I’m thrilled to announce that two of my short stories have found their way into the world in two very different, but equally fantastic, publications. It’s always a great feeling to see a story land, but having two arrive at once is a special kind of excitement. Each of these pieces has a unique backstory, and I’m excited to share them with you.

Golden Girls vs. Cthulhu? Meet the Auntie Heroes

First up is my story, “Pruning with Extreme Prejudice,” which appears in the brand-new anthology, “Auntie Heroes: Tales of Women the Monsters Should Have Left Alone.”

When I saw the call for this anthology from Raconteur Press, the theme immediately grabbed me: older women in high-stakes, dynamic adventures. The pitch was essentially “Golden Girls vs. Cthulhu,” and how could I resist that? I wrote “Pruning with Extreme Prejudice” specifically for this call, and I was delighted when editor Rita Beeman accepted it. It’s a story about not underestimating the woman next door—especially the one with the prize-winning garden.

A Long Road Home for “Hot Re-Entry”

The second story is “Hot Re-Entry,” now available in “Bullet Points Volume 13: Combat Motivation.”

This story’s journey to publication was a bit longer. I originally wrote “Hot Re-Entry”—a speculative military fiction piece about an orbital instructor facing a catastrophic re-entry failure—years ago for a Writer’s Digest contest. It didn’t win, and like many stories, it sat on my hard drive for a while. But I always believed in it. I’m incredibly happy that it finally found the perfect home with Bullet Point Press, a publisher dedicated to the kind of mil-spec-fic I love to write. It’s a testament to the fact that a story’s rejection isn’t always the end of its road.

Where to Find Them

I’m proud of both of these stories and hope you’ll check them out.

• You can find “Auntie Heroes” and my story “Pruning with Extreme Prejudice” HERE

• Pick up your copy of “Bullet Points Magazine” Issue #13 to read “Hot Re-Entry” at their official site: HERE

Welcome to this edition of the Dispatch.

Today, I am thrilled to announce the publication of my historical military fiction story, “The Rest Was Only Ash.” It has found a home with the Substack publication Short Story by Palisatrium. This story represents a significant milestone for my career, and the journey it took to get here is a lesson in professional persistence.

From the Slush Pile to a Winning Story

I originally wrote “The Rest Was Only Ash” for the Raconteur Press anthology, Mercs and Mayhem. It is a story of a Scottish mercenary unit during the Thirty Years’ War tasked with extracting an alchemist who has invented a terrifying new weapon. The story explores the moral consequences of their contract when they witness the weapon’s destructive power firsthand.

Unfortunately, the story was not selected for that anthology. It joined my personal “slush pile,” a collection of works waiting for the right home.

Rather than let the story sit, I turned to a professional tool called The Submission Grinder. It is a database that helps authors find markets for their work. It was there I discovered Short Story by Palisatrium, a Substack that publishes one story per month. I submitted the piece, not paying much attention to the details. I was in a phase of submitting many stories from my slush pile and expected little.

I did not even realize it was a contest until I received the email informing me I had won.

A New Career Milestone

It turns out that Short Story by Palisatrium splits its subscription profits with the winning author each month. As the publication has grown, so has the prize. The payment for my story was $665. This is by far the most I have ever been paid for a single piece of short fiction. It is a powerful validation that persistence and strategic submission can turn a rejection into a major success.

I invite you to read the full story. It is a tale of tactical grit and impossible choices, grounded in the brutal reality of 17th-century warfare.

Read "The Rest was Only Ash" here

Join the Journey

If you are new to my work, I invite you to join the mailing list. As a thank you, you will receive my Heart & Havoc digital collection. This sampler features two of my popular stories and is the best way to stay updated on future releases.

Thank you for supporting independent fiction.

Michael Patrick Coady
Author
www.michaelpatrickcoady.com

Continuing the series of classic tales.

I have uploaded a new video to the multimedia archive.

While my primary focus remains on original fiction, I am also producing cinematic versions of the classic stories that defined the genre. This allows me to explore the roots of high-stakes storytelling while building out the channel.

This is the second entry in the classic series. The first was The Masque of the Red Death. It seems I am, at least initially building a collection of Edgar Allan Poe’s greatest hits. His mastery of atmosphere and psychological tension aligns perfectly with the darker side of this publication. Plus I’m from Baltimore so sue me. There will be some tales written by authors not named Poe in the future.

The Cask of Amontillado is a study in cold, calculated revenge. I hope you enjoy this immersive take on Montresor’s descent into the catacombs.

The Cask of Amontillado on YouTube

Michael Patrick Coady Author www.michaelpatrickcoady.com

Welcome to this recap edition of the Dispatch.

2025 was a year of significant momentum for my work. I wanted to wait until the final physical copies arrived before sharing this update. There is a specific kind of discipline required to move a story from a draft to a printed book. Holding these volumes is a reminder of the editorial gatekeepers who decided these stories were worth sharing with the world.

I have put together a brief video recap to showcase these projects. It includes a look at my first self-published children’s book and my professional sales in the realms of satire, horror, and speculative fiction.

2025 Recap on YouTube

The 2025 Portfolio

This past year allowed me to explore the full spectrum of my narrative world. My work with Raconteur Press brought bureaucratic irony to wizards and pirates. Bindweed Press provided a home for a poignant winter ghost story. Jay Henge Publishing allowed me to critique corporate culture through a tour of Hell.

You can find a complete list of these stories and links to purchase the anthologies on my Published Works page.

The 2026 Pipeline

The momentum from last year is carrying directly into this winter. I currently have several new stories under editorial review with different publishers. While I am waiting for final confirmation on these projects, I expect to have new release announcements as early as February.

Looking further ahead, I am preparing for a confirmed release in Bullet Points. This periodical specializes in military science fiction. It is a perfect fit for the tactical side of my portfolio. I look forward to sharing more details as we approach that April launch.

Join the Journey

If you are new to my work, I invite you to join the mailing list. As a thank you, you will receive my Heart & Havoc digital collection. This sampler features two of my stories and is the Dispatch is the best way to stay updated on my 2026 releases.

Thank you for supporting independent fiction.

Michael Patrick Coady
Author
www.michaelpatrickcoady.com

Welcome to this special edition of the Dispatch. I recently released the multimedia narration for a story that represents a major milestone in my career. Long and Graceful was my first professionally published piece of fiction. It was the first time an editor decided my words were worth a payment. While the check from Every Day Fiction was small, the validation was immense. It was the moment I realized my stories could reach beyond my own desk.

An Echo from the News

The seeds of this story were planted in 2011. I read a harrowing news report about a young boy whose mother had driven him and his siblings into the Hudson River. The boy managed to escape through a window. He was ten years old and suddenly alone. The story gained national attention when Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis reached out to support the child. As a native of Baltimore, that connection stayed with me.

I found myself thinking about the long-term burden of such an event. The boy who survived that day performed a miracle by simply finding his way out of that window. There was no other path available to him. His survival was the only success possible in such a dark reality.

A Fictional Meditation

Survivor’s guilt is a heavy and often irrational burden. This story is a fictional exploration of that weight. I suspect that many survivors eventually have a restless dream where they wish they could change the unchangeable. They might dream of a moment where they could have saved their family at any cost.

This story is a “wish fulfilled” for the subconscious. It is a simplified, fictional study of the heroic scenes we dream of during the night. I changed the details and focused on a brother and a sister to maintain a distance from the real tragedy. My goal was to explore the narrative agency we often wish for in our most desperate moments. I have immense empathy for the boy who survived that day. This story is a glimpse into the impossible dreams that can haunt a resilient heart.

The Multimedia Narration

I chose to narrate this story next because it captures the heart of my work. The visuals focus on the claustrophobia of the car and the eventual grace of the escape. I have combined atmospheric digital paintings with cinematic narration to bring the emotional weight of the prose to life. You can watch the full immersive narration below.

Long and Graceful

Explore the Archive

If you are new to the Dispatch, I invite you to explore my full history of professionally published work on the Published Works page. You can also download my exclusive Heart & Havoc starter collection by joining the mailing list. This sampler includes two other stories that showcase my range between grounded sincerity and farcical spectacle.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Your support allows me to continue exploring these fractured realities.

Michael Patrick Coady
Author
www.michaelpatrickcoady.com

I am thrilled to launch my multimedia archive with a story that holds a very specific place in my history as an author. Black-Eyed Susans is one of the earliest pieces I ever wrote. It has survived multiple rounds of revision over the years. However, its core remains unchanged since its inception in a creative writing class at the U.S. Naval Academy.

The Challenge of Silence

The original assignment was a difficult technical exercise. We were tasked with writing a story that contained zero dialogue. Every beat of the narrative had to be conveyed through internal emotion and atmospheric description.

When the professor handed back the assignments, he chose to read my story aloud to the entire class as a stellar example of the craft. That was the first moment I realized I might actually be good at this. It was the moment I began to see myself not just as a midshipman or a future pilot, but as a storyteller.

A Maryland Tradition

For those outside of my home state, the Black-Eyed Susan is the state flower of Maryland. Growing up in Baltimore, I was raised with a specific rule. My grandmother always told me that you never pick a Black-Eyed Susan. It was considered disrespectful to our heritage.

I wanted to explore that rule through the eyes of a child. In this story, the protagonist, Joey, picks the flowers out of pure spite after fights with his mother. It is only when the terror of being lost sets in that the flowers become something else.

Terror as a Clarifying Agent

I believe that terror is often a clarifying agent. For a small boy, the fear of the unknown strips away his willful ignorance. Joey is forced to realize that his relationship with his mother is more complex than he admitted. He realizes that while his father provides the “fun,” it is his mother who provides the safety. It is a heavy revelation for a five-year-old, and it is the emotional heart of the piece.

The Multimedia Experience

I chose this story for my first YouTube narration because of its visual richness. The sun-drenched suburban streets, the hazy Fourth of July barbecues, and the vibrant yellow of the flowers made for a compelling animation. You can watch the full multimedia narration below.

Join the Journey

If you enjoyed the atmosphere of this story, I invite you to download the full Heart & Havoc starter collection. This free digital sampler features the text versions of two of my stories and is delivered immediately to your inbox when you join the mailing list.

Thank you for being part of this grand opening. This is only the beginning of the worlds we will explore.

Michael Patrick Coady Author www.michaelpatrickcoady.com

Welcome to the official home of my fiction.

I write stories that refuse to stay in one lane. My work explores the vast territory between the poignant and the absurd, the grounded and the impossible. I am drawn to the hidden fractures in our world and the complex choices people make when the stakes are at their highest. Whether I am navigating high-concept science fiction, visceral thrillers, or subversive satire, my work is unified by a sharp eye for detail and a commitment to compelling storytelling.

A Perspective Shaped by High Stakes

My approach to the craft is informed by a career spent in high-consequence environments. I am a native of Baltimore and a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. I retired from the Navy in 2022 as a helicopter pilot. Today, I balance a career in the private sector with the creative exploration of the human condition. I bring the technical precision of the cockpit and the rigor of my naval service to every page I write. This background provides the foundation for my work, allowing me to build believable worlds regardless of the genre.

What to Expect: The Full Spectrum

This site is the central hub for my “Portfolio of the Unexpected.” By following this journey, you will receive:

• Monthly Stories: New fiction spanning the spectrum from grounded drama and tactical history to speculative wonder.

• Multimedia Narrations: Immersive audio and visual versions of my stories, bringing the prose to life through a cinematic lens.

• The Author’s Log: Monthly dispatches on the craft of writing, book recommendations, and updates on my upcoming novels.

Start the Journey: The Heart & Havoc Collection

To introduce you to the different poles of my narrative world, I offer a Free Digital Sampler to all new subscribers. This collection, titled Heart & Havoc, features two stories that showcase my range.

In Black Eyed Susans, you will find a poignant study of childhood regret and sincerity. In Single Wide Sideshow, you will find a celebration of farcical spectacle and supernatural havoc. These are just the starting points for the many worlds we will explore together.

You can join the list and receive your gift by entering your email below.

Explore the Portfolio

While you wait for the next dispatch, I invite you to explore my full history of professionally published work on the Published Works page or watch my latest multimedia narrations on YouTube.

Thank you for reading. This is only the beginning.

Michael Patrick Coady Author