Romance & Horror Author
Kelli A. Wilkins
Surreal Escapes
7 Speculative Stories
Are you ready to take a journey into the unexpected?
In these 7 speculative stories, ordinary people start off having an average, normal day… until they encounter the world of the surreal. They quickly realize they’re in another realm where anything can—and does—happen.
Some of these unusual tales include:
“Holiday Havoc” – The night shift in a retail store hosts the ultimate Halloween vs. Christmas showdown
“Little Boy Lost” – After several strange incidents, Beverly suspects her son’s imaginary friend isn’t so imaginary
“The Man in Apt. 3-A” – What do you do when you discover your neighbor is a vampire?
“Whispers from the Past” – Not all ghosts are scary… or strangers
This collection of short fiction will unnerve you, spark your imagination, and make you wonder what else is possible in the world of the surreal.
Praise for Surreal Escapes...
“4 stars! A nice blend of spookiness and gentle humor.”
What makes life ordinary depends on who is describing it.
“Holiday Havoc” was a playful take on the drudgery of working in retail and how Christmas overshadows every other holiday between August and December in many stores. This was a cathartic tale that I’d recommend to anyone who has ever been overwhelmed by the appearance of Christmas merchandise or music months before December actually arrives.
“The Man in Apt. 3-A” was perfect. It was deliciously scary and humorous at the same time. So many of Albec’s quirks about not wanting to go outdoors during the day or have anyone visit his apartment for any reason could be explained away as cultural or personality differences, and yet there was still something unnerving about him that Charlie could never quite brush away. The commentary about how people in apartment buildings learn to ignore the sounds and scents they notice coming from other folks’ homes was a nice touch, too! Etiquette can cover up all sorts of things that might be more easily noticed in a different setting. The ending was what really endeared me to this piece, though, due to how it tied everything together and gave an explanation for why the bartender was so interested in Charlie’s life, too.
Be sure to read the short explanations of how Ms. Wilkins came up with each story as well. I love it when authors share these details and wish it were commonplace! There are so many moments in life that could have a supernatural explanation if they were fiction or if the facts were altered just slightly.
Surreal Escapes – 7 Speculative Stories was a nice blend of spookiness and gentle humor.”
- las reviews (recommended on BookBub)