Author: Fallton Havenstonne

In the past year, most of my reading has been done on e-reader devices. For many years, physical books have been my preferred choice given what was available to me, the ability to write notes in the margins, and the tactility of the experience. But since I’ve been writing more, I’ve gotten used to reading on the computer (given all the editing I’ve been doing for my books).

The switch from physical books to e-reader devices has been a long transition for me. For years, I’ve enjoyed having a library of books on my shelf. To see all the books that I’ve read gave me a feeling of accomplishment. But overtime, I found that I rarely returned to those books, and those books became more of a reminder of what I’ve read rather than what I would reread. 

I have had an affinity for physical books as far back as I can remember. For one, reading on paper is easier on my eyes, and reaching the end of a book after leafing through all the pages is a reward in itself. Also, in a book that has pictures/illustrations, the images appear much more vivid on paper (at least to my eyes). 

As I’ve transitioned to e-reader devices, however, I find them to be a more practical choice. The biggest adjustment was getting used to reading on a screen. At first, I could only read for so long until my eyes got tired or sore. But as I wrote more on the computer, I got used to reading on the screen. 

The great thing about ebooks is how inexpensive they are compared to physical books. Also, it’s great when you don’t have to wait for a book to be delivered or to pick it up from a store/library when you can just download it. Another great thing is that if you don’t know what the definition of a word is, you’re just a couple clicks away from finding out.

For me, this is a huge plus since I used to read with a dictionary on hand. The downside was that this delayed the flow of the reading experience, and after taking the time to look up the definition, I would have to double back in the book to recall what I was reading. 

Overall, the ease and versatility of ebooks makes them an economical and efficient choice. I will still read physical books from time to time, but it’s great when I can access so many books (as well as the chapters within them) with just a mouse click away.

I’ve been working on a new collection of short stories that will be released soon. It’ll have 5 stories altogether: 1 is a novella, and the other 4 are short stories.

Unlike THE INVAS10N, these stories aren’t connected. They’re more like Twilight Zone type stories with odd/inexplicable stuff happening. The novella will start off the book, and it’s a sci-fi story about humans with enhanced powers.

I’ve been reading more short stories by Shirley Jackson, and am about 60% through the book Just An Ordinary Day. The last story I read was a fun and lighthearted read. Entitled About Two Nice People, it has a surprising twist at the end which made the overall story a comedy though I thought it might’ve gone in a darker direction given the stories in part 1 of the book.

It’s about two tenants who live on the same floor and begin to have a feud. It begins with phone calls that Ellen receives which are intended for Walter, her neighbor. When she tries to get him to answer it, the person hangs up.

Later, Walter receives a parcel for her at his doorstep, and when he shows up at her door to drop it off, she believes he’s come to apologize about the phone calls, but that’s not the case.

The misunderstandings escalate to the point where they sneak into each other’s apartments to cause mischief (she leaves rotten eggs in his slippers, and he leaves rotten smelly cheese in her apartment). Then the landlady intervenes, thinking that the feud was actually about Ellen wanting to court Walter, who is her nephew.

The story is humorous, and takes a turn I didn’t see coming. Like many of her short stories, they end with a twist or a bit of irony that leave you surprised and quite amused.

The stories in part 2 of the collection have mostly been comedies so far. Another story I’ll mention is The Wishing Dime, which is about a man who finds a dime on the street and gives it to two girls, telling them that it is a wishing dime. Throughout their day, the girls carefully decide who they should ask to make wishes. In each case, the wishes come true, but in very unexpected and comedic ways.

I’ve been writing some short stories since I published THE INVAS10N. They’re not all connected stories like THE INVAS10N, but some of the stories are. I took a different approach to writing them where I waited until after I finished all the stories before editing them. Usually, I edit a story right away when the ideas are still fresh in my mind. But I had so many ideas stirring in my mind that I wanted to get them out first.

I’ve been reading Shirley Jackson’s Just an Ordinary Day, a collection of her unpublished and published short stories. Many of the short stories are like vignettes: a story of a scene or what happens in a day or so. I’m halfway through the book, having finished her unpublished stories (the first section of the book). They’re a mix of dark psychological tales with comedic ones.

In the short story Come to the Fair, a woman is invited to a fair and is unwittingly asked to partake as a fortune teller at one of the stands. Since she knows the people in the community, she actually pulls it off with surprising success. In The Story We Used to Tell, a woman disappears, and later, her friend finds out that she had been pulled inside the world of a painting.

In the introduction of the book, Shirley’s children write how they landed upon their mother’s unpublished short stories, which Shirley had filed away. Many of her other stories were found in the archives of the San Fransisco Public Library. She was a voluminous writer and it’s great that her body of work is seeing the light of day since she last published.

Reading the short stories in the collection, I’m inspired by the creativity and imagination that went into them. I had read her other stories years back, but it’s great to read her unpublished works and see the range and scope of her work.

My new sci-fi book, THE INVAS10N: THE RED PLANT CHRONICLES, is available on Amazon. It’s a story told in 10 tales that describes an alien invasion.

The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis, is the third book of the Chronicles of Narnia series. The story takes place in the world of Narnia and is about a boy named Shasta, who runs away with a horse named Bree (since Shasta was about to be sold). He meets a girl named Aravis, and her talking horse, Hwin, and they set off to Tashbaan, where Shasta bears a striking resemblance to the prince there (Prince Corin).

Shasta leaves Tashbaan before he is caught, and Aravis overhears the plan of a prince named Rabadash, who wants to invade Narnia and take Queen Susan to be his wife. From here on, Aravis and Shasta ride on horseback to Narnia to warn the Kingdom of the coming invasion.

Whereas the first two books of the series were full of mystery and wonder, (establishing the world of Narnia), this story is more like an adventure in the world of Narnia. Like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, there is an epic battle at the end between the armies of Rabadash and Narnia.

The story has humorous parts to it, especially at the end with what befalls Rabadash. I did like the twist at the end with Shasta, and enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first half. The first half of the book focused primarily on exposition, establishing what was going on and who the characters were, as well as Rabadash’s plot to invade Narnia. The second half was more action packed, and it was great to see Aslan (the lion) make an appearance as well.

I completed my 10th short story over the weekend, and it felt great when I typed THE END. With each story, the tension builds, and I hope that by the conclusion of the book, the reader is left surprised by the ending.

I’m now in the process of editing the short stories. Given that they take place in the same world, I’m paying attention to the details, making sure that they’re consistent and that they interconnect.

Writing 10 short stories back to back was a challenge. With a novel, I can just continue the storyline and keep moving forward with the same characters, but with 10 different stories, I’m creating a new storyline and a new set of characters each time. Most of the stories in the collection take place in the same town, with some of the characters appearing in other stories.

It’s been a goal of mine to create a short story collection, since I’ve been a fan of reading short stories for years. I remember reading Isaac Asimov’s Robot Visions years ago, and being hooked by each story, which delved into the laws of robotics–putting the laws to the test.

I’m also a fan of Shirley Jackson, who is well known for her short story The Lottery, amongst other stories. Her short stories take you to a different state of mind where things are out of kilter. Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Bradbury and Richard Matheson are other writers whose short stories I enjoy. It’s amazing how short stories can take you to a different place and time–the impression they can leave on you.

In other news, if you haven’t pre-ordered Kitewell yet, you can do so at Amazon. I’m excited to release it on Saturday, May 30th, 2020. Although it is a YA story, all readers can enjoy the story.

I plan on releasing the paperback version around the same time as the ebook. I’m very happy with how everything turned out with the book. In the Afterword of Kitewell, I describe my struggles writing the book, and how I eventually came to complete it.

As I work on my 10 short story collection, I recently finished the 8th story. The stories are interconnected, so I’ve been keeping track of details to keep them consistent and tied together. The overall storyline is linear, and although most of the stories involve a new set of characters, the background scenario has an influence on each story.

It’s been quite a challenge to plot and finish each story, since it is kind of like writing mini-episodes for a series. But I do like how each story gives you a facet of what’s going on and how the larger picture is affecting the characters. The story becomes more apocalyptic toward the end, but it is hopeful as well.