My Short Stories

Tales of mystery, magic, love, and myth.

Illustration for 'Red Ribbons' by David Gentry. Copyright David Gentry.

Note: Most of my non-Kat-related short stories are written for adults rather than teenagers or younger readers. A few have a PG-13 rating.

Kat Stephenson Short Stories (linked to the Kat Books)

Duelling Magicks

Taking place between Kat Books 1 and 2 and given away free online as a gift to Kat readers - read it here.

A Desperate Case for Magick

Taking place just after the end of Kat Book 1 and first published in Puffin Post, November 2011 - read it on my blog.

Short Stories Available as E-books

Some Girlfriends Can (a chick lit fantasy short story written for adults)

First published in Strange Horizons, November 2004. Now available as an ebook on Amazon.com, Amazon.co.uk, and Smashwords (in all e-formats).
Honorable Mention, Strange Horizons Readers' Choice Poll 2004.
Republished in Escape Pod - 8 September 2005 - Listen to free audio podcast.

Undead Philosophy 101 (upper YA, funny urban fantasy)

First published in the December Lights Project December 2010. Now available as an ebook on Smashwords, Amazon.com, or Amazon.co.uk.

Historical Fantasy Stories

The Unladylike Education of Agatha Tremain

To be published in the anthology Willful Impropriety, edited by Ekaterina Sedia, due to come out in the US and UK in summer 2012.

True Names

First published in Strange Horizons, 9 November 2009 - Read free online.

The Five Days of Justice Merriwell

First published in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, 26 March 2009 - Read free online.

Blue Joe

First published in Shimmer Magazine, Issue 10, March 2009 - Read free online.
Republished in Bewere the Night, ed. Ekaterina Sedia, April 2011.

Stitching Time (PG-13)

First published in The Fortean Bureau, March 2005 - Read free online.
Republished in Pseudopod, 6 April 2007 - Listen to free audio podcast.
Reprinted in Diet Soap, Issue 2, May 2008.

Ivy and Thorn

First published in Grendelsong, Issue 1, September 2006.
Reprinted in Quantum Kiss, March 2007 - Read free online.
Selected as a finalist for the 2007 Washington Science Fiction Association's Small Press Award.

Accident of Birth

First published in Lone Star Stories, October 2005 - Read free online.

Modern Fantasy Stories

Dancing in the Dark (PG-13)

First published in Daily Science Fiction, May 2012 - Read free online.

Offerings

First published in Fantasy Magazine, August 2009 - Read free online.

It's All About the Shoes (PG-13)

First published in Flytrap, Issue 8, November 2007.

Crow

First published in The Town Drunk, May 2007 - Read free online.

Retold Myths and Mythical Stories

Inside the Tower

First published in Strange Horizons, January 2005 - Read free online.
Reprinted in Jabberwocky anthology, ed. Sean Wallace, July 2005.

Foxwoman

First published in Aeon, Issue 8, August 2006 - Read free online.

The Little Tailor

First published in Say..., May 2005.
Republished in Serendipity, Issue 3, November 2007 - Read free online.

By the Light of the Dark (PG-13)

First published in Grendelsong, April 2007.
Republished in Quantum Kiss, January 2008 - Read free online.

Giant

First published in Lone Star Stories, December 2004 - Read free online.
Republished in Podcastle, 18th April 2008 - Listen to free audio podcast.
Republished in The Lone Star Stories Reader anthology, November 2008.
Nominated for the 2004 Speculative Literature Foundation Fountain Award.

Hide-and-Seek

First published in Flytrap, Issue 2, May 2004 - Read free online.

Breath of Clay

First published in Jewish Sci-Fi Stories for Kids anthology, ed. Yaacov Peterseil, 1999.

Science Fiction Stories

Iota Draconis

First published in The Sixty: Arts of Andy Bigwood, a science fiction anthology and art book ed. (and illustrated by) Andy Bigwood, April 2011.
Shared on my blog for free, August 2011 - Read free online.

The Andrassi Agreement (PG-13)

First published in Lone Star Stories, December 2008 - Read free online.

Behind the Rules (PG-13)

First published in Forgotten Worlds, July 2006.
Republished in Escape Pod, 28th March 2008 - Listen to free audio podcast.

After the Change (PG-13)

First published in Future Bristol anthology, ed. Colin Harvey, April 2009.

Adventure Fantasy Stories

Fire Magic

(Co-written with Patrick Samphire.)
First published in Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine, Issue 23, June 2006.
Shared on Patrick's website, 2010 - Read free online.

How to Recognize a Dragon

First published in Full Unit Hookup, Issue 9, August 2008.

Horror Stories

Locked Doors

First published in Strange Horizons, January 2007 - Read free online.
Republished in Pseudopod, 27th April 2007 - Listen to free audio podcast.
Republished in Running With the Pack, ed. Ekaterina Sedia, April 2010.
Honorable Mention in The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 2008: 21st Annual Collection, ed. Ellen Datlow, Kelly Link, and Gavin J. Grant.

Red Ribbons (PG-13)

First published in Black Static, Issue 11, June 2009.

Wolf's Kin (PG-13)

First published in Space and Time Magazine, July 2009.

Ghost Stories

Speaking English

First published in Belong, ed. Russell B. Farr, April 2010.

In This Section

What they said

"laugh-out-loud fun ... witty, tart, and satisfying"

Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, The Fix
on "The Andrassii Agreement"

"witty and charming ... entertaining and meaningful"

Paul J. Iutzi, The Fix
on "It's All About the Shoes"