Fiction | J.R. Johnson

Posts Tagged ‘Fiction’

Beware of Bite

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, drabble, Drabble Dabble Do, Fiction, genre fiction, pesky vampires, teeth, writing on August 5, 2022| Leave a Comment »

A new drabble:

Beware of Bite

He waited until the end of the appointment to ask, fingers brushing as she handed over his new bite guard.

“Are you free later?”

“Sorry?”

“I have a thing for dental hygienists,” he said, winking.

She looked him over. He knew what she saw, though he hadn’t seen it himself in years. A tall drink of dark and handsome, only slightly marred by two remarkably sharp canines.

“Sure, why not?”

“It’s almost 7:00. When do you get off?”

“Eight o’clock.”

“Can’t wait.”

Just enough time to prepare, he thought, dropping the bite guard into his bag with all the others.

* * *

*Photo by Niranjan _ Photographs on Unsplash*

Read Full Post »

Cream of the Crop

Posted in Funny, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, science fiction, Writers, writing on July 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »

While chatting with my father about a sci-fi book he’s reading, I remembered this short bit of free fiction from John Scalzi. Now I share it with you, too.

When the Yogurt Took Over: A Short Story | Whatever

When the yogurt took over, we all made the same jokes – “Finally, our rulers will have culture,” “Our society has curdled,” “Our government is now the cream of the crop,” and so on. But when we weren’t laughing about the absurdity of it all, we looked into each others’ eyes with the same unasked question – how did we ever get to the point where we were, in fact, ruled by a dairy product?

Enjoy!

* * *

Read Full Post »

Out to Lunch

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Em Liu, Fiction, Fireside, free fiction, genre fiction, Writers, writing on July 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »

It’s a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon and (full transparency here) I find myself sorely lacking in motivation. Since we’ve had a mini “aliens on Earth” theme this week, let’s round it out with a short story from Fireside.

The Tourist by Em Liu
He goes to Earth alone.

* * *

Read Full Post »

Who Knew?

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, Thoughts, unexpected, Writers, writing on July 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »

What do you know, some people actually did read Playboy for the articles!

Read 10 of the Best Stories Ever Published in Playboy ‹ Literary Hub

…while Hefner was indeed a man who collected and commodified women and called it “feminism,” it doesn’t change the fact that the joke about reading Playboy for the articles isn’t really a joke. The magazine has published some fantastic interviews, essays, and—most importantly for our purposes here—fiction over the years, the latter thanks in part to expert fiction editor Alice K. Turner…
Since its inception, Playboy has published work by Vladimir Nabokov, James Baldwin, Shirley Jackson, Nadine Gordimer, Doris Lessing, John Updike, John Cheever, P. G. Wodehouse, Arthur C. Clarke, John Irving, Roald Dahl, Frank Herbert, Stephen King, Norman Mailer, Joyce Carol Oates, Philip K. Dick, Ray Bradbury, Annie Proulx, and many other greats.

Almost all of the stories on this list are available to read online (via sites that will not get you in trouble at work, bonus). So enjoy the classic fiction, folks, while appreciating the venues we now have for sci-fi and other fiction.

* * *

Read Full Post »

Tipping Point

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, aliens, climate change, creativity, drabble, Drabble Dabble Do, Fiction, genre fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing on July 20, 2022| 2 Comments »

A drabble inspired by my love for science fiction. Also, the news.

Tipping Point, or, Oil Lobbyists Celebrate Over Drinks (London, UK, Earth)
Four oil lobbyists drank martinis around a mahogany table in a richly-appointed bar, celebrating. Their efforts had finally succeeded.
The lobbyist at the South end of the table grinned.
“Did you see the news? 40C! God, we’re good.”
West puffed on a Cuban cigar. “They say it’s the new normal. I’d say we’re ready.”
North shivered in the frigid air. “Agreed. Make the call.”
East opened a communicator that looked like a prop from Star Trek.
“Base? Terraforming is complete. Send the first wave of settlers.”
South looked at his fleshy fingers.
“Can’t wait to get out of these clothes.”

* * *

*Photo by Jarosław Kwoczała on Unsplash*

Read Full Post »

A Gem of a Book

Posted in Likes, Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, free fiction, genre fiction, Parsec Ink, publications, Thoughts, Writers, writing, yay on July 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

I am very happy to announce the publication of Parsec Ink’s latest anthology, Triangulation: Energy.

The theme is sustainable energy: can we find a way to keep up with—or exceed—our present and future energy consumption levels while keeping our space livable?

Is it science fiction? Yes. Does it showcase positive takes on our energy challenges? Yes. Was I fortunate enough to have a story in it, alongside a roster of terrific authors? Yes!

The anthology is available in Kindle and paperback formats. Curious about what’s inside? Check out the Kindle preview for a sample of the first three entries, including my own story, The Jewel of New Stoltz. I know I wrote it and all, but I’m happy to be able to share a story I love.

Hope you like it too.

* * *

Read Full Post »

Blankety Blank Blank

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, Charlie Jane Anders, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, productivity, Thoughts, Writers, writing on June 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

If you’ve ever had writers’ block you’ll know that it is, hmm, not fun. In my experience, getting past it requires taking a step back and reassessing your project, your goals, and your self. It can also help to understand what kind of block you’re dealing with. For that, Charlie Jane Anders has some advice:

The 10 Types of Writers’ Block (and How to Overcome Them)

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the terrifying mystique of Writer’s Block, it’s better to take it apart and understand it — and then conquer it. Here are 10 types of Writer’s Block and how to overcome each type.

* * *

Read Full Post »

Treasure Unending

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing on June 12, 2022| Leave a Comment »

You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
— Maya Angelou

* * *

Read Full Post »

How to Predict the Future

Posted in Writing, tagged #365Ways, #365Ways2022, creativity, Fiction, genre fiction, Thoughts, Writers, writing on June 10, 2022| Leave a Comment »

The title on this post is not quite fair; the actual article I’m sharing with you today is perhaps better categorized as how to think about the future. Still, as a reader and writer of speculative fiction I like the concept.

Will this approach help you to predict the next Stanley Cup winner? Maybe not, but it does seem helpful for building plausible alternate, slipstream and near-future worlds.

How to Be Less Wrong

Last year, some colleagues and I invited people from around the world to compete in a tournament to predict the future. Over the course of seven months, more than 2,000 participants registered over 20,000 predictions… here are their key principles and practices…

* * *