Paranormal, Horror, and Young Adult
One haunted house, whispers of a missing girl, and a demon with vengeance at his core…
The Porcelain Souls collection holds chilling shorts that will make you think twice about porcelain dolls. Inspired by the works of Poe and Hitchcock, this series gives you suspense without all the gore. If you like creepy houses and quirky characters, you'll love the unexpected twists in these classic horror tales.
Part three coming soon!
Read parts one and two
Part Three: The Lost Souls
A dead cop and a string of mysterious disappearances sets the town of Credence on edge. Despite the growing dangers surrounding the Whitson house and the chilling warnings left by her ancestors, Huiliang Zui risks ties with her family and breaks into the abandoned building to find answers. But the tortured spirit residing there demands blood, seeking to eradicate his past life’s miseries and complete his collection.
When Alex Wingate helps Huili out of a tight spot, an unexpected friendship forms. However, it isn’t long before old wounds resurface and motives are questioned. Can they overcome past judgements and work together to destroy the demon? Or will they, too, fall victim to his trap and perish like the lost souls before them?
In this nail-biting installment of The Porcelain Souls series, the fate of Credence rests on one girl's shoulders. If she fails, they’ll all be devoured.
Women’s Fiction Shorts
Inspiration behind Sisters
As part of the early Millennial generation, I grew up during a time when most modern technologies hadn't yet reached most households. In fact, we didn't have a computer in our house until I was nine, and we didn't have internet access until I was twelve. Having said that, I experienced the birth of modern technology, which was really cool to see. My extended family was a huge part of my life, and because I didn't have any siblings myself, my cousins and I became very close throughout the years. I wanted to capture that feeling of a close-knit family and a time before technology had invaded everyday life in this story, because the childhood memories I have are near and dear to my heart, as are the many stories my grandma shared with me while I was growing up.
The first draft for this piece came to me during my early days in college. I wrote it for a creative writing class, then it sat gathering cobwebs in a folder on my computer until recently when I picked it up again and polished it for publication. Both main characters have a rich backstory that proved very difficult to relay through such a short piece, so my hope is to one day expand on that, perhaps trying my hand at a novel about the two sisters.
The Love of Two Sisters
This women's fiction short about two sisters torn apart by envy and guilt will tug at your heartstrings and transport you back into the 20th century during a time when war raged and early feminism was still evolving. If you enjoy period pieces and unconventional female characters, this story is for you.
Inspiration behind Michael’s Cry
A New Mother
Motherhood is never easy, but when you’re faced with postpartum depression, those challenges multiply. This heart-wrenching piece follows a new mother as she struggles to bond with her newborn son. Each day grows harder than the last until she finally reaches her breaking point. Will her love be enough, or will her guilt consume her?
This piece was born during my time in college. At the time, I had no experience with motherhood. I knew very little about postpartum depression (and still am fortunate enough to have not experienced it firsthand). But I was so strongly compelled to write this story that I created a draft anyway, knowing I could do it more justice years down the line. Two events inspired this story. The first was a good friend of mine who became a teenage mother. Though the character in this story is older and is, in fact, happily married, she faces similar struggles. My friend had zero experience as a new mother, and being thrust into that life wasn’t what she expected. She spent the latter half of her pregnancy living with us and nearly died when she developed preeclampsia. She was rushed to the emergency room and gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and our whole world changed—as did our relationship. In the months following his birth, she continued living with us, and at only sixteen years old, I got to see what it was like to be a young mother. I saw the joy, the frustration, the overwhelming decisions that had to be made for this tiny life she now had to care for.
The second event was the birth of my own children, particularly my son. I was in my late twenties when I had him, but he held so many unexpected challenges, nothing could have ever prepared me for the years ahead. At just two years old, he was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and within a few months, my daughter, who was three years older than him, received the same diagnosis. I faced years of sleepless nights, feeding issues, and behaviors I had no clue how to deal with. My strength, faith, and, patience were all tested in ways I could never have imagined, and if it hadn’t been for the support of my wonderful husband and mother, I’m not sure I would have made it through. We’ve undergone years of therapy for them, and we’re still in the midst of it. I deal with my anxiety disorder on a daily basis, and I’m learning to cope with this new “normal” that has become my life, all while balancing my work as an editor, my role as a mother, daughter, and wife, and my job as an author.
It’s been nearly two decades since my friend gave birth. My oldest is entering middle school soon, and my youngest is halfway through elementary. But those early memories still live with me. Through them, I experienced a breaking point like nothing else in my life. When you read this story, whether you’re male or female, whether you’ve had kids of your own, or whether you deal with your own demons that have nothing to do with the ones the woman in this story faces, I hope it brings you peace and comfort, a reassurance that you do have the strength to get through these trials. Because today isn’t the end. And sometimes those big life changes are sparked by something as small as a smile.