American Short

A rural town finds itself under the authoritarian sway of a tree that punishes children. A pair of old friends navigate their fraught history as strange happenings escalate in a Mexican restaurant. A pair of narcissistic friends wreak havoc on an activist community. An aloof young man finds himself living through his lover’s memories. And a day of LARPing takes a cosmic turn.

What does it mean to be other? What does it mean to love in a world determined to keep us apart? These questions murmur in the heart of each of Brenda Peynado’s strange and singular stories. Threaded with magic, transcending time and place, these stories explore what it means to cross borders and break down walls, personally and politically.

Their lives are so horrible Mack asks Len if they're cursed. When does it end? When do the bad things stop happening and when does the fog of trauma begin to lift? People say it gets better. Does it, though? Mack Kolmann and Leonard Manyhorses are orphans living on the mountain. As they get older, they depend on each other for everything. Tragedy brings them together, but another tragedy separates them for years. Mack comes back from the war and finds Len is gone. He sets out on a journey to find Len and bring him back to the mountain. Is it possible they've shared too much trauma? Has ...

Melody Ramsey has a daring and dangerous thirst for adventure in this inspirational Civil War romance. A governor’s daughter, she is in the unique position of meeting President Abraham Lincoln when news of the war breaks out. In fact, her father, the Governor of Minnesota, is the first to offer troops to Lincoln in response to his proclamation to put down the Confederate rebellion. She has no idea how she’ll accomplish the mission in her heart, but she has a courageous if not overly zealous idea to become a spy before she settles down into becoming a teacher. Since she doesn’t see how...

Nikki is tired of being single, childless, and unhappy. At thirty-five, she ready to start a family, and offers her best friend a chance to be her baby daddy. Her plan goes according to plan, however, what she didn’t expect was to catch feelings for him… The Proposal is a steamy BWWM interracial romance. This short story is 4,400 words and is for mature readers only.

Roxie Stillwater’s father gets her a job with his oldest friend, the CEO of a software company, Griffin Graham. Roxie and Griff form an instant attraction and connection – but Griff is old enough to be her father. How can she have a love relationship with her boss? What will her father say? Roxie knows her dad will kill them both if he finds out. And yet more trouble arrives when Griff’s ex-wife decides she wants Griff for her own. Sneaking behind her father’s back makes Roxie very uncomfortable, but she’s helplessly falling in love with Griff. Nor does she dare tell her dad. How ...

There's a saying in Brooklyn that if you come from my part of town, you're from around the way. Well Lyric, Juicy, and Precious are all from around the way. They all live in Crown Heights, one of the most notorious sections of Brooklyn, but to them it's just a place they call home. Around the Way Girls 2 is a fast-paced look at the life of some street-smart women who think they know it all but are about to get the lessons of their lives.

In 1885 Idaho Territory, widow Victoria Hayes would rather face down claim jumpers with her derringer than lose her late husband's star garnet mine. But when a mysterious prospector with a fighter's grace arrives offering help, she must decide if protecting her claim is worth risking her heart. James "Hawk" Davidson has his own reasons for helping the determined widow—as an undercover agent investigating a string of suspicious mining accidents, he believes her husband's death was no accident. Yet the more time he spends with Victoria, the more he admires her courage and faith in the face ...

American Horror Stories "The Lady in Lavender" Callie was horrifically abused by her husband in the late 1800’s. She was helpless in how to protect her children or herself and poisoned him. Because of her guilt she came back to haunt the area where she lived. When Callie meets a little girl who is living in a similar situation something happens to change both of their spirits. “A Scarecrow for Maggie” Maggie, an artist at heart makes scarecrows for the locals where she lives in Kentucky to make extra money. When she starts making money from her scarecrows, things start getting nasty. ...

A Spicy BWWM Interracial Romance Jazmine: Of all the things I thought I would be doing at twenty-four, hiring a male escort was not one of them, but it was the only thing I could think of to help me prepare for my big date and little did I know, how life-changing it would be. Daniel: I tried to tell myself that she was just a client but she wasn't. The moment I saw Jazmine, I knew what I was feeling was different. I didn't want to be her practice, I wanted her to be mine. A Spicy & Sweet Interracial Love Story Love Practice is a steamy interracial instalove romance that will make the ...

In the bustling streets of Harborview, where whispers of romance dance on the salty breeze, one woman stands at the helm of her destiny. Meet Alice, the determined owner of Seaside Pages, Harborview's beloved bookshop where stories come to life and dreams take flight. For Alice, love is but a distant memory, buried beneath the weight of duty and independence. But when Captain Nathan Reynolds, a charming sailor with eyes as deep as the ocean, walks into her shop, Alice finds herself swept away by a tempest of emotions she thought long dormant. As Nathan's presence ignites a spark within her,...

Welcome to the fascinating Yoruba religious culture! This will be a brief introduction to the Yoruba Religion. Whether you are reading this because you have just received your Mano de Orula or are curious about the ceremony, You are in the right place! I will explain in simple words what it consists of, how the ceremony is performed, its preparations, my personal experience in Cuba, and the meaning for the community. An added touch will be the images. The practitioners of the Yoruba Religion come from different parts of the world. The information it contains was consulted specifically in ...

A short read (very short - 21 pages) set in January 1921 in New York City. Join Sadie Brown, investigative reporter, and Roger Siebert, photographer, on their picture-perfect honeymoon. At least it started out as perfect. But, when a large steamer trunk mysteriously appears in their honeymoon suite, it's the beginning of a cozy mystery. The strange trunk and its even stranger owner draw the newlyweds into a scheme involving stolen goods, a ransom note, and blackmail.

AN AFRICAN AMERICAN URBAN ROMANCEMelissa was the quite shy girl that no one noticed. She had a few friends who consisted of her roommate since freshmen year Carissa and Chantel who was the only friend that she’s had since her childhood, she was mainly the only thing that she vaguely remembered from her childhood. She’s in a relationship with Chantel’s fraternal twin brother Mike who later cheats on her. In the beginning of her junior year in college she meets this guy named August, and he's known for only wanting one thing from girls and that's sex but he see’s something different ...

"Nine Lives" by Kiki Swinson: Wild-card Aiden. Dead-shot Ava. Killing nine targets in 10 days will be this brother-sister hit team's biggest score yet. But as Ava sets up their final target, she falls hard for him and a chance at a normal life. "The Crushed Ice Clique" by Noire: At first all ghetto princesses Honore and Cucci want is quick cash-flow. But after sexing jewelry distributor Slimy Sam and learning his illegal tricks of the trade, they assemble a crack team of thieves for one dazzling scam.

To Chinese American teenager Chuntao, New Lake is a beautiful haven where she can hunt for treasures once swallowed up by a big flood. But when she’s caught scavenging by her biology teacher, a woman whose own past has been swept away, Chuntao is faced with an imponderable question: Which world was better - the ideal one she never knew or the destroyed one that now belongs to her?

Lisa Johnson isn’t a fan of Valentine’s Day, until she is surprised with a bouquet of roses from a secret admirer. Once she finds out who he is, she falls head over heels for him in this holiday instalove steamy romance. This short BWWM interracial story is 3,000 words long and is for mature readers only!

In episode five of Confessions of a Police Officer, Trent and Officer Justin Landon try to keep their rendezvous a secret but it's hard when they are both under the same roof as Officer Landon's live in girlfriend, Natalie. Will she find out about her boyfriend's proclivities or will be be successful maintaining their illicit affair. Take the bribe, and I’ll let you slide deep inside. I’m Officer Landon, a straight police officer who fantasizes about being with black men. I desire to be with them intimately and romantically, but I never indulge because I’m straight, shy, and have a ...

In episode six of Confessions of a Straight Police Officer, Things get interesting when Natalie, Officer Landon’s girl, admits she’s open to a threesome. But when Officer Justin Landon chooses Trent as the guy he’d like to be the third wheel, things take a turn in a direction neither one of them could anticipate. Is their relationship ready for a threesome or is someone going to get jealous? Take the bribe and I’ll let you slide deep inside. I’m Officer Landon and I'm a straight police officer who fantasizes about being with men. My weakness is black men. I desire to be with them ...

Navy Wife: Lindy Kyle flees to Seattle to weather a broken heart, but is unprepared for a roommate like Rush Callaghan. Strong, sensitive, and sexy, the temporarily dry-docked naval officer is everything she’s ever dreamed of in a man...and in a husband. Though they are swept away on a tide of passion, Rush holds duty to his country above all else. Navy Blues: Despite her ex-husband’s stubbornness, Carol knows Lieutenant Commander Steve Kyle would be the perfect man to father the child she so desperately wants.