Author Notes on “Teacher’s Pet”

After I used my story prompt device to create the short story, “Saturation Point” (read the author notes for “Saturation Point”), I decided to try again to write another story. I spun the wheels and received these instructions: the Setting was “school”, the Starter was “Remember when”, and for the Words, I was told to spin the wheel twenty times for twenty words. Well, that seemed excessive to me (!) so I only spun it a few times. These are the random words I remember getting: teacher’s pet, hypnotist, boss, and belly.

And so with those few prompts, I constructed “Teacher’s Pet”, a contemporary short story. I consider it a coming of age tale. In it, a now grown-up bully gets his comeuppance. “Teacher’s Pet” is over 1,500 words and sells for $0.99. Yep, another very short story.

Short Story Alert: As with all of my *very* short stories, I’d like to reduce the amount, however 99 cents is the lowest I’m allowed to go on Amazon and Smashwords. Again, periodically Smashwords holds a sale, and I can set the price to free at that time, so do check on the link every now and then.

Ever since Bill Nelson was a kid, bully “Mac” MacDonald always bested him. Now grown, Bill has a bit of an inferiority complex. To even the playing field, he visits a hypnotherapist who knows just how to handle the obnoxious Mac.

“Teacher’s Pet” was available at Fictionwise.com. After that site closed, I included the story in the anthology, LUCKY 13. The print version of LUCKY 13 is no longer available electronically, but still available in print from my website.

Thirteen delightful stories for your reading pleasure by Susanne Marie Knight

I’ve now re-released “Saturation Point” electronically at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com!

Nice guys: Don’t feel disheartened. Sometimes bullies finish last!

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This short story is part of the romantic contemporary line.

Here’s a poignant reader comment: “Ouch! Brings back memories!”

Real life snippet: No, I’ve never consulted with a hypnotherapist, but I have had appointments with professionals in metaphysical fields. One in particular did work out of her home. Her whole house was so peaceful, so serene that I didn’t want to leave! I based Dr. Jaycee Lane’s office on this experience.

Scene set up: Bill sets up his first appointment with a hypnotherapist.

The hypno office wasn’t far from mine. In fact, Dr. Lane worked out of her home. She greeted me at the front door, a lovely vision in a colorful robe, tortoise shell eyeglasses, and dark flowing hair.

“I have some forms for you to fill out, and then we can begin, Mr. Nelson,” Dr. Lane said in her melodious voice. “Please follow me.

I would’ve followed her anywhere!

She led me to a tranquil living room where mesmerizing flames crackled in the fireplace. New age music played softly in the background, sedating me further. When I sat on an overstuffed couch, I could hardly keep my eyes open. I guess I’d had a rougher day than I realized. Somehow I managed to complete the forms without falling asleep.

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I hope you enjoy Bill Nelson’s story!

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

Author Notes on “Special Delivery”

Special Delivery” was first conceived in the prior century! A new print publisher put out a call for short stories... novellettes, they called it. I was invited to submit. After thinking about the topic, I decided to write something that I often did back in the old days: wait for the mail! Why was I so preoccupied with the mail? Well, I was looking for acceptance letters, contracts, checks, that sort of thing. So naturally, I started to wonder what would happen if one day, the mail waited for me--or Ralph Dunmeyer, as it were. “Special Delivery”, a fantasy romance, is the result.

The publisher happily accepted “Special Delivery” and the new print publication, Notable Novellettes was marketed to airport shops, attracting travelers looking for quick fiction reads. Okay, you can guess what happened next... that’s right, the venture soon folded.

Next, “Special Delivery” was contracted with an online publisher. Here’s a blurb from their publicity sheet: "Ms. Knight brings her unique and fresh talent as a writer to the Dollar Download program. You, too, can experience the vivid style and sharp wit of this author..."

Readers who enjoyed Greek/Roman mythology loved this short story, and it received great review including:

10 STARS OUT OF 10 STARS!! Bookcrossing.com

5 STARS!! "Special Delivery" is a wonderful surprise. I started reading this story, not really knowing what to expect, and was delighted with the story Susanne Marie Knight brought to life. If you are at all familiar with Roman mythology, "Special Delivery" will have an added level of enjoyment as you meet the characters that change Ralph's life. The characters' veiled references to mythology as well as Ralph's dry wit will have you smiling at their levity and humor. Ralph has a self-deprecating sense of humor that blends well with the first person telling of this story. Ms. Knight's writing style and delivery ensures that readers are entertained and rewarded for taking the time to read her work. "Special Delivery" is a short story that delivers a quick, refreshing, and romantic twist that is sure to charm.--Fallen Angel Reviews

4 Roses! "Special Delivery" is a short story and only spans a few minutes in the life of Ralph [Dunmeyer]. The story is fast paced and the dialogue is great. We get to see what Ralph is thinking and feeling but not the other characters in the book, not even in the end. The Fates do have plans for everyone and they did a little show and tell with Ralph. You might learn that you don't have to change completely in order to find happiness and love. If you have a little time to spare and want to learn a little about Greek and Roman mythology then pick up "Special Delivery".--A Romance Review

Now “Special Delivery” is available for your reading pleasure at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com.

Ralph Dunmeyer thinks he is a failure. He wants to change everything about himself because change is good, right? When he reaches into his mailbox, he is taken on a journey to discover that maybe he isn’t such a bad person after all. 

What happens when a man who is convinced he is a failure, reaches into his mailbox and receives a very special delivery?

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This book is part of the Magical Fantasies line.

Time for a true life confession here: Sometimes, just like our hero, Ralph Dunmeyer, I go outside to get the mail looking like one of the not-ready-for-prime-time-players. No, of course I don’t need to shave (!) as Ralph does, but my hair can be little wonky, my clothes can be rather scruffy, and as for my makeup... well, sometimes it’s non-existent. So naturally, during those times, I hope, as Ralph does, that no passersby notice me.

Here’s a passage that shows Ralph trying to slink out of the house:

Now fortified with a blast of caffeine, I trotted down my front sidewalk to get the mail, hoping no passersby would see me in all my unshaven glory. As Fate would have it, no such luck. Mrs. Witherspoon, my neighbor across the street, dropped her gardening tools and brushed the dirt from her arthritic knees.

“Yoo hoo, Mr. Dunmeyer!”

Yoo hoo. I scratched at my unintentionally spiked hair. What kind of person goes around yodeling, Yoo hoo?

Hoping to avoid a morning chit-chat with the block busybody, I waved at Mrs. Witherspoon and speeded up my walk.

She didn’t buy it. The woman’s sharp, as sharp as they come.

“Just get out of bed, Mr. Dunmeyer?”

The woman knew I worked late. She knew my routine almost as well as I did. You know what she’s like; you probably have a neighbor just like her.

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I hope you enjoy Ralph Dunmeyer’s magical story!

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

Author Notes on “Friday Night”

“Friday Night”, my family favorite romance short story, has a similar history with another contemporary romance short story: “Happy Anniversary”. Back in the last century (!), 1994, a print publisher in New Jersey put out a call for romance short stories. *Extremely* short stories, around 1,000 words. They accepted “Happy Anniversary”, and then requested another one. “Friday Night” is the result, clocking in at a little over 1,000.

If only Paula could meet Mr. Right--someone like the new neighbor that had moved into the garden apartment below hers. She hadn’t seen much of him, probably because their work schedules conflicted. What she had seen, though, she instinctively liked. See how a lost article of clothing introduces two neighbors.

After this story was published, I was able to find for a new home for it. I decided to use it as a freebie to promote my best-selling Regency time-travel romance, TIMELESS DECEPTION, at the time released by the defunct Novel Books, Inc. Now this Regency is available at Awestruck.net and Amazon.com. But back to “Friday Night”. Here is the original cover. 

Soon this story appeared on Fictionwise.com, and then my anthology LUCKY 13, no longer available electronically, but still available in print from my website.

Thirteen delightful stories for your reading pleasure by Susanne Marie Knight

Now I’ve released it on Amazon.com and Smashwords.com.

The story sells for $0.99. As with all of my *very* short stories, I’d like to reduce the amount, however 99 cents is the lowest I’m allowed to go on Amazon and Smashwords. Again, periodically Smashwords holds a sale, and I can set the price to free at that time, so do check on the link every now and then.

A lost intimate article of clothing unites two lonely neighbors!

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This book is part of the Romantic Contemporaries line.

Here are two terrific reader comments:

"I really liked your short story. Keep up the great writing!”

"Ah, the things daydreams are made of--to have a sexy man fall right into your lap! Fun read!”

Now for the real life tidbit: Since the publication I wrote “Friday Night” for was located in New Jersey, I wanted to connect the story with the Garden State as I did with “Happy Anniversary” and Route 206. I set the romance in garden apartments; growing up in New York City, I’d never seen nor heard of these types of apartments. But I was very familiar with laundromats... and the risk of not thoroughly removing laundry from the dryers. Here’s what happened to Paula.

Her neighbor’s smile dazzled her. "Well, Paula, I think I have something of yours." Extending his right hand, he held out something small and smooth. Something mint green in color.

She looked at him in surprise. "What is it?" After taking it, she felt the blood drain from her face. It was a bra--her bra. Holding onto the doorknob for support, she hoped the floor would open up and swallow her. This was just too embarrassing. How had he gotten her bra?

He ran his hand through his thick, ebony-colored hair. "I found it in one of the dryers tonight."

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I hope you enjoy Paula and Ray’s cute meet!

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!

Author Notes on “Saturation Point”

The inside scoop on the science fiction short story, “Saturation Point” is that it’s over 2,200 words. The story sells for $0.99. Yep, another very short story. But it does pack a punch!

Short Story Alert: As with all of my *very* short stories, I’d like to reduce the amount, however 99 cents is the lowest I’m allowed to go on Amazon and Smashwords. Again, periodically Smashwords holds a sale, and I can set the price to free at that time, so do check on the link every now and then.

Back to “Saturation Point”. Some time ago, I received one of those story prompt devices. It consisted of a few wheels that turned with writing instructions to spark the imagination. I thought I’d give it a try. What I got was this: for instructions, I was told to use the setting wheel, use the starter wheel, and also incorporate five foreign words in the story. The setting was to be on a new planet. The starter was “The smell of”, and the five foreign words... well, I just made my female protagonist, Lieutenant Margot Le Blanc, French.

What I came up with is a delightful little tale of love... or lust far away from home.

A very timely occurrence happened. I received a publisher’s call for science fiction short stories to be included in a print journal: Alien Alerts Journal. “Saturation Point” was perfect for this so I submitted it. Naturally, I was elated when the publisher sent me a contract! 

After publication, I was free to include “Saturation Point” in the anthology, LUCKY 13. The print version of LUCKY 13 is no longer available electronically, but still available in print from my website.

Thirteen delightful stories for your reading pleasure by Susanne Marie Knight

Artist’s concept cover

I’m happy to announce I’ve now re-released “Saturation Point” electronically at Amazon.com and Smashwords.com!

If you think the light of the silvery moon is romantic, just think what the shadow of the planet Mars will do to one’s libido!

 Amazon.com and Smashwords

This short story is part of the Fascinating Sci-Fi line.

Real life snippet: While I don’t possess a nose that’s honed into fragrances like Margot’s delicate nostrils, my daughter does indeed own a very discerning nose. In fact, I based Margot’s focus on perfumes on some episodes from the home front!

Scene set up: The following passage is from the very beginning of “Saturation Point”.

           “Zut! I cannot believe I forgot it.”

From his workstation, Jordan Penbrook glanced at the only other occupant of the shuttle. Lieutenant Margot Le Blanc was the epitome of a ditsy blonde--in his opinion anyway. Not really interested in her answer, he asked anyway. “What did you forget, Lieutenant?”

She turned away from the command console and raised her near-invisible eyebrows. “It is my special fragrance, eau de fête, Captain Penbrook. Whenever I get homesick, I give myself a spray and voilà! Instantly I am transported back to my beautiful garden, my jardin de fleurs.”

As floral fragrances had absolutely nothing to do with their mission on Phobos, Mars’ larger and innermost moon, Jordan returned his attention to his instruments.

“Ma oui, and it is also très useful for getting rid of this cabin stench,” she added.

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So that’s the story on this short science fiction tale. I hope you enjoy Margot and Jordan story.

Happy reading,

Susanne Marie Knight

www.susanneknight.com

Read outside the box: award-winning Romance Writing With A Twist!