C.J. Carlin

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2024

Stories (3)

3 Stories

37 karma pts

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“A Midsummer Night's Rave” by C.J. Carlin

Submitted to Contest #257

In the gathering dusk, Puck the pixie peered out from around the hydrangea bush. The humans were gone, retreated into the house after their Solstice ritual, but there was a pipkin of honey and cream left on the altar, surrounded by fruit of all kinds. (Honey will actually make a pixie drunk, because of the way in which their bodies process raw sugar.) These were offerings to the Fae Folk for the power they lent to the midsummer rite. Puck whistled, and the gathered Fae emerged from the trees and shrubs and flowers where they had been hiding,...

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“A Deal With the Devil” by C.J. Carlin

Submitted to Contest #253

“What brings you here?”“My last therapist retired.”“Can you tell me a little more about yourself?”“Well, just to get it out of the way: I am Satan. Or rather, I am the entity that, filtered through your understanding and your cultural mythos, you would call Satan.”“That’s not a common delusion, but it’s not un-heard of.”“Oh, it’s no delusion. I’ll prove it before I leave this office. But for now, just humor me, okay?“Part of the job.”“I want to set the record straight about a few things, though. To start out with, I am not evil. I have never...

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“Message in a Bottle” by C.J. Carlin

Submitted to Contest #252

My prospective client, Regina St. John, was in her late forties, maybe early fifties. Her salt-and-pepper hair was drawn back into a severe bun, but there were laugh lines around her eyes and mouth. She smiled at me, but her smile was tinged with a certain sadness. “I want you to try to find my brother Mike. We had a horrible fight a couple years ago, over money, and I haven’t spoken to him since. Now both of us have inherited quite a bit from our Aunt Maude, and I want him to get his share. If we can’t find him, I get all of it, but I don’t...

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Author bio

I am a writer, minister, and bank fraud specialist. I live with my cat in Oregon.