Wild: Uncivilized Tales from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers

by Rachel Delaney Craft

Fearless or feral? Liberating or life-threatening? The wild side of life takes many forms. It seeps through the cracks of our world in the form of stray cats, tenacious weeds, oppressive relationships, and haunting memories. These 14 stories by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers explore the wildness that lives inside all of us—and what happens when we let it out.

Genres: Short Stories

Audible Audio

First published September 11, 2020

About the author

Rachel writes speculative fiction for children and teens. Her short stories have appeared in publications such as Cricket, Spider, Cast of Wonders, Ember, and Young Explorer's Adventure Guide, and she's working on her debut novel. She also edited WILD, a collection of short stories by Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. In her spare time she enjoys baking, gardening, and exploring Colorado with her two slobbery dogs.

Reviews

[Eric Stallsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This delightful collection of short stories is a great way to spend some time. From the interesting twist involving a new planet for humanity to the tale of an OCD/non-OCD couple, there's really something for every reader here. The writing in each piece is superb and the creativity behind each story is through the roof. If there is anything to be critical of here, it's that I wished some of these stories hadn't ended because I'd already fallen in love with the characters and their world. That aside, this is an exceptional anthology that I can't recommend highly enough.

[Tasha Christensen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I mean, I was one of the editors of this book. If I didn't like it, you should all be worried.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The word “wild” has many descriptions, and this book highlights several of them. While the stories in this anthology are all unique and take place in separate spaces, they all revolve around the idea of “wild.” Stories of fantastical creatures behind bars embrace the feeling that comes from being trapped and unable to escape. Stories of magic and mystery transport readers to the world within each human that makes life more interesting. And stories of unusual events remind each reader that life itself is unpredictable. Fourteen unique tales make up this collection of short stories by writers in the Rocky Mountain region. Many additions take place in the setting of Colorado, though others are squarely placed in other places and times. Each voice is professional and unique, making each story stand out on its own among the rest. At the conclusion of each story, a short biography of the author is included, giving readers insight into the background of that author. Overall, the collection is professional and entertaining, each story an appropriate length for its subject matter. However, while there is one character in a wheelchair, the collection is sadly lacking in diverse voices and stories, specifically those from or about people of color. Perhaps this can be addressed in a future compilation. Despite this, Wild is an enjoyable short story collection highlighting writers from the Rocky Mountain region.

[R.L.S. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great RMFW Anthology

I love this collection of short stories. Each one is an immersive experience of its own, with well-rounded characters I enjoy spending time with, amazing settings to explore and action that keeps me deeply involved to the end.

I hadn't read anything by most of these authors before, but I will look for more work by them now.

Note: the publisher provided me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review, but I have also purchased a copy of this for my own right--it's that good.

[David Miles · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*
A nice mix of short stories from Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. The theme is "Wild', which could be setting or concepts in each story.

Some stand outs for me were:
Pruned by Angela Sylviane
The Last Wildlife Preserve by James Persichetti
Green-Eyed Monster by Charis Jones
Remediation by BJ Early
Faire-Weather Magic by Kendra Merritt
The Re-Creation of Sahmik Ghee by Paul Martz

Guess I gravitated towards the scifi fantasy stories.

[Nicholle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A variety of genres by writers living in the Rocky Mountains.
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2024 Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - Book published in 2020
2024 Pronghorn Reads - Collection of short stories

[Rachel Delaney Craft · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my (very biased) opinion, this is a wonderful collection of short stories! It has something for every reader--from sci-fi to fantasy, from historical to contemporary, from eerie to uplifting. After going through three rounds of revisions with the authors, I'm totally in love with their each of their unique stories.