oops, it's 4 a.m. + SHORT STORY DOWNLOAD

parenthood, prose, and an almost-alliterative subtitle

Author

Addison Horner
March 29, 2024

To download my free short story, The Sun and the Shade, you can skip to the next section. Or stick around to read about a metaphorical baby. Rather, a real baby and a related metaphor. I’m drafting this at 5 a.m. What was I saying?

I woke to the bedroom door opening. My valiant wife marched in from the living room, pillow and Stanley-cup knockoff (but it is a knockoff if it’s superior?) in hand.

“It’s time for his 7 a.m. feeding,” she said.

I looked at my bedside clock, which read 4 a.m.

“Oh,” I said.

As infants do, Baby H is defying our attempts to put him on a schedule. To his credit, he acquiesced for a day—one glorious, heart-warming day that made us feel like exceptional caretakers.

But the last twelve hours have felt like anarchy. Or maybe just democracy with an unruly population of one.

So, unable to filibuster Baby H’s screaming mandate, I stumbled to the living room, changed him, fed him, let him puke on me, changed his outfit, changed my outfit, swaddled him, and retreated to the couch to draft this newsletter.

Babies don’t abide by my convenience. Then again, neither does life in general.

I don’t know why I decided to publish my first book three weeks before my baby’s due date—which ended up being two months after he was born. (More on that here.)

But even as self-promotion has taken a backseat to debut dad-hood, I’m leaning into the chaos. As someone who gets excited about organizational Tupperware and the iPhone Calendar app, this is new behavior for me.

Baby H won’t be Baby H forever. Soon he’ll be Toddler H, then whatever comes after “toddler,” and so on, until he’s the one blearily drafting an author newsletter as Grandbaby H squirms in their pack-and-play.

Not that I’ve planned it out for him. The only thing I know for sure is that he won’t grow up according to my plans. And right now, as he snoozes and coos in the background, I think that’s just fine.

Free short story download!

I wrote this story in November 2023 for my Kickstarter campaign. The protagonist, Parnassus, appears in Marrow and Soul, and I was thrilled to dive into his backstory. Download your eBook copy or read online here.

Marrow and Soul

If you haven’t read this supernatural fantasy tale with ghosts, heists, and guava-cardamom pastries yet…why not? Read it on Kindle Unlimited or pick up an eBook for just $2.99.

If you’ve already read it, let me know what you think! You can leave a review on Goodreads or at either of the retailers listed above.

Writing Updates

Click the image to see all the places you can purchase MARROW AND SOUL!

SPOOKY SEQUEL // *For new subscribers—these unnamed projects are books 2 and 3 in The Vitalian Chronicles, the series that begins with Marrow and Soul.

My editor is sending me her feedback next week! I’m anxious but excited to face the music for this manuscript. I adore the story and the arcs within, so I’m hoping they’ll resonate with readers.

Want to read it early AND for free? Stay tuned for beta reader applications. Newsletter subscribers get first dibs.

SPOOKY THREEQUEL // We’ve soared past the halfway point, and I’m currently in Chapter 28 of 40. In searching for a excerpt to share, I’m having a hard time avoiding spoilers! So I hope you enjoy this snippet featuring a character you won’t even meet until 2025:

Alabaster doesn’t flicker away from his assailants. He steps back, the exposed bones of his feet curling unnaturally as he takes up a defensive stance. The crack in his face disappears, and his neck drifts in a lazy circle to take in the eight Sentinels around him. His head tilts fractionally to the left, and somehow Safran feels the ghost’s emotions in her own skull.

He’s curious. He’s wary of surprises.

And he’s hungry.

Three Sentinels strike in unison. Alabaster’s body twists like a snake as he dodges a glowing flail attached to a long chain. Feet planted, he parries a Sentinel’s curved blade, but the double-headed axe swings beneath his sword arm. With a screech, Alabaster releases something from his body—the phantom, red-shouldered form of a White Cap marshal whose torso absorbs the axe’s impact.

Safran’s stomach churns. Now she knows what happens to the souls Alabaster consumes.

from Chapter 26 of SPOOKY THREEQUEL

BONUS PROJECTS // Longtime readers may remember Project Vesper and Project Ivory. I’ve been tinkering with both stories over the past two months, preparing for the day I can begin drafting in earnest.

I’m excited to announce that Project Vesper will begin drafting in June! Featuring The Witcher x Fantastic Beasts vibes, this story is chock-full of mystical creatures, desperate quests, and heartrending bonds. If you adore animal companions like Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon or the weird chicken from Moana, this story is for you.

Looking for an editor?

Authors, I’m now filling out my calendar for fall 2024 (and early 2025), and newsletter subscribers like you get first dibs. Fill out this form for a free sample edit.