A collection of horror and dark fantasy short stories. The themes and settings are diverse, but one common thread runs through the stories-they all feature women. Women as protagonists. Women as doomed heroines. Woman as villains. Mothers and spinsters, wives and prostitutes, sisters and witches. And in some stories, monsters in feminine form.
Targeted Age Group:: Adult
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
This is the culmination of several years of short story writing. Most of the stories have been published before (some reprinted), which I like to think attests to its quality. My first collection was all over the place thematically, so for this one I wanted to narrow the focus a little. Consequently some of my favourite stories had to be omitted.
How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
Being a collection of short stories, there is a different answer for each one. Some were inspired by the theme of the anthology to which they were being submitted. Some originated from a single image or sentence, free floating in my brain, which begged to be anchored to a plot. For a more comprehensive breakdown of the origins of each story, you can read "The Story Behind The Story" series of posts on my blog.
Book Sample
“I heard that the priestesses write each boys' name on a piece of parchment, put the pieces in a big pot, and draw them out one by one until they have the right number of names,” said one.
“Naw, that's not right,” said another. “I heard they pick the littlest, prettiest boys. That way they don't have to change so much.”
“You're sure to be picked then, Sten,” said Liath, wrapping his arm around Sten's neck and rubbing the top of Sten's head with his knuckles.
Sten pulled himself free. “Well, I heard that it really hurts. The priestesses make a potion from the fruit of the pesago tree, and it's like poison. It feels like your insides are being minced up with a big knife. And they make you drink it every day. That's why the chosen ones have to live in the Changing House until they've changed completely—so nobody can hear their screams.”
The boys muttered nervously and huddled a little closer together. None of them knew for sure how it worked. The only certainty was that at the end of Izbirith, roughly half their number would be taken by the priestesses to the Changing House. And there they would stay out of sight until they emerged three years later, like butterflies from a cocoon, changed into women.
Links to Purchase Print Books
Buy Drive, She Said: And Other Stories Print Edition at Amazon
Buy Drive, She Said: And Other Stories Print Edition at Barnes and Noble
Buy Drive, She Said: And Other Stories Print book for sale at Book Depository
Links to Purchase eBooks – Click links for book samples and reviews
Buy Drive, She Said: And Other Stories On Amazon
Buy Drive, She Said: And Other Stories on Barnes and Noble/Nook
Buy Drive, She Said: And Other Stories on Kobo
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