A new anthology that contains two of my own stories…

THE FUTURE IS SHORT: SCIENCE FICTION IN A FLASH, Volume 2 Now Published
ISBN: 9 781514 151518 (trade paperback) Published June 3, 2015
E-book published June 11, 2015

Thirty-six authors took a leap of faith in January 2015 to contribute their stories to The Future Is Short: Science Fiction in a Flash, Volume 2. Twenty-two of them, published in the inaugural volume in June 2014, returned to present new ideas, tales and imaginative spins on specific topics in this latest edition; over a dozen of Volume 2’s contributors are new writers, many being published for the first time in this anthology. The Future Is Short: Science Fiction in a Flash, Volume 2 includes seventy-six glimpses at what the future might hold, arranged under 14 themes: among these are Apocalypse, It’s a Wonderful Life, Distance, First Contact, Unwanted Gift, Adolescence and Espionage.

The Distance theme, with ten terrific stories, examines distance in light-years or time: the authors also had to include a ship (of any kind), and a decision. Tom Tinney’s “Just Do It” lets us into the mind of a generation-ship traveler who has awakened months too soon; “Birthday” by D C Mills shows us the dilemma of the sole survivor on a far-flung outpost, when a spaceship full of other people comes calling; and Clement Chow’s “Mirrored Front-to-Back” tells of the new skill chosen by a cryogenic sleeper, awakening 150 years into his future.

For December 2014, the final section of The Future Is Short, Volume 2, the theme selected was Life Is Wonderful. Among the six stories here are J. F. Williams’ “Clarence 1.0” which captures the theme’s essence while turning cyberbullying on its head. “Where Hides the Star of the Sea?” by Heather MacGillivray examines closer communication between humans and our animal co-habitants on this world; and Dean Hardage presents a profound solution to crime and poverty in “Buddha’s Legacy.”

Compiler and project manager Jot Russell is the author of SF thriller, Terra Forma. He also directed production of last year’s The Future Is Short: Science Fiction in a Flash, Volume 1. Editor Carol Shetler has worked on SF manuscripts for several writers, and is a lifelong SF reader and amateur astronomer. Cover artist Jessica Colvin also writes, under her pen name Ami Hart. All of them have stories in this anthology. The contributors come from all over the USA, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia.

Jason Klassi, author of The Everyday Space Traveler, wrote a compelling foreword that highlights the book’s key themes. “When you reach the final words of each journey, you suddenly find yourself in a new place… dramatically transported into an eye-opening future.” (From the Foreword, quoted on the back cover.)

The LinkedIn monthly SF Microstory contest is the root of The Future Is Short anthologies. Volume 1’s stories were submitted during 2013; Volume 2’s from the end of 2013 through 2014. All of the authors vote to choose their one favorite story each month, and the winner’s story heads up each theme section. The monthly contest winner presents the theme for the next month’s tales.

Featuring works by: J.J. Alleson, Philo Ant, Neill Burnham, Clement Chow, Scott Michael Decker, Kalifer Deil, Rejoice Denhere, Carrol Fix, W. A. Fix, Paula Friedman, Kelly Graseck, Andrew Gurcak, Gary Hanson, Dean Hardage, Ami Hart, Thaddeus Howze, Thomas Nevin Huber, R. E. Jones, S. M. Kraftchak, Helmuth Kump, Andy Lake, EJ Lamprey, Richard S. Levine, Jeremy Lichtman, Heather MacGillivray, Andy McKell, Jeremy McLain, D C Mills, JD Mitchell, Timothy Paul, Marianne G. Petrino, Jon Ricson, Jot Russell, Carol Shetler, Tom Tinney and J. F. Williams.

Print copies of The Future Is Short: Science Fiction in a Flash, Volume 2 are available at a list price of $12.99 US through Amazon.com / Amazon.co.uk / Createspace / Barnes and Noble and Smashwords has the e-book version at $3.99 US.