Nexus of the Unexpected: 15 Short Stories

Nexus of the Unexpected is a collection of 15 short stories with one thing in common: a surprise ending. They are all of a Science Fiction or Fantasy flavour, but each one is different in its combination of style, theme or length. These stories may amuse you with a smidgen of comedy, scare you with a pinch of horror, or leave you amazed with a dash of magic realism, but they all will blindside you by the end. Guaranteed. Here’s a short teaser for each story: Anomaly: When science fails, it's time to look up. Reaching Back: Your memories as a TV show. Family Matters: Overbearing mothers, read at your own risk. Lifelines: What if you had to travel across the universe to communicate with your only daughter? Circular Logic: It’s only a few pages, but hardly a short story. The Upside of the Hive Mind: The ultimate danger of individualism. Customer Service: An old man, a sheep and a 3000 Turin Clonator enter a Returns Department... Leap of Faith: Torture vs Nature. Method Acting: Redefining the expression "shooting a movie". Shaila's Demise: With cyber friends like these, who needs trolls? Fifty Years: Meet Tom, the love of her life. Or should I say death? Economy of Scale: Nothing like a meeting among like-minded individuals to lighten the load. The Rogue in us all: That's one way to make your father proud. Opportunity Knocks: A wolf in sheep's clothing. Literally and figuratively. What We Long For: If we live forever, how much of our life do we really want to remember? Mister Money: Superhero or monetary evil? Yes, I know, there are really 16 stories. I thought that to be true to form, a surprise ending to the collection, in the form of an extra story, was necessary. If you like them, and want to know what I’m working on next, or simply drop me a line, visit my website: www.marcocultrera.com.