Introducing a massive free anthology of YA urban fantasy, paranormal, dystopian, science fiction, horror and epic fantasy stories!
Get it on Kindle / Get it on iBooks / Get it on Kobo
Looking to dive into some juicy fiction over the holidays? Grab yourself a FREE copy of That Moment When…, a vast collection of Young Adult fiction stories by extraordinary authors, many of whom have fresh releases currently on the Teen/Children’s Fiction bestseller lists on Amazon, USA Today and the New York Times. There’s a story for almost every taste in this book’s 500+ pages, from paranormal romance to horror to epic fantasy to thrillers to dystopian and beyond. (The number on the cover in the image is actually under-counting the number of stories: there are 42 in here!)
I’m thrilled to say that my own short story, “Provisions,” was selected to join these talented folks in this young adult fiction anthology. You’ll find “Provisions” in the Dystopian section, but it has strong elements of Paranormal and a big helping of Horror. (Hey, y’all know I hate being bound by a single category!)
This is my first standalone short story ever, which makes my inclusion along with such popular authors in That Moment When… both an honor and a surprise. “Provisions” is a glimpse into a not-so-distant future where a calamity forces survivors to forage, hunt and hide from an ever-growing number of gruesome threats. One teenaged girl must care for her two siblings and–when confronted by two separate strangers near a mysteriously well-guarded house–will do whatever it takes to protect and feed her remaining family… regardless of the personal physical or psychic cost. Can she save her brother and sister…and herself… from starvation, predation…and damnation?
I’ll be describing the development of “Provisions” in a later post–I think it’ll be a good example of a) the process of analyzing/editing, b) how one can turn a vague premise into a complete work, not to mention c) just how bad my first drafts can be. Should give hope to anyone who worries about the first words they type on a page not being good enough. The miracle of editing to the rescue!
Many of the stories in the anthology are standalone works like “Provisions,” while others are prequels or multiple chapters of full novels that are already published (or soon will be). You’ll have plenty to choose from… and the ebook version offers links to the authors’ sites that’ll let you continue reading any new favorites you discover. (I’d definitely recommend the ebook edition… the paperback is a fantastic-looking tome, but it is quite a large book, given the 200K words inside! Also, the ebook is free! OTOH, the paperback does make an excellent holiday gift.)
So, you may be wondering… what does the title “That Moment When…” mean?
As a uniting theme, each story focuses on a specific moment in time: one where a final decision will change a young man’s destiny; a discovery where a young woman faces a truth that shakes her entire world; an instant where a couple fling caution aside and race into each other’s arms despite looming danger.
That Moment When… features characters both human and otherworldly, all facing just such tremendous choices, crossroads and realizations.
A list of the authors and YA stories included (more to come):
PARANORMAL & URBAN FANTASY
- “Inconvenient Curiosity,” by A.M. Lalonde
- “Melissa,” by Kaitlin Bevis
- “Reflection,” by Katlyn Duncan
- “Push,” by Leia Stone
- “The Wrath of the Fury,” by Michelle Madow
- “Sanctuary,” by Melle Amade
- “The Volunteer,” by Melissa A. Craven
SCIENCE FICTION
- “AVLYN,” by Jenetta Penner
- “Zoo Girl,” by Jennifer Bardsley
- “The Guardians,” by SL Morgan
- “When I Find You,” by Norma Hinkens
- “Humanity’s Protectors,” by David R. Bernstein
DYSTOPIAN & POST-APOCALYPTIC
- “Drift Away,” by Rob L. Slater
- “The End,” by Melissa Algood
- “Sand and Starships,” by Heather Lee Dyer
- “Provisions,” by Kira Lerner
- “Misery,” by Patti Larsen
- “Translucents,” by Kelly St. Clare
- “Taste,” by Derek Murphy
FANTASY
- “The Confectioner’s Guild,” by Claire Luana
- “Unicorn Magic,” by Roz Marshall
- “Another World,” by Rachel Morgan
- “Running Toward Illumia,” by Angel Leya
- “Jarra,” by Shaun L Griffiths
- “Arrows & Angels,” by Kristin D. Van Risseghem
- “The Birth of the Immortal Queen,” by Katherine Bogle
- “Emerald Eye,” by S. McPherson
- “The Dry Season,” by Cassidy Taylor
THRILLER & HORROR
- “The Waiting,” by Laurie Treacy
- “Desperate,” by Stacy Claflin
- “More Than a Crush,” by Kat Stiles
- “Second Chances,” by Jackson Dean Chase
AND MORE (UNIQUELY SPECULATIVE FICTION)
- “Fox Red,” by Amy Laurens
- “Silk and Service,” by David Kudler
- “Learning to Fly,” by Laura Diamond
- “Underbelly Circus,” by Hilary Thompson
- “Glimpses,” by Avril Sabine
- “Doormaker,” by Jamie Thornton
- “The C in Summer,” by Jaime Munn
Note! There are three extra stories included; I don’t have their titles yet, but the authors are Katy Haye, Ingrid B. Seymour and Watson Davis.
Get it on Kindle / Get it on iBooks / Get it on Kobo
Please download (or purchase) the book and let me know what you think! And of course, we’d all greatly appreciate reviews on Amazon or Goodreads!
Many, many thanks to Derek Murphy, David Bernstein and Jenetta Penner for organizing, selecting and editing the stories for this gargantuan project.