THE EARLY EXPERIEMENTS IBD

Sinopsis

Fiction writers are taught to show, not tell. In each Short Fiction Lab, award winning short fiction writer Peter M. Ball takes one of his own stories and explores an aspect of the writing craft in the accompanying essay. In this introductory Primer to the Short Fiction Lab series, Ball presents four short tales for lovers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror.Upon Discovering of A Ghost in the Five Star:áThereâÇÖs a ghost in the Five Star Laundromat. The worst thing you can do is accept her balloon when she tries to give it to you. NickâÇÖs interest in the dead girl is causing problems with his boyfriend... but he isnâÇÖt sure heâÇÖs ready to give her up just yet.Counting Down:áPhil thinks he can catch a bullet as a party trick, but he needs someone to pull the trigger. Mattie isnâÇÖt sure heâÇÖs got what it takes to fire the antique Luger at his friend, but heâÇÖs also caught a glimpse of the bats living inside PhilâÇÖs skull and knows what it means if they get out.The Place Beyond the Brambles:áThe women who emerge from the land beyond the brambles are always strange and always beautiful. TheyâÇÖre also prone to returning home, long before the men who marry them hope they will depart. EthanâÇÖs wife has done exactly that, leaving behind a daughter and memories that only Ethan can recall.The Things You Do When The War Breaks Out:áHenry and his dad are going to the moon for a holiday. The dinosaurs who occupy the dark side of the moon are no longer content to share it with humanity. When war breaks out and the moon is evacuated, HenryâÇÖs father sees an opportunity to resolve some old grudges.In the accompanying essay,áHere Comes The Boom, Peter M. Ball takes on the question all writers seem to shirk: where do you get your ideas from? He takes readers through the inspiration behind each of these short tales and breaks down why a great idea is often theáleastáimportant tool in the writerâÇÖs arsenal.