My agent had the brilliant idea of writing a few Dead Jed short stories, allowing people to test the middle-grade-zombie waters without investing in a book.

The challenge, of course, is to make sure any stories appeal to those who've never heard of Jed (the vast majority of readers) while meeting (what I hope are) the high expectations of people familiar with the undead 12-year-old.

I'm putting the finishing touches on the first one, in which Luke and Jed need to make some fast money for the latest tech gadget. There are formalities to figure out, but the hope is to have the story available for ebooks soon.

While it could be offered for free (my day job pays the bills, thank goodness), I'm thinking of charging 99 cents. I think a nominal investment encourages people to read, since they are more likely to delve into what they've paid for while ignoring all the free stories that may clog their ebooks.

I promise not to offer in-book purchases, like those annoying in-app purchases that wind up costing you far more than the "free" app is worth. So no, you won't have to pony up 20 cents for adverbs, or a buck for nouns. The ending will be included, rather than hitting a paywall demanding $2 to see how everything comes out.

If anyone has any ideas for further short-story subjects, please share. If I choose a plot, I'll send the winner an autographed copy of the Dead Jed book of his/her choice, and make them a character in that particular story.

Thanks for following.