A New Halloween Short Story!

It’s spooky season, after all.

Welcome to October, lovely readers! I have a new short story for you this month: A Very Nottey Halloween. Set after the events of The Almost-Wedding of John Barron Grey, this story follows Terrance, vampire assassin, as he is confounded repeatedly by small children and bittersweet memory.

Strange children. Strange costumes. A strange night, all around, with an unexpected party.

“Trick or treat!” say the little nips, and I can hardly believe it’s happening.

There are seven of them, and if they’re even that many years old, I’ll eat my own arm. What in hell’s name are they doing all the way out here? It’s not a place for children, nor humans at all, long abandoned since the climate crisis took the water and the wind. There’s but monsters here now, and it’s no place for kids. “You li’l nippers for real?”

“Irish?” gasps the little girl in the dragon costume.

They’re killing me. This is too cute, this is impossible, they’re killing me, and I’m the killer. “Aye, and begorah,” I go, and they all laugh.

“Trick or treat!” repeats the boy with pink lenses.

Da’, where the hell are you? “How’d you get all the way out here? We’re miles from—”

They all babble at once, pointing back at the enormous four-row monstrosity that drove ‘em here, idling past the garden.

I don’t know who’s in that thing. Windows are dark. Wind is quiet. If a human were driving it, I’d know, but I get nothing—not a heartbeat or a breath, not a hint of stray thought.

My hackles are up.

I had a lot of fun with this one. Easter eggs everywhere—and a handy guide at the end (with links to the wiki, fan art, and more) to ensure you know who’s who in this thing, and why they matter.

Other Updates

It’s been a busy month for back-end work. The site has been MASSIVELY redesigned for ease of understanding, including a timeline, wiki (in progress for the rest of my life), and organized short stories by character, location, and book.

It’s kind of a sprawling universe I’ve built here, so it’s about time I made a roadmap. 🙂 Obviously, all of this is still being refined, so please forgive any errors.

In other news, I’m slowly culling the massive number of social media sites I post the daily pep-talks on. It’s just a matter of figuring out where the videos can actually help people. If you have a suggestion, hit reply and let me know. I’ll post these things anywhere they might do some good.

Want More?

For regular updates, check out my Patreon. I have a free tier, and I love meeting new readers there. That’s also where I post most of my work-in-progress snippets.

And as I mentioned, I post daily pep-talks for creatives who struggle like I have with block, fear, and other issues of identity and worth.

If you’re new here…

Who the heck am I again?

My name is Ruthanne, and I do two things: I write weird stuff to entertain you, and I help other creatives make weird stuff, too.

I’ve published six books and fifty-plus short stories. I’ve led a convention panel on world-building, and taught courses on plot and character development. I’ve been the keynote speaker for the Write Practice Retreat.

I’ve also been dealing with severe chronic illness that left me hospitalized, and that pretty much slowed everything down. But the thing is, we all have a whole host of problems these days, don’t we?

I believe creation is deeply important, and one of the most human things we can do. It communicates truths we may not even consciously know. That’s why I keep writing, no matter how challenging life becomes; and it’s why I make daily videos to help other creatives, too.

We may be in an apocalypse of A.I. and unscrupulous corporations, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still be human. We create for one another, and yes—even the tiniest, silliest creation matters.

If you’re curious, my website has tons of free short stories, as well as three novellas and two novels, with more on the way. I also do daily pep-talks for creatives with a focus on those who struggle with creative block.

Currently, this newsletter is free, and I plan for it to stay that way. I also do regular updates through Patreon, with membership levels starting at “free” and $1 a month. 

Questions? Comments?

Hit “reply,” and ask me anything! Subscribe if you haven’t already, and you’ll get Simon Night’s story free. I look forward to getting to know you.

See you on the written page!

-Ruthanne Reid