Hello all! I've published my first short story. Please give it a read if you like. It's cheap at 99¢. There are short descriptions of deaths, but they are few and I believe someone the ages of 12 and above can handle the somewhat morbid subject matter. If you or you or your kid loves Tim Burton or Neil Gaiman, this may be right up your alley.
The Death of Death
Death guides usually have rather normal names like John, Mary, Harry, and Jessica. And even ones not quite so normal, like Bartholomew or Ambrosia. They also have the most interesting tales behind their deaths. But one particular death guide has a few problems: she cannot remember her name or the details of her demise, and thus has no story of her own. One fateful night, she meets a young girl that may change her death forever.
Inspired by and in the style of Children's tales of old, The Death of Death is a tragic, yet sweet little tale about loss and acceptance.
Suitable for ages 12 and up.
Here are a couple of reviews:
"How can death be so touching? Read this story to find out. The author uses a poetic prose as he pulls you into not only the story, but also the characters. Written against the backdrop of death this story (ironically) is full of magic. Opposites of life and death come together, giving context to the full spectrum of the human condition. This story touched me in many ways, and I am so glad that I stumbled upon it."
"I found this story to be a refreshing change in its uniqueness. Very well thought-out.
In fact, the story has an essence of Tim Burton-esque, in the terms of creating beauty from tragedy, that sets the tone from the onset and is one of my favorite aspects. The whimsy and tragedy combined were carefully written with a beautiful plot that succeeds in building a sort of suspense throughout the story. The characters were well written, thoughtful and eccentric, in a successful attempt to draw me into the characters emotion!
This is one of the writer's first efforts and, all in all, is an admirable effort and was well worth the read. I would highly recommend this being adapted into a short film and would be the first in line to view it!"
"Very touching story about a topic that most of us don't like to think about. The imagery was beautiful. It was if I was "reading" a movie, if that makes sense. This story is highly recommended!"