Serial Fiction: Spring 2023
Dive into a series of new serial fiction stories to experience a variety of genres from mysteries and suspense to action & adventure. Serial fiction is a form of writing in which authors post an “episode” or chapter at a time. UNI students taking Professor Jim O’Loughlin’s Craft of Fiction class have published their serial fiction stories on Amazon’s Kindle Vella platform. Over the 2023 Spring semester, fiction writers drafted, revised and edited stories. Students in Professor Adrienne Lamberti’s Introduction to Workplace Writing class developed cover designs and promotional strategies for each story. This collaboration resulted in over a dozen works of serial fiction in a range of genres that can be read online on any browser (see below for individual story descriptions). Per the Vella platform, the first three episodes of any story can be read for free. Additional episodes cost Vella “tokens.” It is recommended that readers log into an Amazon account in order to receive 200 free tokens if they want to read a story beyond a third episode (and you will!). If you’re interested in reading, just follow the links below!
Check out story descriptions on the carousel or scroll down for a list of stories by genre.
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"Built for Ruin" by Reaghan Andersen
It's 1777 and the Revolutionary War is well underway. Both sides are bringing their all in hopes of winning a world-defining war. However, Charles Taylor does not feel war is the right way to resolve this conflict. But his family believes otherwise, forcing Charles into a "noble quest." This is his story . . .
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"Green Eyes" by Lilly Brocco
Ruby wakes up in an abandoned hospital, alone, or so she thinks. As she tries to figure out how she got there and how she can escape, her memory of what happened the night before gradually returns to haunt her. Her memory and friends are gone, until one by one she finds something that reminds her of them and what happened to them. Can she escape the same fate? Or will the Green Eyes win again?
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"The Knight & the Prince" by Madison Kamp
The Prince is captured when Royal Knight Edmund fails to protect Crown Prince Theodor from a giant's attack. It is up to Edmund with the help of his fellow knights to save the missing Prince. Their journey will lead them into a terrifying place known as the Realm of Monsters, hoping to find the Prince and return to their kingdom. Will this trio of knights succeed in their goal? Or will they all be lost forever?
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"The Other Side" by Leo McAlpine
When Parker notices that his usually attentive student, Aspen, has stopped attending class, he grows concerned. As the caring and compassionate teacher he is, he starts to investigate and as details unravel, he becomes more alarmed. Meanwhile, Ray, Aspen's best friend, is withholding information that could potentially save Aspen for fear of losing her trust. Through this all, Ray has discovered that she may have feelings for Aspen but is not sure whether or not it is reciprocated.
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"Out of Practice" by Erin McRae
Rose is a fifteen-year-old studying ballet at the Royal Ballet Academy in London, one of the most prestigious ballet boarding schools in the world. As Rose grapples with the recent death of her mother, things take a turn for the worse. When one of her classmates turns up dead, Rose finds herself at the center of a twisted murder mystery and must prove her innocence or lose everything. In her pursuit of the true killer, Rose discovers nothing is what it seems, and the world she once knew is gone.
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"Bones and Mushrooms" by Kyra Namanny
The queen of a faraway kingdom became friends with a Death God who was banished to the Mortal realm, afflicted with a curse. Trying to be a good friend, the queen wants to reinstate the god to their former glory, but the god is passive about their situation. They've lived in the mortal realm for so long, that they'd be leaving so much behind. They aren't going to make it easy to reinstate themself and the other gods won't make it easy either, for they are the ones who banished the god.
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"City Girl" by Jim O'Loughlin
The year is 1886. Evelyn is 12 and forced to leave her home in Iowa for Chicago, where her aunt, who has just given birth to twins, needs help. Chicago is the fastest growing city in the world, and something new and surprising awaits Evelyn around every corner. At the same time, the challenges of domestic work take a toll on her spirits and her relationship with her aunt and uncle. As her uncle becomes involved in labor unrest, Evelyn finds herself drawn into history making events.
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How to Say I'm Sorry
Lydia's new tattoo has caused an outrage. She is tired of not being able to be in control of her own life and how her mother treats her. Lydia tells her how she really feels and gets kicked out of the house. Now she is now on her own. She runs into an old friend, and they catch up on life. He lets her stay with him for the time being as she figures out what she's going to do with her life now.
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"Pigranha" by Tatum Peterson
The day begins as any other day on Adam's small livestock farm. However, when he hears a strange noise coming from the pasture, his morning becomes anything but normal. Upon investigating, he discovers that his beloved pigs have turned into monsters. His only goal now? Survive.
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"Killer Constellations" by ana phora
When Detectives Juno Villegas and Florence Diaz discover a set of bodies on the cliff of a national park, they find peculiar markings on the chests of the mangled corpses. Detective Juno begins to receive anonymous text messages, leading the case in new directions. As the mystery continues, the detectives begin to unravel the meanings behind the random markings on the bodies, all while the anonymous messenger, D.D. sends them both on a wild chase towards the culprit.
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"A Legend, a Dragon, a Dancer" by G. K. Reidy
A land once ruled by giants, now littered with their corpses. In a land filled with large, sleeping skeletons, Ballo's people are never allowed out of their own village. That changes, however, when a virus floods their community, one eerily similar to the one that wiped out a race of giants hundreds of years ago. Ballo's village has one hope, an all-knowing dragon in a mysterious cave. Follow Ballo as they embark on a journey to find this dragon, joined by friends they meet along the way.
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"Leaves Trodden Black" by Victor Robbins
Finnegan H. Ainsley is possibly the dullest young man in all of Ireland. Broaching twenty, he has little to no talents, interests, or expectations awaiting him once he graduates. Despite this, Finn discovers an ancient passageway to a dark universe that doesn't seem to want him there any more than he wants to be there. He soon learns that the residents of this realm are hunting him down in order to remove him. By any means necessary. Will Finn be able to reach the exit before his time runs out?
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"Dragon Wild; The Tribe of Two" by Kayah Rowe
Clover, a 12-year-old girl lives in a small town atop a mountain plateau covered in pine forests and surrounded by mountain peaks. Her secret, a magnificent blue dragon living deep in the woods behind her house. it doesn't take long for a secret government agency to show up in the small town, looking for her friend. Clover has to choose between the safety of what she knows and the wild unforgiving unknown of the forested mountains.
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"Big Iron" by Mykel Townsend
In the heart of the wild west a lone ranger arrives in a small town with his eyes fixed on one man, the outlaw Texas Red. The Ranger has been on the infamous villain's tail, and after finally tracking him down to the town of Agua Fria, he's here to bring him to justice. In this epic tale of honor, justice, and the struggle between good and evil, the stakes couldn't be higher. But in the end, only one man will emerge victorious. Based on the original song, "Big Iron," by Marty Robbins! Thanks for reading!
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"Blood is Infinite" by Amara Vaneir
Having no memory preceding the age of ten, Captain Iris Medusa has dedicated the last twelve years of her life towards recovering her childhood. However, Iris discovers a certain princess who might just be the key to unlocking her lost memories. Lena Caldura was given one job. Sail the Gold Coast, get captured by the pirate Captain Iris, and assassinate her. But everything is unexpected when sailing with pirates, and Lena must choose between herself and the surprisingly benevolent Captain Iris.
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"Burning Fuses" by Bryan Woodall
The Queendom of Rentennan is on the brink of revolution. Famine has left her citizens angry and starving, and a small pamphlet has stirred the crowds to the brink of revolt. With their nation on the line, the Queendom called inspector Hugo Vilicus back into service to shut down the inflammatory pamphlet. Hugo must work quickly as the crowds turn to riots, and old allies shift sides, he finds himself with few friends left. Should he fail, his head will be the first mounted on the burning pyre.
Stories by genre
Action/Adventure
Madison Kamp, “The Knight and the Prince”
G. K. Reidy, “A Legend, A Dragon, A Dancer”
Victor Robbins, “Leaves Trodden Black”
Mykel Townsend, “Big Iron”
Fantasy
Madison Kamp, “The Knight and the Prince”
G. K. Reidy, “A Legend, A Dragon, A Dancer”
Kyra Namanny, “Bones and Mushrooms”
Victor Robbins, “Leaves Trodden Black”
Kayah Rowe, “Dragon Wild; The Tribe of Two”
Amara Vaneir, “Blood is Infinite”
Bryan Woodall, “Burning Fuses”
Historical Fiction
Reaghan Andersen, “Built for Ruin”
Jim O’Loughlin, “City Girl”
LGBT Fiction
Kyra Namanny, “Bones and Mushrooms”
Leo McAlpine, “The Other Side”
Amara Vaneir, “Blood is Infinite”
Mystery/Thriller
Lilly Brocco, “Green Eyes”
ana phora, “Killer Constellations”
Erin McRae, “Out of Practice”
Tatum Peterson, “Pigranha”
Mykel Townsend, “Big Iron”
Bryan Woodall, “Burning Fuses”
Romance
Taryn Penney, "How to Say I'm Sorry"
Science Fiction
Tatum Peterson, “Pigranha”
Teen & Young Adult
Leo McAlpine, “The Other Side”
Erin McRae, “Out of Practice”
Taryn Penney, "How to Say I'm Sorry"
Kayah Rowe, “Dragon Wild; The Tribe of Two”
Also available: serial fiction from the Spring 2022 Craft of Fiction class.