James Pyles's Blog

Fifty-seven drabbles. All military science fiction. Each tale is exactly one-hundred words long. Four of the stories are mine. Buy A Lady A Drink? – Sakura’s war ended when she crashed on a backwater planet, but that didn’t end her story. Mindwar – The wars were supposed to be simulated and supposedly no one died […]

Olena came to America from a war-torn country in Europe for a better life. Home was hardly the place to encourage her, but then great music comes from pain. The last thing she felt in her life was pain. Riding a light-rail home she didn’t know she was in danger until the first stab. He […]

First of all, I got cover credit, so I’m really happy. My short story “Dead Cat Fever” will be featured in the Wisecraft Publishing anthology “Fantastic Schools Familiars.” This is part of a much larger series in which I’m only sparingly represented. I promise you that my protagonist Daphne and her familiar Skinner aren’t nearly […]

Larry hurt all over. He was too old to be tramping through the woods. His legs felt as wooden as his cane. He’d fall without the support and even if he didn’t break a hip, he might not be able to get back up. “Made it,” he croaked. He had no idea how the remains […]

I’ve been systematically going through The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher and late last night, I finished Ghost Story (2011) the thirteenth in the series. Oh man. Spoiler Alert! Stop here if you haven’t read the novel and want to be surprised (and there are a lot of surprises to be had). You have […]

Another séance, another summoning, another mystery solved, or whatever. Robert lost count of all the spectral visitations he had performed in order to pay for his modest home in the suburbs (ridiculously overpriced). The clients and spirits had all left half an hour ago, the candles were burnt out, and he sat back on the […]

Ten of my drabbles (the maximum number allowed) are featured in this anthology. A SINGLE MOMENT –– A HUNDRED WORDS –– A UNIVERSE OF POSSIBILITIES What happens after the unknown has arrived? When the echoes of first contact fade, humanity is left to navigate the tremors of change — new alliances, fragile peace, simmering conflicts, […]

“Not this one either, Lilly,” Martin complained. “This isn’t a person, just some building.” “You wanted a bob,” said the virtual avatar. “As in haircut, not a…” He consulted his heads-up menu. “Big Old Building.” The immediate environment shuffled through a series of images like cards. “You didn’t like Hailey Bieber, Jenna Ortega, Zendaya, Megan […]

“Where are we, Sarah?” Five-year-old Emily sat in the grass with her best friend from kindergarten. “The old graveyard,” said Sarah. “It’s where you find dead people.” Emily’s mouth gaped. “You mean like my pet turtle that Mommy buried in the backyard?” “I mean like Great-Grandma who was so old she didn’t know her own […]

I just finished Jim Butcher’s Changes (2011), book twelve in The Dresden Files series and it is over-the-top great. Spoiler Alert! If you haven’t read this book yet, are a fan of the series, and want to be surprised STOP READING HERE! You have been warned. One of the dangers any series faces is falling […]