New years are full of new resolutions, even for authors. (Maybe, especially for authors. These books ain't gonna write themselves!) I've been wondering for a while how I can spice up my newsletter to make it more interesting to you, a person who presumably loves to read my work. I've decided to try an experiment for a few months and write you all-new, slice-of-life flash fiction snippets based on my book's characters.
When I'm writing a book, I have to focus on plot and moving the story along, but sometimes it's nice to see what the characters are doing when their lives aren't in mortal peril. What happens on their good days? How do two characters interact in everyday settings? Or, as today's story will show, what happens to characters during the holidays?
Ina's New Year
(a Magic of Nasci flash fiction story, told from Ina's point of view)
Of course, my phone lost cell service two minutes 'til midnight.
I cursed as I ran off the homestead property, drawing an inner heat sigil to keep me warm during the heavy snowfall as I searched for a signal. The already foot-high snowdrifts sucked at my boots as I tried desparately to find a way to watch the New Year's Ball drop in Times Square in real time.
As a nature wizard, I vowed to protect all of goddess Nasci's creatures from supernatural harm year-round. That meant working on holidays, and normally that didn't bother me. I wasn't big on costumes. Fireworks were too loud. Even the gift-giving of Christmas held little appeal to me.
But New Year's Day was always special to me. Growing up, my dad would make traditional Japanese dishes called osechi ryori and give me a little money to spend. It was the one night of the year my mom didn't scold me for being up at midnight. And, given how much trouble I generally caused, I liked the idea of wiping the slate clean for another year.
Which is why I couldn't stop a string of curses as the seconds ticked by and no matter where I went, I couldn't get cell phone service. I finally gave up when I realized it was 12:01.
I'd missed New Year's.
"So much for new beginnings." I drew my hand back to toss my stupid phone into a snow bank, too mad to care that I might have to buy a new burner with my hard-earned cash later.
The phone screen lit up before I could chuck it.
I blinked in the sudden brightness. "Oh, now you want to save yourself," I grumbled as I clicked to see what stupid notification had decided to pop up.
But it wasn't an app. It was my Vincent, my game warden boyfriend. He'd had to work tonight, but his text had just managed to come through.
"Happy New Year!" he'd written, followed by a string of emojis and a photo of him in his Silver Subaru, raising a thermos of coffee up high.
I smiled. I knew he only drank coffee when he was sleep deprived. I tried to write him back, but I'd lost cell service again. Still, I felt a little better, knowing he was thinking of me.
I was too busy staring at my phone screen to notice a shadowy figure approach in the snow. The newcomer slammed into my thigh, and I shrieked until I realized it was only Kam, one of the homestead's two sentry cougars.
"Hey, hey," I said as she rubbed her forehead hard into my knees, almost throwing me off. "What are you doing?"
"Kam?" a voice called behind her. "Have you found Ina?"
Kam mewed back.
Sipho emerged between two lodgepole pines, wearing a long cloak over her muscular frame that I knew had heat sigils woven into them. She waved at me. "I've been looking everywhere for you."
"Why?" I asked, my heartrate spiking. "Are we under attack?"
She grinned. "Not unless you consider apple cider an assault. Callum's all wound up about it being midnight on January 1st. He insists we should drink a glass of something special to celebrate."
Callum was Sipho's young forger apprentice. He'd only been with us a few months, so it made sense that he still cared about stuff like holidays, unlike most other shepherds of Nasci.
"Do you want some apple cider?" Sipho asked.
A warmness spread over me that had nothing to do with my inner heat sigil. "Sure. Let's go."
As I followed my friend and her mountain lion back toward the flickering windows of her log cabin, I realized that even though some traditions change, we can still keep them alive in our own way. It may not be my father's cooking or watching the clock change over, but getting a warm message from a loved one and sharing a drink sounded like the perfect way to start a new year.
What do you think of this flash fiction story? Would you like to see more? Are there any of my book's characters you'd like to read in a future flash fiction story? Let me know at [email protected].
And remember, the first five books of this series are available in Prime Reading through February. Read them for free with any Amazon Prime Membership.
Deals to Ring in the New Year
Supernatural Fight Club is a free hard-hitting urban fantasy. Bounty hunter Rebel Weston must enter a legendary fighting ring to save a client's son.
Shadow Winged is a $0.99 Alaskan Folklore urban fantasy. The dark gods of Piper's people are back, and they’re hunting the shadow-winged — like her.
Cupcakes and Crime is a $0.99 cozy witch mystery. The grand opening of Magnolia Winery was sure to make a splash until the General Manager is found dead in the wine cellar. When kitchen witch Sophia Bell becomes the prime suspect, she must prove her innocence.
Until next time, happy adventuring!
-DM Fike
Books by DM Fike
Available in Ebook, Paperback, and Kindle Unlimited
Magical Midlife Mom Paranormal Women's Fiction Series
Single mom Melissa Hartley discovers that magic exists in the worst way possible: through her teenage daughter. Follow along as she navigates the world of the fae to protect her child from an ancient prophecy.
Magic of Nasci Nature Wizard Series
A secret society of wizards live in our national forests, protecting nature against supernatural threats. Ina may command the four elements at her fingertips, but she can’t stop the savage creature leaving corpses along the Oregon coast. Will summoning forbidden lightning defeat her enemy, or will the storm destroy Ina first?
Legends of Llenwald YA Portal Fantasy Trilogy
As Avalon gets pulled toward a secret world where others covet her legendary powers, she must decide whom to trust—an amnesiac fairy, a shapeshifting trickster, or even her former doctor—all of whom may only be exploiting her for their own gain.
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