Just like any other young writer, I honed my chops on short stories. These span a long range of genres, but the most important part of a story is character and emotion. Keep in mind, this is also a partial list. There are dozens more. I'd rather spend my time writing stories than cataloguing them.
The Craftsman (2003)
A fantasy story (a bit of a first) about an oft-ignored part of the fantasy world: Those who make coffins for vampires.
What About Me? (2003)
A mystery story about a former child star whose girlfriend seeks to find out what happened to him.
Adonai (2003)
A Freudian, psychological tale about a woman who has resisted sex for reasons previously unknown.
The Twenty-Seven Thousand Dollar Communist (2001)
This is the story of a young man who embodies the ideals of communism...except for the fact that he attends a private college whose tuition is 27K a year. A sweet romance.
Building Sally (2003)
This is told from the perspective of a woman who wants to tell the man she loves how she feels. Of course, there is complication: He's in love with someone else.
Ethan Prime (2000)
A novella that is a particular favorite of mine. Ethan Beckford is a world-famous opera singer who finds himself in the most unexpected place: with a version of himself who never had a lucky break.
Welcome Wagon (2001)
I've always hated the fascist structure of planned communities. In this story, I have my revenge through the machinations of a rich man with too much time on his hands.
Father’s Day (2001)
Set on Cape Cod, this story chronicles the struggle of a young father to land on his feet after the child's mother leaves.
Grant Renewed (2001)
An SF short short warning of the dangers in upsetting those who control the technology on which we rely.
OT IX Like Me (2000)
A young man and aspiring screenwriter falls in love with a woman in a fashionable Hollywood cult. Little does he know that a relationship with her shows him a way into the business, but also: she was right.
Love in the Time of Nanorobotics (2001)
When a man realizes that his libido controls him too much, he has it erased to fully concentrate on what truly matters in life.
Fitting Requiem (2003)
An SF story about a woman who decides not to undergo then-common medical treatment that could easily save her life.
Works Too Well (2003)
Factory work is hard. It takes a lot out of you, and companies give little back. Sometimes the little guy tries to take some of it back.
No Crying For Death (2002)
A Mathom Award Honorable Mention story. In the future, a man attends his wife's funeral with dry eyes, knowing she'll be back in hours. Right?
The Choice (2001)
One of my few stories to be born of a coherent dream. Travis faces a choice posed by the Devil. Which of the two beautiful women will he choose?
Narrow Hips (1999)
A winner of an informal competition at Purchase, this story beat out one written by my decent professor. I won a quarter, and the pretend respect of some of my (Ha!) peers.
It’s the Thought that Counts (2000)
Percy Ledby tries to satisfy his wife Dominique by giving her the best Christmas present ever. Um, you can bet it doesn't work out that way.
Road Trip (2001)
A personal favorite. A parable which takes place in Hell's softball league. Satan is the coach, and Judas is the lights-out closer. Written while waiting for the ex-girlfriend to try on clothes.
Three Dollars’ Passage (2003)
A woman kisses her boyfriend goodbye at the train station, earning her the respect of the old woman across from her. Will she keep it?
Everyday (2003)
Actually a very nice literary story about a young woman who reaches her controlled end.
Midnight Trespass (2003)
A guy who can't decide between two beautiful women trespasses in an unfinished dorm building to perhaps find the answer.
Creative Nonfiction
Thanks to a very good professor named Ira, I've taken my autobiographical writing to a whole new level, actually writing non-fiction instead. I suppose if there are ever Ken Nichols scholars (right up there in likelihood as my being hired as a coach for the Tigers) they will be fascinated with these stories, as they're a good key to understanding my fiction. I highly doubt that it will work out this way, but these pieces shall hopefully be collated into a proper memoir. Instead of a dry day-by-day account, these stories are all entertaining and they get to the point.
Defense Mechanism (2002)
A fairly rote piece comparing myself to my father. We both use humor as a defense mechanism, though I'm trying to confront my feelings instead of...whatever it is my father does.
Thicker Than Water (2003)
My first real writing about my mother. That alone makes this an important story in the Ken canon. It's not sentimental tripe, though.
The Un-lovely Parade (2002)
A series of vignettes about my relationships with women. It sounds boring, but it's not.
Brother (2003)
A piece about my scumbag brother.
She Danced For Me (2003)
A nice little piece about a certain woman who meant more to me than either of us figured.
Tumbling Toward Redemption (2003)
A cleverly-structured piece about my experiences with religion.
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