Broken Reality: Stories

In Broken Reality: Stories, we look in on the strange, the offbeat, and the unexplainable events that happen to common people in everyday life. Come along and explore the realms of soft science fiction, weird fiction, horror, the paranormal, mystery, and the psychological. These stories were previously published in other collections and online publications.Diseased - Carter Lynch is a long-time resident of a mental institution, and it seems someone has murdered the facility's beloved family of pet ducks. Carter takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of this vicious act of cruelty. But unbeknownst to Carter is his inability to distinguish between what is fact and what is fiction. (Weird, suspense)The Old Writer - Ian McAllister is an old writer who has lost his creative drive and wants desperately to regain his prolific status among the world's best-selling authors. When his muse returns and presents him the ability to write for an exchange of his soul, a resurrected career looks hopeful for the aging scribe. However, his newly found inspiration has a grim effect on him, as well as the rest of the world. (Soft Science Fiction/Horror)Boxcar to Paradise - To see the mountains, valleys, and to travel across America is the adventurous life Joel Hester seeks. Riding the rails for the first time, he meets a couple of characters that inspire him to follow through with his new life of drifting. However, when Joel discovers the town of Paradise, he finds that not everyone is so warm and welcoming of who he is and leaving this strange town may not be an option. (Soft Science Fiction/Suspense)Kate's Funeral - Kate Longley is a young woman who finds herself in the middle of her own funeral service. Instead of questioning her death, she is more concerned with why her boyfriend has yet to come and bid her a final farewell. Kate also discovers that in death, much like in life, there is a lot to learn and big decisions to make. With time running out, she hopes the choices that she makes turn out to be the right ones. (Paranormal)Painted Smiles - A young boy gets to know his grandmother and finds comfort in an unusual family tradition. (horror/science fiction)Where the Gravel Lane Ends - A young brother and sister go on a strange school bus ride that allows them to visit their dearly departed father who passed away exactly one year before. When the kids decide they want to stay with their father, their sinister mother devises her own afterlife plan to teach her unruly children a lesson they will never forget. (Mystery, Science fiction)The Tragedy of Harvey Sharpe - Harvey Sharpe has hopes that one day he'll be recognized as one of the great TV writers and producers of all time. When his writing dreams mysteriously become reality, it's not exactly how Harvey had imagined it would have happened. (Soft Science Fiction, Psychological)The Man in the Meadow - An old man lends a hand to a young boy who desperately seeks revenge against a schoolyard bully. However, the boy finds out his chosen course of revenge is a messy one for all involved. (Horror)A Country Boy's Delight - Bobby Earl Clark is a ten-year-old country boy who spends his days cussing, feeding dead puppies to the hogs, and burning the heads off green army men. When a neighbor girl laughs him out of the countryside after seeing his manhood, it's Bobby Earl who has the last laugh. (Horror, Hillbilly Gothic)