Reader's Choice Poll: Sci-Fi Short Stories
Vote for the theme of my first science fiction story collection
Science fiction has taken an unintentional backseat to horror in many of my recent writing projects.
All four stories I’ve serialized in Strange New Worlds are aligned with the horror genre. Horror also encompasses five of eight short stories I’ve published in the newsletter since the start of 2024.
My most recent releases through Samak Press align with that trend.
The Crimson Reaper is a sequel to my popular YA horror novel Pandora Reborn, and both books form a part of my Deer Falls horror series. The Ghost Diaries is a comedy horror novella also set in Deer Falls and connected to the series. In June, Samak Press will release Feral Lands — the first ever multi-author anthology I’ve compiled, edited, and published through the imprint.
One thing I refuse to do is let myself be pigeonholed into a single genre as an author. The stories I want to tell span multiple genres. With that in mind, once Feral Lands is released, my attention will return to science fiction for a while.
Ripples in Space is next on the list. This multi-author science fiction anthology will be published by Samak Press in September. These will be the first sci-fi stories from Samak Press since Hollow Planet in 2023. I’m excited to dip my toes back into the science fiction waters because I’ve let the genre take a backseat in my storytelling since the end of 2023.
Ripples in Space only marks the beginning for my upcoming sci-fi plans. I intend to follow the anthology with a new full-length novel set in the Alien People Chronicles universe — with a target publication date for Spring 2026. I’m also assembling a new collection of sci-fi short stories — a mix of tales previously published here at Strange New Worlds alongside other original, unpublished stories.
I want to offer my fans and readers of the Strange New Worlds newsletter a chance to get involved in the story selection process through a new reader’s choice poll. Four potential themes I’ve selected for my story collection are in the poll below. The stories I select for the collection will hinge entirely on the chosen theme.
Cast your vote for the theme that draws your interest as a reader:
This reader’s choice poll will stay open for a week. I’ll announce the winner in a future newsletter and, at that time, reveal a title for my future short story collection based on the results.
Dystopia, definitely.
I’m going with dystopian. I hope Chloe approves.