Tag Archives: Fiction

“What is the purpose of all this?”

Posted on May 29, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

In the beginning, God created the earth, and he looked upon it in His cosmic loneliness. And God said, “Let Us make living creatures out of mud, so the mud can see what We have done.” And God created every … Continue reading →

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Happy Short Story Month

Posted on May 4, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

May is Short Story Month so why not celebrate by reading some classic short fiction. Here’s a list of short story collections worth visiting this month, or any time. James Baldwin’s Going to Meet the Man J. G. Ballard’s The Complete … Continue reading →

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The supply of strange ideas is not endless.

Posted on April 30, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

“The Flight of Pigeons from the Palace” by Donald Barthelme In the abandoned palazzo, weeds and old blankets filled the rooms. The palazzo was in bad shape. We cleaned the abandoned palazzo for ten years. We scoured the stones. The … Continue reading →

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Stephen King Rules

Posted on January 26, 2023 by Brian D. Butler

Stephen King is widely considered to be royalty when it comes to popular fiction writing. In recent years, he has also become a voice for political sanity in the U.S., as well. So when King shares writing tips, we all … Continue reading →

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Very, very bad reviews

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I am a staunch adherent to the notion that all art and literature is subjective. The works that I enjoy, you might hate and vice versa. So, I am generally hesitant to comment negatively or post bad reviews. However, I … Continue reading →

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Not another Book of the Year List

Posted on December 14, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

It’s that time of the year when the “Best Books of the Year” lists come out. While I mine the lists for reading recommendations, I hesitate to generate my own list. Reading tastes are so subjective. In fact, I frequently … Continue reading →

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Ghost Stories of an Antiquary

Posted on October 22, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

Each year the Halloween season seems to engender new found interest in both popular and lesser known spooky stories. Those of us raised on classic ghost tales likely are familiar with the work of M.R. James, but younger generations may … Continue reading →

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The Drowned Giant

Posted on August 25, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

The Complete Short Stories of JG Ballard contains a treasure trove for fans of the English novelist, short story writer, satirist, and essayist known for provocative works of fiction which explore the relationships between human psychology, technology, sex, and mass … Continue reading →

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Library of Short Stories

Posted on April 11, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

I recently discovered The Library of Short Stories  a website which compiles and shares out-of-copyright short fiction. The free site collects short stories across various genres. There’s classic Conan Doyle,Lovecraft, Dickens, Poe, and so much more. Here’s what the site … Continue reading →

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“How can I begin anything new with all of yesterday in me?”

Posted on March 5, 2022 by Brian D. Butler

It was announced last week that a previously unpublished book by Leonard Cohen—rejected by two publishers and then set aside—will be published this October by Grove Press. The novel, A Ballet of Lepers, will be published with fifteen short stories and … Continue reading →

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