Do You Read Short Stories?

I generally don’t, but besides having my first short story, “The Colonel and Her Major,” in Lone Star Love, this book has some great material. And to top it off, the book is FREE. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/800866

Why have I written a short story when I normally neither read nor write them? That’s a good question. The answer is simple.

I’ve been a member of the North Texas Romance Writers of America for more than ten years, and our chapter is celebrating our 35^th Anniversary. I was a member for our 25^th year, but in my early years as a writer. So when chapter members talked about putting together a short story anthology, Love, Texas Style,

  I was totally uninterested. Remember I didn’t read nor write them.  (I did read many good stories in this book.)

Then came along our 30^th anniversary and another anthology, Deep in the Hearts of Texas. 

 

By then, I was too busy cranking out my romantic suspense books to attempt a short story, which you remember I don’t write.

Flash forward five more years. I have six published books,  and I’m working on the 4^th book in the Second Chances Series. I’ve learned a lot (not that you’re ever finished learning as a writer, or may I suggest as a person?), but this time I thought, “Gosh, I really want to be a part of this anthology.”

So last September I put aside work on ACT OF SURVIVAL to write my first short story, “The Colonel and Her Major.” Not that I had a name when I began. I wanted to write an RS story, because I love romantic suspense, but golly gee I couldn’t figure out how to do that in 3500 words. I put away the notes I’d made on that book, and yes, I do believe it will be a book sometime. It was just too much story to do justice to in a 3500-word short story.

Then I did something I’d never done before. I “pantsed” the story. Oh I did a bit of work on the two main characters, before putting fingers to keys, but basically, I just wrote. It worked. It required lots of redo, and here’s a big tip of the hat to Eva Jameson for her input after a couple of read throughs, and to Jen Fitzgerald for her excellent editing.

All the stories are set in Dew Drop, Texas during the Sweet Tea Festival in August.  My story is about a retired full bird colonel who’s returned to her home town to find an old high school friend, now retired military, has also returned home. Do they still feel anything for each other, or have they moved past that long-ago flame? I hope you’ll take a spin with us through Lone Star Love. Kudos to short story writers. It’s a tough job. 🙂

So, do you read or write short stories? What do you like about them? If you get our book and read the stories, we’d really appreciate a review. Love to hear from you.

marsha@marsharwest.com  http://www.marsharwest.com 

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