Summary of published short fiction

Listed below are the author’s short stories, flash fiction, and poems that have been published. With word counts, brief descriptions, and links.

“Soldier” stories

Azaleas
Short story, 4250 words. Sang-min contemplates his future amidst post-war struggles, torn between the practical Eun-mi and an opportunistic marriage. Published in Korea Lit, April 1, 2016. Reprinted in Front Porch Review, Vol. 10 October 2018.

So Flows the Han
Short story, 3800 words. A discharged soldier visits his former squad leader's home, hoping for solace and financial assistance. Published in Adelaide Literary Magazine in its 2020 Adelaide Literary Award Anthology: Short Stories, Vol. II. Print only.

A Joke for Chong
Flash fiction, 420 words. A soldier prepares coffee while his companion reacts to an explosion, discusses their situation, and misunderstands another soldier's fate. Published in The Icarus Anthology, Issue 2, August 2017.

Class of ‘65
Short story, 1200 words. A soldier helps his sergeant deal with a combat casualty, navigating complex emotions, military bureaucracy, and a difficult encounter with their commanding officer. Published in And Then, Volume 19 (2017).

Government Issue
Short story, 4170 words. Leon, an American soldier in Korea, is caught selling diesel fuel on the black market. He struggles with guilt and a military justice system that favors rank. A sympathetic defense lawyer doesn’t help. Published in Podium Literary Journal, Issue 15, September 2016.

Men at War
Short story, 2000 words. During the Vietnam War, Darlene reluctantly spends an evening with a newly minted infantry lieutenant, grappling with loss and an uncertain future. Published in As You Were: The Military Review, Vol. 6 Spring 2017.

Low Speed Jet
Short story, 1300 words. A captain mentors a young lieutenant in Vietnam before returning to the States. The lieutenant envisions heroics in combat, but reality proves harsher. Published in New Zenith Magazine, Volume 1, Summer 2016. Print only. Reprinted in So It Goes, The Literary Journal of The Kurt Vonnegut Museum * Library, Issue No. 8 (Slaughterhouse-Five Anniversary Issue), 2019. Print only.

Rearguard
Short story, 2400 words. Jana, the hike's sweep, manages a difficult hiker and contends with a stray dog, as she reflects on her son’s military stint. Published in The Fictional Café, October 8, 2018. Selected for The Strong Stuff, The Best of the Fictional Café, Volume II 2018-2020.

Work and remuneration

Wasteland
Short story, 3200 words. Doug, a senior engineer, struggles with work distractions, impending layoffs, and his father-in-law's death. Reality blurs, revealing his inner turmoil and disillusionment. Shortlist winner nominee for the Adelaide Literary Award 2019 - Best Short Story. Published in Adelaide Literary Award Anthology 2019, SHORT STORIES, Volume One and Adelaide Literary Magazine No. 34, March 2020. Print only.

What About India?
Short story, 4300 words. Let go from her job in high tech, Marsha struggles, navigating family tensions and financial concerns, and adjusting to her new reality. Published in The Manchester Review, Issue 16, June 2016.

Team Player
Short story, 1270 words. During a tense meeting, Greg angrily opposes Rick's disclosure about their product's slower clock speed, prioritizing promotion over engineering integrity. Published in And Then, Volume 21, 2021.

There You Go
Short story, 2900 words. Everett faces job loss, economic hardship, and family strain, struggling to maintain dignity in a changing world that devalues his traditional labor skills. Published in TIMBER A Journal of New Writing, 9.2 Summer 2019.

A Prayer for Miriam
Flash fiction, 800 words. Miriam begs in the street for spare change to make ends meet. On Saturdays, she likes to attend synagogue. Published in Cape Magazine, Issue 5, Volume 1 (page 14), December 15, 2023—open the PDF and go to page 14).

Behavior

Hippasus of Metapontum
Short story, 1950 words. During a storm, a mathematician meets the mariner Orestes, who gives him some practical advice. The next day, Hippasus runs into grave difficulties advancing an unpopular theory. Published in Lowestoft Chronicle, June 2019, Issue 38.

Aquarius
Short story, 3400 words. Stan's argument with his wife drives him to a bar, where a former student unexpectedly helps him, reminiscing about past events and revealing old connections. Published in Adelaide Literary Magazine, Year III, Number 15, August 2018.

Next to Normal
Short story, 2700 words. Bill O'Dwyer confronts Father Harrington about past abuse. Harrington offers an apology but no remorse. Published in Storgy Magazine, February 25, 2018.

Negative Entropy
Flash fiction, 600 words. Cindy suspects Professor Gladstone of future misconduct based on a bit of time travel. Published in The Wayward Sword, Vol 2 Issue 1, Writing Knights, Grand Showcase 2018. Print only. Reprinted in Twist in Time, Issue 5, September 1, 2019.

One for the Books
Short story, 1740 words. Pug interviews a job candidate while fantasizing about her. Later, he and Samantha, his boss, discuss the potential hire, revealing office tensions and sexism. Published in London Journal of Fiction, November 19, 2016.

The Spruce Trap
Short story, 1450 words. Mike, struggling with personal issues, embarks on a risky solo hike. Ignoring locals' warnings, he finds himself in over his head. Published in Icarus Down, Vol. III March 2016. Reprinted in Defuncted, March 23, 2023.

Relationships

Mind over Matter
Short story, 4000 words. Maisie watches her husband and son drive off, reflecting on their dysfunctional family and Carl's dangerous driving habits. The police chief investigates the fatal crash that follows. Published in Prick of the Spindle, Issue 8, Print Edition, Spring/Summer 2015. Print only.

Street scene
Flash fiction, 375 words. The narrator and another woman encounter the narrator's ex-husband urinating on the street, sparking a tense discussion about confronting him. Published in And Then, Volume 20 (2019) under the pseudonym Linda Lacroix. Print only.

Aches and Pains
Flash fiction, 670 words. Anne struggles to balance work and parenting, dealing with her son and her ex's unreliability while trying to maintain professionalism. Published in Mom Egg Review, Volume 17 (2019). Print and PDF.

Water and Wine
Flash fiction, 510 words. David and Paul finish serving Mass, and share a cigarette on the walk home. Father Amato has more than a drinking problem, but David doesn’t catch on. Published in Home Planet News Issue 9.

The Pugilist
Short story, 2160 words. Carlos reacts to a domestic dispute next door with thoughts of an intervention. His wife is not thrilled with his behavior. Published in The Bombay Review Issue 34 (September, 2020).

A Walk in the Woods
Short story, 2100 words. Mike, overwhelmed by unpaid child support, contemplates harming his estranged wife. Published in The Fictional Café, July 12, 2021.

A Twist of Pedigree
Short story, 3900 words. Lydia reads Ethan’s letter and reflects on their twisted family history. A visit reveals Aunt Sarah’s role in her early life. Published in Frontier Tales Issue # 169 October 2023.

Sunrise Cliff
Flash fiction, 340 words. Erin and Ernie hike to Sunrise Cliff to rekindle their romance. Or not. Published in The Wild Word, February, 2024.

Navajo Nation
Flash fiction, 560 words. While driving through northern Arizona, Carol badgers John about a lack of phone service. At a roadside shop, the locals are helpful to a degree. Published in Lowestoft Chronicle, June, 2024.

A Push in the Dark
Short story, 3100 words. Dan suspects his wife of infidelity. He should listen to his son rather than his inner self. Published in the Burlington (Vermont) Writers Workshop in their Cold Lake Anthology 2024.

Dystopia

Ole Ned
Short story, 4530 words. In the 2080s, Lucius is an Immigration Deterrent Agent. His job entails neutralizing illegal immigrants making their way north, but on one memorable mission, he helps a woman named Clara. And encounters Ole Ned, a rogue agent. Published in Pif Magazine, Issue No. 230,  July 1, 2016.

Richard, Richard
Short story, 1350 words. Sara brings her daughter to work, but finds herself avoiding questions about a missing coworker. She fears that he’s a permanent transfer. Published in STORGY Magazine in Fiction on April 15, 2019.

Exodus
Short story, 3800 words. Carl and Marion, facing a dire medical situation without insurance, seek alternative treatment in Canada but face increasing obstacles. Published in Sweet Tree Review, Volume 2 Issue 3, Summer 2017.

Poems

Total Solar
A community gathers in Stanley, Idaho, for a solar eclipse, experiencing celestial wonder and poignant human connections. Published by Un Bodado De Voces, The Alternative New Year’s Re-deferred Spoken Word / Performance Extravaganza, 2022 Anthology.

The Key to the Crossing
Describes a winter trekker's perilous river crossing, reflecting on luck, survival, and shared experiences. Published by la arcada de los escribas, a summer solstice day spectacle of willfully poetic endeavors, 2023 Anthology.

Breath and Breadth
Recounts the joys of winter trails, especially the natural ice bridges that form over streams. As winter recedes, so do the bridges. Published by And Then, Volume 22, 2024.