Tag Archives: drabbles

2025: A Year in Review

2025

© James Pyles

Looking back on 2025 and my publication history, here’s what has presented itself. Frankly, I expected two more anthologies featuring my short stories to have come out this year, but both have been delayed.

To start off with, I had four drabbles published in the Starry Eyed Press anthology Drabbles: First Contact, tales of exactly 100 words long, describing humanity’s first contact with aliens (the images above aren’t presented in publication order).

Then there is my first actual (short) novel Our Legacy, The Stars: A Tom Corbett Adventure. This was previously published in installments on the now defunct Amazon Vella but it was always intended to become its own novel. Old school space opera based on a 1950s TV show. A lot of fun. You should read it.

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iSoldiers Anthology of Military Science Fiction Coming Soon!

isoldier

Cover art for iSoldiers anthology by Shacklebound Books.

Fifty-seven drabbles. All military science fiction. Each tale is exactly one-hundred words long. Four of the stories are mine.

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The Night The Music Was Murdered

guitars

PHOTO PROMPT © Yvette Prior

Olena came to America from a war-torn country in Europe for a better life. Home was hardly the place to encourage her, but then great music comes from pain.

The last thing she felt in her life was pain. Riding a light-rail home she didn’t know she was in danger until the first stab. He stabbed her six more times before running. Five passengers watched as she bled out.

Templar stood at the statue he made to honor her but that wasn’t enough. Tonight, he would begin his hunt for all the murderers out there who prey on the innocent.

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The Last Visitor

melt

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

Another séance, another summoning, another mystery solved, or whatever. Robert lost count of all the spectral visitations he had performed in order to pay for his modest home in the suburbs (ridiculously overpriced).

The clients and spirits had all left half an hour ago, the candles were burnt out, and he sat back on the patio sipping a brandy. He could already feel tomorrow’s hangover.

Robert had hardly closed his eyes when a new voice disturbed him.

“The gateway to the beyond is closed,” he complained.

“Not for the Angel of Death.” Her words were ice. “This is your time.”

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The Second Wave is here!

second wave

Promotional image for the upcoming Starry Eyed Press anthology “Second Wave.”

Ten of my drabbles (the maximum number allowed) are featured in this anthology.

A SINGLE MOMENT –– A HUNDRED WORDS –– A UNIVERSE OF POSSIBILITIES
What happens after the unknown has arrived? When the echoes of first contact fade, humanity is left to navigate the tremors of change — new alliances, fragile peace, simmering conflicts, and the birth of strange, dazzling futures.

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“Short Fantasy Stories” Coming Soon!

fantasy

Cover art for “Short Fantasy Stories” from Shacklebound Books.

Short Fantasy Stories: Fantasy in 100 Words from Shacklebound Books is now available for pre-order from Amazon. It will be delivered to your kindle device when it’s published on July 4, 2025 (very patriotic). It contains a number of my fantasy drabbles for your reading pleasure.

The Amazon blurb says:

Short Fantasy Stories is an anthology of fantasy drabbles, stories of exactly 100 words. Within its pages are knights, witches, spirits, dragons, and magical tales for any fantasy microfiction fan.

Some of my stories are:

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Something Old, Something Stolen, and a Dead Cat

dales office

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

Fifteen-year-old Daphne plopped herself down on the chair next to the table.

“This is stupid.” She blew a random cluster of hair out of her eyes. “We’re looking for an old book, not old junk. What is this crud?”

The backpack at her feet stirred and Skinner’s head lolled awkwardly to the side. “That ancient tech would be an adding machine and a typewriter.”

“How would a sorcerer’s familiar know that?”

“The spirit trapped in this dead cat knows a lot,” Skinner croaked.

“My great-grandma better have that stolen spellbook or we’ll never get you out of that murdered kitty.”

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Geoffrey’s Secret

david's train

PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

The female attendant politely asked to verify Geoffrey’s identification. Something was wrong.

Of course, something was wrong. He was traveling under false documents on the Beijing to Xi’an bullet train at 350 kph. If he was discovered, there would be no jumping off like in some fanciful old spy movie.

His synthetic biology let him pass most scanners, though a detailed exam would reveal his true nature and the nuclear device. His detonation would kill 10 million and be blamed on the isolationists. However, his true objective was to eliminate their AI industry. No one must compete with his masters.

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Seven Drabbles Accepted Into “Second Wave”

second wave

Promotional image for the upcoming Starry Eyed Press anthology “Second Wave.”

I’ve just had seven (out of the ten submitted) of my science fiction drabbles accepted into the Starry Eyed Press anthology “Second Wave.”

Here’s the short blurb:

For Second Wave we are looking for stories centering on the aftermath of initial contact with aliens. Show us what impact first contact had. Give us changing politics, cultural and social transformation, alien perspectives, reinforcements at the front, veteran viewpoints, colonization, interracial exchange… but keep in mind we do enjoy adventurous, thoughtful and uplifting stories.

Here are some samples of my stories:

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“I Told You Not To Summon Demons”

kent

PHOTO PROMPT © Kent Bonham

“They were using my books to play D&D again,” groused Mervin. He examined the tome on the big rock in his backyard. The persistent stains were centuries old, but it was due to rain soon. Kenny shouldn’t have left it out.

“Sorry, Grandpa. I was just coming for it.” The twelve-year-old had crept up behind him, a credit to his heritage.

“I told you not to play with my books.”

“They’re so cool, only…”

“Only what?”

“I was reciting the markings like you taught me and…”

“Did any of your friends get eaten? I told you not to summon demons.”

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