Several of the stories in this book have previously appeared in magazines or other publications:
“Five Days Until Sunset” in L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future, Volume 40, 2024
“The Thursday Plan” in Chaos Theory: Tales Askew, 2004/2005
“Problem Solving” in Tales of the Unanticipated, 1991-1992
“Communion” in Riverside Quarterly, 1990
“Money, Wealth, and Soil” in Analog Science Fiction & Fact, 2024
“Chasing the Sun”, in GateWay S-F Magazine, 2005
Copyright © 1990, 1992, 2005, 2024 by Lance Robinson.
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author. Without in any way limiting the author’s exclusive rights under copyright, any use of this publication to train generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to generate text is expressly prohibited. The author reserves all rights to license uses of this work for generative AI training and development of machine learning language models. For permission requests, contact Lance Robinson: LRobinson@lancerobinsonwriter.com.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
ISBN 978-1-0688724-1-9
Book cover design by Dane Low (https://ebooklaunch.com).
Acknowledgements
The people who have helped me along in my writing journey over the years are too many to list, but I’ll mention a few: Mark Leslie for his encouragement and guidance on the business of publishing; John, Joni, Meliva, Emily, Jody, Rob, and everyone who makes Writers of the Future happen; and Leland Sapiro who, years ago as the editor of Riverside Quarterly, published my first short story, “Communion”, which is included in this volume. And everlasting thanks to my parents who, when I was fifteen years old, bought me a typewriter.
This book is for Elham and Richard.
You give me hope for a future brighter
than any I have imagined here.