Short Stories for Classic Horror Fans

Here on Virtual Virago, I write primarily about classic movies, but that's not the only kind of writing that I do. In the last year I finally gathered my courage and started publishing short stories on Kindle at Amazon; I'm also slowly working my way through a novel, but I love the faster turnaround time that short fiction allows, and I taught short stories for so many years that they feel very comfortable and familiar to me.

The short stories that I write generally fall into the categories of horror, fantasy, or science fiction, but they are deeply influenced by my lifelong passion for classic horror movies and literature. I'm not particularly interested in gore; I prefer the psychological thrills of Val Lewton's work to the slashers of more recent years. Poetic justice is also a going concern; I like to see bad apples forcibly tossed out of the mortal barrel. Hopefully those are things that you also enjoy.

Here are the short stories currently published on Kindle; I hope you'll take a look and maybe even read one or two. I put them on free promo as often as they are eligible, but I certainly wouldn't mind a few actual sales!

DESICCATED - You know how all of those old mummy movies feature reincarnated Egyptian princesses? You get one here, too, but seen from the perspective of an overwhelmed young mother. Most of my stories play in my head like Twilight Zone episodes, but this one has more of an Amazing Stories feel to it.

THE SPINSTERS- I love Arsenic and Old Lace. I have a thing for oddball old ladies. These sweet little spinsters have a surprise or two for an unscrupulous con man who preys on the elderly.

THIS IS NOT A LIFE  - Shakespeare, Magritte, and the conventions of classic science fiction mingle in this story, which also owes a debt to Forbidden Planet. I originally had the title in French, but I decided that was a bit too much. Still, "Ceci n'est pas une vie" has a certain ring to it, I think.


Several more stories are currently in various stages of completion. I hope to have a full book-length collection up on Kindle sometime in the spring!

If you're curious about the other kinds of writing that keep me busy, you can check out my Amazon Author Page, although it doesn't include the editions of classic novels I have worked on for Barnes & Noble.