Category: Short Stories

Dear Potential Reader,

Spider Hanson’s good sense would tell him it’s a good thing that people are finally doing what he wants them to do, only the way he communicates isn’t doing him any favors in this month’s free-to-read tales of the Hatchback Woman: THE BURNER.

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Spider turns up a few times in other short stories, something about that name caught me early on and he became an important piece to the puzzle. This is his introduction to the Hatchback Woman, and it’s one of those ones that I hope makes you wonder whose side she’s on.

Now, do as I say and return every First Friday of Every Month in 2023 for another mysterious tale of the Hatchback Woman.

Hope you enjoy.

All the best,

DAN JIRE

Dear Potential Reader,

In this month’s free-to-read short story, a man’s chance encounter with the Hatchback Woman at a gas station opens his eyes to his marital problems in THE BIRTHDAY . . .

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One of the things about people watching is how clues lead us to create narratives surrounding their situation. Most people we see are probably not up to anything as strange as The Lady, but we all have our own stories, we’re all in the midst of something whether it’s dire or not. We’re not blank slates that appear for the sake of an NPC (Non Player Character) in a video game. It’s how these stories cross that can be interesting. Are we meeting people at the beginning of a chapter, the middle, or the end? And most importantly—what exactly is going on in their heads that we don’t get to hear?

Tune in every first Friday of every month in 2023 for a Tale of the Hatchback Woman.

Hope you enjoy.

All the best,

DAN JIRE

Dear Potential Reader,

Let me present THE PLUCK, a tale of the Hatchback Woman and a young male whose ability to manipulate things around him is out of hand (literally).

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Immaturity is what drives a lot of stories, as it does here. As kids, teens, we often imagine the ability to be invisible. Most males share the same couple of things they’d do first with such a power. As morality develops (or not) or as we age, we can look back and understand the inappropriateness of these actions. As people we have to constantly grow and learn empathy. Even in my 40’s now, I’m still finding new ways to empathize and realizing past viewpoints that were narrow and wrong. This story is a snapshot of such an immature approach to a great power. It is horror what a small mind can and will do if given the ability to. For that, I am quite thankful that certain powers are not bestowed upon us at such a young age, because some sins don’t just wash away and some pasts we have to run from our entire life.

Hope you enjoy.

All the best,

DAN JIRE

Dear Potential Reader,

Is this the first appearance of The Hatchback Woman, aka The Lady? No. But THE BAG, this month’s free-to-read short story, has been the 1^st story in all the publications, introducing the readers to Alan Tuel and his first chance meeting with the woman who has something for everyone.

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As with last month, 2023 will present a monthly run of tales of the Hatchback Woman. These have been made available in several collections, and one day will see print along with the other 40 or so tales that currently exist. She’s one of my favorite characters to tap into her world and mythology. Look for how she came to be part of the JIREverse in an upcoming BEHIND THE SCENES post. Or click here, to read about how her stories were originally formulated.

Hope you enjoy.

All the best,

DAN JIRE

Dear Potential Reader,

It’s a new year, and if you’re like most people, you held off until the 1^st . . .or maybe the 2^nd to start your newest exercise routine or other ‘better habits.’ It’s neat that we can trick ourselves into doing something we don’t want to because it’s the start of a new year or a new month. Well, this tale is just a slight reminder of the obstacles in the way of better habits.

Join me, on another tale of the Hatchback Woman as she gifts a homeless man with a meal or two . . . or three, in a story called, THE WRAP.

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When I write the Hatchback Woman stories, one thing that surrounds any idea is to make sure it’s different than the one before. Oddly, this story actually started out as a revision on an original tale of the Lady from the initial 9 stories I wrote, but was never published (though the character turned up elsewhere). I revisited the entry point of this tale (at a traffic light) hoping to go somewhere else with the tale, and it does. One might even say there’s two tales for the price of one in THE WRAP, and maybe there’s more to be told.

While you are thinking about a new and better you for the new and (hopefully) better year, I hope you will enjoy the following tale . . .

All the best,

DAN JIRE