Recognized by The Saturday Evening Post as one of the Top 10 Most Popular New Fiction Stories of 2020.

“Nuclear holocaust is abhorrent, but eating your pets is just depressing…”

In February of 2020, author and public school teacher Bryan Starchman set out on a four month road trip in honor of the 60th anniversary of John Steinbeck’s nonfiction classic Travels with Charley. After eighteen months of planning, nothing could stop him from visiting all 50 states and writing about how America had changed since Steinbeck traveled the country in 1960. But “the best laid plans of mice and men, oft go astray”, especially during a pandemic.

A troubled 12-year-old boy moves from L.A. to a small Northern California town; every afternoon while his parents work, he is home alone with his thoughts, his anger, and a .22 caliber rifle.

An unhappy husband kills his neighbor’s wife so that his wife will be put to death under “law of vindication.”

A firefighter looking to make some extra cash turns to arson.

(MFA PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA)

A haunting chance encounter during a cross country road trip makes the author question whether or not he can actually read lips.

The story of a small town gravedigger who is tired of living in the shadow of his family’s tragedy.

(UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN)

A one-act play inspired by the recent college admissions scandals. How far would parents be willing to go to get their child into a top tier college?

Be advised: Strong Language Warning

Editor’s pick for “Story Sunday”, June 13 2021

A hoarder addicted to the Home Shopping Network keeps calling up to order more and more products just so she can have someone to talk with.

Over the course of three scenes we follow two bros, named Derek and Brad, who ignore COVID-19 in Las Vegas, ignore the bubonic plague in 1606 England, and finally ignore the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. Featured on Pages 25-35.

A man tries to get back in the dating game by going on a blind date but soon realizes that things have changed in the past decade as he faces not only a single woman looking for love but also her lawyer.

Featured on pages 146-151

COMING SPRING 2021

An artist records subjects sharing the moments their lives were forever changed by tragedy but one subject takes exception with the “art” made from these interviews.

AVAILABLE IN THEIR SUMMER 2021 EDITION

An elderly grocery store clerk dreams of a desk job and a second chance at life.

Published October 6, 2021

A serial killer and satanist on death row is executed and can’t wait to sit at the right hand of the devil but he soon realizes that his version of Hell is very different from what he imagined.

Honorable mention winner in the 2021 Flash Fiction Contest.

(MISSISSIPPI UNIVERSITY FOR WOMEN), COMING FALL 2021

First place winner of the Tennessee Williams 10:4 Tenn National Ten-minute Playwriting Contest. This short play will be performed at the Tennessee Williams Tribute Festival in Columbus, Mississippi.

“She’s Dead to Me” tells the story of a man whose missing daughter returns after six years but something is terribly unsettling about her appearance. This play went on to inspire the full-length screenplay Atomic Falls.