SHORT FICTION AND CREATIVE NONFICTION

Prior to The Ghost Case Posse, my writing concentrated on short fiction and creative nonfiction. When I often worked sixty-plus-hour weeks as an attorney, reading—and eventually writing—short stories was much easier to accomplish in brief respites from work than was reading or writing novels.

Below I provide links to some of my short work that has been published in literary magazines within the last few years. (All stories available free through the links.)

Some of my short fiction involves mystery and crime, but my writing is not limited to that genre. The short descriptions below will give you a brief preview of what the stories are about.

“The Nicest Guy in World”—A friendly stranger renews an angry ex-boxer’s faith in humanity—for a while.

“The Final Portrait”—Marisol’s artist father has angered the ruling junta’s officials by refusing to paint their portraits. Now she, too, is in their crosshairs—with only her extraordinary artistic powers left to oppose them.

“An Answer to His Prayer”— An actuary for an insurance company is haunted by faces of the anonymous masses whose deaths he has forecast. He decides to pray for his deliverance despite knowing their prayers will not be answered—and the result is chilling.

“The Last Caller”—Hard-living Jack Stone is celebrating another year of having cheated death, but his New Year’s Eve revelry is interrupted by a most unexpected visitor.

“Fortuna on Holiday”–Drug thieves learn about luck, fate, and fortune—the hard way.

“The Skipper”–A baseball story (sort of).

If you’ve only got a minute (literally) check out these microfictions:

“Cornbread”–A bad boy’s failure to heed his grandmother’s dietary advice doesn’t end well.

“Micro Revenge”—Do you really want to make fun of a guy who writes microfiction? Do you?

“Triptych—A Life in Three Panels”–A man’s lifelong spiritual journey, expressed in few words.

I also write creative nonfiction, based on real events in my life:

My Italian immigrant grandfather tries to cross a cultural divide with his American grandson (me) in “The Father’s Day Goat.”

I realize during a summer job in high school that racism may have been overcome by another form of bigotry in “Bait and Prejudice.” [Scroll to page 108] RECENTLY NOMINATED FOR A PUSHCART PRIZE IN LITERATURE!

American, Canadian, and Australian tourists in Scotland react differently when their trip is stalled by silly government regulations in “The Nanny Bus.”

I’ve written many other short stories that have been published in print and online literary magazines since 2010, and I continue to write new ones. Links to most of the older stories no longer are active. I’m contemplating publishing a book or two of stories but first making selected ones available so you can read them (free). Stay tuned.

I hope you enjoy my writing!

Joe