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You Only Get One Shot
What would you do if someone demanded you write the best story of your life, to be judged online? That your life depended on it.
Four well-known authors receive an email telling them they are responsible for a suicide. Their antagonist makes it clear she is out for revenge and they have no option but to comply. Their task is to post the best story they can imagine online and await judgement. Filled with guilt, anxiety, and even a few murderous tendencies, each writer weaves their tale and hopes for the best. It’ll be the competition of their lives. Who’s story will win? Will anyone survive?
If you enjoy tense, fast-paced horror, then you will love Kevin J. Kennedy and J.C. Michael’s You Only Get One Shot! Your shot is now. Read You Only Get One Shot today.
Four well-known authors receive an email telling them they are responsible for a suicide. Their antagonist makes it clear she is out for revenge and they have no option but to comply. Their task is to post the best story they can imagine online and await judgement. Filled with guilt, anxiety, and even a few murderous tendencies, each writer weaves their tale and hopes for the best. It’ll be the competition of their lives. Who’s story will win? Will anyone survive?
If you enjoy tense, fast-paced horror, then you will love Kevin J. Kennedy and J.C. Michael’s You Only Get One Shot! Your shot is now. Read You Only Get One Shot today.
134 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 17, 2017
30 people are currently reading
124 people want to read
About the author
Kevin J. Kennedy
142 books325 followersKevin J. Kennedy is a horror author, editor, and anthologist. He is the owner of KJK Publishing and runs the bestselling 'The Horror Collection' series. He is the author of Halloween Land, The Clown and Nothing is Real.
He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.
He lives in the heart of Scotland with his beautiful wife, three cats, Carlito, Ariel and Luna, and a Pomchi called Orko. He can be found on Facebook if you want to chat with him.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 63 reviews
November 16, 2025
Four authors are threatened by an anonymous person to come up with a story within the next 24 hours. Only one story will win, only one author survive. Inside you'll find all four stories of course. How would you decide? Who'll receive the prize to continue living? Intriguing idea, compelling tales and a great ending. This is exactly what you want and what you get by the author. Absolutely loved this very dark story and can highly recommend it!
September 1, 2017
Four authors receive an email from an anonymous source. A fifth author is dead, and the sender claims to have killed her. According to the sender, all five authors are guilty of committing the same devastating action. For personal reasons, the killer is eager to strike again. Each writer must write and publicly post a story by that very evening. Failure to do so will result in death. The author of the best story will be allowed to live. Each of the four "contestants" commits to writing and posting a horror story. I know which one I liked the best. But I am not the judge. To discover who wins this gruesome contest, you will have to follow the stories to their ultimate conclusion. This is a quick read with an engaging story line. Both authors are still with us.
November 14, 2021
An entertainingly creepy and novel concept that works very well with a twisty ending that surpised. I'm really beginning to love Kevin J. Kennedy's work and anthologies. Great quick read that had me hooked.
April 22, 2020
***2 Stars, barely***
There are some books you stumble upon and just read, without really knowing what to expect and with basically no expectations. As I see it, there are two possible outcomes in this situation:
or
In my case with this book, it's the latter.
I gave this book a go mainly because I just stumbled upon it by mere chance and saw that it's a short one. I had a couple of hours to kill and thought the plot sounds interesting enough - why not have at it? Well, it's about four authors who one day receive a mysterious email, informing them that they should each either write the best story they can possibly write or they face certain death. These 4 authors will compete against each other and so in the end, one survives, three die.
Each chapter focuses on one author at a time and then we also get to hear each of their stories.
I literally had no idea what to expect, no idea of what could happen next. And no, in this case I don't see that as a good thing. It was all just weird... There was also a lot of swearing -and I don't have a problem with that, by any means- but here it was just weirdly used and it seemed...forced.
Another very weird thing was the plot twist and the ending.
Anyway, long story short -even though it may seem that this story has an interesting premise, I was not impressed with the execution. You only get one shot was not worth my time.
There are some books you stumble upon and just read, without really knowing what to expect and with basically no expectations. As I see it, there are two possible outcomes in this situation:
it's either a satisfying story that leaves you feeling good about the choice you made
or
it sucks so bad, that you find yourself looking up towards the sky, asking anyone or anything that would listen "what the f*** did I just read??".
In my case with this book, it's the latter.
I gave this book a go mainly because I just stumbled upon it by mere chance and saw that it's a short one. I had a couple of hours to kill and thought the plot sounds interesting enough - why not have at it? Well, it's about four authors who one day receive a mysterious email, informing them that they should each either write the best story they can possibly write or they face certain death. These 4 authors will compete against each other and so in the end, one survives, three die.
Each chapter focuses on one author at a time and then we also get to hear each of their stories.
I literally had no idea what to expect, no idea of what could happen next. And no, in this case I don't see that as a good thing. It was all just weird... There was also a lot of swearing -and I don't have a problem with that, by any means- but here it was just weirdly used and it seemed...forced.
Another very weird thing was the plot twist and the ending.
Anyway, long story short -even though it may seem that this story has an interesting premise, I was not impressed with the execution. You only get one shot was not worth my time.
July 7, 2018
Fun concept. I was a little let down by the stories but the ending had an excellent twist. My full review is here ---> https://wp.me/p5t5Tf-1Bm
July 15, 2017
REVIEW: YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT by Kevin J. Kennedy and J. C. Michael
YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT is a delightfully creative, engagingly constructed horror novel. It's also a mystery, almost of locked-room stature, as if Agatha Christie had partnered with Edward Lee. The engrossed reader gets more than one shot: counting the Epilogue, there are actually five discrete stories! Someone has lost a loved one to apparent suicide--but that someone blames four popular authors for the death. Allegedly each of the writers rejected the loved one, a budding but uncertain and unconfident writer, who just sought a modicum of encouragement. Instead, spirit was crushed by sheer hatefulness. Now someone orders each author to compose and post a short story, by deadline--or else.
YOU ONLY GET ONE SHOT is a delightfully creative, engagingly constructed horror novel. It's also a mystery, almost of locked-room stature, as if Agatha Christie had partnered with Edward Lee. The engrossed reader gets more than one shot: counting the Epilogue, there are actually five discrete stories! Someone has lost a loved one to apparent suicide--but that someone blames four popular authors for the death. Allegedly each of the writers rejected the loved one, a budding but uncertain and unconfident writer, who just sought a modicum of encouragement. Instead, spirit was crushed by sheer hatefulness. Now someone orders each author to compose and post a short story, by deadline--or else.
May 23, 2018
In the tradition of Creepshow, Trick R Treat, and Heavy Metal, Kennedy and Michael give us 4 horror stories within a horror thriller. This cleverly executed nod to the old cinemati treats is centered around writers and writing as the authors write for their very lives.
The stories by the writers/characters vary one from another so much in style and content, it is easy to believe they were really written by different people. Read them all. Which is your favorite? Read the whole story. Who would you choose to win?
Brilliant characterization, entertaining mystery, and fun horror shorts. This genre bender is a great read!
The stories by the writers/characters vary one from another so much in style and content, it is easy to believe they were really written by different people. Read them all. Which is your favorite? Read the whole story. Who would you choose to win?
Brilliant characterization, entertaining mystery, and fun horror shorts. This genre bender is a great read!
February 10, 2019
OMG!!!! Yes that is ,y reaction to this book. It is truly that good. It has the horror suspense god everything that needs to be in a great horror story. I shared a mini review when I first started and I wasn’t kidding once you start the book, it’s like holy hell here we go. Four authors are forced to write four stories only one can be good enough, to be able to live. I loved the ending also . It was perfect. Loved the stories also. Just loved everything about this book. Go check it out!
August 24, 2017
So imagine getting an email, reminding you of a past sin, informing you that you need to write a story, the best story you have ever written, or face certain death. Well this is the situation forced upon four authors. Produce or die.
This book is very unique, with different stories within the main story line. Very enjoyable read with a great outcome. Highly recommend this novella, along with the authors. I'll definitely be reading more of their work, oh no... I've just received an email....
This book is very unique, with different stories within the main story line. Very enjoyable read with a great outcome. Highly recommend this novella, along with the authors. I'll definitely be reading more of their work, oh no... I've just received an email....
May 6, 2023
You Only Get One Shot by Kevin J. Kennedy & J.C. Michael is a fast-paced horror novella filled with violence and suspense, sprinkled with the paranormal and other bizarre elements. Of course, I really enjoyed it!! And phew, what an interesting plot!
WOW! What an intense beginning! I knew right from chapter one that this was going to be a novella with a great plot!
This novella had such a great plot! And it was everything a horror novella should be; it was suspenseful, bizarre, gritty, uncomfortable, and thrilling! I would definitely recommend this to any horror lover!
2023 Update:
I just had the opportunity to listen to this on audio. GO GET THE AUDIO! The narrator does an amazing job. I had previously read this novella back in 2018 and it was an absolute trip to revisit the stories in the audio version. Right from the start, I settled right back in and couldn't wait to relive the tales.
This is a super compelling story that will have you on the edge of your seat! Not only is the overall storyline terrifying, but the stories within the story also hold many terrors! Even though I had already experienced this read once and remembered the majority of it, I still couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next!
WOW! What an intense beginning! I knew right from chapter one that this was going to be a novella with a great plot!
This novella had such a great plot! And it was everything a horror novella should be; it was suspenseful, bizarre, gritty, uncomfortable, and thrilling! I would definitely recommend this to any horror lover!
2023 Update:
I just had the opportunity to listen to this on audio. GO GET THE AUDIO! The narrator does an amazing job. I had previously read this novella back in 2018 and it was an absolute trip to revisit the stories in the audio version. Right from the start, I settled right back in and couldn't wait to relive the tales.
This is a super compelling story that will have you on the edge of your seat! Not only is the overall storyline terrifying, but the stories within the story also hold many terrors! Even though I had already experienced this read once and remembered the majority of it, I still couldn't wait to see what was going to happen next!
October 22, 2018
What would you do if someone demanded you write the best story of your life, to be judged online? That your life depended on it.
An anonymous person sent emails to four writers accusing them of being in one way or another the reason for his beloved one to commit suicide. Their quest is to write a story and post it online so this anonymous will be the judge, jury and the executioner. He/she gave them a few hours to submit. So will they write to save their lives? If so, will they be spared?
If they don’t write a story? They die
If he didn’t like it? They die
So, they only got ONE CHANCE
Let's start with the email sent to the authors. Oh god! It was mind-blowing opening to a killer thriller- or at least I thought it would be-
The letter discussed so many issues such as internet bullying, mistreat the youth whom they just start on their way to do things such as writing, dancing, singing..etc. and the way other people’s words can do a lot of damage to a sensitive soul.
Lets now discuss the execution of this idea. To be honest, I didn’t like any of the stories mentioned – sorry – but the ending was mind-blowing and unexpected!
When I reached last pages I said wait… WHAT??!!! so, for that clever ending I gave it solid 4 stars.
An anonymous person sent emails to four writers accusing them of being in one way or another the reason for his beloved one to commit suicide. Their quest is to write a story and post it online so this anonymous will be the judge, jury and the executioner. He/she gave them a few hours to submit. So will they write to save their lives? If so, will they be spared?
If they don’t write a story? They die
If he didn’t like it? They die
So, they only got ONE CHANCE
Let's start with the email sent to the authors. Oh god! It was mind-blowing opening to a killer thriller- or at least I thought it would be-
The letter discussed so many issues such as internet bullying, mistreat the youth whom they just start on their way to do things such as writing, dancing, singing..etc. and the way other people’s words can do a lot of damage to a sensitive soul.
Lets now discuss the execution of this idea. To be honest, I didn’t like any of the stories mentioned – sorry – but the ending was mind-blowing and unexpected!
When I reached last pages I said wait… WHAT??!!! so, for that clever ending I gave it solid 4 stars.
July 20, 2017
This was fabulous, a highly enjoyable read!
It was like a really clever collection of shorts disguised as a novella, it's basically four short stories with a wrap-around/weaved-through tale, for a total of five stories.
A unique approach with an original backdrop, I was impressed by how they arranged it all out.
Yea, the set-up, lay-up, and execution of this was spot-on, I just loooved the whole concept.
We open up with a mysterious gal at a coffee house, compiling a special email for a group of four, she is not interested in any sort of chatty cyber chinwagg'n though.
Civil corresponding is not on her agenda.
Her reasoning is simple; she had a writer friend who was trying to break into the business and ended up succumbing to his own insecurities and self doubt, it destroyed him and she blames these four writers in particular, for not being more supportive of a new author.
Her only resolution is simple; they must write a winning story.
Entry is mandatory, noncompliance is an automatic swift elimination.
Primed and poised for a bit of wrath, our mystery gal masterminds a little game.
A bonafide battle royal of the written wits.
One winner, three losers ~ no participation trophy, no consolation prize.
We meet our reluctant contestants who hope it's all some sort of sick joke but they aren't gonna take that chance, this is not the type of rejection letter they wanna get...
Adhering to that strict deadline and with the 'you only get one shot' warning playing on a loop in their heads, they submit their best life-sustaining story for the win.
Then wait with bated breath for the inevitable hoax to reveal.
First up is Fiona, bit of a drinker, seems sweet enough and she can't for the life of her remember the writer in question. She's always nice to everyone.
Her coerced submission is The Wrong Girl ~ about a resilient young girl kidnapped who hopes (who knows) her father will find her in time. She has a lot of inner strength and doesn't take too well to being cornered.
Then we meet Diane, also a nice lady who is just beside herself with stress over all this. How can any of this be true??
Luckily she already had a story almost finished and hoping upon hope it's good enough, she completes then submits Rezerection ~ about a military man (an almost family man) who in his grief and disbelief is task with new orders to contain a small town in the throes of an outbreak.
Next up is Drexl, ughhhh Drexl....a deceitful, despicable, scumbag! You seriously can not stand this sham of a man. No jittery nerves shake him up after he opens his threatening email, he's too damn arrogant and ignorant to take anything seriously.
His story is called Feral ~ about a deceitful despicable scumbag of a man, still living off rich daddy's dime. Bored but with a purpose; to chart the nature vs nurture of babies left in the charge of wild wolves.
And lastly, thrust into this cutthroat competition, we meet Simon, who is struggling in life and finances. He only just recently discovered he has a gift for writing. He seems like an all around nice bloke.
He offers up Summoned ~ I don't wanna say too much about this one, only that it's brutal and upsetting until you find out what's going on, then you're like ~ YES!
So...who wins?? Oh the game has only just begun.
Personally, I'd say my favorite story was probably Summoned, so, Simon for champ!!
But honestly, all but Drexl seemed like nice decent folk, he is the only one I wanted to die Die DIE a horrible death, twice.
And all the stories were really good too, yes...even *cough-cough* Drexl's.
You'll have to read and decide for yourself who the winner should be.
You literally had no earthly idea what was gonna happen next, it took a lot of twisty turns, was completely unpredictable, and what a shocker of an ending.....!!
But now, come on guys, J.C., Kevin...fess up, this is an autobiographical tale, ain't it??
And big props changing it to a female antagonist...clever.
Yes, clever indeed. ;)
I've been a fan of Kevin for a while now, since reading his amazing The Tale of Sawney Bean and his two holiday themed anthologies (Xmas and then Easter) from the past year that he put together and contributed to.
He's a captivating writer, really draws you into his world.
So far, I've only read two short stories by J.C. (in the above antho's), I've searched him out and noticed he has a highly rated book that came out a few years ago called Discordia, about a rave, a new drug, and all the chaos that ensues. That sounds awesome and will most likely be my next read from him....well, unless this devious duo come out with a new one, that is.
Because YES, they definitely should write together again, their differing styles complimented each other nicely. You Only Get One Shot was very well written, intense and intriguing, with interesting characters, you can't ask for much more than that! Except...I did wish it was a bit longer, they easily could have gone another 30 pages or so of pure non-padded storyline.
There were two parts in particular I wished were fleshed out a bit more, you'll know them when you get there. Not a big deal at all and it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment or anything BUT for their next book, well....I'm devising a little game.
Entry is mandy tory, noncompliance is.... * cue maniacal laughter *
HAHAHA Cheers guys!! :D
It was like a really clever collection of shorts disguised as a novella, it's basically four short stories with a wrap-around/weaved-through tale, for a total of five stories.
A unique approach with an original backdrop, I was impressed by how they arranged it all out.
Yea, the set-up, lay-up, and execution of this was spot-on, I just loooved the whole concept.
We open up with a mysterious gal at a coffee house, compiling a special email for a group of four, she is not interested in any sort of chatty cyber chinwagg'n though.
Civil corresponding is not on her agenda.
Her reasoning is simple; she had a writer friend who was trying to break into the business and ended up succumbing to his own insecurities and self doubt, it destroyed him and she blames these four writers in particular, for not being more supportive of a new author.
Her only resolution is simple; they must write a winning story.
Entry is mandatory, noncompliance is an automatic swift elimination.
Primed and poised for a bit of wrath, our mystery gal masterminds a little game.
A bonafide battle royal of the written wits.
One winner, three losers ~ no participation trophy, no consolation prize.
We meet our reluctant contestants who hope it's all some sort of sick joke but they aren't gonna take that chance, this is not the type of rejection letter they wanna get...
Adhering to that strict deadline and with the 'you only get one shot' warning playing on a loop in their heads, they submit their best life-sustaining story for the win.
Then wait with bated breath for the inevitable hoax to reveal.
First up is Fiona, bit of a drinker, seems sweet enough and she can't for the life of her remember the writer in question. She's always nice to everyone.
Her coerced submission is The Wrong Girl ~ about a resilient young girl kidnapped who hopes (who knows) her father will find her in time. She has a lot of inner strength and doesn't take too well to being cornered.
Then we meet Diane, also a nice lady who is just beside herself with stress over all this. How can any of this be true??
Luckily she already had a story almost finished and hoping upon hope it's good enough, she completes then submits Rezerection ~ about a military man (an almost family man) who in his grief and disbelief is task with new orders to contain a small town in the throes of an outbreak.
Next up is Drexl, ughhhh Drexl....a deceitful, despicable, scumbag! You seriously can not stand this sham of a man. No jittery nerves shake him up after he opens his threatening email, he's too damn arrogant and ignorant to take anything seriously.
His story is called Feral ~ about a deceitful despicable scumbag of a man, still living off rich daddy's dime. Bored but with a purpose; to chart the nature vs nurture of babies left in the charge of wild wolves.
And lastly, thrust into this cutthroat competition, we meet Simon, who is struggling in life and finances. He only just recently discovered he has a gift for writing. He seems like an all around nice bloke.
He offers up Summoned ~ I don't wanna say too much about this one, only that it's brutal and upsetting until you find out what's going on, then you're like ~ YES!
So...who wins?? Oh the game has only just begun.
Personally, I'd say my favorite story was probably Summoned, so, Simon for champ!!
But honestly, all but Drexl seemed like nice decent folk, he is the only one I wanted to die Die DIE a horrible death, twice.
And all the stories were really good too, yes...even *cough-cough* Drexl's.
You'll have to read and decide for yourself who the winner should be.
You literally had no earthly idea what was gonna happen next, it took a lot of twisty turns, was completely unpredictable, and what a shocker of an ending.....!!
But now, come on guys, J.C., Kevin...fess up, this is an autobiographical tale, ain't it??
And big props changing it to a female antagonist...clever.
Yes, clever indeed. ;)
I've been a fan of Kevin for a while now, since reading his amazing The Tale of Sawney Bean and his two holiday themed anthologies (Xmas and then Easter) from the past year that he put together and contributed to.
He's a captivating writer, really draws you into his world.
So far, I've only read two short stories by J.C. (in the above antho's), I've searched him out and noticed he has a highly rated book that came out a few years ago called Discordia, about a rave, a new drug, and all the chaos that ensues. That sounds awesome and will most likely be my next read from him....well, unless this devious duo come out with a new one, that is.
Because YES, they definitely should write together again, their differing styles complimented each other nicely. You Only Get One Shot was very well written, intense and intriguing, with interesting characters, you can't ask for much more than that! Except...I did wish it was a bit longer, they easily could have gone another 30 pages or so of pure non-padded storyline.
There were two parts in particular I wished were fleshed out a bit more, you'll know them when you get there. Not a big deal at all and it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment or anything BUT for their next book, well....I'm devising a little game.
Entry is mandy tory, noncompliance is.... * cue maniacal laughter *
HAHAHA Cheers guys!! :D
January 22, 2018
“So, do you think you wrote a winning story?”
The answer is, yes. Yes they did.
This short story had a FANTASTIC concept!! 4 Authors are contacted via email and informed that they must write and post a short horror story before 8pm, or their lives are forfeit. Out of the 4, only the writer of the best story will survive, but the others will not know where their swift punishment is coming from… or when. The characters are:
Fiona
“She couldn’t remember giving any upcoming authors a hard time. She was always positive and encouraging to them- friendly even. She knew that sometimes st the end of a long convention she could be snippy, especially if she was hungry. It must have been a while back though, she though to herself.”
Diane
“Her writing was still improving with every story, because between her nerves and the tight time frame, she doubted she could have written anything from scratch.”
Drexl
“Drexl ignored her as he pulled on his jeans, leaving his boxers on the floor as a souvenir… well those and the multiple diseases he had probably just given her. Drexl had known for a long time he was unwell, but he hated people and liked causing and seeing pain in others. So he passed it on as his little gift to the world, that and his writing of course.”
Simon
“Simon had found writing by total accident. When he spoke to other authors online, they all seemed to have had a passion about writing their whole lives. While Simon was an avid reader, he had never had any desire to write. It was only when a friend talked him into sending a story into an anthology alongside his own for a bit of support he had decided to give it a go. He was confident he would get an email back politely telling him he couldn’t write, but he had been the one who got accepted while his friend had received a polite decline. Simon wasn’t all-consumed with a need to write after this experience, but he did enjoy the buzz of someone saying they liked his story so he had written another.”
Written with each of the emailed Authors having their own chapter discovering their challenge followed by their subsequent “winning” story, it was a really imaginative way to tell the story!
The one thing that I wished for, was that while the stories written by the authors were fantastic I wish that they had reflected the personalities of the author a little more. I think that would have given us a little more diversity with the type of story and a little more insight into the characters we were rooting for.
But, in saying that, note that I also said that I DID really enjoy the stories! The gratuitous and graphic nature of some of the stories and some of the subject matter may not be for everyone, but I love that Grindhouse sort of feel! I personally think that Simon’s was my favourite.. but, I need you all to read this for yourself, come back and comment below to let me know who’s story you enjoyed the most?? Who should live and who should die? Maybe YOU should decide!
The answer is, yes. Yes they did.
This short story had a FANTASTIC concept!! 4 Authors are contacted via email and informed that they must write and post a short horror story before 8pm, or their lives are forfeit. Out of the 4, only the writer of the best story will survive, but the others will not know where their swift punishment is coming from… or when. The characters are:
Fiona
“She couldn’t remember giving any upcoming authors a hard time. She was always positive and encouraging to them- friendly even. She knew that sometimes st the end of a long convention she could be snippy, especially if she was hungry. It must have been a while back though, she though to herself.”
Diane
“Her writing was still improving with every story, because between her nerves and the tight time frame, she doubted she could have written anything from scratch.”
Drexl
“Drexl ignored her as he pulled on his jeans, leaving his boxers on the floor as a souvenir… well those and the multiple diseases he had probably just given her. Drexl had known for a long time he was unwell, but he hated people and liked causing and seeing pain in others. So he passed it on as his little gift to the world, that and his writing of course.”
Simon
“Simon had found writing by total accident. When he spoke to other authors online, they all seemed to have had a passion about writing their whole lives. While Simon was an avid reader, he had never had any desire to write. It was only when a friend talked him into sending a story into an anthology alongside his own for a bit of support he had decided to give it a go. He was confident he would get an email back politely telling him he couldn’t write, but he had been the one who got accepted while his friend had received a polite decline. Simon wasn’t all-consumed with a need to write after this experience, but he did enjoy the buzz of someone saying they liked his story so he had written another.”
Written with each of the emailed Authors having their own chapter discovering their challenge followed by their subsequent “winning” story, it was a really imaginative way to tell the story!
The one thing that I wished for, was that while the stories written by the authors were fantastic I wish that they had reflected the personalities of the author a little more. I think that would have given us a little more diversity with the type of story and a little more insight into the characters we were rooting for.
But, in saying that, note that I also said that I DID really enjoy the stories! The gratuitous and graphic nature of some of the stories and some of the subject matter may not be for everyone, but I love that Grindhouse sort of feel! I personally think that Simon’s was my favourite.. but, I need you all to read this for yourself, come back and comment below to let me know who’s story you enjoyed the most?? Who should live and who should die? Maybe YOU should decide!
September 18, 2019
I decided to read for the pure joy of not having to do it for a particular purpose.
Not so long ago I reviewed the ‘100 Word Horrors’ book of ‘drabbles’ from KJK Publishing and was highly entertained by it, there were dozens of authors involved and the wealth of short stories were a joy to read. In the wake of my largely positive review the anthology’s publisher, Kevin J Kennedy, thanked me for the review and offered up his latest book as a willing sacrifice, not for review but just because he’s a decent sort and wanted to see what I thought of it. ‘You Only Get One Shot’ is a collaboration between him and J.C. Michael, and it’s well worth reading. I started it early in the day as a little light reading while relaxing and suddenly found myself engrossed in the tale(s). Partly because it’s hitting a little close to home, with the core concept being that of revenge against four more-established writers who were very negative about a newcomer’s story to the point where said newbie commits suicide. The four writers become involved in the ultimate story competition in which the writer of the best short story gets the ultimate prize… they survive.
I think that’s one hell of a concept, but it isn’t actually that straight forward as the four combatants have to write a story that day and post it publicly, somewhere easy to find. It will then be judged, but the writer will not know the outcome straight away, win or lose they will have to sweat it out until the mystery accuser decides it is time for the losers to die. That in itself is a great story, but then we are actually treated to snippets of the lives of the four authors, and the actual stories that they write, and so it’s four stories within an overall plot, which is something I have always liked the idea of and which is done to great effect here.
I will not tell you what the four stories are about except to say that they are all very different and absolutely suit the characters who allegedly wrote them, even though in truth there are really two writers penning this book it does come across as somewhat schizophrenic with multiple voices and a very slight difference in quality deliberately injected into the stories. With impressive finesse the writers pull off a seamless thriller interspersed with enough horror to make this a gripping read. So much so that I read it in one sitting and although originally read it to pass some ‘me time’ I found I couldn’t let it go without a review, so this is it.
It’s the second book I have read from KJK Publishing, and the second book I found ‘unputdownable’. I’m eventually going to read more of their back-catalogue to see if the quality is consistent across their range, if that’s the case I’ll let you know, if it’s not I might just keep it to myself in case I suffer the same fate as the characters in ‘You Only Get One Shot’.
Available now on Amazon. Dirt cheap and well worth it.
Not so long ago I reviewed the ‘100 Word Horrors’ book of ‘drabbles’ from KJK Publishing and was highly entertained by it, there were dozens of authors involved and the wealth of short stories were a joy to read. In the wake of my largely positive review the anthology’s publisher, Kevin J Kennedy, thanked me for the review and offered up his latest book as a willing sacrifice, not for review but just because he’s a decent sort and wanted to see what I thought of it. ‘You Only Get One Shot’ is a collaboration between him and J.C. Michael, and it’s well worth reading. I started it early in the day as a little light reading while relaxing and suddenly found myself engrossed in the tale(s). Partly because it’s hitting a little close to home, with the core concept being that of revenge against four more-established writers who were very negative about a newcomer’s story to the point where said newbie commits suicide. The four writers become involved in the ultimate story competition in which the writer of the best short story gets the ultimate prize… they survive.
I think that’s one hell of a concept, but it isn’t actually that straight forward as the four combatants have to write a story that day and post it publicly, somewhere easy to find. It will then be judged, but the writer will not know the outcome straight away, win or lose they will have to sweat it out until the mystery accuser decides it is time for the losers to die. That in itself is a great story, but then we are actually treated to snippets of the lives of the four authors, and the actual stories that they write, and so it’s four stories within an overall plot, which is something I have always liked the idea of and which is done to great effect here.
I will not tell you what the four stories are about except to say that they are all very different and absolutely suit the characters who allegedly wrote them, even though in truth there are really two writers penning this book it does come across as somewhat schizophrenic with multiple voices and a very slight difference in quality deliberately injected into the stories. With impressive finesse the writers pull off a seamless thriller interspersed with enough horror to make this a gripping read. So much so that I read it in one sitting and although originally read it to pass some ‘me time’ I found I couldn’t let it go without a review, so this is it.
It’s the second book I have read from KJK Publishing, and the second book I found ‘unputdownable’. I’m eventually going to read more of their back-catalogue to see if the quality is consistent across their range, if that’s the case I’ll let you know, if it’s not I might just keep it to myself in case I suffer the same fate as the characters in ‘You Only Get One Shot’.
Available now on Amazon. Dirt cheap and well worth it.
August 30, 2017
Four authors are required to write a story to atone for a sin in their past. They all receive the same email demanding that they write a story by 8pm that evening. The author of the best of the 4 gets to live. The rest…
The reader is grabbed immediately, drawn into “her” pain and anger (whomever “she” may be). What follows are 4 stories written for the author’s lives. Finally, after all 4 stories are written and posted per the email's instructions, the authors are "notified" of the results. An interesting premise and some good stories.
My favorite of the lot was Fiona’s Story: The Wrong Girl. It is so very aptly named. A group of thugs kidnap a young girl and they chose rather poorly. The tension slowly builds and builds. At one point while tracking her down, the girl’s father thinks: “They really don’t know who they are fucking with.” Indeed, they didn’t. If I were judge & jury, Fiona would live!
The reader is grabbed immediately, drawn into “her” pain and anger (whomever “she” may be). What follows are 4 stories written for the author’s lives. Finally, after all 4 stories are written and posted per the email's instructions, the authors are "notified" of the results. An interesting premise and some good stories.
My favorite of the lot was Fiona’s Story: The Wrong Girl. It is so very aptly named. A group of thugs kidnap a young girl and they chose rather poorly. The tension slowly builds and builds. At one point while tracking her down, the girl’s father thinks: “They really don’t know who they are fucking with.” Indeed, they didn’t. If I were judge & jury, Fiona would live!
December 18, 2017
Really enjoyable, original story. A clever way of bringing a group of short stories together and adding a frightening connection between them all. A real pleasure to read.
December 22, 2017
Four writers receive an anonymous email telling them they are responsible for a suicide. As a consequence, each must submit a short story for judgement online. Little information is given except that this is a competition with a difference - the three losing writers will die. Non-compliance is not an option.
At first they wonder if it's some kind of unfunny joke, but each comes to the conclusion that they may as well enter... just in case. They submit their stories and they await their fate. Was it just a prank or do their lives really hang in the balance?
I thought You Only Get One Shot was a cleverly constructed novella. The idea of using a writing competition as a means to link four separate short stories together was highly original and satisfying. The suspense was handled extremely well and I had no idea who, or in fact if anyone, would come out on top. It was very creepy throughout with an undercurrent of uneasiness not knowing what direction it was going to take. The epilogue was ingenious and brought the book full-circle and to an unexpected conclusion.
Read this review on my blog: http://bit.ly/2BkiRxc
* My thanks to author Kevin J. Kennedy who provided me with a copy of this book.
At first they wonder if it's some kind of unfunny joke, but each comes to the conclusion that they may as well enter... just in case. They submit their stories and they await their fate. Was it just a prank or do their lives really hang in the balance?
I thought You Only Get One Shot was a cleverly constructed novella. The idea of using a writing competition as a means to link four separate short stories together was highly original and satisfying. The suspense was handled extremely well and I had no idea who, or in fact if anyone, would come out on top. It was very creepy throughout with an undercurrent of uneasiness not knowing what direction it was going to take. The epilogue was ingenious and brought the book full-circle and to an unexpected conclusion.
Read this review on my blog: http://bit.ly/2BkiRxc
* My thanks to author Kevin J. Kennedy who provided me with a copy of this book.
August 10, 2023
"You Only Get One Shot" by Kevin J. Kennedy and J.C. Michael
Well-known authors Fiona, Diane, Drexl, and Simon have received an email claiming they are to blame for a suicide. The sender of this email makes it clear they are angry and out for revenge, and if the four wish to live, they will need to comply with the directions they are going to be given.
The directions are simple; write the best story you've ever written. The favorite story's author will live, and the other three will die. Easy enough, right?
This story took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting the stories written by the authors to be included. It was several stories within one single story. Drexl's story was definitely my favorite. It was about feral children. In comparison to the men's stories versus the women's, I enjoyed the men's a lot more. They were less supernatural and more horrifying for me. My only complaint in regards to this book is that I found it a but anticlimactic, and I wish as a reader we could have found out how the antagonist chooses the people she targets through email.
Well-known authors Fiona, Diane, Drexl, and Simon have received an email claiming they are to blame for a suicide. The sender of this email makes it clear they are angry and out for revenge, and if the four wish to live, they will need to comply with the directions they are going to be given.
The directions are simple; write the best story you've ever written. The favorite story's author will live, and the other three will die. Easy enough, right?
This story took me by surprise. I wasn't expecting the stories written by the authors to be included. It was several stories within one single story. Drexl's story was definitely my favorite. It was about feral children. In comparison to the men's stories versus the women's, I enjoyed the men's a lot more. They were less supernatural and more horrifying for me. My only complaint in regards to this book is that I found it a but anticlimactic, and I wish as a reader we could have found out how the antagonist chooses the people she targets through email.
September 15, 2017
This book, this one right here, is exactly why Kennedy is one of my favorite authors. He gives a tale so chilling that it leaves you terrified. Of course, he was not alone in the making of this haunting read, J. C. Michael played a part and these two created a masterpiece. The sickening charm this novella gives will make you question why you love reading the content within so much. The only answer I can give to that question: your just as sick and twisted as the authors who wrote it. I know I am.
the best part about this is how it creates such an eerie feel while you read it because, as a reviewer, I'm supposed to give honest feedback on what I read, but when a story like this gets under your skin as much as this one did, it makes me questions whether or not I should.
Well Done Kennedy and Michael. I wish I could give more than five stars.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review *
the best part about this is how it creates such an eerie feel while you read it because, as a reviewer, I'm supposed to give honest feedback on what I read, but when a story like this gets under your skin as much as this one did, it makes me questions whether or not I should.
Well Done Kennedy and Michael. I wish I could give more than five stars.
* I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review *
May 14, 2025
Fun read!
What a unique experience reading this book was. I really enjoyed it! The two authors did a great job writing a seamless story, with four other stories mixed in.
The premise of the story is four authors have to write a story and the best story wins, meaning the author gets to live. I don't think I agree with the villain's choice, but I do know I'm glad that Feral didn't win.
The four stories were so different I actually could believe four different people wrote them.
If you want to read something a little different, you'll want to read this.
I really hope there's a sequel.
What a unique experience reading this book was. I really enjoyed it! The two authors did a great job writing a seamless story, with four other stories mixed in.
The premise of the story is four authors have to write a story and the best story wins, meaning the author gets to live. I don't think I agree with the villain's choice, but I do know I'm glad that Feral didn't win.
The four stories were so different I actually could believe four different people wrote them.
If you want to read something a little different, you'll want to read this.
I really hope there's a sequel.
August 28, 2017
-I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
You Only Get One Shot, by Kevin J. Kennedy and J.C. Michael, is a horrific account involving four unfortunate authors who were subjected to a competition to see who can write the best story, all the while determining who lives and who dies.
The book begins with a mysterious woman, who is enraged by these authors that, she believed, drove her friend to suicide. She sends out four emails, saying that if they do not write and post their stories at the time of the deadline, they will die. Each writer comes up with their own specific story. And yet only one will make it out alive. In these terrifying story, Kennedy and Michael show just what happens when you push someone too far, and how, in the end, you always pay for your transgressions, whether you know them or not.
Personally, after I read this book, I was terrified. I kept checking my emails, because as a book reviewer, I’m supposed to critique people’s stories. However, when I read each of their works, I was afraid to like any of them. I thought Fiona’s story was good, but as the stories kept piling in, I thought to myself, I like all of them, but I don’t want any of the authors to die. Maybe Drexl, but that’s beside the point. I was honestly afraid to see what this woman would do to them. Still, I can’t help but feel that her retribution is a bit misplaced. Did she read her friend’s story? Or is she just completely psychotic? Albeit a bit annoying, she added to the book’s morbid charm.
When it came down to it, I thought Simon’s story, The Summoned, was the best, but that’s just me. Then of course, The Wrong Girl, Rezerection, and Feral all had their strong points too. It was then I paid attention to the writers behind the story. Diane’s apathetic attitude and Drexl’s sadistic nature already had me thinking that they should die first. Fiona was protective of her friends, and Simon was humble, so I rooted for them. But it’s this very mindset that chilled me. It was as if the author somehow knew that the reader might not want any of them to die based on their stories, so they created a system where they were still going to judge these authors anyways, regardless of how good the writing was. The ending was thus appropriate as it was bittersweet.
As such, I would give this book a rating of a 4.6 out of 5 stars. The mysterious woman was as haunting as she was insane, and though she was a bit annoying, her blatant targeting of innocents was frightening. The system of judgement the authors wove into the story was also wonderful, so much so I had a hard time believing I was trying to determine which person should die. Because of this, I would recommend this book to fans of Feast by Thomas Flowers and The Die-Fi Experiment, by M.R. Tapia
You Only Get One Shot, by Kevin J. Kennedy and J.C. Michael, is a horrific account involving four unfortunate authors who were subjected to a competition to see who can write the best story, all the while determining who lives and who dies.
The book begins with a mysterious woman, who is enraged by these authors that, she believed, drove her friend to suicide. She sends out four emails, saying that if they do not write and post their stories at the time of the deadline, they will die. Each writer comes up with their own specific story. And yet only one will make it out alive. In these terrifying story, Kennedy and Michael show just what happens when you push someone too far, and how, in the end, you always pay for your transgressions, whether you know them or not.
Personally, after I read this book, I was terrified. I kept checking my emails, because as a book reviewer, I’m supposed to critique people’s stories. However, when I read each of their works, I was afraid to like any of them. I thought Fiona’s story was good, but as the stories kept piling in, I thought to myself, I like all of them, but I don’t want any of the authors to die. Maybe Drexl, but that’s beside the point. I was honestly afraid to see what this woman would do to them. Still, I can’t help but feel that her retribution is a bit misplaced. Did she read her friend’s story? Or is she just completely psychotic? Albeit a bit annoying, she added to the book’s morbid charm.
When it came down to it, I thought Simon’s story, The Summoned, was the best, but that’s just me. Then of course, The Wrong Girl, Rezerection, and Feral all had their strong points too. It was then I paid attention to the writers behind the story. Diane’s apathetic attitude and Drexl’s sadistic nature already had me thinking that they should die first. Fiona was protective of her friends, and Simon was humble, so I rooted for them. But it’s this very mindset that chilled me. It was as if the author somehow knew that the reader might not want any of them to die based on their stories, so they created a system where they were still going to judge these authors anyways, regardless of how good the writing was. The ending was thus appropriate as it was bittersweet.
As such, I would give this book a rating of a 4.6 out of 5 stars. The mysterious woman was as haunting as she was insane, and though she was a bit annoying, her blatant targeting of innocents was frightening. The system of judgement the authors wove into the story was also wonderful, so much so I had a hard time believing I was trying to determine which person should die. Because of this, I would recommend this book to fans of Feast by Thomas Flowers and The Die-Fi Experiment, by M.R. Tapia
April 24, 2018
Genre - Horror/Novella
Pages - 134
Publication Info - Kevin J. Kennedy, July 17, 2017
Format - Kindle
Stars - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You Only Get One Shot: A Horror Novella” by Kevin J. Kennedy & J.C. Michael is to die for (in more ways than one)! This novella is jam-packed with some original and cleverly scripted and laid-out short stories that are skillfully woven together to climax into one stellar novella. The fact that this book was written by two different authors only adds to its authenticity and genius as the four short stories are meant to be written by four separate authors in the storyline. So, in effect what you get in this read is five stories. You get four different viewpoints on the horror genre with the telling of each authors story. At times witty, but always gritty, bold and filled with some very well written horror. If you’re looking for a short read with lots of meat, you cannot go wrong with this highly polished gem. From voyeurism to gore this has it all. Highly recommend this read for all your horror requirements. This was my first read by both of these authors but I look forward to reading much more of their work.
Kevin J Kennedy is an author/editor from Scotland. J. C. Michael is an English horror author. Both are responsible for many titles in the horror genre.
Synopsis (from back cover): What would you do if someone demanded you write the best story of your life, to be judged online? That your life depended on it.
Four well-known authors receive an email telling them they are responsible for a suicide. Their antagonist makes it clear she is out for revenge and they have no option but to comply. Their task is to post the best story they can imagine online and await judgement. Filled with guilt, anxiety, and even a few murderous tendencies, each writer weaves their tale and hopes for the best. It’ll be the competition of their lives. Who’s story will win? Will anyone survive?
Pages - 134
Publication Info - Kevin J. Kennedy, July 17, 2017
Format - Kindle
Stars - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“You Only Get One Shot: A Horror Novella” by Kevin J. Kennedy & J.C. Michael is to die for (in more ways than one)! This novella is jam-packed with some original and cleverly scripted and laid-out short stories that are skillfully woven together to climax into one stellar novella. The fact that this book was written by two different authors only adds to its authenticity and genius as the four short stories are meant to be written by four separate authors in the storyline. So, in effect what you get in this read is five stories. You get four different viewpoints on the horror genre with the telling of each authors story. At times witty, but always gritty, bold and filled with some very well written horror. If you’re looking for a short read with lots of meat, you cannot go wrong with this highly polished gem. From voyeurism to gore this has it all. Highly recommend this read for all your horror requirements. This was my first read by both of these authors but I look forward to reading much more of their work.
Kevin J Kennedy is an author/editor from Scotland. J. C. Michael is an English horror author. Both are responsible for many titles in the horror genre.
Synopsis (from back cover): What would you do if someone demanded you write the best story of your life, to be judged online? That your life depended on it.
Four well-known authors receive an email telling them they are responsible for a suicide. Their antagonist makes it clear she is out for revenge and they have no option but to comply. Their task is to post the best story they can imagine online and await judgement. Filled with guilt, anxiety, and even a few murderous tendencies, each writer weaves their tale and hopes for the best. It’ll be the competition of their lives. Who’s story will win? Will anyone survive?
July 30, 2017
This novella was intriguing. A tale about writers, it actually contains four different stories which are an integral part of the one larger tale.
The story starts with an email, written to four authors who apparently attended a writer’s conference with the email writer’s lover. The lover, a novice at the writing game, presented his work to the four and was belittled and ridiculed. As a result, the lover committed suicide.
Thus, authors Kennedy and Michael have set up a revenge scenario. The angry woman now challenges each of the four to write a story and post it that night somewhere on the Internet. Afterward, she will judge the four stories and only the author of the winning tale will survive.
Since this is a horror novella, the four short stories contained within it are also in that genre. It’s a fast-paced read and is very entertaining. There is a twist at the end, but, for me, it wasn’t quite twisty enough.
However, this is a fun read and, if you enjoy horror, you will find this novella to be very satisfying. I give it four bright, shiny stars.
(I received a free copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.)
The story starts with an email, written to four authors who apparently attended a writer’s conference with the email writer’s lover. The lover, a novice at the writing game, presented his work to the four and was belittled and ridiculed. As a result, the lover committed suicide.
Thus, authors Kennedy and Michael have set up a revenge scenario. The angry woman now challenges each of the four to write a story and post it that night somewhere on the Internet. Afterward, she will judge the four stories and only the author of the winning tale will survive.
Since this is a horror novella, the four short stories contained within it are also in that genre. It’s a fast-paced read and is very entertaining. There is a twist at the end, but, for me, it wasn’t quite twisty enough.
However, this is a fun read and, if you enjoy horror, you will find this novella to be very satisfying. I give it four bright, shiny stars.
(I received a free copy of this novella in exchange for my honest review.)
May 6, 2023
Thanks to Kevin J. Kennedy for the audiobook and this is my honest review.
I loved the narration of this novel and the narrator's skills in changing accents and voices!
This story is so clever and gripping until the end!
Four famous authors receive an email from a person seeking revenge for the suicide of someone they loved. As this person attributes the suicide to these authors, they are asked to write a story each and the one that writes the best get to live. They only get one shot!
This allows us to have 4 additional stories within the main novel which I thought was a brilliant device.
At the end the person that sent the email will have the revenge she was looking for, but which story won?
Not only this novel kept me on the edge just impatient to keep going, but the ending blew my mind unexpectedly!
I loved the narration of this novel and the narrator's skills in changing accents and voices!
This story is so clever and gripping until the end!
Four famous authors receive an email from a person seeking revenge for the suicide of someone they loved. As this person attributes the suicide to these authors, they are asked to write a story each and the one that writes the best get to live. They only get one shot!
This allows us to have 4 additional stories within the main novel which I thought was a brilliant device.
At the end the person that sent the email will have the revenge she was looking for, but which story won?
Not only this novel kept me on the edge just impatient to keep going, but the ending blew my mind unexpectedly!
July 24, 2017
You Only Get One Shot cleverly combines the appeal of an anthology into a single story. When four horror authors are compelled to draft new works as part of a sick game, the story then includes the base narration as well as the four individual writings of the authors. The premise is unique and provides the appeal of multiple stories while still remaining encapsulated in one. I enjoyed taking the detour into each sub-story then returning to the larger narrative. I think the story would have benefited from more development of the overarching story, particularly the climax and resolution at the end. However, the constricted details also added an element of mystery to the game. Definitely a worthy read!
September 13, 2017
This novella centers around the conceit that four (technically five) indie horror authors have done a grievous wrong to the loved one of an anonymous blackmailer. The framework of "You Only Get One Shot" is that each indie horror author is challenged to write their best short story... or else. This framework requires a great suspension of disbelief on the part of the reader, but I found the concept intriguing. The submitted challenge stories of the "authors" were all fairly good (again, it is the conceit of the novella that some are better than others), but the story that I found most entertaining was "Feral." It was depraved and extreme and, though not my usual favorite type of horror, I appreciated its ingenuity. I felt the story was genuinely written by that skeezy author character. Overall, a brisk, entertaining read.
September 27, 2017
When I review books I mainly look at the enjoyment factor, as I'm not a writer myself but an avid reader of many years. Wow, this is the first book that I've read by this author and found it to be addictive reading yet chilling at the same time. Four authors with all differing characters have been requested to write a story that will enable them to live or be killed. I was totally gripped throughout the book to the point where I read the whole book in one sitting, ignoring all around me, compelling me to read more about this insane woman seeking revenge. Slightly disappointed when reaching the end of the book as I'm eager to read more from this creative and aspiring author.
July 22, 2017
I'm not one to generally write reviews, but this one compelled me to pen a few words. 'You Only Get One Shot' is, on the surface, a collection of interwoven short stories with a narrative that ties them all together, but if you look closer, you begin seeing amazing little details that turn this into something much more. Cleverly written and professionally executed, the book takes you through a range of emotions. You're going to love some of these characters, and likely hate some of them equally as much, and once you reach the end you'll be very satisfied with how things turned out.
5-stars for a book that absolutely deserves no less!
5-stars for a book that absolutely deserves no less!
November 2, 2019
As an author, this book appealed to me. I fell in love with the idea. Four authors have to write the best story of their lives, or they die. There's four short stories buried in this book. I felt more like I was reading a book of shorts than an actual book. It was interesting to say the least. I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much if I wasn't an writer. Still, the total story is short and I could think of worst ways to kill an afternoon.
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