Ramona

by Jim Donohue, Amanda Ruzsa (Illustrator)

Author Bill Bascombe, currently going through a stretch of writer's block, pushes himself away from his laptop, and goes out for some air. He winds up at the local electronics store, where he is introduced to Ramona, the latest in AI smart speakers. Ramona can do it play music, do research, help with writer's block, make you kill.....
WHAT??
Is Ramona a controlling, evil entity? Or is Bill Bascombe just losing his mind?
And is he willing to lose everything before he finds out?
Get Ramona today.........Your family is dying to meet her.

Genres: Horror

32 pages, Paperback

Published April 22, 2025

About the author

Jim Donohue is a New York author, born and bred. He has been writing since he was a teenager in the Bronx, but he decided to go professional at the age of 68 in February of 2025, with the release of his short story, Hard Labor. He has followed those up with other stories, such as Ramona, Repossession, Blood Diamond, and The Turning, along with a novella called Unliving Legends. His debut novel, The Stranger, was released in November of 2025 to great reviews. He has recently released a collection of short stories called Depths of Degradation.

Reviews

[Shannon Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you have an Alexa or a Google home? Well after reading this you might think twice. This short little book is definitely a page turner and keeps you glued wanting to know more!

[Amanda Ruzsa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great short story. Donohue is excellent at setting the stage for endless outcomes, and still finding one that is unexpected. I did NOT see it going the way it did. I was nervous and anxious all the way to the end. Definitely recommend.

[M.D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it.....

At first, I didn't know what was going on until I figured out that the story is about a writer. It definitely kept me reading and wanting to know what would happen next. Great job at a quick suspenseful story.

[Angel Medina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read every book in Jim's catalogue except Ramona. I wanted to rectify that and boy am I glad I did. If you enjoy watching the Twilight Zone, this will be up your alley. It has that feeling with a modern twist. All I can say is that if you always wanted an Alexa in your house, you might rethink that purchase after reading this one.

Ramona, can you point me to anymore of Jim's books?
"You've read them all already, lol!"

Seriously, if you need something quick, pick this one up. Just be warned, Ramona is more than just a voice assistant AI and she bites!

[Mallory Krebs · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short story packs an amazing punch!! It really makes you think about how much technology controls our lives. My only complaint is that I wish it was longer!!

[Sam Whittaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Ramona" presents an interesting idea. A man buys an "Alexa" like device with dire consequences. It leaves us questioning what's real. It feels a bit like a Twilight Zone episode with a harder edge. I like the sort of unreliable narrator feel of it. The biggest drawback is a technical one. It could use a little help in the punctuation department. Other than that, it's pretty good. 3.5 stars. An entertaining and quick read.

[sugarnsass_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟
Synopsis: Bill Bascombe, a best selling author, struggling to finish another book, takes a break from the stress and pressure at a local store where he meets…Ramona.

A well written, mind bending, eerie, short story that had me thinking and questioning well after the last page. I loved this story and enjoyed the jumps between Bill’s writing, thoughts, and reality. Great cover! Recommended!!

[David Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

'Ramona' by Jim Donohue is a short story about an author having difficulty writing his book. I’ve read Jim's short stories before, and I really enjoy his work, including this story.

The main character and author, Bill, visits a local music store and is introduced to ‘Ramona’, a device similar to an ‘Alexa’ in which you ask it questions, or request to play a particular song, and she delivers your response.

And Bill does certainly learn that ‘Ramona’ is ‘she’, and not an ‘it’.

A couple weeks go by and as all new things experience, Ramona becomes just another electronic device in Bill’s household that sees very little use. But Bill does come out of his writer’s block and begins writing again. Only, the words he sees on paper aren’t the words he’d written, and the words are now telling him to commit violence against his own family. He also starts hearing a familiar electronic voice speaking to him and discovers it’s his electronic device speaking directly to him. It becomes apparent that Ramona isn’t just your average cloud-based voice service.

Ramona begins to ‘write’ Bill’s book for him. And the good news is that Bill’s book becomes a huge success. But not only that, it appears the through the process Ramona has become very possessive and has been instructing Bill on just what to do through these writings. I won’t give up the details, but it turns out that Ramona wants Bill all to herself, possibly at the expense of his own family.

Or does she?

There’s a twist towards the end of this short story that will certainly take you by surprise, and that’s the mark of a good author. The same as I like to do in my books, we all strive to provide our readers with that, “What just happened?” moment, and Jim Donohue achieves this goal.

If you’re a fan of short horror stories, check this one out!

[Renee Simmons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deja vu? Author Bill Bascombe is having writer’s block and has a deadline to meet. Stepping away from his writing, he ends up at a local electronics store and is introduced to Ramona, the latest smart speaker, she will answer what ever you want to know, but you have to call her by her name RAMONA. After a few weeks, the new has worn off and Ramona is forgotten. But she isn’t having it. And she is ready to make a deal. This is a short story that can be read in less than an hour, but it gets right down to business and has you wondering if Ramona is alive or is Bill losing his mind. Is it worth it to make life easier?

[Beverly Laude · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've always thought that those devices like Alexa know way too much about us. This short story just reaffirms my thoughts!

This was a fast read, full of creepy moments and twists. I was reminded of the old Twilight Zone TV series; just when you think you know what is happening, here comes a surprise!!

This author does a great job with character development and setting the stage for a truly frightening story. Highly recommend this one!

[Ali O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ramona- by Jim Donohue
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
This is a fun short story that you can easily devour in one sitting!
Bill brings “Ramona”, home as a cool new gadget. She answers questions and provides electronic needs. Bill realizes there might be more to Ramona than just factual information.
There’s surprise twists and suspense in this little but very entertaining book!
Great story!!

[L.M. Kaplin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get ready to smash your Google Home and throw your Alexa in the trash!
Once you read Ramona but Jim Donohue you’ll never look at those devices the same way.

This creepy short story about technology taking over our lives will leave you questioning if these advancements are really worth the cost.

[Savannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short, sweet, and yet full of tension- Ramona kept me on the edge of my seat. Following author Bill Bascombe, this short story manages to bend reality and leave you gasping at the twists. Well done Jim (not John)!

[Dorian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The shock of your life

This was an amazing quick read. If you decide to read this you'll be in for the shock of your life. I was not expecting that ending. This was really good.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This quick read follows a writer who gets a smart speaker for his home. However, it does more than just listen. As his world unravels, what is really happening? Read the book to find out!