Random Realities

When someone finally pulled the gunnysack off Father Ray Marotta’s head, the first thing he thought was, “Let there be light.”
And there was. And it wasn’t good at all.

A murderous Queen of Hearts, the problems of time-traveling mail, a predatory merman who meets his fanged match, and Galactic Rangers dealing with kidnapped royals and libidinous cat queens. What do these stories have in common? They’re all in Random Realities, a compilation of twenty speculative fiction tales by Melanie Fletcher, author of A Most Malicious Murder.

Featuring an introduction by the award-winning author Jana Oliver, Random Realities includes a disturbing take on the future of acting (“Star Quality”), a bubba-heavy paranormal black comedy (“The Padre, the Rabbi, and the Devil His Own Self”), and a flamboyant riff on 50’s space opera that predates Captain Jack Harkness by two years (“Lusts of the Cat Queen: a Dash Manning Adventure”).

In addition to previously published material, Random Realities also includes three never-before published stories; a dark look at a loveless queen (“All on a Summer’s Day”), discussions in the divine workplace (“A Conversation Among Aspects of the Supreme Being”), and two dear friends spending their final days together (“The Quiet Sound of Bees).

Lost in Whitby
All on a Summer’s Day
Happily Ever After
Think Small
A Touch of Ginger
A Conversation Among Aspects of the Supreme Being
A Hell of a Note
The Padre, the Rabbi, and the Devil His Own Self
That Time of the Month
Le Gardien
The Quiet Sound of Bees
It Takes Brains to Run a Con
Female of the Species
Star Quality
Tides
Bartok and the Unicorn
The Groom Wore Wings
Thar She Blows!
Lusts of the Cat Queen: a Dash Manning Adventure
The Lark Ascending

Reviews

“Laughter, tears, suspense, heart-racing twists.”
— R.J. Dennis

“Damn, I wish I’d written these stories. Every one is a treasure and I hope to see another collection from her soon.
— Jim Reader

“Such a wonderful diverse collection of fantastic tales.”
— D. Scott McQuiston

“I came away from reading this collection of ten short stories feeling as if I’d been sampling from the best box of assorted chocolates I’d ever been given.”
— Sandra G.

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