# My 1st short story published in YA anthology. Available free! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008 "2017-05-19T17:02:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/1 "2017-05-19T17:02:55Z")
Hi everyone! **Idle Thoughts** and the CS mods have given me permission to post this, since it’s not a sales pitch. (The ebook’s free.) I’m proud to say that my first-ever short story was accepted into [_That Moment When…_, an anthology of YA (young adult) fiction](https://www.amazon.com/That-Moment-When-Anthology-Fiction-ebook/dp/B01N45F679). This large collection (over 600 pages & 200k words) contains 42 tales in a variety of genres–including urban fantasy, paranormal, dystopian, science fiction, horror and epic fantasy–by extraordinary authors, many of whom are Amazon, _USA Today_ and _New York Times_ bestsellers. I’m one of the only nobodies in the bunch. 🙂 The above link is to the Amazon Kindle version, but in addition, you can grab it on [Barnes and Noble](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/that-moment-when-the-alliance-of-ya-authors/1125244641?type=eBook), [iTunes/iBooks](https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1180427861) or [Kobo](https://www.kobo.com/es/en/ebook/that-moment-when-an-anthology-of-young-adult-fiction). Also on the non-U.S. versions of Amazon as well. My own tale, “Provisions,” is a creepy kinda hybrid that can be found in the Dystopian section, but IMHO has even stronger elements of horror and paranormal. (I hate being bound by a single category!) Very happy to note that so far the reviews have been largely positive–“Provisions” in particular has been mentioned in each review that lists multiple favorite stories. The only story to be thus honored, in fact! 🆒 FYI, while several of the stories in the anthology are standalone works like “Provisions,” others are prequels or teasers of full novels that are already published. The free ebook version offers links to the authors’ sites that’ll let you continue reading any new favorites you discover. More info at [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33119811-that-moment-when). I would be _extremely_ grateful for any honest feedback, especially if you leave a review on Amazon, B&N, [Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33119811-that-moment-when), or wherever you download the book. Here would be fine too, of course. No pressure! 🙂 So that’s my pitch. Please give it a try, it’s free! And with so many stories, even if you don’t like mine, there’s sure to be _something_ in here that catches your fancy. [Get it on Kindle](https://www.amazon.com/That-Moment-When-Anthology-Fiction-ebook/dp/B01N45F679) / [Barnes and Noble](http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/that-moment-when-the-alliance-of-ya-authors/1125244641?type=eBook) / [Get it on iBooks](https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1180427861) / [Get it on Kobo](https://www.kobo.com/es/en/ebook/that-moment-when-an-anthology-of-young-adult-fiction) Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions! Thanks again to **Idle** and the rest of the mods for letting me post about this. They actually gave me permission months ago, but I never got around to it until today. Oops! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/2 "2017-05-19T17:55:24Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/3 "2017-05-19T18:10:16Z")
Well, thank you **choie** , I appreciate the book. It looks like the kind of thing I’d enjoy even without the Dope connection. Congratulations on rubbing elbows with the big shots! It may be some time before I actually read the story, as I usually get to my Kindle stuff only when I travel, but if I remember to, I’ll come back and bump this again. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/4 "2017-05-19T19:28:02Z")
Got called away at work…I have downloaded the book and am looking forward to reading your story! ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/5 "2017-05-19T19:31:15Z")
Congratulations! May many more follow! ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/6 "2017-05-19T20:48:51Z")
Downloaded, will read! Thank’ee! (Everybody loves free stuff!) May you write and publish many, many more! ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/7 "2017-05-19T21:05:02Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2017, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/8 "2017-05-19T21:19:29Z")
> [@choie](#): > > Very happy to note that so far the reviews have been largely positive–“Provisions” in particular has been mentioned in each review that lists multiple favorite stories. The only story to be thus honored, in fact! 🆒 Congrats! Your story was mentioned in several reviews of the “Top Customer Reviews” on Amazon. Will download once I get home. BTW: That’s a sweet do you’re rockin in your pic in the “More about the authors” section on the Amazon page. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/9 "2017-05-20T03:03:42Z")
I just finished **Provisions** and I like it. I’d give it 5 Never Gonna Get Paid Off Millennial Student Loan Debts out of 5. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/10 "2017-05-20T04:31:22Z")
A fun read. Left me wanting more! I’m sending the links to my daughters to read. Congratulations! Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/11 "2017-05-20T05:16:26Z")
Aw thanks so much, everyone! I really appreciate the encouragement and the congrats. It’s funny, I’ve had three novellas out (they’re oddities, not sold on Amazon… long story) since 2010, but I’d say this short story was, in its way, harder to put together and the whole process was particularly nerve-wracking. It is frickin’ _hard_ to have a proper beginning, middle and end in under 6K words! I’d never tried to do it before for precisely that reason–the discipline it takes to write so compactly seemed beyond me. Conciseness ain’t my thing. (I have web-based serial that’s over 1.5 million words for chrissake! Even keeping the aforementioned novellas to the publisher-mandated maximum of 45K words was torture.) But now at least I know I _can_ cram a full story into under 10K words! Anyway, I’m flattered by everyone who’s given the story a look, as well as my colleagues’ stuff too–there are some amazing minds represented! Many of the other stories are previews for books on Kindle Unlimited, so in those cases you can even read the entire novels for free. (My story’s just a one-off, though I’m mulling over a full-length work using this universe/premise.) LOL to **Drunky Smurf** about the, um, nondescript photo, shall we say? I’ve been lax in uploading a bio or anything to Amazon’s author central area, mainly 'cause I don’t have a proper headshot. I’ve bitten the bullet and slapped something up there, although if you click through to my website linked at the end of my story, you’ll see the same basic picture. Not that it’s anything to write home about, but hey, you brought it up. 🙂 Again, many many thanks again for anyone who gives the story and anthology a try. It was a cool experiment and one that was very rewarding, albeit challenging. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/12 "2017-05-20T05:26:35Z")
Pretty cool, **choie** , and congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/13 "2017-05-20T10:53:58Z")
Congratulations! ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2017, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-1st-short-story-published-in-ya-anthology-available-free/787008/14 "2017-05-20T15:29:36Z")
> [@choie](#): > > . . . It is frickin’ _hard_ to have a proper beginning, middle and end in under 6K words! I’d never tried to do it before for precisely that reason–the discipline it takes to write so compactly seemed beyond me. . . . Truth! But the word “discipline” is exactly right. It’s excellent training. It focuses awareness with laser sharpness on the absolute essentials. As with all the arts, when the result is good, it feels GREAT!