My Publications
Short Story Collections
I love a short story with a twist.
A man walks into a bar and sits down next to a stranger. They begin to talk. It’s a common occurrence. It happens every day. Except there is nothing common about either of these two men. Curiosity rules one man’s behavior. The other has a talent for finding himself entangled in other people’s problems. In the end, it will require professional cleaners to remove the bloodstains from the floor.
Bar Talk harkens back to the film noir era, but takes place in modern times. Sprinkled in is a psychological twist that challenges the borderline between right and wrong.
The initial short story, Bar Talk, in this series of interrelated short stories came to me over a series of attempts to go back to sleep after waking up at four in the morning. The characters would not let me be. I had to write the story down just to get it out of my head.
These characters were not done with me yet, oh no. Over the next twelve months one or more would wake me up with a new story idea.
I shared these stories with a few friends. All insisted I should publish them. The characters have been quiet for a while now, so it seemed like a good time to assemble this group into an anthology. I hope you enjoy.
If you like these stories, don’t worry. The characters will be back – of this, I am sure.
Introducing Peter Mathews, a man with a very unusual career, investigating mysteries with a magical element at their core. Skirting the edge of Magic Guild rules, Peter and his friends solve grisly crimes or sometimes just discover why a family pet started talking. Auto-Magic is one of thirteen cases that guide us through their lives.
In
a world where magic is real, what would a detective do? Auto-Magic is the
perfect blend of fantasy, science, and quirky characters that investigate
crimes both ordinary and extraordinary. Grab your briefcase and join the fun.
David
Aucsmith, author of The Spanish Pendant and The Vitruvian Man
A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY
MISTAKEN IDENTITY happens all the time. Someone picks up the wrong luggage at the airport. The police arrest an innocent man. You hug a childhood friend you bump into on the street, except she isn’t. The results can range from humorous to life changing. WHAT HAPPENS when five writers are given the challenge of producing a pair of short stories, one flash fiction and one normal length based on the theme ‘A Case of Mistaken Identity’? TEN UNIQUE stories emerge, each a reflection of the author’s imagination and experience. My contributions are: The New iPhones are Here - Can an iPhone change a person’s sense of identity? The Trader - Is an old trader in the time of Moorish Spain the person he appears to be?
Exoplanets. Artificial Intelligence. The aliens, whether carbon or silicon based, are coming soon. Will we be ready for them? Falk reimagines mankind’s first encounter with other intelligent beings in a series of 16 short stories ranging from quirky to terrifying. Aliens that aid and abet in a bank robbery gone bad… An advanced AI that fails an IQ test… Dive in and expect the unexpected.
I took a writing challenge to produce a short story featuring first contact with a non-human intelligence. Sixteen stories later I forced myself to stop.