UNI Students Publish Serial Fiction
"Serial fiction" describes works that are published one chapter or episode at a time, and it was how some of the most famous novels by Charles Dickens and Harriet Beecher Stowe were first read. Now, UNI students in Professor Jim O'Loughlin's Spring 2022 Craft of Fiction class have published serial fiction on Amazon's Kindle Vella platform. Over the semester, fiction writers drafted, revised and edited stories. Literary Publishing Certificate students in Professor Adrienne Lamberti's Introduction to Workplace Writing class then developed cover designs, metadata 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. Just follow the links below. Thanks to Intro to Workplace Writing students Tierney Copeland, Maddy Fisher, Jaye Haines, Lauren Hendryx, Morgan Reichel, Bennett Rogers, Savannah Trusty, Amanda Vogl and Nehya Yann.
"For Pheobe" by Tierney Copeland
A slice of life following the daily adventures of a dorm life tabby.
"A Ruby's Blood" by Chelsea Gluesing
King Armond of Hunderam is attacked one night and is turned into a blood thirsty creature of the night, a vampire! Who had turned him? How will he control his blood lust? What secret is the queen of the neighboring kingdom hiding? This four-episode short story leaves you on the edge of your seat, longing to know what becomes of King Armond.
"Babysitting After Dark" by Cecelia Groah
High school senior Mabel didn't think babysitting could be deadly. She was wrong. She finds herself trapped in a house with no way to get out. Her only companions are her boyfriend Trevor, a mysterious little girl, and the little girl's older psychotic brother. The only rules? Don't go anywhere alone, don't split up, and don't get caught. Will they survive the night?
"People Don't Change" by Kersten Kahley
Bo lives alone in her grandmother's house, an artist working for commission. Her life is overrun with every kind of misfortune, big or small. She's burnt out and her relationship with her boyfriend, Benny, is as tense as ever when she suddenly receives something unimaginable: emails that are able to pick out and predict the unlucky events in her life.
"Intergalactic Misadventures of the Asinine Posse" by James Kennedy
What happens when a group of utter idiots stumble their way across the galaxy on adventures no person should survive? Who knows... least of all these morons. Follow along with as they traverse any and everywhere their disastrously grubby hands can lead them, with no plans and no one to hold them back from making choices that range between barely tolerable and the single DUMBEST thing that absolutely no one could have imagined any one person could conceive of, let alone think is a valid idea.
"Mara" by Shelby McGriff
Sage wakes up in the middle of a forest with no memory of how she got there. The bigger problem? It's happened before. With the help of her childhood friend Mara, Sage embarks on a journey to uncover the truth behind her blackouts - which may be even more sinister than she thought.
"Guardian" by Britt Mitchell
The watchful eyes of the Guardian are always on the lookout for possible threats as she protects the estate and children of a wealthy family. A family that has a complicated history which leads to their enemies always looking for a way to get their revenge.
"Might of the Yako" by Emil Munson
After years of living at the shrine in which he was raised, Kaemi, a rather young kitsune, sets out into the world to learn about society and the humans within it.
"Woodchips" by Joshua Nathaniel
Amongst her straining relationship with her narcissistic mother and absent addict brother, Elodie Madsen must blindly traverse the beginnings of adulthood and ask herself one of the hardest questions: "Who am I?"
"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.
"The Importance of Asking Good Questions" by Nolan Rochford
Lydia and Evan are two twenty-somethings wanting more in life. When they meet for a first-date over Bolognese at an Italian restaurant, the night ends in vomit and mistakes. Based on "The 36 Questions that Lead to Love", Lydia's and Evan's relationship asks the most potent questions of modern love. What will draw Lydia and Evan back together? What are the reasons for love and loving others in a world where misunderstandings run rampant?
"London's Best" by Madi Sweet
A young spy named Corrina is given a new assignment. It seems to be your run-of-the-mill task, however, tragedy is never far away. Can she complete her assignment before tragedy strikes, or will she simply run out of time?
"Life Between Portals" by Ren Tate
From one world to another the attraction doesn't fade, but their luck is starting to. Between the Empress in the fae realm and the hunters in the human realm, is there really safe place? Anywhere? Will they survive long enough to really start living? Will the Empress lie her way into their grace, or end them? Maybe the hunters will complete their job. Or will our heroines save the day...
"Guide to the Infected" by Savannah Trusty
It's tough living in a world with radiation and mutations, but that's why this guide is here. Good luck surviving.