My last book, The #StoryCycle, launched 3 years ago today. So it's only appropriate that I release the cover for my next book, The #Storymancer, this week. Stay tuned!
Cover photo: LOC Photo Dept., photographer; Library of Congress, Public Domain Worldwide Theme Song: Poor Places by Wilco
Cover photo: LOC Photo Dept., photographer; Library of Congress, Public Domain Worldwide
Theme Song: Poor Places by Wilco
#writersofbluesky #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #latenight #drive #amradio #midwest #ev
Horace stopped and faced him with the gun at his side.
He flicked off the safety.
Horace stopped and faced him with the gun at his side. He flicked off the safety.
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The humanoid, still wearing Horace’s face, came out and stood at the ready blocking the station door.
The humanoid, still wearing Horace’s face, came out and stood at the ready blocking the station door.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #package #showdown #highnoon #fatefulmoment #plasticman
Only a pistol was found, but it was enough.
He moved toward the station ready for his life’s defining moment.
Only a pistol was found, but it was enough. He moved toward the station ready for his life’s defining moment.
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Horace moved to the car’s broken trunk and searched “The Package” for another weapon.
Horace moved to the car’s broken trunk and searched “The Package” for another weapon.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #package #showdown #highnoon #fatefulmoment #plasticman
“I’m not a machine.
I won’t have my fate dictated to me,” he spoke into the world, moving to action.
“I’m not a machine. I won’t have my fate dictated to me,” he spoke into the world, moving to action.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #gunshot #fate #onair #fatefulmoment #humanoid
Just like the humanoid, didn’t Horace already know what he was going to do?
Just like the humanoid, didn’t Horace already know what he was going to do?
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #gunshot #fate #onair #fatefulmoment #humanoid
Horace had reached his moment—but wasn’t it already decided?
Horace had reached his moment—but wasn’t it already decided?
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #gunshot #fate #onair #fatefulmoment #humanoid
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵.
𝘉𝘶𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘧𝘶𝘭 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘉𝘶𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #gunshot #fate #onair #fatefulmoment #humanoid
It took him a second to realize what was happening.
It took him a second to realize what was happening.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #gunshot #fate #onair #fatefulmoment #humanoid
Horace woke in his car soon after the radio went silent.
Horace woke in his car soon after the radio went silent.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #gunshot #fate #onair #fatefulmoment #humanoid
The kids had no chance.
The kids had no chance.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #gunshot #fate #onair #fatefulmoment #humanoid
Bez was the first to hear a noise.
Bez was the first to hear a noise.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #package #amradio #broadcast #bizarre #plasticman
It went to the destroyed trunk and opened “The Package”, pulling a semi-automatic out and scattering the other items.
It went to the destroyed trunk and opened “The Package”, pulling a semi-automatic out and scattering the other items.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #package #amradio #broadcast #bizarre #plasticman
The humanoid stood back up, reached into the car, and kn*cked Horace out.
The humanoid stood back up, reached into the car, and kn*cked Horace out.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #desparate #humanoid #struggle #assassin #plasticman
Horace leaned hard on the door with Superman results.
The blow broke the humanoid’s grip around his throat.
Horace leaned hard on the door with Superman results. The blow broke the humanoid’s grip around his th roat.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #desparate #humanoid #struggle #assassin #plasticman
Desperate fear filled his veins.
Desperate fear filled his veins.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #desparate #humanoid #struggle #assassin #plasticman
The humanoid grabbed him around the throat, squeezing the life out of him.
The humanoid grabbed him around the throat, squeezing the l*fe out of him.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #desparate #humanoid #struggle #assassin #plasticman
his mind trying to reconcile what his eyes told him as the humanoid drove its steel-core elbow through the window.
his mind trying to reconcile what his eyes told him as the humanoid drove its steel-core elbow through the window.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #desparate #humanoid #struggle #assassin #plasticman
In the next moment, Horace saw his own face outside the car, looking in on him,
In the next moment, Horace saw his own face outside the car, looking in on him,
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #desparate #humanoid #struggle #assassin #plasticman
He put the car in reverse and backed to the side of the road to turn around.
He put the car in reverse and backed to the side of the road to turn around.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #darktower #cornfield #radiostation #assassin #plasticman
No way Horace was letting that thing out now.
No way Horace was letting that thing out now.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #darktower #cornfield #radiostation #assassin #plasticman
He stopped the car, and the humanoid began to pound on the trunk.
He stopped the car, and the humanoid began to pound on the trunk.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #darktower #cornfield #radiostation #assassin #plasticman
He wasn’t going to do it.
He wasn’t going to do it.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #darktower #cornfield #radiostation #assassin #plasticman
𝘒 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴? 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵? 𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥?
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨.
𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘸𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘰𝘰.
𝘒 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴? 𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵? 𝘔𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥? 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘯𝘰 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘸𝘯𝘴, 𝘵𝘰𝘰.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #darktower #cornfield #radiostation #assassin #plasticman
Horace wasn’t a saint, his courier job proved that, but this crossed the line.
Horace wasn’t a saint, his courier job proved that, but this crossed the line.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #darktower #cornfield #radiostation #assassin #plasticman
A dark tower began to appear in the distance ahead of him.
A dark tower began to appear in the distance ahead of him.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #darktower #cornfield #radiostation #assassin #plasticman
He was relieved to be getting rid of this freaky humanoid.
He was relieved to be getting rid of this freaky humanoid.
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #radiohead #plasticman #delivery #freakout #secretmessage
“You can take me to Route 45, Road 143 now. That is my destination.”
“You can take me to Route 45, Road 143 now. That is my destination.”
#writersofbluesky #writingcommunity #jswelch #shortstory #storycycle #flashfiction #theprospectorsdreams #amradiolatenightemptyroad #radiohead #plasticman #delivery #freakout #secretmessage