Josiah Akhtab's Blog, page 5

Dragon’s Awakening: A Novelette (Review)

An ancient dragon rousing from its slumber. A mysterious young girl fleeing for her life. When a magic-stealing army hunts them both down, can they cheat death? Norinth is enraged. After centuries of hibernation, the self-assured dragon awakens to feed and cull the surrounding overgrown life only to find a little girl he can’t banish and an army on a relentless hunt. But when he realizes the pesky little girl can alter his mind, the selfish dragon shifts from offering her up to defying the encro...

The New Year’s Party (Short Story Review)

Would you share your New Year's resolution with a stranger? When Carrie and Andy attend a high-class New Year's Eve Party, they're looking forward to closing out the year in style. But then they meet Martin and Michaela, a couple who haven't just come out for champagne and fireworks. They have a New Year's resolution, and it's very unusual. After sharing their own resolutions, Carrie and Andy receive a shocking but tempting offer, one that leaves them unsure of how to proceed. But whatever they ...

Free Spirit

When life's challenges arise, we adapt and endure. Even in tragedy, our spirits rise. Despite the world's turmoil, time persists. Life and death are intertwined, each giving the other meaning. We find purpose in adversity, creating homes from fallen trees and moving forward when the Earth shatters.

St. Patrick’s Slay (Short Story Review)

The appearance of a perfectly formed rainbow on Saint Patrick's Day mesmerized the residents of Richview, North Carolina. When a local couple catches sight of the anomaly, they're startled to discover that the terminus of the vibrant phenomenon leads into a nearby cornfield. What begins as an unbelievably lucky encounter that could change their fortunes forever devolves into a hellish fight for survival when an ancient entity emerges to act on a centuries-old curse.

Short Stories From Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (Short Story Review)

'Minerva was the Roman goddess of warriors and wisdom. William McGonagall is celebrated as the worst poet in British history. There was something irresistible to me about his name, and the idea that such a brilliant woman might be a distant relative of the buffoonish McGonagall.' - J.K. Rowling

Day 305 (A Short Story) Review

On a hiking trip intended to enhance their relationship, things go awry when Brenda and Paul find a book that predicts the future with terrifying accuracy. When Day 305 arrives, their lives change in ways they never expected.

The Vessilant Review (The Dark Side Trials: Short Stories by Daniel Avril)

Step into the minds of six individuals in each of their own stories as they're thrust into situations that force them to reveal their true colors. Arranged in order of date written and spanning multiple genres like sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and modern fiction, each story tackles a different facet of the human mind. A troubled assassin decides whether to fully commit to a life of murder no matter the person, a young butler takes his chance to kickstart a party while his clients are away from home,...

The Last Sad Days of Max Gordon Review (Calling Fire From Heaven Collection)

In Calling Fire From Heaven, Gregg Voss, brings forth a new collection of thought-provoking stories—including remarkable sequels from The Valley of American Shadow—based on the obscure lives of American people throughout the country, history, and time.In many of the stories, true events are weaved so masterfully within the paranormal, supernatural, and tech-thriller style of Voss, that you won’t be able to discern truth from fiction.

The First Time & The Last Time

Poetic musings about life and death. . .

How Much Should You Write Per Day?

Writing is not a metric for you to follow nor an arbitrary word count you are beholden to. . .