Paradise

by Claudia D. Christian

Isa is a young woman addicted to her preternatural lover Jaleen. Tucked far away from prying eyes, she's free to give into the drugged bliss of being only with him. However, in this perfect existence another life haunts her, one with the power to take her away. Desperate to keep her secret from Jaleen she denies the truth---only to find Hell a kiss away.

This dark, unconventional 7,500 word short story is meant for adult readers who prefer morally ambiguous tales. "Paradise" is also included in the anthology "Fracture."
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If you like my work, you'll enjoy Kitty Thomas, Remittance Girl, and Annabel Joseph. Their fiction is dark, unconventional, and definitely worth a look!

37 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2010

About the author

I am a writer who craves to create literary experiences that makes you question your beliefs. I want to push you out of your safety zone. I want you to walk away from reading my fiction and feel, "I am that person," no matter how ugly or scary the character may be.

Why? Because that's what I want to experience as a reader of my work.

I use my fiction as a way to see myself beyond what I present. I hunger for a connection that feels real. Dark romance is the canvas but the paint is how I use the words.

You will never find easily identifiable characters in the hero and villain roles. There are none. Every character is wicked and pure. Just like me. Just like you.

Reviews

[Jess Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this was a mother-effing cool read. Don't be deterred by the short story word count -- as the new wave science fiction author J. G. Ballard once said, "there are many perfect short stories but no perfect novels."

I couldn't predict the plot of PARADISE from the opening lines of the eBook (or the summary) -- though it was a really neat/satisfying ending.

I greatly appreciate the author's creation of stories with low fluff content. I also enjoy the handling of the theme(s) of sexual obsession/violence that are part of the plot. This is not the sort of cheap erotica that's nothing more than "literate porn" designed to arouse the reader and generate a profit for the producer. And I don't know why I took so long to dive into some of Ms. Christian's work, but I'm glad to have done so.

P.S. This is subjective, but I enjoy having 'Stabbing Westward' on in the background while perusing Ms. Christian's work (moments of absolute pleasure, lol!).

[Maxine Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent short read about a woman in the grip of a dark obsession. The writing is great, the story is full of sexual and emotional tension--I will definitely be checking out more of Christian's work!

[ChaosDuchess · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I didn't understand what was happening, but I stuck with it. This is an intriguing dark tale about addiction.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I think I liked it? Unreliable narrator.