I blame Delilah.

Don’t get me wrong… she hasn’t committed any crimes (that I know of 😉 or done anything bad. It’s simply the fact that I’ve grown to reeeeeaaaally love the reading and writing of short stories. And it’s all her fault.

For those who may not know, Delilah graciously organizes an annual short story anthology, the Boys Behaving Badly series, each year with a theme. Each anthology boasts stories written by a diverse array of authors, covering the theme with an imaginative range of story ideas that are all panty-meltingly hawt.

A satisfying relationship, happy-ending, and a money-shot all in the time it takes me to eat lunch? Yes, please!

So, one year, I decided to submit a story. As a Sci-fi Romance author, I was accustomed to writing books of over 95,000 words. Imagine having to shoe-horn world-building, species-building, character-building, and a creative love story (with sex!) into only 5,000 words. That’s like moving all of Buckingham Palace into a one-bedroom apartment.

That’s what we writers consider one helluva writing exercise.

It certainly worked writing muscles I didn’t know I had. And the post-workout soreness is as much a reality for writing as it is for physical exercise. But I kept going. Honing, editing, questioning every single word choice for maximum impact and efficiency, streamlining character development to its most essential… and my story was accepted!

The experience was such a challenge, with what I felt were lasting benefits to my own full-book skills, that I continued to submit to Delilah’s anthologies. Four anthologies later, and I’m addicted. While I still love writing full-length stories, I also love writing short stories. Please don’t ask me which I prefer to write, because that’s like having to choose between my own children. I love them equally, although I might like one better than the other at times.

I now love writing short stories so much, I just published my own bundle of short stories. Fathoms Below is my trilogy of mermaid-y short stories filled with Disney easter eggs and drenched with romance. Each story is a self-contained love story, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to my characters’ HEA within 18,000 words rather than waiting for 35,000 words, or more!

And I “blame” Delilah for that. 🙂

Contest

I’ll gift a Kindle version of Fathoms Below to a randomly-chosen winner from everyone who comments on this post. Feel free to weigh in on your preference: full book or short story?

FATHOMS BELOW

Under the sea, Atlantia’s mer-creatures are devoting full time to floating… and falling in love.

“Better Where it’s Wetter” — Ariel LaRue assumes the sexy merman pictured on the lake house is “just art.” Then a violent storm topples her into his arms, and she discovers the ocean isn’t the only thing that gets her wet.

“Kiss the Girl” — Mako, a young Sharkanian General, knows there’s more to life under the sea than hunting for food and waging war with the Atlantians. But he struggles against his own predatory nature until a gentle mermaid calms the savage hunger of his heart and tames his sharp bite.

“Poor Unfortunate Souls” — Ursule has an uncanny knack for problem-solving which has earned him the grim moniker Sea Witch. Unfortunately, it doesn’t prevent pesky merpeople from approaching him with their problems. Until two captivating eel-maids invade his lair, wishing for nothing more than his company. And his talented tentacles. 

“Part of his World” — Eric’s Epilogue. Prince Eric wasn’t always royalty. For that matter, he wasn’t always a merman.

Get your copy now! FREE in KU!

 About Ava

Ava Cuvay is an award-winning bestselling author of out of this world Sci-fi and Paranormal Romance featuring sassy heroines, gutsy heroes, passion, adventure… and the word “moist”. She resides in central Indiana with her own scruffy-looking nerfherder and teen kiddos who think her “Rizz” is “cringe” but she “passes the vibe check” and her books “hit different.” No cap. She believes life is too short to bother with negative people, everything is better with Champagne, and Han Solo shot first. Star Wars references are her love language.

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