Just a quick note to let you know that there is a new story up at the middle grade short story blog I run with fellow MG writers Stefan Bachmann (The Peculiar), Katherine Catmull (Summer and Bird), and Emma Trevayne (the upcoming Coda).
What’s that, you say? A middle grade short story blog?
Why, YES. It is called The Cabinet of Curiosities.
I have been woefully quiet about the Cabinet here at my main blog, but that is only because I am SO BUSY right now, not because I am not over-the-moon happy with the Cabinet of Curiosities project and how FUN it is has been to work with these three amazing authors.
Basically, the Cabinet is a site for middle grade short stories — specifically, dark and creepy and whimsical middle grade fiction (along the likes of, say, Cavendish and The Year of Shadows!). Once a week, one of us Curators posts a new story fitting that month’s theme. For example, our theme for January was cake (to celebrate the Cabinet’s inaugural month), and our theme for February is love (for obvious reasons; but don’t think that our stories are all chocolate and roses and sugary-sweet romance! don’t you do it!).
Why did we open this site? To experiment with short fiction, to dabble in the dark middle grade world we all love so much, and because there is so not enough of said dark middle grade out there. We want MOAR horror, MOAR creepiness, MOAR macabre whimsy!
Tim Burton, eat your heart out.
As I said, today’s story is by yours truly — a tale about love between a girl named Jackie and a . . . well, I won’t give it away, but his name is Mr. Jimmy. And he doesn’t smell very nice.
The story’s title is “Red Shoes and Doll Parts.” Head on over and check it out — if you dare.
(Also, you can follow the Cabinet’s Curators on Twitter!)
Loved your first story – off to read the second!