"The Perfect Sale" published in the debut issue of Quantum Fairy Tales!

More exciting news! "The Perfect Sale", a satire of The Odyssey set in a dystopian department store and part of my IN-FUTURA short story collection, has been published in the debut Halloween issue of Quantum Fairy Tales. Check out the story here.

"The Perfect Sale" Published by Quantum Fairy Tales on October 31, 2012

"The Perfect Sale" is set in a zany yet not-so-far-fetched dystopian future in which jumpsuit-wearing shopping guilds dominate department stores and no one shops alone. It was inspired by the Groupon and flash sale shopping craze from a few years back, as well as our obsession with coupons and getting the best deal. In a thinly-veiled reference to The Odyssey, the story follows 14-year-old Odessa as she is initiated into her sisters' Guild, called The Lotus Eaters. As she dodges sketchy salesmen and a giant, visor-clad villain, she attempts to reunite with a product that has special meaning to her. I hope you enjoy this story!

Quantum Fairy Tales — Issue No. 1: The Melody that Restrained Death

I'm also thrilled that "The Perfect Sale" has made its debut in the upstart e-zine of speculative fiction, Quantum Fairy Tales. Run by a Ninja Monkey, a Quantum Fairy, a Clockwork Gnome, and more, this brand spankin' new e-zine promises only the quirkiest stories, poems, and art. Make sure you check out the debut issue!

[*This e-zine is now defunct]

"The Hunt" Published on TheWiFiles.com!!

Woohoo! I'm happy to announce the publication of another dystopian short story from my IN-FUTURA collection, "The Hunt", published by the online speculative fiction magazine The WiFiles (run by Four Parts Press) — www.TheWiFiles.com.

"The Hunt" Published by TheWiFiles.com on October 14, 2012

What would happen if hunting and gathering went viral? "The Hunt" was originally written for the Toronto Star Short Story Contest, and has one of my favourite premises of the stories in IN-FUTURA. It's a dystopian satire of the "fresh food" movement of today, taken to the extreme. Want meat? Gotta hunt for it. Want fruits and nuts? Gotta fight others off for it. All while keeping  a 9 to 5 job and dealing with your boss, too. I hope you enjoy reading this story as much as I enjoyed writing it!

To read the story on TheWiFiles.com, click here.

"The Monarchs" Published on AuroraWolf.com

I'm thrilled to announce the publication of another dystopian short story from my IN-FUTURA collection, "The Monarchs", which has been published in the literary journal of science-fiction and fantasy, Aurora Wolf (www.AuroraWolf.com).

Original Cover Art for "The Monarchs", designed by AuroraWolf.com

"The Monarchs" is one of the weirdest and most surreal stories in In-Futura. Unlike many of the others, which retain an element of adventure and the Hero's Journey in their structure, this story uses the fable structure to draw you in, and invites you to become a member of the audience as the characters spin their tales. It is also the black sheep of the collection because it is, of all things, a comedy. It's dripping with satire, nudging and winking at you the entire way. But it's also got a lot of heart, and in the end, it truly lives up to the theme of finding the true meaning of charity. Plus, it's got a pair of over-the-top Latin celebrities who have turned their island of inhabitants into something resembling Cirque de Soleil. What's not to love?

"The Monarchs" Published on AuroraWolf.com on August 31, 2012

To read the story on AuroraWolf.com, click here.

[*This e-zine is now defunct]

Plus, take a walk with me down memory lane and check out the story's original introduction.

And... check out my new cover art for "The Monarchs" below, and read the introduction to it here.

"The Monarchs" IN-FUTURA Cover Art by John Krissilas

"Your Stock is Rising" Published on StaticMovement.com

I'm happy to announce that another of the short stories in the In-Futura collection, "Your Stock is Rising", has been published in the science-fiction E-zine Static Movement.

"Your Stock is Rising" is an interesting story in many ways. First, it builds on a very current phenomenon: that of measuring the value of one's social connections and contacts. But while sites like Klout can offer social networkers only a number to represent their social influence, the world of "Your Stock is Rising" takes this to the extreme by creating an entire social economy. Second, the story features a protagonist who is very much like myself: young, career-driven, determined to reach his potential. The only question is, how much is he willing to give up to obtain it?

To read the story on StaticMovement.com, click here.

[*This e-zine is now defunct]

"Across the Metaverse" Published on MindFlights.com

I'm thrilled to announce that one of the short stories from my In-Futura collection, "Across the Metaverse", has been published in online Science Fiction & Fantasy magazine, MindFlights!

"Across the Metaverse", a parody of the Romeo & Juliet story arc set in a virtual, social network-driven world, had always been a black sheep in my collection. It represented many firsts: my first romance, my first adaptation of existing material, and the first time I've created a living, breathing, alternate world - with its own terminology and social structure. It's weird, it's a bit twisted, and it's unlike anything I've ever written--before or since. And thankfully, it's now published :)

To check out the story on MindFlights.com, click here.

[*This e-zine is now defunct]

Click here to read "Across the Metaverse" on MindFlights.com