Short Life Story

A collection of compelling short stories from talented contemporary writers

Latest Stories

The Tuesday Morning Archive

The morning fog hung over Oakland like a gray wool blanket, the kind that made the Bay Bridge disappear into nothing and turned the port cranes into prehistoric ghosts. Esperanza Valdez checked her phone: 6:47 AM. Three minutes until Mrs...

By: Thomas Riverside | 18 min read

The Night Deliveries

Marcus Thompson's knee was killing him again. The old factory injury always acted up when it rained, and Detroit in November seemed to exist in a permanent state of drizzle...

By: James Blackwood | 19 min read

The Night Frequencies

The whispers began on a Tuesday night in February, when the Minnesota cold pressed against St. Catherine's Hospital like a living thing, making the windows cry with condensation...

By: David Sterling | 17 min read

The Weight of October Rain

The rain came to Detroit like a confession, soft at first, then harder, drumming against the aluminum roof of the food truck until Jamil could no longer hear the hiss of the cleaning oil on the flat-top grill...

By: Thomas Riverside | 22 min read

Our Authors

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Margaret Thornfield

Margaret Thornfield is a contemporary American writer whose stories are infused with subtle melancholy and deep understanding of the human condition. Born in a small Midwestern town, she learned to find beauty in the ordinary and discover stories in the simplest encounters. Her work is distinguished by its lyricism and ability to convey complex emotions through everyday details and natural imagery.

43 stories
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James Blackwood

James Blackwood is a master of psychological suspense and atmospheric fiction. Born in a small New England town, he was surrounded from childhood by old legends and dark folklore. He worked as a high school teacher, which gave him deep insight into human psychology and the fears that shape us. His work excels at finding the extraordinary within the ordinary, transforming familiar situations into compelling psychological landscapes. He has a particular talent for exploring the inner demons of his characters and how ordinary people cope with extraordinary circumstances.

43 stories
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Eleanor Hartwell

Eleanor Hartwell is a master of psychological mystery and character-driven suspense. In her stories, mysteries interweave with subtle human dramas, and unexpected revelations keep readers engaged until the final lines. Hartwell creates a distinctive atmosphere where every character could be a suspect, and truth is always hidden in the details.

43 stories
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Thomas Riverside

Thomas Riverside is a writer whose works are filled with romantic longing, the search for meaning, and bittersweet human connections. His characters seek love and understanding in a world full of loss and change. Riverside has a gift for showing the fragility of human emotions while giving them eternal significance.

43 stories
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David Sterling

David Sterling is a master of philosophical fiction and speculative storytelling. His stories blend everyday life with unsettling glimpses of the future, forcing readers to consider humanity's place in a rapidly changing world. His work often explores themes of responsibility and the price of human choices.

43 stories