Last week my latest story, “What the Elfmaid Brought,” appeared in Daily Science Fiction. DSF is a professional-paying market that publishes a wide gamut of fantasy and science fiction, primarily very short stories and flash fiction. Each weekday their website features a new story that is also sent out via email to their (free) subscription base. “Elfmaid” was a Friday story, which meant it was visible on the main DSF page for the whole weekend as well.

Sometimes writing stories for me is like pulling teeth, but other times a certain phrase or image strikes me and the entire thing sort of tumbles together. This was the case with “Elfmaid.” The kernel was an idea a friend of mine gave me in a conversation. He offered– in a context I can’t recall– the thought that the elfmaid gives the narrator at the beginning of this story. I liked the idea, and I like books and elfmaids and magic libraries, so I put them all together in this piece. It’s the second short surrealist bit I’ve written about interesting characters walking into my office. The first was about me losing my bicycle. This is about loss too but also about new beginnings. Take a look and let me know what you think. It got some nice feedback on Daily Science Fiction’s Facebook page.

In other updates, the work proceeds apace on my science fiction thriller, First Fleet. The first third of the novel (which will be serialized by Retrofit Publishing) has been accepted by the publisher, and I’m about two-thirds of the way through a draft of part two. I’ve seen some concept artwork from the artist designing the covers, and I’m quite excited. It’s been a fun process but a challenge as well as I’ve never attempted an extended narrative of this length. Stay tuned for more on this project . . .