Inside Voices: a short story collection of speculative fiction

by Lesley Donaldson

What would you do if you were clinging to life in a tree during an alien invasion? Can Medusa find a job? How did two princesses use magic to found the Frankish empire? In her first collection of speculative fiction, Lesley Donaldson invites you to escape into her mind where she plays with reality in both light and dark short stories and flash fiction.

Lesley's first collection of stories is full of twists and turns that delight and shock. There's a little bit of something in here for every fan of speculative fiction. Mermaids, elves, and dragons share these pages with new characters and creatures of Lesley's imagination. And the next time you come across a puddle, you might want to turn back after reading "A Quick Run."

"Inside Voices" also features a preview of her debut fantasy, "The Queen's Viper," which was a 2016 Kindle Book Awards Semi-Finalist.

123 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2018

About the author

I love creating fantastical worlds with dark layers and sharing them with people who would brave the truth. Tell me where to send your free flash speculative fiction!

My debut fantasy, The Queen's Viper was a 2016 Kindle Book Awards semi-finalist. Book 2 in the series, The Wrath of Atticus was proudly 168% crowdfunded in Kickstarter. The final book in this series, Tears From A Stone: The Oriel Revolution drops in 2021.

I have both fiction and non-fiction titles published internationally and nationally by small and micro press including The Ed Greenwood Group.

I'm also a Canadian nurse, mother to an irrepressible child with enhanced needs, and an occasionally companionable wife.

Reviews

[Melissa (missy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

1.)Line of Sacrifice
2.)Seek and Ye Shall Find
3.)The River Strickwells
4.)Summer School
5.)A Quick Run
6.)Camping
7.)A Vow of Silent Sacrifice
8.)Broken Circle
9.)Oasis
10.)Pipsqueak
11.)Beck’s Fall and Rise From the Absolute List of Things that Lead to Certain Death
12.)Talking Heads in the Dark
13.)On the Other Side of the Great Divide
14.)Till Final Draft Do Us Part
15.)Home Fires Burning
16.)Beauty in the Eye of the Beholder


I loved all of the stories
but I think my fav is Seek and Ye Shall Find
Mainly because I got to hear Lesley read it her self
She really should do audio books her self

[Ana Cordoba · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of easy and quick reads that showcases the author's talent. The stories are like complete we prompts that anyone could glean an idea from and create something completely unique from the original. Looking forward to seeing more.

[Clairisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of Short Stories!

I go Inside Voices from joining the Authors newsletter to get a taste of her writing and I'm glad I read it.

1. Line of Sacrifice 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Wow a riveting short story and unexpectedly great story it made me feel so many emotions.

2. Seek and Ye Shall Find 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A story about a sweet Caretaker

3. The River Stockwell's 🌟🌟🌟🌟
An interesting story about a Elf and a river

4. Summer School 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Mermaids in the Family!

5.Quick Run 🌟🌟🌟🌟
A tentacle monster in a puddle!

6. Camping🌟🌟🌟🌟
A monster eating a couple.

7. A Vow of Silent Sacrifice🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I loved this one about Sisters Chroma & Cholide and the Nuns very interesting. I just wished it was longer.

8. Broken Circle🌟🌟🌟
Aliens come invade or is vise versa?

9. Oasis🌟🌟🌟🌟
A very unique idea on the survival of mankind

10. Pipsqueak🌟🌟🌟
A Story about a mouse or hamster?

11. Beck's Fall and Rise 🌟🌟🌟
Small creatures as Trackers similar to Tooth Fairies.

12. Talking Heads in the Dark 🌟🌟🌟🌟
A conversation between two creatures that eats humans and themselves I wonder who they are.

13.On the other side of the great divide 🌟🌟🌟
A story about a man in a dangers world.

14.Final Drath Do Us Part🌟🌟🌟🌟
A story about a Dead couple interesting twist at the end

15. Home Fire Burning🌟🌟🌟🌟
A story about a ghost who murders people I wanted to know more about Vera journey.

16. Beauty in Eye of The Beholder.🌟🌟🌟🌟
A interesting tale about a modern day Medusa or should Maddy I like the uniqueness of Maddy.

[Hanneke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second short story novel I have read this year and I do not think I am a short story fan. Maybe because the short stories I have read where to good and left me wanting for more. That could be a big part of the problem. The short stories written by Lesley Donaldson in Inside voices left me wanting for more. With a few sharp words and well-made sentences, she pulls you in and you are happy for it.

My personal favorite was Line of Sacrifice, the feels!!! Summer School and Pipsqueak were the most fun and lighthearted, Oasis and Beauty in the eye of the Beholder left me wanting for the full story. I do hope some of the stories will find their way to a full size story.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting collection of short stories. Some were quite good and others I didn’t like so much, but that’s to be expected of a collection of stories. I rate this collection as 4 stars over all. My favourite story was the first one, Line of Sacrifice. I enjoyed it as a short story, but it could also be expanded upon to make a full novel I think. I also quite enjoyed Camping and Pipsqueak.

[Christine Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cool way to get a burst of enjoyment I’m so little time. I do hope you extend some of these into stories of their own! Especially Clotilde; her story was thrilling and made me sad that it was over