Non Irish followers of this blog – and that’s most of you – won’t recognise “there’s one for everyone in the audience” from The Late Late Show, but it was fun to say it. Anyway…
I wrote a short story last year called End of the Line. It’s part of The Awakening & Other Stories collection, but I want it to have a chance to shine on its own, so I’m publishing it by itself very soon.
I’m not sure a whole lot of people bother too much with short story collections these days, or even short stories in general. I didn’t want a tale like End of the Line gathering dust and going unnoticed. I’m obviously biased, but I think it’s a good story.
End of the Line deals with depression and loneliness – the dark side of life that sometimes we’re too afraid to talk about. And of course, it has a paranormal slant.
Dawn from Book Graphics was great. She went back to the cover for The Awakening and revamped it for End of the Line. It’s dark and stormy, just the way I wanted it.
Excerpt
In the distance, the familiar white light appeared, cutting through the dark of midnight. She’d watched it come before, but always from the sidelines, imagining what it would be like to face such a beast.
Cassie drew in a shaky breath and steeled herself. Legs splayed, arms by her sides, fists tightly clenched, she waited on the tracks as the train approached. Her legs shook, and strands of hair licked her cheeks in the gentle night’s breeze.
She swallowed the fear threatening to overcome her. Hang in there, she told herself. Another sixty seconds, and it will all be over. No more drowning, murky thoughts, heavy dreams or stilted breathing. She lifted her head and stared straight ahead, willing her body to freeze.
Closer now, but not coming fast enough. She was scared. As much as she desired to have it all over with, the fear gained ground. Could the driver see her yet? No, still too far away. Why had time slowed down? An ache began in her ankles, spreading up her legs and winding its way around her thighs and into her clenched hands.
The feel of her fingernails scraping the soft flesh of her palms roused her, just as she became aware of the vibrations on the tracks.
Cassie stumbled into the grass growing beside the tracks and ran, tears running down her cheeks. She stopped as she reached the first line of trees and leaned over, resting her hands on her thighs, trying to get her breath back.
Damn it! She wanted to die. Why couldn’t she have stuck it out?
The train thundered by, unaware of the woman hunched over in the darkness, sobbing. She raised her head to watch the carriages pass, slithering alongside Wilkins Woods like a dark snake. In thirty seconds, the night was once again silent.
She’d try tomorrow night. Maybe pick up a bottle of Jack Daniel’s after work. Might help with the nerves.
Slowly, her breathing returned to normal, and she wiped the tears away. Cassie followed the edge of the woods the mile back to her dingy flat. She let herself in and headed straight to bed. One more day. She could make it that far.
Add it on Goodreads
As a thank you to readers and followers of this blog, I want to give away an ecopy to anyone who’d like to read End of the Line once it’s published – should be sometime this weekend. Just leave a comment or pop me an email to emmameadewrites@gmail.com specifying if you want it in pdf, epub or mobi format (absolutely no obligation to review).
I just want to say thanks to the readers of this blog. Your support means a lot.
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Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction 
Awesome. I love, love, love the cover. Says it all. Kudos to Dawn from Book Graphics.
Thanks, Sherry. I love the cover.
Awww..you’re a sweetheart and I’d love a copy 🙂 Mobi please. I think you have my addy but if not its laurakentowski (at) yahoo (dot) com. Thanks so much! Can’t wait to read it 🙂
Cool. I’ll send you a copy once I publish on Smashwords, L.J.
Great thanks Emma!
Hi Emma, I would love the opportunity to get a copy, the excerpt sounds great. 🙂
I’ll send it on soon. Thanks, Becky.
Great cover I love it:) I would love a copy mcjordan37@att.net
Thanks, Michelle. Will pop it over shortly.
Thanks:)
Nice Emma. It makes me wonder why she’s so depressed. Love to read the whole thing…make mine PDF : )
I’ll send it on and you can find out.
Thanks, Millie.
PDF please! 🙂 Can’t wait to read! Go Emma, u rock! 😀
Why thank you, Laura.
We must go see Hansel & Gretel and Beautiful Creatures!!
That’s wonderful what you’re doing, Emma. I already purchased THE AWAKENING and Other Stories for my Kindle, so I’ll get to read END OF THE LINE in the collection. I remember when I first saw your excerpt for END OF THE LINE, I thought it was riveting. I just have to keep working through my TBR list to see how it all plays out, LOL!.
I love the redesigned cover, especially with the stormy sky and lightning. It makes her (Cassie’s?) red shoe stand out and seem like some kind of talisman. The contrast rocks!
Thanks, Mae. God, I know how that TBR list can be. It’s like five books forward, ten books back. 🙂
Yes, Cassie and those red shoes. She wonders herself why she wears them for such an occasion. The designer really did a good job on the cover – love it.
I can’t tell you how awesome I think this cover is. AWESOME. I’ve already read the story in The Awakening. But I think just this cover alone will draw new readers. Love it!
Ha ha, thanks, Lauralynn.
I was delighted when I saw the result – and thank you for reading!
This looks great! I’d love to have a copy! emerald_barnes(at)yahoo(dot)come
Ugh. I should have reread my comment before posting! com not come lol and Mobi please. 😉
Lol. I’m always hitting post before I proofread. Thanks, Emerald. I’ll pop you a mobi copy once it’s ready.
Thank you! I really appreciate it! 🙂
The cover is fantastic! Will definitely check out The Awakening, too.
Thanks, Shannon.
Striking cover and wonderful hook, Emma. I’ll definitely be adding that to my kindle TBR. Congratulations.
Cheers, Debra. I’ll send you a mobi file for your Kindle.
Congrats, Emma, not only in publishing ‘End of the Line’ on its own, but your cover. It looks fab! You know I’ve read the whole book, and you also know that this was one of my absolute favourite stories, one I rated as number one. I’d said this: “I’m still thinking about this story, and its concept. Really? Loved it. This one alone gets five stars!”
I hope everyone who reads thinks as I do. 🙂
All the best!
‘it’ – reads it! LOL
Your comments always make me grin like an idiot. Thanks, Sandra!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the short stories – this is definitely one dear to me. Let’s hope everyone else feels the same – fingers crossed.
😀 You are very welcome, and only a pleasure. I”ll be waiting for the next batch for sure!
Everyone will love your stories… because they are good, completely different from each other, haunting and thought provoking.
I’m a happy camper. 🙂
Hi Emma! I read the excerpt of End of the Line and I would love to get my hands on a free ecopy! Please send as a .pdf and I will definitely review on GR when I’m done. Thanks!
Thanks, Harmony. I’ll send it to you in PDF shortly.
All the best, Emma.
Nice cover! I said this was my favourite story of the anthology when I reviewed it, and it still is. Watching you release all your short stories has me thinking I should do the same, but where will I find the time. Oooo look another Harlem Shake video, gotta go, Ciao!
Cheers. You should do. I’d like to see what kind of cover you’d use for that Bloody Mary story of yours.
Sounds epic, Emma 🙂 I would adore a copy! Mobi for me 😀
Gone to you. 🙂
The cover looks great! I loved these stories and pretty much anything you’ve written. 😉 Best wishes!
Thanks, Jen. That’s lovely!