Weekly Short Stories

In 2018, as sort of a new-year's resolution, I decided to try what Ray Bradbury did and write a story a week for a full year. I lost track after a few months, but now (as of July 9th, 2018), I've gotten back into it, with the goal of at least publishing 52 in a year.

Under influence of Dean Wesley Smith, I've decided to share them with minimal revision and no beta readers. Most of them I only edited during the week they were written, and again right before publishing here.

The first stories alternate between the first wave (January and February 2018) and the second wave (July onward). Numbers in brackets ("[x]") indicate the actual publication order. Words with a strike are simply parts of a prompt that never actually made their way into a story.

At first, to generate ideas, I used http://www.can-i-get-a.com/, and similar apps that generate ideas for improv comedians. Starting with Story #31, "The Survivor of Ornhuist," story ideas are brainstormed from scratch.

(Intro last updated 7/2/19)

First Wave (1/1/18 - 3/4/18)

  1. [1] Sergeant Fillibrandt's Baseball (1/1/18 - 1/7/18) | Historical | WWI Trench - Pitcher/Catcher - Titanic
  2. The Indigo Fender of Spectra Q (1/8/18 - 1/14/18) | YA | Basement - Teenager/Rich Uncle - Rock Star
  3. [3] The Conductor Took the Wrong Train (1/25/18 - 1/21/18) | Realistic | Subway Car - Conductor/1st Violin - Worried
  4. [5] Blackmail at 30,000 Feet (1/22/18 - 1/28/18) | Humorous | Private Jet - Wife/Mistress - Blackmail
  5. [7] The LAN Party (1/29/18 - 2/4/18) | Realistic | LAN Party - Bartender/Regular - Drugs
  6. [9] A Keeper Worth Keeping (2/5/18 - 2/14/18) | Realistic | Mancave - Sailor/Lighthouse Keeper - Dejection
  7. [11] Eight Hundred (2/26/18 - 3/4/18) | Realistic | Sauna - Hostage/Robber - Murder
Second Wave (7/2/18 - 12/24)
  1. [2] Farmer Hal and Merle Go Shopping (7/2/18 - 7/8/18) | Humorous | Change room in a store - Farmer/Scarecrow - Unfair
  2. [4] Citrus is in Season (7/5/18 - 7/12/18) | Humorous | McDonald's - Babysitter/Child - Shock Top
  3. [6] The Jewels of the Chief-Lord (7/9 - 7/15) | Fantasy | Hayloft - Journalist/Informant - Adventure
  4. ✵ On the Phone with the Danger Zone (7/16 - 7/22) | Science Fiction | Antique Shop - Astronomer/Meteor - Vision
  5. [8] The Pool Party (7/23 - 7/29) | Fantasy | Forest - Caller/911 Operator - Pool
  6. ✵ Stormbolt Turns It Around (7/26 - 8/1) | Science Fiction | Alley - Supervillain/Prison Guard
  7. [10] A Mighty Squeak (7/30 - 8/5) | Science Fiction | Convention booth - Mama bear/cub - Experiment
  8. [12] With Sprinkles (8/6 - 8/12) | Humorous | Airport Lounge - Author/Editor - Ice Cream
  9. [13] Solstice v. Trine, or, The Occurrence at Nightshade Castle (8/13 - 8/19) | Humorous | Courtroom - Vampire/Werewolf - Dance
  10. [14] The Last Battle of Monument Beach (8/20 - 8/26) | Fantasy | Beach - Witches - Monument
  11. [15] A Favor at the Playground (8/27 - 9/2) | Fantasy | Playground - Fairy - Obstinacy
  12. [16] The Forgotten Tomb (9/3 -9/9) | Fantasy | Ancient Ruins - Teacher/Student - Jet Pack
  13. [17] The Wedding Venue (9/10 - 9/16) | Realistic | Billiard Room - Wedding Planner/Bride - Maple Syrup
  14. [18] The Attempt (9/17 - 9/23) | Science Fiction | Fusion Chamber - Doctor/Assassin - Pie
  15. [19] The Dragon Arthur's Gold (9/24 - 9/30) | Fantasy | Fashion Studio - Twins - Dragon
  16. [20] Little Steve and Big Steve (10/1 - 10/7) | Science Fiction | Classroom - Person/Future Self - Japan
  17. [21] Engine Room (10/8 - 10/15) | Science Fiction | Hyperdrive Cavity - Billionaire/Yacht Salesman - Twister
  18. [22] Something Lurks Among the Boards (10/16 - 10/21) | Fantasy | Lumber Yard - Director/Actor - Haunting
  19. [23] The Pantry (10/22 - 10/28) | Fantasy| Pantry - Grim Reaper/Anyone - Winter
  20. [24] The Seventh Symphony (10/29 - 11/4) | YA | Concert - Teen/Grandparent - Crush
  21. [25] Sea of Tranquility Plumbing (11/12 - 11/18) | Science Fiction | Moon - Socialite/Plumber - Astrology
  22. [26] Checkmate (11/19 - 11/25) | Realistic | Arctic Research Camp - Friendly Rivals - Confession
  23. [27] Tyrannosaurus (11/26 - 12/2) | Fantasy | Boston - Principal/Teacher - Dinosaur
  24. [28] Specific Codes to Communicate Vital Info (12/3 - 12/9) | Science Fiction | Crop Circle - Joker/Sucker - Judgment
  25. [29] Whirlwind and Gust (12/10 - 12/16) | Superhero | Café - Kid/Parent - Flying
  26. [30] The Fool in the Falls (12/17 - 12/24) | Realistic/Religious | Waterfall - Secret Love - Holy
Third Wave (12/25 - 5/12)
  1. [31] The Survivor of Ornhuist (12/25 - 12/30) | Fantasy
  2. [32] The Field (12/31 - 1/6) | Fantasy
  3. [33] Olafson's Medal (1/7 - 1/13) | Fantasy
  4. [34] The Painting (1/14 - 1/20) | Supernatural
  5. [35] Melusine and the Missing Shoe (1/21 - 1/27) | Fantasy
  6. [36] The Accuser (1/28 - 2/3) | Religion
  7. [37] The Wrath of Dencorah (2/4 - 2/10) | Kaiju
  8. [38] Invasive Species (2/11 - 2/17) | Science Fiction 
  9. [39] A Room With Amanda Jane (2/18 - 2/24) | Children
  10. [40] He Snores on the Seashore (2/25 - 3/3) | Humor
  11. [41] Time Cards and Vengeance (3/4 - 3/10) | Fantasy
  12. [42] The Price of Art (3/11 - 3/17) | Detective
  13. [43] Pest Control (3/18 - 3/24) | Humor | "Icon"
  14. [44] The Doohicky (3/25 - 3/31) | Science Fiction | "Highlight"
  15. [45] Getting to the Last Laugh (4/1 - 4/7) | Realistic | "Cross"
  16. [46] The Neighborhood Games (4/8 - 4/14) | YA Dystopia | "Ladder"
  17. [47] Fire (4/15 - 4/21) | Morality Play | "Virgin"
  18. [48] Long Live (4/22 - 4/28) | Fantasy | "Palm"
  19. [49] The Cadaver: A Tale of the Frankenstein (4/29 - 5/5) | Science Fiction/Horror | "Resurrection"
  20. [52] Thresholds of the Roaming Nightmare (5/6 - 5/12) | Fantasy
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