Ruins of the Mind

by Jason Stadtlander

Enter a world of intrigue in this anthology of short stories.

Discover a unique elderly home that offers justice to those who are unkind and uncaring of others, yet rewards those who are loving and compassionate in "The Lantern".

Shawn could never have imagined what she might find when she ventured into the storm drain near the train tracks. Follow her through her adventure in "The Ter'roc"

It's a rainy, dreary Sunday afternoon. Howard is pleased that he has a way to occupy his son indoors by taking him to a birthday party. However, things begin to seem a bit strange as children at the party ignore his son and his day takes a turn in the direction of bizarre in "In the Shadows of a Moment".

When Jake and Gwen traveled to the airport together, they took a quick liking to each other. Read about their experiences as you are put into their shoes in this touching story about the events of American Airlines Flight 11 during the attacks of 9/11 in "Feathers in the Wind".

Read these stories and many others...

Genres: Short Stories

206 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 22, 2012

About the author

Jason Stadtlander is a novelist, short story writer, and advocate for digital safety. His work blends suspense, psychological drama, and speculative fiction, often exploring the hidden forces that shape our lives, both internal and external. Whether he’s unraveling the mind of a killer (The Steel Van Man) or guiding readers through coming-of-age wonder (The Ter’roc series), Jason writes stories that linger long after the final page.

Originally from Ohio, he now lives north of Boston, Massachusetts, where he has spent more than two decades in the field of information technology. He is also the co-founder of Sandmagination, a sensory-rich indoor play and STEAM discovery center for children, inspired by his love of children, passion for science, and belief in hands-on exploration.

Jason has written for The Huffington Post, Inspiration Unlimited (India), and Practical Parenting (Australia). A longtime advocate for online safety, he has spent over 20 years educating parents and foster parents on how to protect children in the digital world.


Website: https://jasonstadtlander.com
Facebook: https://facebook.com/jasonstadtlander
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thestoryofjason
Instagram: https://instagram.com/jasonstadtlander

Reviews

[Emily Guido · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Ruins of the Mind” by Jason P. Stadtlander is one of the break-out books I have read this year! It is a collection of wonderful short stories amalgamated into one book that will have you pressing your Kindle arrow button for more and more.

First, to really appreciate how gripping this book is, you have to understand I usually read a certain genre and only full length novels. However, I was blown away with how good this copulation of short stories were. You will be cheering and at times, need a Kleenex tissue handy.

Mr Stadtlander spins his tales with good plot and character development. Even more, the stories move along with heartwarming scenes or action. The stories were inspiring but they were also very surprising.

The subject matter is certainly YA because of some of the tragic events in the stories, but Mr. Stadtlander gave credence to all the emotional aspects and nuances some authors tend to leave out. Like for example in “Feathers in the Wind” I became verklempt with a simple phone call a father makes to his family. No big scene or dialogue needed... Mr. Stadtlander just described this beloved conversation simply and artistically.

I would recommend “Ruins of the Mind” by Jason P. Stadtlander highly for anyone! A must for your to be read list.

For this and so much more, I give “Ruins of the Mind” 5 Stars! A book well done!

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly I don't really enjoy short stories. Secondly I don't really enjoy most of the genres represented...
But blow me down if I didn't totally enjoy these shorts from Mr Stadtlander.
This anthology is certainly an eclectic mix and again, unlike most other anthologies I have downloaded, I actually enjoyed each and every story. Usually shorts leave me unfulfilled in some way, either by the story not finishing properly, finishing too soon, too rushed at the end etc, but these stories were all perfectly balanced. They were also very well written and all (well nearly all) neatly concluded. They also managed to evoke strong emotions in me which, again for such short stories is something personally rather unusual.
I say nearly all, my favourite in the book The Ter'roc ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger, but I believe from the author that his intention is to develop this story into a novel at some point and tbh I cant wait to read that.
I really enjoyed the author's style and use of language too. I am also very impressed with his character development especially considering the length of the pieces and obviously limited time to flesh them out.
All in all, Mr Stadtlander is definitely going on my "one to keep an eye on" list.

[Carrie Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

Each story is unique and well written. Be it hidden worlds, courageous battles, or mystery all are great reads. Enjoy!

[Kath Middleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have grown to enjoy short stories much more since I bought my kindle and this must be one of the best collections around. They are different from one another in style but they all have something in common. They have 'real' characters, protagonists who have feelings, needs, with whom you empathise. My heart was in my mouth with some of these stories and the subjects dealt with are not easy ones - cancer in a young mother, death of a parent etc. The author is very good at getting into the minds of children. Several of these stories feature youngsters and they and their worries are taken seriously. Some stories have an 'otherworldly' element to them. Fantasy, miracle, magic? - whatever you want to call it, there's just a little sprinkling of its dust on the edge of the tale which is quite uplifting.

The author tells us at the end of the book that he intends to turn one of them into a longer work. I look forward to this. It is a story with considerable potential and many unanswered questions. Jason Stadtlander writes with intelligence and passion and this is communicated to the reader. I just love this book!

[Adriane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished this book this morning, it was an excellent read and great palette cleanser. All of the stories had a different feel and told a different type of story. One would be creepy, the next heart rending, you never really knew what would be next. There weren't any humor stories though, which I was a little sad about, it would have been nice to see a slightly silly tale in this authors style. However I will say that all of the stories are on some level hearwarming, even the ones that tip a little creepy or very sad have this underlying love and warmth throughout. That's the one thing that ties all the stories together, this feeling of family.

I will definitely be reading more from this author, and will be getting the book about the Ter'roc for sure, I really enjoyed the short story involving those creatures. I also wouldn't mind seeing a full book on Ashley and the Dewts, or whatever else she may be able to sense.

I would recommend this book to absolutely everyone, you will not be disappointed I promise.

[Kam Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not one to buy books of short stories, but I ended up receiving this book in the mail free from the author/publisher. I loved it. I show the stories to my friends to read, and they love it. "The Lantern" was my favorite out of all of them, I thought it was a great story and I ended up showing it to my grandma one weekend. Obviously she enjoyed it too. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes short stories or people who like to get through books quickly (For finishing a short story is pretty fast and satisfying). I had no problems with this book, and because of the bookmark I received with it; I will be trying to buy The Steel Van Man by the same author, Jason P. Stadtlander whenever I get the money.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

[Alan Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this copy in a Good Reads giveaway. Now with that out of the way.

I am a fan of the short story genre and found this book quite entertaining. The subject matter varies greatly from one story to another while the author keeps a consistent writing style that was both entertaining and enjoyable to read. With subjects ranging from angels to aliens there is something here for everyone.

I would recommend this book as an introduction to Jason P. Stadtlander for anyone and personally will be including him on my "to read" lists.