Have You Decided on Your Question: A Novelette

by Lyndsey Croal

If you could live your life over again, what would you ask to change?

Something big?
Something small?
A single moment?

Have you decided on your question?

Zoe has.

Tired of feeling alone and lost, Zoe seeks out an experimental virtual therapy experience from Alternative Reality Tech, which offers patients the opportunity to explore life’s biggest “what if?” questions.

During her first assessment, Zoe glimpses a past in which she would have met the love of her life years ago, if not for a split-second decision. Wanting to explore what could have been, she returns regularly to her alternative life, slowly falling in love with the one that got away.

And so begins a dangerous obsession…

Genres: Science Fiction, Horror, Short Stories, Dystopia

80 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 4, 2023

About the author

Lyndsey is a Scottish author of strange and speculative fiction. Her work has appeared in over eighty magazines and anthologies, including with Apex, Analog, Weird Tales, Flash Fiction Online, Shoreline of Infinity, and PseudoPod. She's a Scottish Book Trust New Writers Awardee, British Fantasy Award Finalist, and former Hawthornden Fellow. Her novelette Have You Decided on Your Question (2023) and collection Limelight and Other Stories (2024) are published with Shortwave Publishing. Her novelette The Girl With Barnacles for Eyes appeared in Tenebrous Press' Split Scream Volume Five, and her second collection of Scottish folklore-inspired tales Dark Crescent is forthcoming in 2025 from Luna Press. She lives in Edinburgh with her giant kitten Pippin and works in climate change comms in her day job. She's currently working on a number of longer projects in the sci fi, eco fiction, and horror space. Find out more about her and her work via www.lyndseycroal.co.uk.

Reviews

[Sadie Hartmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

I shared some recommendations for found footage/Black Mirror-esque stories on social media and someone recommended, HAVE YOU DECIDED ON YOUR QUESTION by Lyndsey Croal. I added it to my Goodreads and saw it was on Kindle Unlimted clocked in as a "novelette" at 54 pages. Done. I added it to my KU library and jumped right in.

"Zoe was stuck in an office job she hated, with few prospects, no relationship to speak of, and basically no hobbies. At this point, she was ready to try anything."

So Zoe is convinced she needs to try a life simulator that explores all the possible outcomes for your burning "what if" questions. Zoe's "what if" involves a chance meeting she had with a man named Adam. Her simulation reveals that they would have fallen in love and eventually married if they had pursued getting to know each other further than just the chance meeting they had in real life.

What happens is for sure a Black Mirror episode. Enthralling, compelling, accessible narrative. Fun and addicting. I loved this.

[Nathaniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW. That was excellent. I enjoyed that so much. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. The tone, the writing, and the plot were amazing.

[Sophia Nicolopoulos · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd like to thank the publisher for sending me an ARC copy of this book. It's my first contact with Croal's long form (I've read her short fiction in the past), and I have to say that this has to be one of the best novelettes I've ever read.

The premise, while not entirely new, crescendoes in a horrific ending that raises ethical questions which, with the rise of AI technologies, are about to concern us for years and years. The MC is lost in her choice to live in the virtual world; she's completely losing control of her agency the moment she becomes part of the ART program, the moment she accepts others to probe fantasies in her brain, fantasies she thinks it's better to live in than use as fuel to achieve her dreams in real life.

A purely fascinating story of high stakes throughout and tension that steadily rises, "Have you Decided on Your Question" is an ethical sci-fi horror thriller that's supposed to be read in a sitting. Amazing story, loved every bit of it.

[Isobel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Totally loved this wee sci-fi novelette. Super immersive, I sat down and didn’t get up until I’d finished it! Clever idea and great execution. I liked how the futuristic setting was not far flung from our current reality - the Edinburgh I know but with more advanced tech - as it made the story very relatable and believable. Would definitely like to read more from Lyndsey!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slight (maybe) spoilers in this review.

Wow! This is one of the best novelettes I've ever read. The plot is thought-provoking and relatable, and although this is a quick story (easily read in one sitting), Croal makes the reader care about the main character and what she is experiencing.

I've seen many readers say this is like a Black Mirror episode with a Sliding Doors aspect, and I partially agree with that. But I think it's better described as Black Mirror and Fatal Attraction have a baby. I loved it.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very fun, entertaining piece about artificial intelligence set in in Edinburgh, Scotland. Hard to say much without spoilers, but I recommend if you're seeking a lighter, less-depressing version of a Black Mirror episode. :)

[Mother Suspiria]

HAVE YOU DECIDED ON YOUR QUESTION tells a darkly gripping, relatable tale of a girl poisoned by potential possibilities. This twisted take on technology is made more frightening because of how plausible (and perhaps, inevitable) the future it describes seems to be.

[Xtina Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 I liked this story and so did my adhd (it’s a novelette!) It’s definitely a less unhinged version of a Black Mirror episode and I had fun with it. This was my first read by this author, I’d definitely read another of her books.

[Ed Crocker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have You Decided on Your Question, a near-future sci-fi thriller from Shortwave Publishing in the vein of Sliding Doors meets Black Mirror, is a novelette that packs a big punch, introducing a fascinatingly creepy and compelling future-tech concept and then leaving the reader to stew in the dangerous consequences of it, like a frog sitting in a slowly heating pan of water. I read it one sitting, which doesn’t sound as impressive when it’s a novelette, so let me add that I read it feverishly and compulsively, aware that I was headed towards bad things but unable to stop my addictive kindle page flicking.

Plot wise, it concerns Zoe, a sort of template Millennial dissatisfied with her love life and life in general, who is advised by her flatmate to try out an experimental virtual therapy experience from Alternative Reality Tech, who offer you the chance to explore the biggest “What If” questions from your life. First they gather data from your life using the chip on your wrist which records everything (we’re almost there with smart watches so this seemed eminently plausible) and then they use this to create a virtual reality that shows you what would have happened had you made a different choice. The idea is that this will help you be more confident in life, but you don’t have to have a degree in near future sci-fi stories to know that this noble aim does not match the reality. Zoe chooses to ask what would have happened had she turned up at a promising first date years ago and things… develop from there.

There’s a bunch of themes in here. The addictive nature of technology. The poignancy of regret and a potential life lost, and the lure of being able to have another chance at it. The potent lure of the virtual over the real – as a hardcore gamer, I found myself more empathetic to her travails than I’d care to admit. All these themes get their chance to shine even in such a short setting; Croal doesn’t bash you over the head with them but allows you to pick out each one to consider should you wish to do so.

It’s the aforementioned feeling of tension that really makes this novelette stand out though. We’re under no allusion from the start that this is going to end well – we’re no longer in the 1960s hay glow of thinking that this tech is going to be good for us – but the normalcy of the world around us – basically ours in twenty years – is deceptive, not pummelling us with horrors but making us settle into the unease. We’re not sure how this is going to go wrong, but we know that it is, and each misstep she makes into the tech heightens out discomfort, making this a gloriously uncomfortable read in the great tradition, of well, watching a Black Mirror episode.

But the reason this works so well is Croal’s relatable characters and realistic prose of the everyday and the mundane. The dialogue between her and her flatmate feels real; and this is a very witty story in parts. So relatable is her characterisation of Amy that the contrast been her ordinary life and the shock of how quickly this unravels leaves the reader floundering, caught between the prosaic and the horrific. This could be any one of us; if you don’t empathise with her at any point then reader, I don’t believe you.

Overall then, this is a bite-sized triumph. Shortwave seems like they want to corner the market on these SFF/horror/thriller novelettes, and this is a touchstone for the quality of what they are aiming for. It’s also a sign of a great writer in our midst; Croal has been producing excellent short stories for a while now, and this graduation to novelette length makes me excited (and worried for my nerves) at what she can do with a whole novel.

[JenBsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was just a bitty book - 80 pages. Without audio, being eyes-only, it still took me a little bit to get through as I just don't have that much "reading" time.

I've read several stories with a "what if" theme ... like The Midnight Library and Dark Matter with alternate lives, or The Unusual Second Life of Thomas Weaver and all the Middle Falls sequels, with going back in time and repeating life, making different choices. This was similar in the "what if/different choices" but with an AI approach, explore other life options in virtual reality. This is perhaps actually plausible?

It's hard to discuss too much more without spoilers ... so what happens when the imaginary alternate reality is more appealing than real life? It's hard not to feel for the MC, when she sees what a small choice (taking a call from her roommate, not following through on a date) might have made ... that she missed out on meeting the guy she was supposed to be with, who encouraged her to follow a different/better career path. That this "other future" feels SO close, enough that maybe she could actually make it happen (track the guy down, etc...) When that doesn't work out, would she rather just live in the virtual world? Touches of "living in virtual reality" are in books like Ready Player One. I always notice tense ... the first four chapters are written in 3rd person, past tense. The fifth chapter, when she goes into the underground virtual program, is present tense ... which does set it apart, makes it feel different. Little reminders there ... the pain in the arm, the statement "I think it will be a boy, we'll name him Arthur ... call him Art. ART is the virtual reality program. Clever little addition.

[Frasier Armitage · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novelette may be short, but don’t mistake it for being lacking. It’s packed with substance, speculation, intrigue, and plenty to leave you thinking long after the final page. It makes for a very, very satisfying riff on ‘the road not taken.’

The opportunity to change the past can provide a story with an excellent foundation to explore big concepts like regret, grief, and identity. But in ‘Have You Decided On Your Question,’ Lyndsey Croal uses the idea of an alternate past to explore less conventional themes — delving into the cost of love, the frenzy of obsession, and the effects of addiction. It feels fresh, and utterly unique, and the lens through which the story asks its questions is well-conceived. What is reality? What makes a relationship? Is virtual love any less valid than the real thing? You’ll be hard-pressed to come away from this book without having considered at least one of these ideas from a different viewpoint.

In terms of characters, Zoe is compelling and easy to empathise with. There’s something inherently fascinating about a character who yearns to change their past. If speculative fiction asks the “what if” questions, then having a protagonist who asks “what if I’d done this differently” carries an instant appeal, and fits with the genre and tone perfectly.

I really loved the twists and turns, and the way events built organically and naturally. The world felt complete and believable, and I was totally immersed in it, which is quite a feat considering this is all done in so few words. There are cyberpunk elements in the technology at the heart of the plot, but it doesn’t feel like the far-future. It’s not too distant from what we have around us right now. The book reads like a love story, but it’s not a romance. The world is balanced really well, and the atmosphere feels personal. It’s easy to connect with, which is extremely appropriate considering that connections are what it’s all about.

If you blended together movies like Inception, Reminiscence, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, and 500 Days Of Summer, you’ll probably find this novelette sits somewhere in that mix.

Have You Decided On Your Question isn’t afraid to shy away from big ideas, but it approaches them with style and elegance. It’s subtle, cerebral, and surprising. And like all the best questions, you’ll find it reaches, not into your head, but into your heart. A must-read for fans of speculative fiction.

[Angie Spoto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lyndsey Croal’s sci-fi novelette set in near-future Edinburgh follows Zoe, a young woman who hasn’t quite figured out life. She works a boring corporate job that pulled her off course from her creative dreams, isn’t dating, and has a roommate she almost tolerates. Zoe starts off complacent, nowhere near happy but certainly not rallying too hard against her reality. Not until she enters the world of ART, an artificial ‘treatment’ that allows her to imagine a world of new possibilities, does her dissatisfaction grow into an obsession.

ART is meant to show Zoe how her life could be, to inspire her to change course and start living again, but it’s immediate from the get-go that a technology such as ART has the potential to be very, very dangerous.

The most frightening thing about this black-mirror-esque story is that it feels real. It feels relatable. Though the story takes place in the future and features tech that isn’t possible in our current reality, it had me questioning my own obsessions and addictions – social media, smart phones, a need for instant-gratification, a woefully shortened attention span. I felt like Zoe, swept up in a life that I didn’t quite plan, wishing for a different future and drawn toward technology to fill a void.

A current of dread is woven through the story, made stronger by the current of dread that is woven through real life – I don’t have to mention all the things that make life difficult and frightening in 2023.

I read the novelette (which is a lovely word for a long short story!) on the train between Edinburgh and Glasgow. As I immersed myself in Zoe’s world, and as Zoe in turn immersed herself in an artificial reality, I felt that I, too, might be walking that fine line between want and obsession, between hope and destruction. I realised, when I got to the last page and there were no more words to read (despite me repeatedly clicking my Kindle to read more, read on), that I knew my question: so what are you going to do about it?

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

*Disclosure: I was gifted a copy of this novelette by the author for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this wee novelette! Lyndsey has a cracking imagination and the premise of this story was really interesting. You find yourself yearning for the same ‘hit’ as the main character, rooting for her to continue her addiction and edging her on to what might be a fatal final decision. That sense of addiction that is transferred to the reader is only possible with incredible skill, which Lyndsey clearly has in bucket loads! The ending was superb in its ambiguity and exactly the sort of spin I love in a short narrative.

My star rating comes down to personal taste with dialogue, wanting to see more behind the scenes of the simulation agencies, and a desire for more visceral descriptions in relation to the addiction as well as the effects of the simulation itself on the body versus the mind.

I’ve had the pleasure to read some of Lyndsey’s other work (one particular story is honestly embedded into my mind forever), and she is certainly an author to watch out for. She has loads of short stories published in various literary magazines, etc. so do go check out more of her work. You won’t be disappointed.

I recommend this to lovers of Suzanne Young’s ‘The Program’ and to anyone who has ever asked themselves, “what if…?”

[Michael Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting story to try and classify, blending as it does some classic science fiction, almost cyberpunk, ideas with a very clean, real-world setting and relevant, current themes. Accessing memories and posing ‘what-if’ questions are fairly common SF ideas, but throwing in the sinister, invasive side of commodified big data and the unethical use of advanced technology provides a more contemporary approach. Add in observations on modern-day loneliness and the over-reliance on technology, shown through the lens of a character spiralling into obsession and addiction, and you’ve got something that’s more speculative fiction than straight-up sci-fi. However you label it though, this is clever, characterful and thought-provoking.

Read the full review at https://www.trackofwords.com/2023/04/...

[Horror DNA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shortwave Publishing has rocketed onto the publishing scene, blending horror and science-fiction. One of the first releases in its novella line is Lyndsey Croal’s Have You Decided on Your Question?, the immersive story of Zoe, a woman who is left to ponder a question that has confounded fools and sages for years: If you could do it all again, would you?

You can read Zachary Rosenberg's full review at Horror DNA by clicking here.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Imagine if The Twilight Zone and Edinburgh had a baby and lived together in the Star Trek holodeck. The result would be this—an extremely entertaining sci-fi story about obsession, chasing your dreams and the perils of relying on artificial intelligence.

Protagonist Zoe seeks the answer to a "what if?" question from her past using an experimental virtual therapy experience. It's eerie, it's surprisingly realistic, it's an absolute belter! Lyndsey Croal has created a bite-sized masterpiece that Rod Serling himself would no doubt be proud of.

I'm reluctant to say any more without spoiling the plot, but suffice to say I highly recommend it. I enjoyed it so much that I immediately read it again!

[Jelena · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short novelette with a big question.
I love stories that make me think about my own life choices and Have You Decided on Your Question has haunted me for days because it poses the classic sliding-doors question: how different the MC's life would have been if she'd chosen differently in one - not seemingly very important - moment in her life. But instead of using magic or guesswork, Croal offers us SF - the Alternative Reality Tech allows its customers to ask a question about their lives and see a different (virtual) outcome. Unfortunately for Zoe, the alternative virtual life is much happier than her real life. Instead of inspiring her to make a positive change in her life, the virtual alternative pulls Zoe into addiction and delusion.
A clever and tragic story that feels very real.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you Decided on your question by Lyndsey Croal follows Zoe, a woman feeling so unsatisfied with her life that she decides to seek out an experimental virtual reality therapy which allows its participants to explore the “what if’s” in life. Zoe’s question? What if she would have stepped into that coffee shop 5 years prior instead of standing up her date, Adam? How different would her life look now?

Croal touches upon the ethics of AI and virtual reality and allows us to explore the possible implications of relying on such software through Zoe’s experiences. This short novelette was such a quick read coming it at 63 pages and I enjoyed every second of it! I would recommend if you are a fan of Black Mirror or are interested in short format Sci-Fi.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short but powerful story about what happens when "what if" might be better than real life. Lyndsey Croal packs a lot into this quick read, effortlessly creating a believable and fully realized near future where people can explore hypothetical futures. This is a wonderful and cautionary tale, and Croal deftly addresses the premise with sympathy for the main character, but without shying away from their flaws (tricky to do in such a short narrative).
I'd love to delve into this world more deeply, but I'm sure the story would not pack as much of a punch in a longer format. I suppose that just means I need to seek out more of the author's work, as it was engrossing and wonderfully written.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent novella which made me think about it central question long after I'd finished it.
What would you do if you could go back in time? If you could change something about your life, make a different choice? Meet someone again for the first time?

Unhappy with her life, Zoe signs up for experimental therapy that offers her the possibility to change the curse of her life in virtual reality. But while her alternative life pulls her in, her real life falls apart and Zoe's dangerous addiction threatens to erase her understanding of reality and fiction.

An absolutely wonderful, thought-provoking work.

[Josh reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short novelette by Lyndsey Croal! This story has great and thoughtful writing which really takes the reader down the path of What If? The author asks…If I had just made one small decision years ago, how would it impact my current life? Such an intriguing and interesting concept which Croal explores wonderfully, with all the potential consequences that come with such a query. I look forward to more tales by Lyndsey Croal, this is a fun, short read that asks a huge question through the lens of one character. Definitely recommended!

[Miguel Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than expected.

The ending hit hard... I was flabbergasted that this novelette concluded in that fashion. The characters are fleshed out, but the pacing of this chronicle was slow in the beginning. After you finish this Sci-Fi tale, the book cover will make a lot more sense; however, trying to market it as is before a reader dives into the prose may be a challenge. I like how the author carefully placed foreshadowing in this chronicle. You can tell that the writer worked hard on this text.

If you're into short stories, then I recommend this book.

[Cat Hellisen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short read reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode. Using modern technology, Zoe is living an alternate life, and reality and artifice can be difficult to tell apart...

Zoe is a totally believable character, and although you can see her making the wrong turns, it's hard not to feel sympathetic as she constructs the life she wished she could have had if only (she believes) she made the right choices.

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

a short— but endlessly intoxicating— read, this little novelette prompts you to imagine what it's like to explore an alternate world... one where things went just a tiny bit different. and for zoe, it's all she's ever wanted! i love her as a narrator, all the double-speak and self-assuredness in the face of the harm she perpetrates on others, and i'm fascinated by the world of ART. highly recommend!

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great short story that was!

A very interesting premise which I wish had been explored a little more. Although I can't complain about the length of it either as it ticked all boxes for me in a very short time.

This was a paranoia inducing thriller where you can't help but shout "Noooooo, don't do that!" at the main character. Which is exactly what I want from a thriller so this was a good read.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have You Decided on Your Question is an unnerving, shiver-inducing tale about the dangerous and addictive pursuit of exploring the 'what ifs' of our life. Lyndsey Croal's imaginative story brings a sinister and alarming edge to our everyday daydreams, creating a believable world of accessible artificial stimulation that damages our version of reality. So excited to see what Croal writes next.

[Harrison Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An engaging, well-written speculative novelette dealing with the theme of addiction Even though it's set in the near future, and hinges on the premise of a yet to be invented technology, it nonetheless alludes to themes around social media, and many people in society's current obsession with unreality.

[A C · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just devoured this in one bite. So good, so real. It draws you in just like the simulations at the heart of the story. When it begins to slide down it’s darker path, the outcome feels so perfectly inevitable that you can’t possibly look away. A perfectly executed and deliciously dark novelette, perfect for fans of Black Mirror.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating SF horror asking a question we all ask ourselves sometimes - what if we could live our life over again.
Zoe hates her current life and decides to try a life simulator that offers her a glimpse into a different life, revealing that she could have met Adam, fallen in love with him and have a life together. But her HEA turns into something much darker.

[John Keegan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another solid short piece from Shortwave Publishing, this time focusing on the pitfalls of virtual "alternative" realities. It's easy to see where this is heading, but it unfolds so organically that seeing it through is worth the read. Recommended for anyone with a taste for good short speculative stories!