My love affair with books started with short stories. When I watch a tv show like Twilight Zone and see at the end “based on the short story by…” I race to my laptop to look it up and add it to my reading list.

Every once in a while I get an itch to try my hand at some fiction, dabble a bit into something that scares the life out of me, and write my own short stories.

Why does it scare me so much? I’m not sure. All my life, I’ve been chastised for letting my imagination run away with me. I’ve been plagued with vivid dreams of the day and night variety. And there have been times when I’ve let my mind wander only to find myself physically reacting as if the scene were actually occurring. I’m not much of swimmer and I feel out of control when the water rises above my ankles.

I wonder about those who write fiction. Do you feel the same way? Do you always know how to come back? Do you know what will end up on the page while you’re out there?

In the future, I hope to dive in a bit more often. Maybe I’ll get used to the water and get further out to sea? I hope so, because I love writing short stories once I find the courage to try. Below you’ll find some links to a few of my favorite attempts, those times when I felt the call and bravely faced it.

Do you write fiction? Point me in the direction, I’d love to read yours and share them with my readers. And I’d love to read any feedback you have about mine. Like I said, I’m just starting to test the waters here and I need all the encouragement I can get.