Bonus Stories!

Here's the payoff for being a loyal reader who actually read my news, hoping to find something worthwhile.

I am, as always, grateful to all my readers and fans. As much as I enjoy writing, there's an undeniably exciting sensation knowing what I write is being read by others. Read and enjoyed.

As a special thank you, here are two short-short stories I wrote in early August, 2007. (The previous two short short stories, ARCHIMEDES EATS and LOVE OF A GOOD WOMAN, are now in the Library.) They are each less than 1000 words and they are both canon in the Shards Universe. (Meaning they happened.) I have several stories that are like these two: They actually happened and may even be referred to in other novels and stories, but they see limited or no publication.

What you're about to read - and hopefully enjoy - are two such stories.

The first story, ELEMENT OF CHARM, is a brief, 500 word story that gives us an insight into Earth's society in the early-22nd Century. Both its chilling, sterile side and, through the simple action of a young girl, the glimmering hope it still holds. (If you're looking closely, you'll see a connection to another story with a similar theme and feel.)

And, like the last pair of bonus stories, the second one is from the pen of H.K. Devonshire and features Roids Cavanaugh himself! This story, BURNT, demonstrates both the dangers of wearing the Red Iron Badge as well as the reason to put it on.

Thank you for being such good readers and fans!

Pete