M.M. Schreier's Blog, page 8
August 31, 2021
Publication Alert: Wraith (Beyond Fantasy Series Book 6)
Check out this new anthology by Iron Faerie Publishing–Wraith (Beyond Fantasy Series Book 6). (e-book available now, print version forthcoming in a couple of weeks!)
You never know what’s lurking in the shadows.
Ghost or ghoul… these apparitions may be nothing more than wisps but just because you can’t touch them doesn’t mean they are any less terrifying.
You’ll find a tale by yours truly in there: “The Vigil” This is a very rich, literary tale where the setting itself is one of the primary characters. I had a lot of fun writing it–hope you enjoy it!
July 19, 2021
Publication Alert: Alchemy
For the past two years I’ve participated in TL;DR Press’s 1000 Word Herd competition. It’s a great time — the entry fee is low, every single participant gets individualized prompts (!), and it’s another mad weekend spitting out a piece of Flash. A girl works best with a deadline, ya know.
Afterwards, they put together an anthology of the winners, which I am pleased to be featured in for the second year in a row, along with a number of my very talented writing pals. Get your wallets out, because the book was released today: Alchemy: The 1,000 Word Herd Competition Winners 2021. If you need further incentive beyond a great book of flash fiction, all proceeds from the sale of the book benefit the World Literacy Foundation.
Get your copy today!
June 18, 2021
Publication Alert: Flash Point SF
Here’s a fun little piece I have out today at Flash Point SF. It’s a little bit of a tall tale, a little bit of a heart jerker, a whole lot of geeky scifi.
Flash Point SF is a newish magazine, but quickly making a name for themselves for publishing really great flash fantasy and science fiction. They are also celebrating their first year contributors by creating custom artwork to accompany all the stories. I simply love the piece they made for “Never-ending Dawn!”
Take a peek here!
June 11, 2021
The TL;DR PRESS 1,000 Word Herd Flash Fiction Competition Winners: Results
Very pleased to have come in 9th for TL;DR’s Flash Fiction contest. I wrote a very silly mixed pantheon piece and the judges said such nice things about it:
I loved the descriptions, they are reminiscent of Neil Gaiman,
The prose is excellent and the dialogue in [it] particular really shines.
The plot is brilliant. Fun; really excellently told and felt way more expansive than 1,000 words…
I read a number of really excellent stories that did not make the list, so I cannot wait to read these top 25. I expect they will be compelling! The book with the winners will come out in late July and all proceeds from the sale of the eBook will go to the World Literacy Foundation.
May 21, 2021
Publication Alert: Write Ahead the Future Looms
Check out the digital issue #15 of Write Ahead the Future Looms featuring my cyberpunk story “In the Eye of the Storm.”
I loved this story so was very pleased it found a great home with my friends at WAtFL. Happy reading!
May 19, 2021
Book Review: Night Walk
Love classic monsters, like vampires and werewolves, with a twist?
How about lesser-known monstrosities like chupacabras and wendigos?
Maybe you love strange and unique things that go bump in the night, newly imagined.
Or perhaps you are like me and you love them all!
If you identify with any of those statements, Night Walk: and Other Dark Paths by Aeryn Rudel is a must read. This anthology brought to you by the excellent folks at The Molotov Cocktail is full of creepy, well-paced, often witty, always satisfying flash fiction. The characters are well rendered, both human and flawed, the plots are gritty and gripping, and no matter how speculative the tales are, there’s always a niggling feeling in the back of your mind that says, dear gods, what if?
Whether you binge read or saver the stories ever so slowly, you’ll definitely be sleeping with the lights on afterwards.
On a personal note – Aeryn is one of my favorite people in my writer tribe. His work always tickles my dark side. He’s always encouraging and has time and again helped me elevate my own stories with his honest and insightful critique. He has many credits to his name, from flash to novel length, but he’s also transparent about the hard work and ridiculous amount of rejection that comes with this writing gig. So much so, that he has a great website completely dedicated to rejection: Aeryn Rudels’ Rejectomancy. If you are a fledgling writer or just curious about the process, it’s an eye-opening read.
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May 13, 2021
Book Review: Into the Quiet
Into the Quiet (Cupid’s Fall, #2) by Beth C. Greenberg
I’ll admit, when I read the first book in this series, I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much since I don’t really read this genre regularly. However, it was a delight, and so when I was offered the chance to receive an ARC, I jumped at the chance. Besides, it’s not just romance, it’s mythology, and you all know how I love mythology!
In book 2, Cupid is back at it, but this time the Right Love wasn’t a love story waiting to happen, but one that had grown stale, partners who had started taking advantage of each other, who needed rekindling. A fun change of pace.
I really enjoyed that we seemed to spend a little more time on Mount Olympus, getting more insight into the complicated relationships between Cupid’s parents and step-father. Deity machinations are always fun to navigate!
The sexual tension between Q and Pan, definitely heated up in this volume, leading to a stunner of a conclusion that sets up the next book in this series nicely. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
Book Review
Into the Quiet (Cupid’s Fall, #2) by Beth C. Greenberg
I’ll admit, when I read the first book in this series, I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much since I don’t really read this genre regularly. However, it was a delight, and so when I was offered the chance to receive an ARC, I jumped at the chance. Besides, it’s not just romance, it’s mythology, and you all know how I love mythology!
In book 2, Cupid is back at it, but this time the Right Love wasn’t a love story waiting to happen, but one that had grown stale, partners who had started taking advantage of each other, who needed rekindling. A fun change of pace.
I really enjoyed that we seemed to spend a little more time on Mount Olympus, getting more insight into the complicated relationships between Cupid’s parents and step-father. Deity machinations are always fun to navigate!
The sexual tension between Q and Pan, definitely heated up in this volume, leading to a stunner of a conclusion that sets up the next book in this series nicely. Can’t wait to see what happens next!
January 28, 2021
Publication Alert: WayWords
Excited to announce that I have a little fantasy piece in the inaugural issue of this new lit mag – WayWords. (Kindle version now available, with a print version forthcoming.)
Each issue has a tribute and a theme. The tribute pieces are creative nonfiction, dedicated to some segment of society — this issue is volunteers.
The fiction pieces all revolve around a centralized theme. This issue is courage. My piece, “Fire and Ice” is a story about a dryad that must make a choice between love and duty. Hope you enjoy it!
Publication Alert!
Excited to announce that I have a little fantasy piece in the inaugural issue of this new lit mag – WayWords. (Kindle version now available, with a print version forthcoming.)
Each issue has a tribute and a theme. The tribute pieces are creative nonfiction, dedicated to some segment of society — this issue is volunteers.
The fiction pieces all revolve around a centralized theme. This issue is courage. My piece, “Fire and Ice” is a story about a dryad that must make a choice between love and duty. Hope you enjoy it!
