A New Short Story

Created Image

My new A.I. short story Created Image, just published by the wonderfully odd editors at Literally Stories! Created Image is an A.I. story about a green-eyed robot who falls in love with its creator. Together they ride into the sunset on a Unicorn. Added bonus: the section breaks contain a secret message hidden in the binary code. But why write this? Well…

The Challenge

Not too many months ago, the esteemed Editors at Literally Stories threw down the editorial gauntlet. The short version was: Stop sending us stories about artificial intelligence. Fine, I understood. Too many cuddly or not-cuddly robot stories. But then, it got personal.

Editor Emeritus Hugh Cron went further. He added this little clarification to the editorial fiat:

And if it is an AI story about a green-eyed robot falling in love with its chiseled torso creator who is tuned into its feelings and they ride into the sunset on a Unicorn, that will be a definite no from me!!! (I dare you, Marco!!!!)

Hold My Cigar…

Challenge accepted, Friends and Neighbors! After every trope was turned on its cute, little head, Created Image was submitted. A month later, the story was accepted and humble pie shared out all around. It was, Good Readers, a matter of honor, or some such whatnot.

Read the Story Now!

Good news, Friends and Neighbors! Literally Stories is a FREE read for your hungry eyes. Mash the big button! Once you’re there, you’ll find my latest short story as well as other great literary treats. What are you waiting for?

For you button phobic folks, here is the direct link to my story at Literally Stories. W00T! Free Read! Just mash the link and away we go! If you like my story, please leave likes, comments or both.

https://literallystories2014.com/2022/08/24/created-image-by-marco-etheridge/

If you would like to browse the rest of the fine Literally Stories library, here is the general link:

https://literallystories2014.com/

More To Come!

I’m happy to say, Friends and Neighbors, the tough months of June and July are behind us. Rejoice, August is all good news! Created Image is the fourth (count ’em, FOUR!) new story for this month. Add in four newly accepted stories, and August is going gang busters. Summer is not over yet, Folks! Read all about it on the MEF blog! Or, better yet, sign up for my alerts so you won’t miss a single story.

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/blog/

Speaking of Summer Reading…

Are you sizzling on a tropical beach or traveling to far-off lands? I hope so! How about a brand new collection of short fiction for your vacation reading? Stay strong, be kind, and keep reading!

Broken Luggage Collected Flash Fiction

Broken Luggage: Two dozen flash fiction tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning.

A man's life condensed into the broken luggage that will contain it. A young woman alone in the Sonoran Desert. Memories of dangerous eggs, thunderstorms, and a gunshot man. A character tours his self-made hell. Another steps from between the pages. Parables of sand and migration A labyrinth into new love, and the remembrance of love past. These two dozen flash stories tell swift tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning.

Order Now!

About the Book

Marco Etheridge is a writer of fiction, an occasional playwright, and a part-time poet. He lives and writes in Vienna, Austria. His stories have been published in reviews, journals, and magazines in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. Broken Luggage gathers twenty-four of his best flash stories into one collection. A man’s life condensed into the broken luggage that will contain it. A young woman alone in the Sonoran Desert. Memories of dangerous eggs, thunderstorms, and a gunshot man. A character tours his self-made hell. Another steps from between the pages. Parables of sand and migration A labyrinth into new love, and the remembrance of love past. These two dozen flash stories tell swift tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning. Unforgettable characters struggle against the tides and pressures of an impersonal world, and against the burdens they carry within. There is joy and despair, defiance and acceptance. The inhabitants of these pages learn who they are, and sometimes, who they are not. Welcome, Reader, to the world of Broken Luggage.

Details

Genre: Short Stories
Tags: Recommended Books, Short Stories
Publisher: Marco Etheridge Fiction
Publication Year: 2022
Format: Paperback & eBook
Length: 137 Pages
ASIN: B0B3CSJR2C
ISBN: 9798833773079
List Price: $8.95
eBook Price: $2.99

Order Now

Kobo, Nook, Apple, and More!

Preview

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A New Short Story

Five Minutes with Joe

My short story Five Minutes with Joe has just been published by the wonderfully odd editors at Literally Stories. Five Minutes with Joe tells the story of a very strange thing that happened at a very special rock concert in the long ago and far away. I’m throwing out a tip o’ the writer lid and a huge shout out to the editors of Literally Stories. They support and publish my scribbles, and I love them dearly!

Read the Story Now!

Good news, Friends and Neighbors! Literally Stories is a FREE read for your hungry eyes. Mash the big button! There you can find my latest short story as well as other great literary treats. What are you waiting for?

Read Five Minutes with Joe

For you button phobic folks, here is the direct link to my story at Literally Stories. W00T! Free Read! Just mash the link and away we go! If you like my story, please leave likes, comments or both.

https://literallystories2014.com/2022/08/15/five-minutes-with-joe-by-marco-etheridge/

If you would like to browse the rest of the fine Literally Stories library, here is the general link:

https://literallystories2014.com/

I’m here to tell you, Friends and Neighbors, June and July were tough enough to make a bitch coyote eat her pups. But wait, August is all good news! Five Minutes with Joe is only the third of at least four (count ’em, FOUR!) new stories coming your way this month. It’s going to be a good summer! Read all about it on the MEF blog! Or better yet, sign up for my alerts so you won’t miss a single story.

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/blog/

But Hey, Summer Reading…

Are you sizzling on a tropical beach or traveling to far-off lands? I hope so! How about a brand new collection of short fiction for your vacation reading? Stay strong, be kind, and keep reading!

Orphaned Lies – Collected Stories

The Journey of Orphaned Lies

The fifteen stories contained within these pages tell tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning. Unforgettable characters struggle against the impersonal forces of the outside world, and against the flaws they carry within themselves. There is quiet heroism and unwanted heroes discarded, acts of defiance and of acceptance. The inhabitants of these pages learn who they are, and sometimes, who they are not. Enter here, Reader, and join in the journey that is Orphaned Lies.

Order Now!

About the Book

Marco Etheridge is a writer of fiction, an occasional playwright, and a part-time poet. He lives and writes in Vienna, Austria. His stories have been published by reviews, journals, and magazines in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. Here, for the first time, fifteen of his best short stories are gathered together in one collection.

An aging veteran who despises his neighbor ends up in hospital under her care. An isolated married couple search for help to deliver their first child. A man pauses on a wind-swept cliff to converse with a dead friend. A young kitchen boy is sent on a perilous journey across a pestilential land. A man and women find love at the end of their lives.

The fifteen stories contained within these pages tell tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning. Unforgettable characters struggle against the impersonal forces of the outside world, and against the flaws they carry within themselves. There is quiet heroism and unwanted heroes discarded, acts of defiance and of acceptance. The inhabitants of these pages learn who they are, and sometimes, who they are not. Open these pages and join in the journey that is Orphaned Lies.

Details

Genre: Short Stories
Tags: Recommended Books, Short Stories
Publisher: Marco Etheridge Fiction
Publication Year: 2021
ASIN: B099TG6GQ7
List Price: 9.95
eBook Price: 2.99

Order Now

Kobo, Nook, Apple, and more!

Preview

View Book Sample

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A New Short Story

For Love of a Three-Legged Horse

My short story For Love of a Three-Legged Horse has just been published by the bodacious editors at Literally Stories. This brand new short story tells the tale of an aging woman, her very chequered past, and the detective who’s trying to get to the bottom of it all. I’m throwing out a tip o’ the writer lid and a huge shout out to the editors of Literally Stories. They support and publish my scribbles, and I love them dearly!

Read the Story Now!

Good news, Friends and Neighbors! Literally Stories is a FREE read for your hungry eyes. Mash the big button! There you can find my latest short story as well as other great literary treats. What are you waiting for?

Read A Three-Legged Horse

For you button phobic folks, here is the direct link to my story at Literally Stories. W00T! Free Read! Just mash the link and away we go! If you like my story, please leave likes, comments or both.

https://literallystories2014.com/2022/08/11/for-love-of-a-three-legged-horse-by-marco-etheridge/

If you would like to browse the rest of the fine Literally Stories library, here is the general link:

https://literallystories2014.com/

An Exciting Month…

I’m here to tell you, Friends and Neighbors, the publishing wars are often a wasteland of rejections. But wait, there’s good news! For Love of a Three-Legged Horse is only the second of at least four (count ’em, FOUR!) new stories coming your way this month. It’s going to be a good summer! Read all about it on the MEF blog! Or better yet, sign up for my alerts so you won’t miss a single story.

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/blog/

But Hey, In the Meantime…

Are you sizzling on the beach or traveling to far-off lands? I hope so! How about a brand new collection of flash fiction for your vacation reading? Stay strong, be kind, and keep reading!

Broken Luggage Collected Flash Fiction

Broken Luggage: Two dozen flash fiction tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning.

A man's life condensed into the broken luggage that will contain it. A young woman alone in the Sonoran Desert. Memories of dangerous eggs, thunderstorms, and a gunshot man. A character tours his self-made hell. Another steps from between the pages. Parables of sand and migration A labyrinth into new love, and the remembrance of love past. These two dozen flash stories tell swift tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning.

Order Now!

About the Book

Marco Etheridge is a writer of fiction, an occasional playwright, and a part-time poet. He lives and writes in Vienna, Austria. His stories have been published in reviews, journals, and magazines in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. Broken Luggage gathers twenty-four of his best flash stories into one collection. A man’s life condensed into the broken luggage that will contain it. A young woman alone in the Sonoran Desert. Memories of dangerous eggs, thunderstorms, and a gunshot man. A character tours his self-made hell. Another steps from between the pages. Parables of sand and migration A labyrinth into new love, and the remembrance of love past. These two dozen flash stories tell swift tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning. Unforgettable characters struggle against the tides and pressures of an impersonal world, and against the burdens they carry within. There is joy and despair, defiance and acceptance. The inhabitants of these pages learn who they are, and sometimes, who they are not. Welcome, Reader, to the world of Broken Luggage.

Details

Genre: Short Stories
Tags: Recommended Books, Short Stories
Publisher: Marco Etheridge Fiction
Publication Year: 2022
Format: Paperback & eBook
Length: 137 Pages
ASIN: B0B3CSJR2C
ISBN: 9798833773079
List Price: $8.95
eBook Price: $2.99

Order Now

Kobo, Nook, Apple, and More!

Preview

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Just Published at The Yard: Crime Blog

A Friend of Charley Boles – New Short Fiction

New short fiction – A Friend of Charley Boles. Hot off the presses, I’m thrilled to announce my latest short story! That’s right, my story A Friend of Charley Boles, chosen by the fine editors at The Yard: Crime Blog. Hot off the presses, A Friend of Charley Boles is the story of a young man meeting a cranky old gentleman in a Honolulu boarding house, circa 1898. The old man tells the tale of his friend Charley Boles. Charley Boles is the alias of the infamous stagecoach bandit Black Bart, who had disappeared from California a decade prior.

Read the Story Now!

Good news, Friends and Neighbors! The Yard: Crime Blog is a FREE read for your hungry eyes. There you can find my latest short story as well as other great crime reads. What are you waiting for?

Read A Friend of Charley Boles

For you button phobic folks, here is the direct link to my story at The Yard: Crime Blog. W00T! Free Read! Just mash the link and away we go! If you like my story, please leave likes, comments or both.

The Publishing Games

To tell the truth, my Lovely Readers, July has followed June with a wasteland of rejections. But wait, what’s this? Two acceptances have flown across the MEF threshold. So, rejoice! Look for four, (count ’em, FOUR!) new stories coming in August. It’s going to be a good summer! Read all about it on the MEF blog!

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/blog/

Meanwhile…

How about a brand new collection of short stories to tide you over? Stay strong, be kind, and keep reading!

Broken Luggage Collected Flash Fiction

Broken Luggage: Two dozen flash fiction tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning.

A man's life condensed into the broken luggage that will contain it. A young woman alone in the Sonoran Desert. Memories of dangerous eggs, thunderstorms, and a gunshot man. A character tours his self-made hell. Another steps from between the pages. Parables of sand and migration A labyrinth into new love, and the remembrance of love past. These two dozen flash stories tell swift tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning.

Order Now!

About the Book

Marco Etheridge is a writer of fiction, an occasional playwright, and a part-time poet. He lives and writes in Vienna, Austria. His stories have been published in reviews, journals, and magazines in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. Broken Luggage gathers twenty-four of his best flash stories into one collection. A man’s life condensed into the broken luggage that will contain it. A young woman alone in the Sonoran Desert. Memories of dangerous eggs, thunderstorms, and a gunshot man. A character tours his self-made hell. Another steps from between the pages. Parables of sand and migration A labyrinth into new love, and the remembrance of love past. These two dozen flash stories tell swift tales of love lost and love found, of darkness at the end of life, and light at the beginning. Unforgettable characters struggle against the tides and pressures of an impersonal world, and against the burdens they carry within. There is joy and despair, defiance and acceptance. The inhabitants of these pages learn who they are, and sometimes, who they are not. Welcome, Reader, to the world of Broken Luggage.

Details

Genre: Short Stories
Tags: Recommended Books, Short Stories
Publisher: Marco Etheridge Fiction
Publication Year: 2022
Format: Paperback & eBook
Length: 137 Pages
ASIN: B0B3CSJR2C
ISBN: 9798833773079
List Price: $8.95
eBook Price: $2.99

Order Now

Kobo, Nook, Apple, and More!

Preview

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the page above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."