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 revised and expanded 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: There’s 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. Nick’s interest in the dead girl is causing problems with his boyfriend… but he isn’t sure he’s ready to give her up just yet.

Counting Down: Phil thinks he can catch a bullet as a party trick, but he needs someone to pull the trigger. Mattie isn’t sure he’s got what it takes to fire the antique Luger at his friend, but he’s also caught a glimpse of the bats living inside Phil’s skull and knows what it means if they get out.

The Place Beyond the Brambles: The women who emerge from the land beyond the brambles are always strange and always beautiful. They’re also prone to returning home, long before the men who marry them hope they will depart. Ethan’s 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: Henry 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, Henry’s father sees an opportunity to resolve some old grudges.

In the accompanying essay, Here 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 the least important tool in the writer’s arsenal.

Short Fiction Lab

The Early Experiments (Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition)

Winged, With Sharp Teeth (Revised and Expanded 2nd Edition)