AnneMarie Miles

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Mar, 2021

Stories (53)

53 Stories

3270 karma pts

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“Opening Geraldine's” by AnneMarie Miles

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #176

Carla inserted her skeleton key into the keyhole, turned it, and heard the unlocking of the bookshop’s door. When she pushed it open, the bell on the other side of it jingled its welcome tune into the stillness of Geraldine’s Books and Bits Bookshop.Carla inhaled the shop’s sleepy aroma, a mixture of must and ambrosia, her mascaraed eyes gleaming excitedly through her bright red cat-eye-framed glasses. “Hello, my dears! Good morning, good morning!” she sang her dark crimson lips into a wide smile. “How was your weekend?”A quiet creak weakly ...

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“Your Elm Tree” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #175

When I was still in my mother’s belly, my parents planted a tree together in the backyard of their new home. They hadn’t even moved in any of their belongings into the house yet, but my mother had insisted: “She is already sprouting her little limbs, Mason! I want her tree to start sprouting, too!”With both their hands cupped together and full, my parents both dropped a hearty scoop of fresh soil onto the seed. My father patted it down with a shovel he’d borrowed from his dad. My mother gave it its first water using her old iron watering can...

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“Like When We Were Teenagers” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #174

TW: swearing, drug use, sex, silly nonsense. Filling both of their glasses with a heavy pour of their favorite red wine, Charles looked up at his wife and smiled. “Well, dear, I think we should get a divorce.”The wine would have gone flying directly into his face if not for Martha’s quick reflexes corking her mouth with the unused cloth napkin that had sat quaintly in her lap. “What?!”Chuckling nonchalantly and reaching out to hold her hand – Martha was too in shock to pull away – Charles said, “Oh, come on, Martha, don’t look at me like tha...

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“Uncle” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #173

This Christmas, you are an uncle. I know you didn’t ask to take on this role – it’s kind of shitty of your sister for going on and having children without even asking you how you felt about assuming such responsibility; but once she pops them out, society says you got a new name and you can't do anything about it – so I’m going to help you out and give you some advice on how to meet your nephew and niece for the first time (because no one ever offered me any).Now, first, I want to congratulate you on managing to avoid every family holid...

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“I'll Drive” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #172

TW: themes of suicide, child loss, grief, swearing.Dear Avery Family,There are no wordsHow are you?I’m sorryIt has been 1,819 days since both of our lives were shattered.This is the last letter I will ever write, and I am writing it to you.I am writing to you because I need you to know that Andrew did not kill your son.I did.I have carried this guilt around with me for nearly five years, and now with the anniversary approaching, I can feel the energy building up again. Every year I am ripped apart by grief and guilt, and this year it has fin...

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“The Sandwich Guy” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #171

Angela jolted upright, gasping for air: “Ahhh!”Next to her, her boyfriend sat peacefully, propped up with several pillows, his coffee in one hand, his book in the other. “Was it the sandwich guy again?”Still catching her breath, Angela nodded, putting a hand on her forehead to settle herself. “Yeah.”“Where were you this time?”A hand found her chest, felt her racing heart. “The pool. He was there at the edge of the pool when I surfaced.”“Hmmm, that’s new. Did he bring you a sandwich at least?" Jake, who’d hardly lifted his eyes off his book, ...

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“Sunrise” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #171

TW: swearing, abuse, violence, death, dark ominous tones.Where land meets its end, there is only water and sky, and it is enough to take my breath away as I slowly drive through the juniper trees towards the cliff’s edge, gravel crinkling loudly beneath my car.The sun is rising behind me, casting its light upon the ripples of the sleepless sea like twinkling stars dancing across its surface. The horizon is made clear by a blemishing pale blue sky and cotton candy pink streaks brushed across it like smeared paint, creating a stark contrast ag...

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“(Almost) Home for the Holidays” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #170

TW: death.When she’d left for her trip, they had been fighting. It hadn't been a big fight, but they'd been irritated with each other. Her more with him.He always did this. Whenever the holidays came around, it was like some big surprise that her parents would want them to spend the holidays with them. And now that they had little Zia, the ask had become more of a beg. But with her parents being several states away, that meant traveling a small bit to get to them, which seemed to complicate things. At least for Jerry. Every year, bookin...

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“The Thinking Part” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #170

TW: Writer’s block, and mild swearing (caused by the writer’s block).“This is going to suck,” I involuntarily announce. Immediately, I wince at the discreet (and not-so-discreet) glares I get from the quiet patrons around me. Shit!The northwest side of the library is congested with people. This section of the branch seems to be the quietest, or it is the ambience offered by its floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the sun to luminate the room and warm up the cushioned community chairs and study desks, that make it feel more peaceful than ...

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“Monster Rules” by AnneMarie Miles

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #169

To the monster living under my bed, it’s time to set some rules. We can skip right past the interrogation, how long have you been living here?, what are you doing under there, and why? I don’t really need to know all that, or I’m too scared to ask after we locked eyes the other night when I came home past 2AM a little more drunk than usual. Your bumpy, spiked reptilian tail was enough to scare the living bageezus out of me, did you really have to turn around and stare like that? With those florescent, glow-in-the-dark, green eyes? ...

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“G-R-A-N-D-M-A” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #169

My husband thinks I’m crazy, but I know I see your shadow. In the moments when the light is right. Outside on a sunny day, or even inside amidst the dim lights we’ve set for our relaxing jazzy evenings. I know I told you not to leave me, but I meant, stay here, don’t die. I didn’t mean for you to haunt me like I’m living out some spooky, Halloween movie. The sun is shining through the window this morning. It’s warming up our dining area/living area – no, we haven’t found a bigger place yet – and leaving a great big sun-patch on our...

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“One Day in October” by AnneMarie Miles

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #168

I’d like to think I would recognize an October sky without the Gregorian calendar telling me to expect one. There is an unmistakable ambience in the air, offered by its clouds and the clear blue sky and the aging leaves pointing their fingers up at the daylight moon. Especially here in California, where the seasons are subtle. We have to be more aware of the details, because that’s all we get. It is a slow shift. There’s no massive exodus of green leaves, and no snowstorm announcing Jack Frost’s pending arrival.There’s just October.And that ...

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“Canceling The Thumbs Up Emoji” by AnneMarie Miles

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #167

I’d been fighting with my delete button for forty-five minutes, until I finally found the right arrangement of words.There! I think to myself. I’ve complimented his contribution; made my own contribution without making a slight towards his, and I’ve included my thoughts about how to progress for next quarter. All in less than three sentences! I mentally pat myself on the back for successfully compiling what I feel is personally an even better response to my boss than my last. I hit the send button.Closing my messages app, I eagerly open my P...

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“The Institution” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #167

“It’s 7:51,” Jim says to Dr. Kief.Checking his watch, Dr. Kief nods, “Yes, we can begin in a moment. The nurses are on their way.”Anxiously shoving his hands in his pockets just for the sake of having a place for them, Jim says, “I hope this works, Doc.”“Me, too. I have high hopes for your wife tonight. She made it through dinner just fine. Would it make you feel more comfortable if I began?”His gaze elsewhere, Jim shakes his head, “No, no. I’ll do it. If I was crazy and didn’t know it, I’d want her to tell me.”A hard knock comes from the do...

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“A Mother Who Loves You Would Understand” by AnneMarie Miles

Submitted to Contest #166

“I quit!” the mother yelled, slamming her bedroom door shut and pressing her back against it. She sobbed a moment, covering her face. There was no one in the room to hide from, but maybe her reflection. The mirrors were facing the other way, but still – she couldn’t risk it. Mothers must keep this part of themselves hidden, even from themselves.Anger, frustration, irritation, guilt, shame… what was the name for all of these emotions wrapped into one? No birthing class or doula meeting prepared her for this. Giving birth was easy. Breastfeedi...

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Author bio

AnneMarie Miles is a children’s music teacher by day, writer by night, and mother always. She studies creative writing at Southwest Minnesota State University from her bed in California. Her poems are published in Beyond Words Literary Magazine, The Concrete Desert Review, Lucky Jefferson, Allegory Ridge, and Prometheus Dreaming (online). Her winning short story, “Cerulean” can be found in Reedsy’s printed anthology, Prompted: Volume 03. Nothing makes AnneMarie happier than doing choreographed dances to hip-hop music in a room full of strangers – except, maybe, sipping perfectly sweetened coffee on Saturday morning. Copyright © 2025 AnneMarie Miles - All Rights Reserved. Using content without written permission is prohibited

Winning 1 story 🏆

Contest #223

Cerulean – read story

Shortlisted 8 stories ⭐️

Contest #227

Blizzard – read story

Contest #221

A Ghost's Testimony – read story

Contest #217

Beowulf: A Guard Dog's Tale – read story

Contest #213

The Lucky Ones – read story

Contest #176

Opening Geraldine's – read story