The 2024 Louisiana Posse presents its first two-volume anthology of diverse short stories. The previous six years’ collections include Celebrating the Short Story, Over the Moon Travel Treasures, 2020 Vision, Coming of Age, Second Chances, and Our Abiding Heritage, which have contributed significantly to advancing the craft of Christian fiction writing. This year, fifteen authors collaborated to produce the outstanding collection of seventeen diverse short stories you’re now viewing, Time Passages. This is Volume I, with eight stories. Volume II has nine stories from seven authors.
The short story has long endured since the creation of language. It is a good vehicle for presenting an account, more often concentrating on creating a mood rather than a plot. A short story can range from a cleverly crafted sentence up to 20,000 words. Whatever the length, a short story is typically centered around one plot, one main character, and one central theme. This contrasts with a novel’s capacity to weave multiple plots and themes among notable characters. The writing styles used in short stories can be somewhat unusual or surprising to their readers. Sometimes, their writers use literary techniques that might wear down a reader if employed throughout the length of a novel. Being short, by definition, they provide the perfect fodder for being assembled into collections, usually with some unifying theme or common element to tie them together.
The seventeen short stories in Time Passages are as diverse in technique and theme as our previous years’ writings; nevertheless, they are united in that a time element is expected. We invite you to take notice of the techniques used by this array of talented authors to weave those time-related appearances into their stories. These seventeen adventures will bring you to places you have never been.
In volume I, C.D. Sutherland’s Ascension takes you to post-resurrection Jerusalem, where the governing powers hope to restore order by finding the reportedly stolen body of Jesus. Jann Franklin’s Battle of the Breakfasts is a light-hearted adventure where the collision of small-town customs with modern information tech stresses Mrs Guidry, as she never quits working for others. Datha Hopkins’ The Epiphany shares a parent’s struggle to help a self-destructive child. Beverly Flanders’ Lucy is an end-of-life adventure that deals with finding usefulness in the twilight years and its effect on those left behind. Susan Hiers Foster’s The Last Gift follows Marion’s adventure, where she hopes to fulfill her late husband’s dream to visit the Promised Land. Jonni Rich’s Big Star Texas is a sweet Texas romance where Marcy Danielle Plunkett balances relationships with potential suiters, her family, and her schooling and career ambitions. Mary Lou Cheatham’s All In follows miserly Vanderham “Van” Root’s challenge to retain his wealth in the reality of failing health. Donna M. Copeland’s Unexpected follows the beginning of Jentry and McKenna Taylor’s love story, which contrasts with the mature love story of their aging new neighbors.
When you return from these experiences and catch your breath, chances are some will have left you wanting more. If so, check out that story’s author page at the back of each volume. They might have something else you’ll like. We believe you’ll be glad you did.
