Red Bear – New Literary Fiction from The Creekside Magazine

Just Published! Red Bear – New Literary Fiction

Red Bear – New Literary Fiction, just published by the fine folks at The Creekside Magazine. This newest story tells the tale of three estranged brothers, their newly dead mother, their long-dead father, and a red teddy bear.

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To start, let me offer thanks and a shout-out to the editors of The Creekside Magazine. This is a brand-new ‘Zine, and I am proud to be a part of anyone courageous enough to begin such a hazardous endeavor. With that said, why don’t you run on over to The Creekside Magazine and check out all the fine literary treats on offer?

Read Red Bear

As I said, The Creekside Magazine is a brand-new online ‘Zine. There, you will fiction, art, and poetry. Plus, it’s a FREE online read. Follow the link, click on the Issue One cover image, and–Bingo!–you’re reading online. Easey-peasey. Show the editors some love, support an Indie Author (yours truly!), and all without forking over a dime. You can’t lose!

https://creeksidemag.wordpress.com/Current%20Issue/

Hey, spread the literary love and tell ’em Marco sent ya, right? I can use the writer’s karma points.

Floods and Fall…

As I mentioned in my last post, Wien (that’s Vienna to you Colonials) almost washed away in a five-day deluge. Now, the trains are limping along on a limited schedule, the waters are receding, and Autumn is here. Alas for the Dog Days of summer. By the way, did you know the Dog Days got their name from the rising of the star system Sirius, which is known colloquially as the “Dog Star”? The things you learn, aye?

Floods or no, things are buzzing here at the MEF garret. Look for more tales going live this month. How will you know when a new story breaks free? Glad you asked, Friends. Read On!

Drum roll and… Meanwhile, don’t miss any upcoming stories. You can stay tuned for all the latest by following the MEF blog:

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/whats-new-in-marcos-world-the-blog/

And finally, with your indulgence, allow me to plug a collection of short stories. What can I say? I need to pay the virtual rent and you need some summer reading. So… how about a whole barrel of short stories to read whole bailing out the lifeboats? That’s right, folks, it’s here! U6 Stories awaits your hungry reader eyes:

U6 Stories – Vienna Underground Tales

Every train carries a story.

The U6 is one line of the Vienna underground transit system. The silver and red trains carry stories, many stories. A woman mourns her musical lover, and a man discovers his courage. A Syrian family flees to a fragile new beginning, and a young man helps circus performers during a pandemic. Lovers rediscover each other after decades apart, and a man finds a father he never knew. A contract is broken, and neighbors defend their own. Eighteen tales of love lost and found, of the darkness within us, and the glimmering light that keeps us afloat. Unforgettable characters struggle against the pressures of an impersonal world, and against the burdens they carry within. Welcome, Reader, to the stories of the U6.

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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 more than seventy reviews, journals, and magazines in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. U6 Stories gathers eighteen of his best short stories into one collection. The U6 is one line of the Vienna underground transit system. The trains transport more than people. Each silver and red carriage carries stories, many stories. A woman mourns the death of her musical lover, and a man discovers his courage. A Syrian family flees to a fragile new beginning, and a young man helps circus performers during a pandemic. Lovers rediscover each other after decades apart, and a man finds a father he never knew. A contract is broken, and neighbors defend their own. These eighteen stories tell tales of love lost and love found, of the darkness that lies within us, and the glimmering light that keeps us afloat. Unforgettable characters struggle against the tides and pressures of an impersonal world, and against the burdens they carry within. Welcome, Reader, to the stories of the U6.

Details

Genre: Short Stories
Tags: Recommended Books, Short Stories
Publisher: Marco Etheridge Fiction
Publication Year: 2022
ASIN: B0BLLQN8WB
ISBN: 9798362399221
List Price: 8.95
eBook Price: 2.99

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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."

New Dystopian Fiction – Deceased As Is from Pulp Lit Mag

Deceased As Is – New Dystopian Fiction

Featured in PulpLitMag Issue Three, Part Three, I’m proud to announce my latest story Deceased As Is – New Dystopian Fiction. Yes indeed, Friends and Neighbors, Deceased As Is is live at PulpLitMag. This is a tale of a dystopian city, cruel bureaucracies, and ghosts in the machine. Just what you’ve been waiting for, a big dose of speculative fiction.

Read the Story NOW!

First up, let me throw down a huge shout-out to Finnialla, the chief editor at PulpLitMag. She is a joy to work with, and I am proud to be a part of this fun, quirky ‘Zine. That said, why don’t you run on over to PulpLitMag and check out all the fine literary treats on offer?

Deceased As Is is not my only work to appear in PulpLitMag. Just to make it interesting, there are three volumes to Issue Three. There is also a second issue lurking on their website. Let’s just say it’s for adults only and leave it at that.

Read Deceased As Is

If quirky art, fiction, and poetry are something you’re into, you’re in good hands here, Friends! PulpLitMag offers fiction, photography, art, and poetry. Better yet, PulpLitMag is a FREE online read. Follow the link, click on the cover, and–Bingo!–you’re reading online. Easey-peasey. Show the editors some love, support an Indie Author (yours truly!), and all without forking over a dime. You can’t lose!

https://pulplitmag.com/#read

Tell Finnialla that Marco sent ya, right? I can use the writer’s karma points.

September Heat…

Sure, the dog days of August are gone… wait a minute, that just ain’t so. It’s still full-on summertime here on my side of The Pond. I care not that the poor Viennese (Wieners!) are melting like the Wicked Witch of the West. They love to complain. Me, I’m savoring every single blazing day.

But it’s not all cold drinks and lounge chairs. Things are buzzing here at the MEF garret. The month is only five days gone and already we have an accepted story! Look for more tales going live this month. How will you know when a new story breaks free? Glad you asked, Friends. Read On!

Drum roll and… Meanwhile, don’t miss any upcoming stories. You can stay tuned for all the latest by following the MEF blog:

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/whats-new-in-marcos-world-the-blog/

And finally, with your indulgence, allow me to plug a collection of stories. What can I say? I need to pay the virtual rent and you need some summer reading. So… how about a whole barrel of short stories for these lazy dog days? That’s right, folks, it’s here! Power Tools awaits your hungry reader eyes:

Power Tools

There are moments in life when having the right tool makes all the difference.

An elderly woman sets out alone on a journey into a new life. Two soldiers in a bunker share candy and memories. A widower takes on the Supreme Court with a robot. Grief is sung over the cobbled streets of Valletta. Two old heroes question their purpose. These stories tell tales of love lost and found, of the fight for justice, and the glimmering flame of hope that keeps us afloat. Unforgettable characters push back against the crushing weight of the world and shoulder the burdens they carry within. Love, laugh, dance, weep; these are the stories of Power Tools.

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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 more than eighty reviews, journals, and magazines in Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. Power Tools gathers twenty-one of his best short stories into one collection. An elderly woman sets out alone on a journey into a new life. Two soldiers in a bunker share candy and memories. A widower takes on the Supreme Court with a robot. Grief is sung over the cobbled streets of Valletta. Two old heroes question their purpose. These stories tell tales of love lost and found, of the fight for justice, and the glimmering flame of hope that keeps us afloat. Unforgettable characters push back against the crushing weight of the world and shoulder the burdens they carry within. Love, laugh, dance, weep; these are the stories of Power Tools.

Details

Genre: Literary Fiction
Tag: Literary Fiction
Publisher: Marco Etheridge Fiction
Publication Year: 2024
ASIN: B0CXMV1HS4
ISBN: 9798884290907
List Price: 11.95
eBook Price: 3.99

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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."

Poignant New Flash Fiction

One of These Days – Poignant New Flash Fiction

Poignant new flash fiction – One of These Days is my latest flash fiction story. The story is featured in the current issue of 3Elements Literary Review. One of These Days tells the tale of an older married couple, a conversation at breakfast, and hardening egg yolks. Submission calls from 3Elements Literary Review always require three elements. The elements for this issue are a crowd, an anchorage, and a wedding dress.

Read the Story NOW!

Let me start by throwing down a huge shout-out to the great editors at 3Elements Literary Review. This is not my first try with this fine ‘Zine. I’ve collected a few rejection letters in the past, so I’m hugely grateful to the editors for giving my story the thumbs up. One of These Days is my first piece to appear in 3Elements but I’m hoping to become a steady contributor. Without further ado, mash the big button, and you will be whisked away to the elemental world of a great online literary magazine.

Read One of These Days

Is themed art and poetry something you’re into? Zowie, you’re in good hands here, Friends! 3Elements offers fiction, photography, art, and poetry. Better yet, 3Elements is a FREE online read. Follow the link, click on the cover, and–Bingo!–you’re reading online. Easey-peasey. Show the editors some love, support an Indie Author (yours truly!), and all without forking over a dime. You can’t lose!

https://3elementsreview.com/

Tell them Marco sent ya, right? I can use the writer’s karma points.

August Slipping Away

Well, Friends and Neighbors, the month of August is slipping past. Tick-tock-tick-tock, the inexorable march of time. I’m reveling in the heat and savoring every precious day of summer. But it’s not all cold drinks and lounge chairs. Things are buzzing here at the MEF garret. Stories to write, stories to submit, and–Yee-haw!–accepted stories to cheer about. Look for more tales going live this month. How will you know when a new story breaks free? Glad you asked, Friends. Read On!

Drum roll and… Meanwhile, don’t miss any upcoming stories. You can stay tuned for all the latest by following the MEF blog:

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/whats-new-in-marcos-world-the-blog/

And finally, with your indulgence, allow me to plug a book. What can I say? I need to pay the virtual rent and you need some summer reading. So… how about a great novel for these lazy dog days? That’s right, folks, it’s here! Breaking the Bundles awaits your hungry reader eyes:

Breaking the Bundles

The Past Can Kill.

Vienna, Austria, a city of palaces, music, and cafés. But behind the cold, grey stone lies a dark secret. Against this backdrop of culture and shadows, the fates of three unforgettable people will be drawn into a common peril. As the lives of the characters cross, revenge shifts to passion, betrayal becomes an act of honor, and the past exacts a heavy toll from the present. The secrets of the past threaten the lives of those that hold them; the same secrets threaten the men who work in the shadows. The weight of the past will pursue Perry and Zita across two continents, threatening their love and their lives. The chase becomes a conflict of revenge and desire, of shadow and light, of love and the struggle to survive.

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About the Book

Vienna, Austria, a city of palaces, music, and cafés. But behind the cold, grey stone lies a dark secret. Against this backdrop of culture and shadows, the fates of three unforgettable people will be drawn into a common peril.

Perry Farmon is an American photographer on sabbatical in Vienna, searching for his lost creative spark. A strange friendship and a mysterious love alter Perry’s quiet world, drawing him into a shared secret. The powers threatened by that secret force Perry into a deadly flight from danger. He must learn trickery and cunning to survive. His life and love hang in the balance.

Zita de Luca is a woman marked by a wine-colored stain on her temple, the shame of her family, and anger. An opportunity for revenge is complicated by an unexpected passion for an American professor. She must choose between the two.

Käru “Charlie” Villiger is a habitué of cafés, either an outrageous liar or a dangerous man. He holds the key to the past, but time is running out. Charlie must pass on what he holds before he is silenced by those he has betrayed. He must choose someone else to carry the burden.

As the lives of the characters cross, revenge shifts to passion, betrayal becomes an act of honor, and the past exacts a heavy toll from the present. The secrets of the past threaten the lives of those that hold them; the same secrets threaten the men who work in the shadows. The weight of the past will pursue Perry and Zita across two continents, threatening their love and their lives. The chase becomes a conflict of revenge and desire, of shadow and light, of love and the struggle to survive.

Details

Genres: Conspiracy, Thriller
Tags: Recommended Books, Thriller
Publisher: Marco Etheridge Fiction
Publication Year: 2019
Format: eBook and Print
Length: Novel
ASIN: B07XJNM6GL
ISBN: 1072447398
Rating:

List Price: 14.95
eBook Price: 4.95

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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."

The Bowl of Usefulness – New Speculative Fiction

Gripping New Speculative Fiction – The Bowl of Usefulness

Gripping New Speculative Fiction – My latest published long-format short story is The Bowl of Usefulness. This is a dark tale of a near-future dystopia in the former USA, where people are subjugated and separated by race and religion.

Read the Story Now!

First, a huge shout-out to the great editors at Penumbric Speculative Fiction Magazine. Penumbric is a heavy-hitter in the Speculative Fiction genre, so I’m hugely grateful to the editors for giving my story the thumbs up. The Bowl of Usefulness is my first piece to appear in this renowned ‘Zine but I’m hoping to become a steady contributor. Without further ado, mash the big button, and you will be whisked away to the strange world of Penumbric.

Read The Bowl of Usefulness

Is Speculative Fiction your thing? Zowie, you’re in good hands here, Friends! Penumbric has you covered for Sci-Fi, dystopian worlds, strange tales, and all things speculative. Better yet, Penumbric is a FREE online read. Show the editors some love, support an Indie Author (yours truly!), and all without forking over a dime. You can’t lose!

But wait, there’s more! Penumbric offers up a dark mix of all things eerie and otherworldly. New stories each month. Intrigued? You should be! Besides reading my story The Bowl of Usefulness (oh, yes please!) you can peruse the current issue of Penumbric here:

https://www.penumbric.com

Tell them I sent ya, right? Not only did I get paid for this story, but I could also rack up writer karma points.

And… It’s August

The madness of July has come and gone, but things are still jumping here at MEF headquarters. Well, it’s a new month, Friends and Neighbors. Two new stories went live in as many days, and more are on the way. We had a brand new story submitted and accepted within the same week. Busy, busy, busy. In the meantime, there are still herds of accepted stories waiting to bust out of their respective corrals. How will you know when a new story breaks free? Glad you asked, Friends. Read On!

Meanwhile, don’t miss any upcoming stories. You can stay tuned for all the latest by following the MEF blog:

https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/whats-new-in-marcos-world-the-blog/

And before I forget, allow me to plug a book. What can I say? I need to pay the virtual rent and you need some summer reading. That said, how about a collection of flash fiction for short summer reads? That’s right, folks, it’s here! Broken Luggage awaits your hungry reader eyes:

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

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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."