Dear Diary

by Marie Cardno

Deep beneath the earth, a forgotten god awakens to the blazing light of the first prayer it has received in uncountable centuries. But the world it knew is not the world outside now, and the priest whose words fill its prison-temple is not the sort of priest it is used to. She's bubbly, terrified, an over-sharer totally overwhelmed by the supernatural world she's found herself thrust into...
And she might be coming to kill it.
You've Got Mail but make it Buffy meets a lonely god-monster in this cozy horror short story about making first impressions count, by the author of the award-winning How to Get a Girlfriend (When You're a Terrifying Monster).

Genres: Fantasy

60 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 6, 2026

Reviews

[Marta · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this story. It was something different and so pleasant to read. I had a lot of fun reading it. Definitely something I would be interested in as a full-length novel.

Of course, as always, I wish it were longer. I'd gotten so involved in it and wondered what would happen next.


Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!

[Issy Waldrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, adorable, and a really fun read. If you've enjoyed her other books, you'll definitely enjoy this one (and honestly it's hard to say much more than that without spoiling the short read).

[spidermse · Rating 3.75 out of 5]

Cute little read. I was confused a bit while reading but it's 60 pages and I just enjoyed the ride.

[Deb Barringer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dear Diary, by Marie Cardno, is a quirky short tale about a girl who gets sacrificed by her boyfriend to a cult. While in captivity awaiting her death she finds an ancient tomb. When she starts writing in it like a diary to pass the time, she inadvertently awakens an ancient god. As they gradually build a relationship plans are set in motion for the world to end in 5 days. Can a girl in captivity and an entombed god beat all odds and find their way together to stop the world from it's likely end? Can a god who has only known blood and sacrifice find it in himself to follow this girl into the light and stop the world massacre?

[Amber Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cardno writes some of the most interesting stories I’ve ever read. This one comes to us through two perspectives - one, a girl, caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and two, a god, imprisoned and weak. As the girl writes inside the pages of a book she finds, the god reads the writing that appears on the walls of its enclosure. There’s a little bit of a language barrier and a lot of misunderstanding that leads them through a series of apocalyptic shenanigans. It’s a short, easy read, and I definitely recommend it!

[Phoenix · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this when it was a part of the Strange Love anthology, and I loved it then. I fell in love with it all over again this time.

I loved the story of a girl finding hope with a genderless god by communicating through messages.

It’s a short, quick read as it’s only about 38 pages.

I would highly recommend this.

Thank you Marie Cardno for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review.

Marie Cardno has done it again.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting short story I actually quite enjoyed. This short story comes with two pov’s one, a girl, caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and a god, imprisoned and weak.

Thank you Marie Cardno for allowing me to read this in exchange for an honest review

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a funny and clever little treat of a short story, with a very satisfying ending! I read it in about half an hour and enjoyed every minute of it.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for this advance copy!

What an interesting read. Short and enjoyable. To be honest, I really wasn't sure where this was going from the beginning.

[Jerrie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Diary

About a girl that was captured after her boyfriend gave her way,book fell on her head while locked in a cage.

[Anna Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in one sitting. It was so cleverly written and I LOVED IT. I really wish it wasn't just a short story because I needed all the lore, all the development, ALL OF IT.

[Cynthia Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute little story.