Background
Latest News

Literally Stories – Week 44

typewriter

Scrolling down our Twitter feed for Week 44, witnessing the variety of images that help ‘sell’ Literally Stories short stories it is impossible to ignore the diverse nature of our site.

Tumbleweed in an arid New Mexico landscape (we cheated, it’s Kansas), a church in the north of England (a church in the north of England),  a few billion galaxies (yep — we bring you real galaxies folks), a landscape with crows in flight courtesy of Van Gogh and finally, my favourite beach in the whole of Hawaii, Waialua.

Not all of the above statements are entirely true and accurate.

The joy of writing eh? Lying with style. Though it might be disputed that I know all the angles it is irrefutable I have mastered none of them!

~

The last time Friday began the week Monday staged a walk-out and Midweek came out in solidarity with Monday whilst the weekend said it couldn’t give a $!£* when the week started.

On that archaic note I deliver you something fresher. Well, LS newcomer, James C Clar’s does.

Continue reading “Literally Stories – Week 44”

All Stories, General Fiction, Science Fiction, Story of the Week

Clarisse by James C. Clar

typewriter

Hawaii is known for its near perfect weather, but a new report from the University of Hawaii’s Sea Grant program states that islands in the Pacific might be unrecognizable in the coming years as climate change makes them hotter, arid, stormy and even disease-ridden.

Huffington Post 8/28/2014

Experts have found very high levels of cesium-137 in plankton living in the waters of the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the west coast.

Nuclear Emergency Tracking Centre

Continue reading “Clarisse by James C. Clar”

All Stories, General Fiction

Noise by Caroline Taylor

typewriter

Sometimes, when it’s quiet, I am flooded with painful memories of what my life was like before moving to Poplar Hills. I remember especially the sounds of quiet: crows quarreling in the trees, the drone of bees, the occasional concert by a mockingbird. These were the sounds of peace. And they are absent from Poplar Hills, although I search for them often.

Continue reading “Noise by Caroline Taylor”

All Stories, General Fiction

Mum’s the Word by Jacqueline Grima

typewriter

The room felt cold, the curtains around each bed swaying slightly in a draft that seemed to come from nowhere. Dennis walked down the centre aisle, the soles of his work boots sucking at the floor. He stopped at his mother’s bed, stood at the end of it, waiting.

His mother eventually opened her eyes, the act seeming to take some effort. The skin of her face was slack and grey, seeming to have shrunk since the last time he visited. ‘Dennis…’

Continue reading “Mum’s the Word by Jacqueline Grima”

All Stories, Historical, Horror

Eye Witness by Frederick K.Foote

typewriter

 

He come in like dat. A black man on a black mare, seventeen hands, with three white socks. No saddle, no blanket, no shoes, bald head, no hat. Dat mare dancing and turning, kicking up the dust in the bright sun light.

I saw dat. Dat is what I saw.

Shadrach A. Williams

Recorded March 3, 1868

##

Continue reading “Eye Witness by Frederick K.Foote”

Background
Latest News

Literally Stories – Week 43

typewriter

Scouting locations for the 2015 Literally Stories Editors team-building weekend — or jolly as the vernacular would have it, is as you would imagine a thankless task, especially when the phrase ‘shoestring budget’ overstates the resources at your disposal.

A three-man ridge tent (for five) with en-suite latrine in the second week in December is hardly Glamping but should at least concentrate the literary mind.

Abii. Vidi. Unde digressus sum.

I went. I saw. I digressed.

Continue reading “Literally Stories – Week 43”

All Stories, Fantasy

The Plane That Flew Forever by GJ Hart

typewriter

In order to ascend vertically and eliminate the need for a runway, the plane was designed to mimic a helicopter on take-off. Then, once airborne, its propeller would shift through 90 degrees, transforming it neatly into a plane.

Neat on paper perhaps.

Due to low funds the whole operation must be effected entirely by hand. The propeller wound into place, the wings extended quickly, creating sufficient drag to lift the fuselage into place. Then the whole structure bolted tight. If they messed up, if they took too long, there was a chance the propellers force would tear the plane clean in half.

Continue reading “The Plane That Flew Forever by GJ Hart”

All Stories, In conversation with...

Literally Stories In Conversation with each other by Tobias Haglund

typewriter

Tobias: Welcome fellow editors to the Literally Stories Autumn summit.

Diane: Where is my drink?

Tobias: Oh I’m sorry. I didn’t bring any alcohol.

Hugh: PISH!

Diane: Oh deary… I thought for sure there would be a few bottles of wine. And some for you guys as well.

Continue reading “Literally Stories In Conversation with each other by Tobias Haglund”

Background
Latest News

Literally Stories – Week 42

typewriter

The last week has thrown up all manner of political oddities from around the world – and I’m not just referring to Donald Trump’s combover which must be standing on end at the news that Arnold Schwarzenegger (an immigrant no less) has stolen his old job on The Apprentice. The Labour Party in the UK has a new leader several light years left of centre. Australia is going through Prime Ministers faster than a stuttering sports team changes managers, and just this afternoon in Burkina Faso a very large chap in an army uniform locked up the President.

At Literally Stories we try and steer clear of politics. No military coups for us. No bloc voting. Just an oasis of calm, storytelling quality in a world of turmoil.

Continue reading “Literally Stories – Week 42”