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Free Five: Flash Fiction
Five Flash Fiction horror pieces, all under 1000 words.Each piece also includes a brief afterword from the author with a bit of background on where he got the idea for the story.A little insight into the life and mind of a horror writer.Approx. 7000 words (roughly 28 pages) "The Professional Crier"The tears of high school outcast Penny Circe can bring back the dead. At least temporarily.- "I Spy With My Little Eye"Anthony Monsano has gone through hell to finally find himself in possession of the round box. The question is, what’s inside?- "Run, Rabbit. Run."Pete Cantrell hates jackrabbits. Unfortunately, his home is surrounded by them. And something else as well.- "The Death He Expected"A group of boys on a midnight, full moon trip to an Indian burial site get more than just a practical joke.- "Another Oldie But Goodie"Retirement home resident Margaret Daniels is hearing music that no one else can hear, a song she hasn’t heard in almost 50 years.
26 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
32 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
Paul D. Dail
8 books13 followersPaul Dail is the author of The Imaginings, a supernatural/horror novel, as well as several other novel and short story projects. Writing has always been his passion, and while he will quickly tell you that the people he has met in the many places that he has traveled have been the best schooling he could get, Paul received his formal education in English with a Creative Writing emphasis at the University of Montana, Missoula. He has had a non-fiction submission published in The Sun magazine’s Reader’s Write section entitled, “Slowing Down.”
Currently Paul lives in Southern Utah, amid the red rock, sagebrush and pinion junipers, with his wife and two daughters. He teaches Language Arts and Creative Writing at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts.
* If you have a little time to kill and really want to delve into the gray matter, the author would recommend his following two blog posts:
- “Why do I like to write horror stories?”
- “My own Works Cited list: 10 books that have inspired me.”
Currently Paul lives in Southern Utah, amid the red rock, sagebrush and pinion junipers, with his wife and two daughters. He teaches Language Arts and Creative Writing at Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts.
* If you have a little time to kill and really want to delve into the gray matter, the author would recommend his following two blog posts:
- “Why do I like to write horror stories?”
- “My own Works Cited list: 10 books that have inspired me.”
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 28, 2016
Last in my short story binge for now... clearing out ones on my Kindle app that have sat there for awhile.
Individual ratings:
The Professional Crier 2.5 stars
I spy with my little eye 2 stars
Run, Rabbit, run 2 stars
The Death He Expected 2.5 stars
Another oldie but goodie 3.5 stars... my favorite of the bunch.
Overall rating: 3 stars I guess... my first experience with flash fiction. Some stories this worked nicely even though they didn't blow me away. For two others, they would have been better if they were expanded upon, but still not horrible stories (but not great either).
The last one was my favorite of the bunch, and the only one I would probably re-read from time to time if I could get it by itself.
Final Verdict: something new to try with mixed results, may try more flash fiction in the future.
Individual ratings:
The Professional Crier 2.5 stars
I spy with my little eye 2 stars
Run, Rabbit, run 2 stars
The Death He Expected 2.5 stars
Another oldie but goodie 3.5 stars... my favorite of the bunch.
Overall rating: 3 stars I guess... my first experience with flash fiction. Some stories this worked nicely even though they didn't blow me away. For two others, they would have been better if they were expanded upon, but still not horrible stories (but not great either).
The last one was my favorite of the bunch, and the only one I would probably re-read from time to time if I could get it by itself.
Final Verdict: something new to try with mixed results, may try more flash fiction in the future.
July 6, 2012
Flash fiction is not for me. I understand that the point is to leave the reader wondering what happened before and what happens after the story ends, it's just a snapshot of the whole story. I don't like it.
Only 1 of the 5 stories did justice in that short amount of time.
"The Professional Crier" - I wish this one was a full story!
"I Spy With My Little Eye: - Again, I think this one could be made into a complete novel
"Run, Rabbit, Run" - Didn't like it
"The Death He Expected" - Too morbid for me
"Another Oldie But Goodie" - My favorite one! Kept me giggling after reading - simple but too the point with a funny twist ending
Only 1 of the 5 stories did justice in that short amount of time.
"The Professional Crier" - I wish this one was a full story!
"I Spy With My Little Eye: - Again, I think this one could be made into a complete novel
"Run, Rabbit, Run" - Didn't like it
"The Death He Expected" - Too morbid for me
"Another Oldie But Goodie" - My favorite one! Kept me giggling after reading - simple but too the point with a funny twist ending
September 13, 2012
Five very short stories
- The Professional Crier
- I Spy with my little Eye
- Run, Rabbit , Run
- The Death He Expected
- Another Oldie but Goodie
Although very well written, I can't say that any of them jumped out at me or were exeptional enough to awaken my interest. I thought 'The Professional Crier' was a good concept, which could be interesting enough to develop into a longer story.
A lukewarm quick read.
- The Professional Crier
- I Spy with my little Eye
- Run, Rabbit , Run
- The Death He Expected
- Another Oldie but Goodie
Although very well written, I can't say that any of them jumped out at me or were exeptional enough to awaken my interest. I thought 'The Professional Crier' was a good concept, which could be interesting enough to develop into a longer story.
A lukewarm quick read.
September 18, 2015
This author has
Some real talent! Even though her tales were very short, the writing was unique and engaging. My favorite tale would have to be the one about the professional crier.
Some real talent! Even though her tales were very short, the writing was unique and engaging. My favorite tale would have to be the one about the professional crier.
March 9, 2018
I love flash fiction. When done well it is the epitome of the storyteller’s art, condensing a story to its bare essentials, delivering the tale with speed and sharpness of a well-aimed ice pick to the temples.
This collection, alas, is not done well.
It starts of okay, with ‘The Professional Crier’ being the best of a fairly mediocre bunch, and probably the best choice for an opener. The main character is intriguing (a teenage girl with the power to bring people back from the dead with her tears, if only for moments), and the whole thing has shades of the Edgar Allan Poe classic ‘The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar’. I could see more being done with the protagonist, perhaps a novel, or even a series of them, assuming the author could develop her further.
It pretty much runs downhill from there. Whilst I’m happy to say that I wanted more of the first story, with ‘I Spy with My Little Eye’ and ‘The Death He Expected’ I needed more. Which is to say they read like snippets or vignettes from a longer work. The former, in particular, feels like the final reel of a Tarantino film, but with out any character or narrative development to get us there.
Sandwiched between the two is ‘Run, Rabbit, Run’ – easily the worst of the offerings presented here. A cautionary tale blending a mild anti-drug narrative with a spot of Native American folklore, to produce a story so limp that it couldn’t sustain my interest over a mere 1000 words.
Fortunately, Dail redeems himself somewhat with his final story, ‘Another Oldie but Goodie’ which is much better. What starts as standard horror fare (love and revenge that live on beyond the grave!) becomes more than the sum of its parts thanks to an innovative twist that I will not spoil here.
In all, it’s a disappointing collection: two good stories, padded out with a whole lot of filler. It’s a shame too, since Dail shows definite promise, but too many of the stories feel that they’ve either been rushed, or subjected to excessive whittling to get them down below his self-imposed word count limit.
Not recommended.
This collection, alas, is not done well.
It starts of okay, with ‘The Professional Crier’ being the best of a fairly mediocre bunch, and probably the best choice for an opener. The main character is intriguing (a teenage girl with the power to bring people back from the dead with her tears, if only for moments), and the whole thing has shades of the Edgar Allan Poe classic ‘The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar’. I could see more being done with the protagonist, perhaps a novel, or even a series of them, assuming the author could develop her further.
It pretty much runs downhill from there. Whilst I’m happy to say that I wanted more of the first story, with ‘I Spy with My Little Eye’ and ‘The Death He Expected’ I needed more. Which is to say they read like snippets or vignettes from a longer work. The former, in particular, feels like the final reel of a Tarantino film, but with out any character or narrative development to get us there.
Sandwiched between the two is ‘Run, Rabbit, Run’ – easily the worst of the offerings presented here. A cautionary tale blending a mild anti-drug narrative with a spot of Native American folklore, to produce a story so limp that it couldn’t sustain my interest over a mere 1000 words.
Fortunately, Dail redeems himself somewhat with his final story, ‘Another Oldie but Goodie’ which is much better. What starts as standard horror fare (love and revenge that live on beyond the grave!) becomes more than the sum of its parts thanks to an innovative twist that I will not spoil here.
In all, it’s a disappointing collection: two good stories, padded out with a whole lot of filler. It’s a shame too, since Dail shows definite promise, but too many of the stories feel that they’ve either been rushed, or subjected to excessive whittling to get them down below his self-imposed word count limit.
Not recommended.
September 11, 2017
Here is something to start out your day with a jolt (but painlessly). Flash fiction. It is quick to read and almost by definition authors create it to surprise you either by the content or innovative organization of ideas. Five Free Flash Fiction Pieces by Paul D. Dail does that. The only thing unsurprising about it is the price. Refer to the title. It is for sale on Amazon at the price indicated by the title.
The Professional Crier Penny Circe is a professional crier. Her tears have a gift although the gift doesn't work well. See if you can interpret the origins of the name of the protagonist before the author explains.
I Spy With My Little Eye You can't say Esmi didn't warn Tony. "Do you really want to do this." How many times does a girl have to ask?
Run, Rabbit. Run I've always had reservations about the idea that jackrabbits are creepy or scary. This piece might change my mind. But I won't smoke things I find in abandoned lunchboxes. Warning noted. Again, look at the author's explanation of where Pete's name came from.
The Death He Expected From the author "There is power in superstition." Add to that the fascination for many that comes from a perception of a supreme and ancient wisdom of Native American culture. The result is a scary story.
Another Oldie but Goodie Margaret had a favorite song. Her husband had sung it to her many times in many contexts. But all good things had a direct opposite. And the opposing side could kill you (again).
Other than the scary stories themselves, the author's explanations of what prompted each piece are entertaining. The entire work might take as much as twenty minutes to read. Then you can have that second cup of coffee before going to work.
The Professional Crier Penny Circe is a professional crier. Her tears have a gift although the gift doesn't work well. See if you can interpret the origins of the name of the protagonist before the author explains.
I Spy With My Little Eye You can't say Esmi didn't warn Tony. "Do you really want to do this." How many times does a girl have to ask?
Run, Rabbit. Run I've always had reservations about the idea that jackrabbits are creepy or scary. This piece might change my mind. But I won't smoke things I find in abandoned lunchboxes. Warning noted. Again, look at the author's explanation of where Pete's name came from.
The Death He Expected From the author "There is power in superstition." Add to that the fascination for many that comes from a perception of a supreme and ancient wisdom of Native American culture. The result is a scary story.
Another Oldie but Goodie Margaret had a favorite song. Her husband had sung it to her many times in many contexts. But all good things had a direct opposite. And the opposing side could kill you (again).
Other than the scary stories themselves, the author's explanations of what prompted each piece are entertaining. The entire work might take as much as twenty minutes to read. Then you can have that second cup of coffee before going to work.
March 19, 2014
The 5 short stories in this book are really good and compelling! As great as they all are I felt like there was something missing in the 1st 3 stories. I know that sometimes imagination by the reader is needed for some stories. That relates to the 1st 3 stories in the the book: the professional crier , I spy with my little eye, and run rabbit run. The author writes something about each story after each story and even says something about that with I spy with my little eye. That said, I do like to use my imagination in stories sometimes, depends on my mood. I do like these stories though! My favorite is the last one, Another Oldie But Goodie! About an old woman from an old age home that hears music from long ago. I got a real kick at the ending ;) this book was a treat to read!
February 12, 2013
I've never read flash fiction before, although I have written it. I just didn't realize it was a thing, I thought I was lazy. But to be fair, this collection was awesome. I enjoyed every story, some to differing degrees, but all enjoyable.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, my favorite was "Another Oldie But Goodie."It has everything one could imagine a short tale should have. a wonderfully interesting buildup, and an incredible twist, beautiful and funny.
I also truly enjoyed "The Professional Crier" He could very easily turn most of these into longer stories, but that he stopped them short leaves my imagination to its own, and it runs wild. Kudos to Paul D. Dail. Awesome job.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, my favorite was "Another Oldie But Goodie."It has everything one could imagine a short tale should have. a wonderfully interesting buildup, and an incredible twist, beautiful and funny.
I also truly enjoyed "The Professional Crier" He could very easily turn most of these into longer stories, but that he stopped them short leaves my imagination to its own, and it runs wild. Kudos to Paul D. Dail. Awesome job.
July 26, 2015
I don't see the point in writing a story this short, or Flash, as the author calls them. It's impossible for the reader to get involved in anything relating to the story. It's too short. These are like sneak peeks to longer stories, but sadly, these are it. The author had some good ideas but....
The author's summary? at the end each story, letting us know where he got the ideas for the stories...well those were almost as long as the stories themselves. Well, in all honestly, they did get my imagination going.
The author's summary? at the end each story, letting us know where he got the ideas for the stories...well those were almost as long as the stories themselves. Well, in all honestly, they did get my imagination going.
October 4, 2012
ok I have never read a flash story.. Meaning it is 1000 words or less and the author gives us everything and nothing at the same time. He gives you enough to have your imagination go wild with all the possibilities! I actually enjoyed myself tremendously and I hope he ends up writting more on the characters, they were amazing!!
July 28, 2014
These flash fiction stories are longer than the norm so I expected more detail, unfortunately it felt most of the times as if it was more excerpts plucked from a longer story rather than flash fiction. However, 'Another Oldie but Goodie' was awesome - it had a beginning and a great twist at the end. All-in-all it was an entertaining read.
June 11, 2015
This was a free super short book with super short, short scary stories. They're kind of like when you're a kid and you get those anthologies of scary stories from the book sale at school, yet much shorter even. I read the whole thing in a few minutes on a plane. They were fine, a bit short for my taste, but then it is called flash fiction!
December 10, 2016
5 Awesome Flashes
Mr. Dail does with flash what aspiring novelists wish they could do. Loved all five of the stories, but the last one- Another Oldie but Goodie was my favorite.
Love the style of writing and appreciate the little insights that the author shared in the About section of each story. I will definitely be seeking out other works by Mr. Dail.
Mr. Dail does with flash what aspiring novelists wish they could do. Loved all five of the stories, but the last one- Another Oldie but Goodie was my favorite.
Love the style of writing and appreciate the little insights that the author shared in the About section of each story. I will definitely be seeking out other works by Mr. Dail.
December 18, 2012
3 1/2 for the collection. 5 stars for Another Oldie but Goodie.
I prefer my Flash Fiction to be a complete story, rather than a snippet. I think a couple of stories in this collection fall a little short. But AOBG is very good, complete, and tight.
I prefer my Flash Fiction to be a complete story, rather than a snippet. I think a couple of stories in this collection fall a little short. But AOBG is very good, complete, and tight.
June 15, 2013
This collection of short stories is cleverly done, where, after each is told, the author explains the reasons for it. I thought they were well written, thought provoking and somewhat eerie.
Good reading.
Good reading.
May 6, 2014
I quite enjoyed this collection of five pieces of flash fiction. They were varied and the author explained a little about each piece after. If you like the short form, especially if you like the dark short form, you'll like this collection.
September 28, 2014
Great quick read.
If you're looking to kill about an hour, this is a great book. The stories are well written and I love the little blurbs from the author after each one. They give the reader a look into the mind of a writer.
If you're looking to kill about an hour, this is a great book. The stories are well written and I love the little blurbs from the author after each one. They give the reader a look into the mind of a writer.
December 31, 2018
Very well written, unexpected ending.
This story is a must read for anyone who likes horror. Very well written with a twist that leaves you gasping for air. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
This story is a must read for anyone who likes horror. Very well written with a twist that leaves you gasping for air. Keep up the good work. Looking forward to reading more by this author.
February 28, 2019
The stories where short and sweet. The last two were the best two.
You can’t beat free!
And I enjoyed reading the little blurbs from the author about where he got his ideas. Interesting backgrounds for each story.
You can’t beat free!
And I enjoyed reading the little blurbs from the author about where he got his ideas. Interesting backgrounds for each story.
December 11, 2015
This was a quick and easy read. I enjoyed reading it but I don't think the mystery and stories that leaves the readers guessing is my thing. I like to have answers.
May 9, 2013
Not a big fan of flash fiction, i prefer the full story.
July 2, 2013
Omg! I really enjoyed these 5 short, horror, stories! I usually don't like short stories because I feel too much is left unfinished but these were great.
September 4, 2013
Some interesting stories and it was insightful to have the author's comments on the inspiration behind each one.
September 11, 2013
A good mix of stories to get the imagination going. Good work Mr Dial.
January 14, 2014
Five fantastic short reads that will have you gripped to the stories. A great freebee to get hold of and enjoy.
March 11, 2015
While the stories were fun, I wasn't into most of them. There is one that I really liked, but the others were just all right.
March 28, 2015
Great shorts
Loved all of them but especially love that the author wrote short explanations following each one. I love to hear how authors come into the ideas of their stories.
Loved all of them but especially love that the author wrote short explanations following each one. I love to hear how authors come into the ideas of their stories.
June 17, 2015
Wow!
This was my first experience with flash fiction. It was fast paced reading and the climax hits quickly but I loved it ! Each story was well developed and very creative.
This was my first experience with flash fiction. It was fast paced reading and the climax hits quickly but I loved it ! Each story was well developed and very creative.
April 25, 2025
Not bad. The stories had some interesting concepts.
September 2, 2020
This was an excellent collection of very short, very quick reads. Each story is well written (considering the size). All 5 stories are good reading and #4 has to be my favorite (see my notes).
This is an absolute recommend.
This is an absolute recommend.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews