day Two – Staci Troilo
Day Three – Harmony Kent
Day Four – D. L. Finn
Day Five – Gwen Plano
Day Six – Jan Sikes
Day Seven – John Howell
Day Eight – C. S. Boyack
Day Nine – Beem Weeks
Day Ten – Stephen Geez
Day Eleven – Marlena Smith Burris
Day Twelve – Judi Post
Day Thirteen – Teri Polen

Menagerie Blog Tour: Day Six With Jan Sikes

Published on February 2, 2023January 31, 2023 by Joan Hall

Hey, Readers! Welcome to February. Yes, I know it’s already the second, but it’s my first time posting this month. It’s also Ground Hog Day. I’m not sure if that little varmint saw his shadow or not, but I do know I don’t like winter!

By the way, here in Texas, we have Bee Cave Bob. He’s an armadillo that also predicts if we’ll have a long winter or early spring. In case you don’t know it, armadillos are a Texas icon. The song “London Homesick Blues” written by Gary P. Nunn and made popular by Jerry Jeff Walker talks about a Texan who is stuck in London, is homesick for his state, and wants to go home where there are armadillos and good country music.

But back to the subject. Today is the sixth stop on the Menagerie book tour. As you probably know, I feature a different story and tell readers what inspired me to write it.

Today, I’m visiting with fellow Texan Jan Sikes. She and I had the pleasure of meeting in person last fall and it seemed like we’d known one another forever. Jan is a Story Empire contributor, an award-winning author, and a music lover. Her latest release Saddled Hearts is the third of her White Rune Trilogy. If you haven’t read this series, I highly recommend it.

Below is a list of the stops. Links will be updated as each post goes live. Comments are closed here, but I’d be delighted if you’d join me today at Jan’s site. Not only do I talk about writing, but also music. (Imagine that!)

Day One – Mae Clair
Day Two – Staci Troilo
Day Three – Harmony Kent
Day Four – D. L. Finn
Day Five – Gwen Plano
Day Six – Jan Sikes
Day Seven – John Howell
Day Eight – C. S. Boyack
Day Nine – Beem Weeks
Day Ten – Stephen Geez
Day Eleven – Marlena Smith Burris
Day Twelve – Judi Post
Day Thirteen – Teri Polen

Menagerie Book Tour: Day Five With Gwen Plano

Published on January 31, 2023January 31, 2023 by Joan Hall

Hey, Readers. Can you believe it’s already the last day of January? What was it the Steve Miller Band said about time? Yes, it is drifting into the future, but today is the fifth stop of the Menagerie Tour. Each day I feature a different story in the collection and tell “the story behind the story.”

Today, I’m visiting with the lovely Gwen Plano. She’s an author, poet, and contributor at Story Empire. Gwen is also one of the most compassionate people I know. Two of the three volumes in her military history trilogy reached Amazon’s best-seller status for new releases. The first was co-authored with John Howell. Gwen also has a brand-new book releasing on February 21. Redemption, A Father’s Fatal Decision, is available now for preorder. I’ve already ordered my copy and can’t wait to read it!

Below is a list of all the stops. Links will be updated as each post goes live. Comments are closed here, but I’d love to visit with you today on Gwen’s site.

Day One – Mae Clair
Day Two – Staci Troilo
Day Three – Harmony Kent
Day Four – D. L. Finn
Day Five – Gwen Plano
Day Six – Jan Sikes
Day Seven – John Howell
Day Eight – C. S. Boyack
Day Nine – Beem Weeks
Day Ten – Stephen Geez
Day Eleven – Marlena Smith Burris
Day Twelve – Judi Post
Day Thirteen – Teri Polen

Menagerie Book Tour Day Four With D. L. Finn

Published on January 25, 2023January 24, 2023 by Joan Hall

Hey, Readers. The Menagerie blog tour is moving right along. At each stop, I talk about a different story and what inspired me to write it.

Today, I’m visiting another of my fellow Story Empire contributors, D. L. Finn. Denise is the author of several books in the paranormal/urban fantasy genre as well as children’s books. She’s a nature lover like me and has published a book of poetry that blends her love of nature with her deepest thoughts. Her most recent release is A Voice in the Silence.

Below is a list of the stops. Links will be updated as each post goes live. Comments are closed here but I hope to see you at Denise’s site.