In January 2014 I had a very very short story called “Death’s Favorite Pet” published in DarkFuse’s micro-fiction series Horror D’oeuvres. I was thrilled to land this publication, particularly because it completed my requirements to become an active member of the Horror Writers Association, but DarkFuse was (and still is) only available to subscribers. So while I got to find lots of new readers, many of my regular followers weren’t able to read the piece without paying.
Luckily, “Death’s Favorite Pet” has just been reprinted in The Sirens Call eZine, so now you can read it for free! This happens to be Sirens Call Publications’ 5th annual Women in Horror Month issue, but don’t let the title fool you. My short little piece is far more poignant than frightening, so even my scaredy-cats should be safe. 🙂
So if you missed “Death’s Favorite Pet” the first time around, or if it’s simply been a while, I hope you’ll take a minute (and it’s really, really short, so that’s probably literal), to read it now, right on your phone/computer. If I did it right, you should be able to click directly on the image above to download. (If that doesn’t work for you, you can click on the cover image on this page to download your copy.) I’m on page 82.
Big thanks to Sirens Call for reprinting “Death’s Favorite Pet!” I hope you’ve all had a great February/Women in Horror Month, and I hope you enjoy the story. ♥
Annie
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Yay!! I love any time I get to read your work! This one was really nice. Great work as usual. 🙂
Thank you, Lisa!
Your imagery is just fantastic, Annie. So happy for you that you are now an active member of the group you’ve longed to join. Yay!
Thanks, Melissa! I was able to join back in 2014, and have happily been a member for 2 1/2 – 3 years now. 🙂 Definitely a good thing!
Beautiful and eerie! Loved it!
Thanks so much, Missy. <3
Congrats on becoming an active member of HWA! I loved your little flash fic – so macabre but poignant and clever, too. Have a great weekend! 🙂
Thank you so much, Lexa! (I must’ve worded the HWA part funky; I actually became a member a few years ago, and it’s been great.) I’m so glad you liked the piece!
No problem with your wording. I knew you were a member. (Last fall I considered asking your to read Bloodwalker and nominating it for a Stoker, but that seemed rude. Thankfully, Bloodwalker’s doing pretty well after the Library Journal recommendation.) By your post, I gleaned there’s a difference between “active” and “non-active.” And since your active status hung on an accepted sub, I guessed you needed income from a horror venue or being pubbed by one to stay active. Which is it?
Oh okay. 🙂 Well it’s good that you didn’t, because soliciting nominations or votes is against the rules, so that would’ve been disappointing I’m sure. I’m glad to hear it’s doing so well, though. Good for you, Lexa! Yes, there are a few levels in the HWA. I went straight from non-member into active (professional) member, but there’s also affiliate (semi-pro) or supporting memberships available. I’m not sure if it’s changed, but to become an active member you used to have to prove sales in various combinations of fields. I went with short stories, so I had to have three professional-rate sales that totaled a certain number of words in accepted horror markets. Though there are similar options for poetry or novel sales, etc.
I agree with Lisa!
Thanks! 🙂
I’m so glad to finally read Death’s Favorite Pet. Sad and haunting.
Thank you, Carie!
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🙂 you perfectly captured a concept so small yet significant. thanks for sharing. loved it <3
Thank you!! <3
I’m late to the party, but I second Carie! I loved the end. It was poignant. I just wanted to hold Death (not too close…and with gloves). 😉
Thanks so much, Ashley! 😊