The short stories you have recommended keep rolling in.  Today we have two more.

First up is:

Author: Carmen DeSousa

Short Story: The Pit Stop

Carmen gives us this background about her writing in this excerpt from her Amazon author page.

I characterize my stories as modern-day fairytales, as they overflow with romance, mystery, suspense, and of course, tragedy. After all, what would a fairytale be without a tragic event setting the stage? All of my novels are sensual, but not erotic, gripping but not graphic stories that will make you love, laugh, cry, gasp, and hope.
My first two novels, She Belongs to Me and Land of the Noonday Sun, have reached bestseller status right alongside Nicholas Sparks, J.D. Robb, and other great authors. My third novel, Entangled Dreams, released September 2012, and When Noonday Ends is now available.

The Pit Stop differs from some of the other offerings we have featured in the short story series because it isn’t a collection of stories but rather an individual one.  It runs to about nine thousand words, something a reader can finish in an hour or so.

Here is the product description teaser.

When what seems like a normal pit stop turns to more than just gas and food, a lost couple finds themselves searching for the truth of a twenty-year-old mystery that may cost them their life.

If you get a chance, stop by Carmen DeSousa’s site and check out her work.

Our next selection is also something new for the series.  It is a collection of short stories, but by various writers.

As the product description makes clear, this anthology is not only a collection of short stories from many writers, but also a book that serves a charitable purpose.

Seventy-six writers connected to the Seton Hill University Writing Popular Fiction program have created a multi-genre charity anthology entitled Hazard Yet Forward. All proceeds from this project will benefit Donna Munro, a 2004 graduate of the program. Munro, a teacher living in St. Louis, Missouri, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

Genres represented in the book range from horror to romance to mystery – and everything in between. Some of the notable writers in the anthology are World Fantasy Award winner Nalo Hopkinson, Bram Stoker winners Michael A. Arnzen and Michael Knost, Bram Stoker nominees Lawrence C. Connolly and John Edward Lawson, ALA/YALSA Best Book for Young Adults winner Jessica Warman, Rita finalist Dana Marton, Spur award winner Meg Mims, Asimov’s Reader’s Award winner Timons Esaias, Rhysling Award nominee K. Ceres Wright, and WV Arts and Humanities literary fellowships winner, Geoffrey Cameron Fuller.

One of the reviews of the collection (by “Lori”) reflects the quality of writing and the beauty of the project’s concept.

Hazard Yet Forward is a great buy for eclectic readers–there’s horror, mystery, romance, steampunk, gothic…the list goes on and on. Written and edited by Seton Hill University’s Master’s of Fine Arts in Writing program, Hazard Yet Forward reflects not only the school’s motto, but fellow alum and friend, Donna Munro, as she fights breast cancer. You go, Donna!

It is work like this that makes me proud to be a member of the author community.  Please take the time to click here to check out Hazard Yet Forward.  I already hit the buy button. And, Donna Munro, our thoughts and prayers are with you.

(Stephen Woodfin is an attorney and author.)