Short Story: The Artist

Yes, I admit it. I’m completely copping out and posting a short story instead of a blog. A short story that has already been published thrice. (Ooh, I’ve never officially used that word!) First, in the online magazine Mindflights. (You can click here to see it, but of course it will be exactly what you’ll find below). And then in a print magazine called Beyond Centauri. (Still available for purchase here, scroll down to Issue 29.) Finally, “The Artist” can be found in an anthology called Aquasynthesis, along with two other of my stories and a bunch of stories by the other authors at Splashdown Books.

But I wanted to share it here. It is very special to me. It hit me out of the blue, fully formed. And it is a companion story to my novel Finding Angel. Actually, it’s even more related to the sequel, Seeking Unseen, which I’m in the process of editing. Maybe that’s the reason I feel compelled to share…

Well, whatever. Either way, here it is:

Making a Splash

Artwork by Eleon

I wear the watermarks of my publisher proudly. Maybe you have heard of them? Splashdown Books? It is a small indie press out of New Zealand run by the extraordinary Grace Bridges. She has gathered under her banner some of the best speculative writers in the business. Maybe you have heard of a few of them also? Shoot, three of them blog right here at The Cheesecake Thickens. Keven Newsome, author of the dark and dangerous Winter. Kat Heckenbach, author of the clever and imaginative Finding Angel. Or P.A. Baines, author of the heart wrenching story of a broken man and a computer that finds God.  I cannot go on without mentioning Fred Warren, Caprice Hokstad, Ryan Grabow, Adam and Andrea Graham (relation on the side of our heavenly Father), Rick Copple, Mike Lynch, Travis Perry, or Walt Staples. This doesn’t even include the wonderful artists and musicians we have.