Ava makes a bargain to dispose of a gangster's enemy in exchange for a new life. It was the 4th of July, the country's Independence Day. It was Ava's, too. Although, unlike the nation, Ava was still unsure of what it meant to be free. On the vanity she set the lipstick, “Crimson Dynamo", andContinue reading "Independence Day"
A Halloween Masque
A short story by Avril Adams published in 2014 in Kings River Life.
Imagine Little Tokyo
First Annual Imagine Little Tokyo Short Story Contest - As part of Little Tokyo Historical Society’s 130th Anniversary of Little Tokyo (1884-2014) celebratory activities throughout the year, Little Tokyo Historical Society held a fictional short story contest that awarded cash prizes to the top three. The fictional story had to depict the current, past, orContinue reading "Imagine Little Tokyo"
LAst Exit to Murder
From the Low Riders that nightly cruise the Sunset Strip, to the infamous Dead Man’s Curve immortalized in song, Southern Californian’s fascination with their cars has long been the fodder of legend and has defined a culture known for its fast-paced and sometimes reckless lifestyle. Now, sixteen tantalizing stories from L.A. authors takes us onContinue reading "LAst Exit to Murder"
The Student
A young black girl is menaced by a boy at school with emotional problems. "You can't play nothin'." I didn't raise my eyes when I heard his voice. I shifted them sideways. It was the new boy in class. Beside me were the dirty high top basketball shoes, and the black corduroy pants with theContinue reading "The Student"
Los Mochomos
A New York city journalist travels to Central America to discover the secret of the red ants. He encounters a mysterious colonel who does not wish him well. I'm trekking to Tegucigalpa from my new bureau in New York to meet with a man who is, for now, just a murmur on the telephone. HeContinue reading "Los Mochomos"
The Baby
Christine meets up with an old friend who has just had a baby, named Scarlett. The new mother, Fiona, lost her first child, and is having mysterious trouble with the second one. Fiona appeared with the warmed bottle. Her carpet slippers had slid silently over the carpet and Christine was taken by surprise. Fiona handedContinue reading "The Baby"
Independence Day
Ava makes a bargain to dispose of a gangster's enemy, in exchange for a new life. It was the 4th of July, the country's Independence Day. It was Ava's, too. Although, unlike the nation, Ava was still unsure of what it meant to be free. On the vanity she set the lipstick, “Crimson Dynamo", andContinue reading "Independence Day"
A Halloween Masque
Bridget is reluctant to attend this year's high school Halloween dance. Her boyfriend died on that night in a car accident the previous year. Bridget drove a mile down the gravel road that ran parallel to the highway. She had almost forgotten about it as the shortcut to Cromwell. Bridget’s mother never took that roadContinue reading "A Halloween Masque"
A Wedding in Little Tokyo
Under the stress of living as a Japanese woman in Los Angeles just before the start of World War II, there is a mysterious encounter with supernatural forces. This story uses magical realism to weave a story that incorporates the myths and traditions of ancient Japan into the fabric of everyday life. As the lightContinue reading "A Wedding in Little Tokyo"
The Lowriders
This urban tale of racial tensions is set in Chavez Ravine in Los Angeles prior to World War II. It was inspired by a visit to the Peterson Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, where vehicles capture the zeitgeist of Southern California's car culture. Salvador Bernstein stepped in front of the bathroom mirror. It would beContinue reading "The Lowriders"
AVRIL ADAMS 