Fire: An Anthology 🔥
An elemental labour of love, from around the world
In the beginning, we were disparate wannabe writers, lost in a large unruly group, brought together by social media. Then one day, a lone voice piped up from the masses, asking — was there anyone out there interested in collaborating on a short story collection, genre open, woven together only by a common theme? And one by one, different voices emerged from the masses, virtual hands raised, ready to pitch in. And, some months later, after starting out with some trepidation, a brand new book was birthed to the world!
That was nearly a year ago. In the months since then, now bonded as an online writing group scattered throughout the world, sharing triumphs and failures, supporting each other on matters literary and of life, our patched together writers collective has once again joined forces to show the whole is greater than the sum of all its parts. Not that each one of these ‘parts’ is not wonderful in her or his own right!
And so I now present our second anthology of short stories:
Fire! It warms our bones and purifies but can also destroy — especially in the wrong hands. This anthology unites twelve writers from around the world in the first book of their Elements series.
Meet the troubled girl who claims she can predict fires, a young witch travelling by SparkFlyte, and a Greek god’s muse. See what happens when man harnesses fire and when global warming soars out of control. Flee from a dragon, discover why it’s dangerous to be human during the Flame Games, and experience the healing touch of Kali. Watch the havoc wreaked by a man of unwavering faith, take heart from a young woman changed by her philosopher, and explore the myriad dangers of getting what you wish for.
Through its stories of magic, death, destruction and rebirth, this Fire anthology showcases imagination at its best. You will be enthralled from the first page to the last.
The collection is now for sale on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and iBooks. And for the next few days, it’s available for the launch price of only $0.99!
Including short fiction contributed by Medium writers you may already know and love: K. Kris Loomis 📚, Louise Foerster, Danielle Nolan, Stephen Leatherdale, Tess Wheeler, Pat Aitcheson, Christine Costa, Paula Dotson Frew, Lisa Wilton, Zarina Dara 🥀💃🏻 and others.
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Excerpt from Kali Dancing:
The week before they are due to leave, she lies on her back in a transpersonal healing workshop, waiting to start her first shamanic journey. Twitchy, mind racing, the cashmere shawl wrapped too tight around her shoulders and chest. The drum beat beginning triggers a release; her teacher’s voice a spirit guide to take her down, down through a wombat hole and into the underworld. Through shadows, a golden bird appears, one she’s only seen before in dreams. A phoenix. It knows her, spreads wings that gleam with a rainbow sheen, beckons her to follow. Time and terrain shift in jerks and flashes, a surreal spinning disco ball, and now she stands inside a giant pyre, her hair and skin caressed by dancing flame. The golden bird rises high above, hovers in the fiery crest; then a crack, a blinding flare, and ashes rain upon her face. She holds out her hands and catches a falling glowing egg, searing in her palms. Numbed, she hugs it to her breasts, then gasps in pain as it melts her skin and lodges heavy and pulsing in her heart. Her breath quickens to hold the pain; she is alone and radiant in the centre of it all. Then the call of the drum cuts through, guiding her home, and she is drawn unconscious up the spirit trail, back into her earthly form.
Want to explore more? Download now — at special launch price of $0.99!
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And if you’re interested in a taster story from our first anthology, Starting Out, you can read a revised version of my contribution here:
