New Release! Slipping Through

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I have stories out in a new anthology!

It's now available and I can pass on the news! It's called Slipping Through (click on the title to take you to Amazon) and it's all about passing through to other dimensions, the afterlife, or, well, who knows?

I have three entries in this anthology. One is a short story (Memory Lane) and the others are flash fiction (On the Flip Side & Wrapped in a Mystery). The other stories are from Miranda Kate (who put this all together), Michael Wombat, and Victoria Pearson. Here's the table of contents:

As you can see, there are a lot of stories here, so there's a good chance you'll find a few that strike your fancy. I don't have all my "Amazon Author page" stuff sorted out yet, but that will happen shortly...

If you want to see how this came about, you can read my previous Patreon post here.

Also, if you would like to see other stories and poems I've done, please check out this list!

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© 2023 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol

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I have a new story coming out!

It's in the new horror anthology Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol by Burial Day Books. My story, Christmas Eve, is about a young woman, forced from her home, who makes a journey on a dark winter's night in hopes of finding help for herself and her tiny son. Will a mysterious stranger offering assistance be a godsend — or something much, much worse?

Partial cover image from the horror anthology
Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol

Here is a list of the stories and their authors:

The Aspirant Heiress by Deanna Baran
The Night of Epiphany by Nico Bell
When the Leaves Go by Die Booth
Yule Log by T.M. Brown
Candy Cane by Jeff Carter
The Boy Who Tricked Krampus by Malina Douglas
Sugarplum by Kevin M. Folliard
A Creature Was Stirring by Samson Stormcrow Hayes
Black Lace Binding by Laurel Hightower
Letters to Krampus by Matt Jean
I Am a Fortress by Shane Douglas Keene
All Through the House by Amanda Cecelia Lang
Secret Santa by Gary E Lee
A Desk Fit for a Purpose by Madeleine McDonald
A Very Good Actress by Sarah Michelson
After Krampusnacht by Victoria Nations
When She Visits by Cindy O’Quinn
The Path by Kathleen Palm
The Last Noel by Hailey Piper
Queen of the Wassail by Jennifer Quail
The Wreath by Monique Quintana
All Quiet on the Northern Front by Kara Race-Moore
Cast Away Stones by Mary Rajotte
Hell’s Bells by C L Raven
The Holly King’s Spawn by Sage Ravenwood
Creature of Darkness by Lawrence Salani
Christmas Eve by K.R. Smith
Krampus by Austrian Spencer
The Dark-Eyed Boy by M.C. St. John
Here We Come A-Caroling by Angela Sylvaine
The Yule Cat by Sara Tantlinger

As you can see, it's sizable collection of tales! There should be something for everyone in this huge book!

It's available on Amazon (Kindle only for now).

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© 2020 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

It's Alive!

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It took a while to get here, but the Lonesome Train anthology has finally arrived!

From the Lonesome Train page on Lulu:

Do you hear that train a-comin'? Comin' round the bend...? Our authors did! Step into an anthology filled with demonic trains and disastrous encounters. Ghosts, time travel, giant spiders, wagon trains, space-transport--whatever you are interested in, we've got you covered. Sit right back and enjoy the ride.

My story in this anthology is called Momma Knows Best. It's a Southern Gothic tale about a young woman having difficulty accepting her mother's advice. Kids can be like that, you know. But when a photographer drops by to take pictures of the old train station where she's hanging out, things take a dark turn.

At the moment. it's only available in paperback on Lulu (check for coupons or promotional codes). If (when, I hope) that changes, I'll post an update on my My Works page.

I'll be giving away a couple of copies at the Shore Leave sci-fi convention in Hunt Valley, Maryland this year, but if you can't make it there, check it out on Lulu!

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© 2019 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Tales by the Tree

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BHC Press was good enough to Tweet a link to an excerpt from my story, The Last Snowfall, published in the holiday-themed anthology Tales by the Tree! Thanks!

Read an excerpt of TALES BY THE TREE—featuring THE LAST SNOWFALL by @WOKRSmith https://t.co/fF7inTAw46#holiday #anthology #christmas pic.twitter.com/onxSvlnURg

— BHC Press (@BHCPressBooks) November 26, 2017

Of course, there are a lot of other stories in this anthology. Here's a list:

Grandma's Christmas Sweater by Marissa Ames
Falling by Ruth Long
Winter Hope by Lisa Shambrook
The Long Night Moon by Jean Booth
In the Outside by Raymond Henri

Merry Mythmas by Ailsa Abraham
Day's End by Mona Bliss
A Hell of a Thing by Lisa V. Tomecek
Christmas Preparations by Lizzie Koch
Merry and Bright by Judy Carpenter

Not as They Are by Eric Martell
Hollywood North by Leslie Fulton
Spell Spinner Christmas by Lisa T Cresswell
'Twas the Fight Before by Christmas Nick Johns
The Wild Hunters by S. R. Betler

A Christmas Change by Jennifer Garrett
The Town Beneath the Lake by Beth Avery
The Talisman by Lara Hays
I'll Be Home for Christmas by Mary MacFarlane
Wally, the Penguin Who Could Fly by Eric Martell

Rebirth in Bethlehem
Snowed In by Sara Daniell
The Last Snowfall by K. R. Smith
Jack Frost Stops by for a Chat by Beth Avery
Naughty or Nice by Laura Jamez

A Christmas Dance by Rebecca Fyfe
To the Top of the Tree by Marjie Myers
One Magical Night by Terry Crouse
What Is This Christmas?
The Yuletide Exchange by Rebecca Fyfe

Scarred by Tom Mohan
The Gift by Glen Damien Campbell
Christmas 1916 by Eric Sprolls
Scratch by J. S. Bailey
The Giving Gift by Raymond Henri

What's Good for the Goose by Mona Bliss
The Little Mouse by Lisa Shambrook
Thomas's New Coat by Marissa Ames
Unexpected Encounter by Ailsa Abraham
Picture Perfect by Alex Brightsmith

The Christmas Letter by Leslie Fulton
The Angel Who Didn't Like Christmas by Sarah Nicholson
The Star Shone Brightly by Lisa Shambrook
Claustrophobia By Michael Wombat
All the Christmassy Things LaDonna Cole

With all these stories there has to be something in there you'll like!

Also, this is a charity anthology. I don't get any money from the sales. BHC Press donates $1 for every print book sale and $0.50 for every eBook sale for this anthology to RIF (Reading is Fundamental) for the first year. So, even if you don't like the holidays, you can help people learn to read just by buying a copy!

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© 2017 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Can You Hear Me Now?

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Every now and then I check my author ranking on Amazon. Here's what it looks like for the past six months:


My author ranking

You'll probably have to click on the picture to see any detail, but it's been reasonably steady for the previous 365 days with numbers between about 30,000 (best) to 300,000 (worst). Not a bad showing for a writer that doesn't even have a book published under his own name. Everything I've done has gone into an anthology of some sort.

Most of the anthologies to which I've contributed continue to sell at a steady, though dreadfully slow, pace. These are not the ones keeping my author ranking as high as it is. Most all of it is due to one book: In Creeps the Night.

This book is a Halloween-themed horror anthology, so I was wondering why it sells at such a consistent rate, especially since it is a couple of years old now. I contributed a small story to the effort: Little Monsters. It's an okay story, but I doubt it is the major draw for this work. There are maybe 30-40 authors who have stories in this book.

While the Kindle version sells well, what appears to be the major force behind the rankings is the audio version. It is narrated by Elizabeth Phillips.

Audiobook sales for In Creeps the Night

The audiobook sales are really something special for a book with no real advertising behind it. Almost everything driving my Amazon author ranking is from this audiobook. I am very grateful for being included! Here are the current rankings for the audio version of In Creeps the Night on the US Amazon page.

US amazon rankings for In Creeps the Night

I don't know if other audiobooks are having the same success (please feel free to chime in on that), but it seems adding one to your publishing options might be wise.

That's all I have at the moment. Anyway, an hour has passed, so I have to go check my rankings again. I did say now and then...

P. S. Sadly, I make no money on the book. It is a charity anthology. But I'm okay with that.

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© 2017 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Dead Men's Tales

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First of all, Happy Valentine's Day!

Now, back to business...

It's taken a while, but it's finally here!

Fringeworks has published Dead Men's Tales, a pirate-themed anthology with the twist that each story is told from the point of view of a deceased character. My contribution to this collection is Skarett's Treasure. This story concerns the plight of an indentured servant (Thomas) who, hoping to gain enough money to escape from the pirate's stronghold with the mesmerizing Maria, gets mixed up with Captain Skarett.

What type of story is Skarett's Treasure? Well, there are pirates, of course, mixed in with a little bit of horror and a touch of humor. While my tale may leave you wanting more, by the time it's done, Thomas will have had his fill!

As the back cover says:

"They say that dead men tell no tales, but that's not strictly true. Why else would fifteen men need to sit on a dead man's chest? Beware these pirate tales told by the dead themselves. They will thrill you, chill you, scare you and spare you the need to sleep on a dark and stormy night. And remember, they might talk, but their grog-drinking days are done. Yo Ho Ho

Here's the story line-up:

I need to get a copy to see what changes the editor, Melissa Black, may have made to the story. I hope it's as good as I remember! Or, at least, not as bad as I fear... As an added bonus, the foreword was written by Kevin R. McNally, one of the main actors in the Pirates of the Caribbean movie series. The cover is by Darrel Bevan.

Dead Men's Tales is available in paperback from Amazon.
    Amazon US
    Amazon UK

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© 2017 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Another Chance To Vote

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One of the books in which I have a story has been nominated to participate in the Preditors & Editors Annual Reader’s Poll. It’s Death and Decorations, a Christmas-themed horror anthology. My story is A Home for Christmas, where a young lady named Melanie wants to help out by selling a few ornaments. Can’t really say more than that...

Cover image from Lulu.com

But if you'd like to spread the word, or have read the book and enjoyed it, please vote for it in the Preditors & Editors poll!

As I write this post, it is sitting in second position out of 45 entries (not all are shown in this image).

UPDATE: As of 01/13/2017, Death & Decorations is in 4th place (was up to 2nd as shown in image below) out of 59 entries. Keep voting!

BTW, Lulu has it for sale now (paperback only, at the moment) - click LULU to check it out!

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© 2017 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Swords Of Darkness: The Stories And Authors

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I've previously listed the writers in Swords of Darkness; now I have a list of the stories!

L.C. Mortimer (Editor and Goodreads Author)

1. The Price of Ambition by Charles Jake
2. Hallows Eve Street by Irene Ferraro-Sives
3. A Test of His Metal by Bill Hoyt 
4. Reynard and the Dragon by Kathleen Danielson
5. The Soul Road by Shaun Avery
6. Dance of Swords by J. C. Kang
7. The Curse of Ennerath by DJ Tyrer
8. The Sword of Hexworthy Manor by K. R. Smith
9. The Vourdelak by Joseph Rubas

I've just received my copy, so I haven't read them yet, but this book is at the top of my list! And everyone can get their own copy January 1, 2016!

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© 2012-2015 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Swords Of Darkness - Now On Goodreads

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L. C. Mortimer's fantasy anthology, Swords of Darkness, is now on Goodreads! It's on pre-order at Amazon until January 1, 2016, but that's not too far away!

Cover: Swords of Darkness

Since it hasn't been released yet I haven't seen the final version, but there are supposed to be ten stories. These are the authors:

L.C. Mortimer (Editor and Goodreads Author)
Shaun Avery
Kathleen Danielson
Irene Ferraro-Sives
Bill Hoyt
Charles Jake
JC Kang
Joseph Rubas (Goodreads Author)
K.R. Smith (Goodreads Author—and me, BTW)
DJ Tyrer

There's not a lot of info out there on some of the writers, even those who have several books out, so I'm interested in how these writers handled the subject. I am looking forward to reading this.

My story is about a 14 year-old girl who receives a family heirloom in the form of a sword. She then finds her way into a land where she uses it—with a little luck—to great advantage. I can't say much more without spoiling the story, but there is a bit of humor involved.

This is my first story in the fantasy genre, but it might not be my last!

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© 2012-2015 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Swords Of Darkness - Coming Soon!

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Do you like fantasy anthologies? With, perhaps, a dragon or two? Then there's a new Kindle ebook available for pre-order on Amazon just for you! And it happens to include one of my stories!

The anthology is titled Swords of Darkness, and L. C. Mortimer is the editor. It will contain ten stories in all, and every one will have a sword involved in some way. I don't have a list of stories yet, but the book should be available January 1, 2016.

My story is called The Sword of Hexworthy Manor. It's about a fourteen-year-old girl named Gwendolyn with a very active imagination. It's her impressive imagination—along with an heirloom sword—that leads her into an interesting, and sometimes humorous, adventure.

Again, enough of my blather. Here's the book!

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Swords of Darkness
    edited by L. C. Mortimer 

Cover image:
Swords of Darkness

The Book:

A sword holds power.
A sword holds promise.
And a sword holds darkness.

L.C. Mortimer's editorial debut features tales of magic and darkness from authors who explore what it truly means to wield the power of a sword. From a courageous young lad who wants to honor his grandfather to an unlikely hero who will face anything to win the heart of the one he loves, these stories will lead you on adventures you won't be able to forget.

My Story:

Gwendolyn is a young girl living with her grandfather and a housekeeper named Mildred in an old manor near Hexworthy, a village in the moors of Dartmoor. As the last direct descendant of the family, he presents her with a sword, the only family heirloom left of any value. With her imagination in overdrive, she goes to play in the old ruins on the estate and finds, quite by accident, the way to a world she never knew existed. But with passage now sealed, can she ever return home?

Available for pre-order (Kindle) on Amazon
    US Kindle
    UK Kindle

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© 2012-2015 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

All The What Ifs

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I don't read any where near as much as most writers, but every now and then I see a book I'd like to read. Even less often is a book I feel I must read.

All The What Ifs by Angela Lynn is one of those books.

Cover of
All The What Ifs
by
Angela Lynn

I don't know if you're familiar with Angela, but I know her from Twitter. You can find her there by clicking HERE.

She's a bit different. For example, she talks funny sometimes.

@paper_mermaid *ALL THE HUGS & ALL THE NERVACITED* 😱😭😘😱😭😘

— Angela Lynn (@ang_writes) December 3, 2015

OK, most of the time.

Inanimate objects attack her. Like clarinets.

She goes crazy around free slushees and consumes wine at inappropriate hours.

She seems to have an issue with hurting herself, even if only in the virtual world.

Annnnnnd more tears!! *flails about the twitter weeping, runs into a wall, passes out* https://t.co/8KqCHr0w1q

— Angela Lynn (@ang_writes) November 23, 2015

The list is endless.

If the book has any trace of the Angela Lynn from Twitter, it should be a hoot. Not necessarily a funny sort of hoot. It could be rather dramatic. I don't know because I don't have a copy yet, but a hoot nonetheless. It will be completely hootable.

Good God, now I'm talking like her.

Anyway, please check it out!

It's currently available from Amazon US and Amazon UK for Kindle. I'm hoping a paperback version will be available soon.

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© 2012-2015 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Tales for the Bully Box Now Available!

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Tales from the Bully Box, the anti-bullying anthology with my story One Above Zero is now available on Amazon!

To purchase, follow these Amazon links

Tales from the Bully Box (US Kindle)

Tales from the Bully Box (US Paperback)

Tales from the Bully Box (UK Kindle)

Tales from the Bully Box (UK Paperback)

Here's the blurb posted on Amazon:

Book Description

Publication Date: November 4, 2014  | Age Level: 8 - 14

Bullying stinks, but knowing what to do about it can make things better. In Tales from the Bully Box, you will find short stories about kids just like you. They get bullied, and sometimes they even bully. But most of the time, they are bystanders who have to figure out what to do when they witness the bullying all around them.

In "Hailey’s Shooting Star," one-handed Hailey proves her worth on the basketball court and as a friend. In "The Eyes on the Back of My Head," you’ll get to stare straight into Mike Mansky’s soul with a pair of super-secret laser eyes. Filled with stories that take readers on a journey from the classroom to summer camp and the basketball court to the mall, Tales from the Bully Box inspires kids to be the best friends they can be.

This is very different from the stories I usually write. It's also for a younger audience, and that took some adjustment. I'll have to see what sort of feedback I get before I decide if I should write again for this demographic. It was fun, though, and it's probably good that I wrote this, even if I never write another of this type.

My story, One Above Zero, is about a girl who is bullied because of health problems that alter her appearance. They're not huge changes, but for kids of this age group, differences are magnified. And sometimes people are hurtful even when they don't intend to be.

If you're interested in the book and its subject, you can learn more on The Bully Box website. And remember, the authors of this anthology have donated their efforts to this cause. We are not promoting this for monetary gain.

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© 2012-2014 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Tales From The Bully Box Cover Reveal

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I'm not entirely sure how I became involved with this, but I have a new short story coming out as part of an anthology for middle-grade school kids. It's different from most of my stories in that it doesn't involve anything of a speculative nature. The title of the story is One Above Zero. It's about a girl named Zoe who is the target of bullying by her classmates because of a health problem. The book is Tales From the Bully Box and will be published by Elephant’s Bookshelf Press.

The anthology is in support of an anti-bullying effort by PACER. A post by Cat Woods, the editor and a contributor, describing how this project came about is found on The Bully Box web site. For kids interested in the book, Cat has this post.

The book is in the final stages of preparation, but the cover is ready and here it is!

More on this when the book is released!

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© 2012-2014 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

In Creeps The Night

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NOTE: This page was updated 04/18/2018 to provide a new image for the book and link to Amazon. The original links were broken. Also, this book is now published by BHC Press. It is now available in eBook, softcover, hard cover, and audiobook formats. 

In Creeps the Night, the Halloween-themed charity anthology from BHC Press with my story Little Monsters, is now available! You can find it here on Amazon (Kindle ebook) just in time for Halloween!



List of authors (with links to their web sites where available) and their story title:

AD Trosper           The Loop
Ailsa Abraham        Unexpected Visit
Andrew Patch         The Scarecrow
Angie Trafford       Subliminal
AR Meyering          The Dandelion Child
Ashley Fontainne     Whispered Pain

Beth Avery           Guardians

Catherine Connolly   Dealbreaker
Chris Fitzner        Murder House
Chris Glover         Eyes
Cory Eadson          Mr Morbid

DeVante Smith        Transitions
DJ Tyrer             Treat?
DM Kilgore           Nightfall’s Wraith

Edward Brock         A Cup of Yes or No
EG Smith             A Rustle of Leaves
Elle White           Delivery
Eric Brown           Under the Surface
Eric Martell         Penance
Essel Pratt          Fugacious Penubra

J Whitworth Hazzard  Ghoul’s Night Out
Joni Lynn            Ink

Kate Jennings        Final Investigations
Kayleigh Edwards     Now You See Them
Kevin G Bufton       The Face of Evil
Kevin Hammond        Write me In
KR Smith             Little Monsters

LaDonna Cole         Silenced
Laura Jamez          Vampire
Leslie Fulton        Dead Man Laughing
Lional Ray           Green Shadow
Lisa Shambrook       The Raven’s Bid

MA Walker            The Shadow Man
Marissa Ames         The Dark Spot
Mark W Coulter       The Mother-Thing
Mary MacFarlane      Live Witness
Michael Wombat       The Angel of Death
Morgan Griffith      Hellaway Bridge

Nick Johns           Gazes Also

Rebecca Fyfe         Immune
Rebecka Vigus        Finding Ghosts
Renan Nunes          Finders, Keepers
Ruth Long            Delivered
Ryan T Nuhfer        Closet Door

Shaun Avery          Child Chant
Sorcha O’Dowd        Friendly Fire
Spencer Stoner       On The Way Home
SR Karfelt           Golden Years

Theresa Miller       Deadliest Nursery Rhyme

William Dyer         A Dance of Amber

Note: If you are one of the authors and I don't have a link to your website, let me know and I'll be glad to add it.

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© 2012-2014 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

News: Gothic Blue Book III and Burial Day Books

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I have a little bit of news on Gothic Blue Book III and Burial Day Books. These are from Twitter:

Great news! We now have extended distribution of our Gothic Blue Books! As soon as we get a list of stores and libraries we will post them.
— Burial Day Books (@BurialDayBooks) November 13, 2013

It will be interesting to see where they end up. My poem in a real bookstore...maybe. Hard to imagine.

A great mention for @burialdaybooks GOTHIC BLUE BOOK III: THE GRAVEYARD EDITION ! -- Indie Spotlight http://t.co/bHMteUW3Py
— Burial Day Books (@BurialDayBooks) November 13, 2013

The Daily Dead. Not exactly The New Yorker, but I'll take it! You haven't lived until you're in the Daily Dead. To find the part about Gothic Blue Book III you have to scroll down a ways, but it's there.

Thanks to our friends at @horrorsociety! The Gothic Blue Book III – The Graveyard Edition http://t.co/UeXKVZ43jY
— Burial Day Books (@BurialDayBooks) November 13, 2013

And finally, the Horror Society. They were good enough to list the authors, including me!

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Gothic Blue Book III Available In Paperback Edition

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Gothic Blue Book III from Burial Day Books is now available from Amazon (Paperback edition)!

Now I can see my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack, in print! 

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Gothic Blue Book III #horror anthology now available in paperback! http://t.co/7BeayPEGLj
— K R Smith (@WOKRSmith) November 13, 2013

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It's a little less than the planned price at $6.65.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Mum(mie)s The Word

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The short story and drabble I submitted to The Were-Traveler webzine have now been published and available for your reading pleasure - or critique. This issue is all about mummies. I had to shorten the mummy story a little from its original length since it kept going over the 2000 word limit, so I'm hoping it didn't suffer too much. This is my second submission to The Were-Traveler, the first being my werewolf story, Going Home, published back in December 2012. They've been pretty responsive and helpful for a small webzine, so I'll probably consider them again if I have a suitable story.

In addition to the short story, I did the drabble because I'd never done one and wanted to see how hard it was to make a little story come out to exactly 100 words. It can be frustrating at times!

Sorry for the picture below, but I do write horror...

Latest issue of @theweretraveler is now live: The Wise and Ancient Dead—Mummies! wp.me/p1MMef-hr #horror #amreading #weblit
— The Were-Traveler (@TheWereTraveler) March 4, 2013

Here are the direct links to the stories:

• A Matter of Personal Taste (short story)
• Revenge (drabble 100)

Please let me know what you think about 'em!

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

My Story Got Tweeted

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... and not by me this time!

I just had to post the "Tweet" someone put out for my story. It was even re-tweeted by one of the other writers in the "Big Bad Wolf" issue of The Were Traveler.

@theweretraveler Read a werewolf in space story: Going Home by KR Smith wp.me/p1MMef-fW
— The Were-Traveler (@TheWereTraveler) January 1, 2013

Reading back through it, there are some awkward areas that I'd redo, but I was pressed for time as it was, so that wasn't an option. But I have a story out there, such as it is. Considering I'm not really a werewolf fan, it's not too bad!

More (and hopefully better) stories to come!

Oh, and please feel free to leave a comment / review / lambaste below. I'm working on that thick skin writers are supposed to have.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved