James Kirst Short Story and Novel Blog - The Short Story Emporium and Creativity Outlet

Welcome Page

Posted on July 1, 2021January 30, 2022 by jkirst

Hello everyone! Welcome to my page! This is the welcome page for James Kirst’s Short Story and Novel page, aka James Kirst’s Short Story Emporium and Creativity Outlet. If you’re here, perhaps you’d be interested in finding out about the novels I wrote, Ghosts are Assholes, Magic Once Removed, and The Crumbling World. If you like any of the books, perhaps you’d be interested in just reading about my other assorted short stories instead. If you’d like to find out more about me, check out this page.

The goal of this site chiefly is to entertain. I like to think of my short stories like something you can read during your lunch break but leaves you with a bit of an emotional impact, whether it be laughter, tears, joy, or something in between.

Will I always succeed in that goal? Hopefully, but odds are I won’t, so I’d love to hear from you to see what you think. I hope to add more topics and features onto this site in the future. My topics can range from anything such as my thoughts on certain tropes, entertainment today, the trials and tribulations of being a writer, who knows? I have so many stories to write that I feel that the sky is truly the limit.

My obligatory social media links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/writerjrk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/writerjrk/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18534226.James_Kirst

I have a lot of big and exciting plans for the future. I hope that you come along for the wild ride.

Thank you for visiting. I hope to see you again.

The Crumbling World Released Today!

Posted on June 26, 2021July 19, 2021 by jkirst

I am proud to announce that my upcoming novel, The Crumbling World, is now available! The link is available here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097V3B9P7 and the book page is available here: The Crumbling World.

This is a fantasy novel that starts out rather cliche but quickly turns surreal. It stars an eclectic cast of characters and I think our hero is the kind of protagonist that a reader may start out hating but will slowly grow to love as he evolves and grows. Even though the story takes place in a fantastic setting, I think it’s one of those sorts of tales that transcends time and place. This story could be set in a sci-fi environment or in a steampunk universe or in the height of the seafaring age or even the modern day. Certain details would have to be changed, of course, but I feel that the general story would be the same. One of my goals with The Crumbling World was to write a universal story that could withstand the test of time. A lofty goal, I know, and one that I cannot ever say that I’ve achieved but it should be at the very least enjoyable.

This is all to explain why I am very excited about this one. I really think The Crumbling World is the best work I’ve written thus far and an excellent pickup for both fans of the fantasy genre and everyone else. It’s a relatively quick read as well. Please give it up if you have a chance. I’d let to thank Karen Fuller at World Castle Publishing for her continued support and my parents as well. Without them, none of this would be possible. I’d like to thank everyone who’s ever picked up a copy of my book as well. You are the reason I write in the first place. Thank you to everyone.

To conclude, if you’d like to see read “short story”, please click the tag below or click on this(short story) link or this(genre and tags) link or this(story list) link. I would also urge you to share this story with others and comment below. Also, please check out my book page to see two other books I’ve written including CIBA finalist Magic Once Removed and my first tale Ghosts are Assholes by pressing here. Thank you one last time.

The Writer Jerk Podcast

Posted on October 5, 2020October 3, 2020 by jkirst

The Writer Jerk Podcast Logo

Hey! Check out this test podcast episode I made called The Writer Jerk:

https://youtu.be/MV88HyYUK7Y

The basic theme of The Writer Jerk Podcast is any and all topics tangentially related to writing. Whether the medium is novels, short stories, movies, television shows, comic books, and even video games, if it has a story, I will want to talk about it. I’m planning to make this a mostly family-friendly show that has something for anyone that has even the smallest interest in writing.

Just to give you a bit of a preview, the next two episodes will be a brief discussion of my first two novels, Ghosts are Assholes and Magic Once Removed. There won’t be any spoilers, naturally, but it will provide a bit of an inside look. That is where a cohost could help as he or would be able to provide questions that I did not consider. Afterward, I plan to branch out into different topics including a discussion of witches and witchcraft and how they’ve been historically used in storytelling, an analysis of an essay, and how its lessons are applied to the critiques of fiction today, and a deep dive into a short story. There are a couple of movies I’d like to take a deeper look at as well along with a music video that I feel was deeply symbolic and worthy of further discussion.

I’m very curious about what everyone thinks of it, whether it be content, audio quality, whether you’d listen, or even think this is a good idea at all! Any feedback would be appreciated. Like I said in the episode, please feel to dm me if you want to be a cohost but even if you don’t, I’ll probably continue this because they are fun to make and are a good outlet for my thoughts. Thanks in advance!

Follow the writer jerk on twitter for updates and more! www.twitter.com/writerjerk

Magic Once Removed is Available Now

Posted on June 29, 2020August 26, 2020 by jkirst

The kindle version of my paranormal love story combined with a buddy cop movie, AKA Lethal Weapon with witches, Magic Once Removed, is available now.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B5JWQQV

Booksprout for reviews: https://booksprout.co/arc/39426/magic-once-removed

The paperback version should be available soon if it is not available already. Let me know if you want a signed copy and I’ll hook you up.

Thanks again to Karen Fuller and World Castle Publishing. Nothing left to say but:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDTwO0TlwOU

Hiatus

Posted on December 14, 2019December 14, 2019 by jkirst

Hello all. I am taking a hiatus from short-story writing to work on what I hope to be a series of novels as well as the promotion of the two novels I have written and I am hoping to get a third novel in the publishing phase soon. I may post periodically here or there but it will probably be inconsistent and if I do post, the story will probably be very short.

I’d like to ask while you wait to check out all of my short stories by pressing “short story” tag below or clicking this(short story) link or this(genre and tags) link or this(story list) link. I would also urge you to share this story with others and comment below. Please check out my books page as well by pressing here. Magic Once Removed will be available soon, so please check out the FAQ. Thank you for your patience and all the support you have given me throughout the year.

Short Story Saturday: Maiden on a Slab

Posted on December 7, 2019August 26, 2020 by jkirst

Hello everyone! As part of Short Story Saturday, I have posted another short story, this one entitled Maiden on a Slab. Please enjoy. Also, if you haven’t already checked out my FAQ on my upcoming book, Magic Once Removed, please check that out as well. Thanks again!

His torch represented many things. Illumination. Warmth. Comfort. It also represented a potential disaster of biblical proportions. The ancient parchment he held in his free hand was as dry as British wit and a single spark would cause it to go aflame which would leave the man lost, potentially for good. in that forgotten, dank, dark labyrinth. It did not help his psyche that there were times he had to hold the blistering orange flame perilously close to the map to see its intricacies and read its ancient inscriptions that detailed how to get by the perilous puzzles that loomed.

Continue reading “Short Story Saturday: Maiden on a Slab”

Short Story Saturday: Kamikaze

Posted on November 23, 2019September 2, 2020 by jkirst

Hello everyone! As part of Short Story Saturday, I have posted another short story, this one entitled Kamikaze. Please enjoy. Sorry about the late post. Technically, I’ve posted the story on Saturday but I realize it is pretty late compared to when I typically publish my stories. Additionally, this one might be a little bit rough so please forgive any grammatical mistakes or missing words. Think of this as a rough draft.

Anyway, if you haven’t already checked out my FAQ on my upcoming book, Magic Once Removed, please check that out as well. Thanks again!

“They call it a kamikaze because it’s the drink they’d give the Japanese Zeros before they had to crash land into US aircraft carriers,” the bartender explained as he plopped the equal parts vodka, triple sec, and lime juice concoction in front of the three coeds.

“Really?” the blonde asked.

“Nah, don’t think so. Just made it up.”

“It was believable though,” said the brunette with freckles, “Sure had me going.”

“You should always check the facts whenever someone says something that doesn’t sound right.”

Continue reading “Short Story Saturday: Kamikaze”

Short Story Saturday: Are You Happy

Posted on November 16, 2019August 21, 2020 by jkirst

Hello everyone! As part of Short Story Saturday, I have posted another short story, this one entitled Are you Happy? Please enjoy. Also, if you haven’t already checked out my FAQ on my upcoming book, Magic Once Removed, please check that out as well. Thanks again!

“Are you happy?” A loaded question to be sure and one that is often asked by my parents.

It started when I was a child. My parents were always concerned about my mental wellbeing but could never properly discern why or provide an adequate explanation other than to declare a generalized fear most parents have for their children. They did seem at times inordinately concerned for reasons I cannot quite comprehend.

Continue reading “Short Story Saturday: Are You Happy”

Short Story Saturday: Scarlett Hood

Posted on November 2, 2019August 25, 2020 by jkirst

Hello everyone! As part of Short Story Saturday, I have posted another short story, this one entitled Scarlett Hood. Please enjoy. Also, if you haven’t already checked out my FAQ on my upcoming book, Magic Once Removed, please check that out as well. Thanks again!

Her red hood covered her short jet black hair as it blew gently in the spring breeze as Scarlett traipsed through the woods. As she carried a beige picnic basket underneath her right arm, her flat jet black boots made large imprints into the dirt trail just was enough that five of her could have walked shoulder-to-shoulder together which meant two normal-sized men could occupy that same trail.

Continue reading “Short Story Saturday: Scarlett Hood”

Short Story Saturday: Gregory Sole

Posted on October 26, 2019October 3, 2020 by jkirst

Hello everyone! As part of Short Story Saturday, I have posted another short story, this one entitled Gregory Sole. Please enjoy. Also, if you haven’t already checked out my FAQ on my upcoming book, Magic Once Removed, please check that out as well. Thanks again!

The sounds of a metal bell echoed from the decrepit church tower throughout the old rustic town. “Darn,” the man thought to himself. “Eleven o’clock already. I’ve got to hurry.”

Mud covered his black dress pants and white button-up shirt he had ironed just that morning as he sprinted through the center of town on the previously dirt road. His heavy and clumsy steps made it increasingly difficult for him to move his legs rapidly as he struggled to pry each foot loose while maintaining a consistent stride.

All that could be heard were the sloshing of his boots, his heavy breathing, and his bag that was tied over his shoulder that collided with his side and back. He prayed that the bottles withing that clanged in his bag would not break. The glass was relatively thick but a particularly solid collision would cause them to shatter. Periodically, he checked his vest pocket to ensure the contents within remained in place.

Continue reading “Short Story Saturday: Gregory Sole”

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