Welcome to 'The Word', my occasional update series covering the state of my writing projects and other miscellaneous information. A mix of updates, thoughts, and ramblings.
New Short Story: Princess Ysabelle Saves the World… Again
If you’re looking for something fantastical to read, why not check out my latest short story Princess Ysabelle Saves the World… Again. The story follows Princess Ysabelle and her partner Trece as they con a group of monsters to save the Springlands from the Great Cataclysm.
I had a lot of fun writing this story and I think the best parts of it come out near the end. It has a neat concept that turns the classic ‘damsel in distress’ story on its head, and has a fun twist at the end. Read it here:
New Audio Story: Talk of the Dead Girl
One of my older flash fiction stories, Talk of the Dead Girl, is now available as an audio story for all premium subscribers. If you like audiobooks, this is your type of content. ‘Talk’ is about how a small town reacts to the gruesome murder of a local girl, and how perspectives change after the event occurs. Listen to it here (free preview for free subscribers):
Additionally, the text version of Talk of the Dead Girl, which was previously only available to premium subscribers, is now available to everyone. Read Talk of the Dead Girl here:
Subscription Changes for 2024
Finally, I read a recent Substack note describing the way new writers end up with less eyes on their work because they paywall their work. I’ve always thought about the best way of doing that, as a writer who has played with paywalls, and that note was something that struck a chord in me.
It helped me realize something - I need to change how my subscriptions are structured.
Going forward all written stories will be free for everyone. As you’ve seen above with both Princess Ysabelle and Talk, both are now freely available, as are the rest of my stories (including Table for Two and The Obsidian Mirror). This includes the content on my Ko-fi.
Then, what does becoming a premium subscriber get you? Here are the new paid-only subscriber perks:
Access to audio stories
Early access to new stories
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I’m planning to slowly roll out audio stories for all existing stories to fill out that catalog of premium content. I’d also like to play with video options for some of my stories as well, and will plan to include those under the premium content if they ever come to fruition.
You can become a premium subscriber here.
In the end, I just want you to experience new stories.
And if you’re in the mood for some really creepy horror, I recommend my story Table for Two. I think it’s one of my best stories, and sends shivers up my spine whenever I read it. Read it here:
Mystery Link
What could it be?! Click the typewriter to find out - and get typing! (Audio recommended)
(Safe for work, never malicious - the way mom used to make your links.)
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See you in the pages of the next one,
Matt