flash fiction
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‘Embracing Tradition’ Flash Fiction by Francesca Astraea

I wrote this for Halloween but I think Valentine’s season is actually better for it… When Jade, Rita and May refused to go to their company’s Halloween party, they used the excuse that they had plans. Then they had to make plans, in case anyone asked for details. May’s flat was the smallest but… Continue reading
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Spooky Season Shenanigans (Ines’ Adventures in Paganism #2) by Francesca Astraea

You can find previous Ines’ Adventures instalments here. They can be read in any order, although might be most fun to read chronologically as I build the world. As autumn fell over the Ines’ town, so did an enchantment. Ines didn’t notice at first, because she was rather busy with magic of her own.… Continue reading
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A Measure of Time | A Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities Short Story by Francesca Astraea

You absolutely do not need to have started reading or have read Rotting Trees to enjoy this. You don’t have to have read any Bezzina’s stories at all. It is quite short, because I wrote it for a zine submission but decided not to edit it after the zine said no. Enjoy! You can find… Continue reading
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‘Growing Pains,’ a Bezzina’s Emporium Short Story by Francesca Astraea

Ernest Bezzina really just wants a cup of tea. Other Bezzina’s Emporium stories can be found here. Two short stories in one quarter? It is indeed. There’s invented Latin. Well, the Latin is real, I just smushed two words together. That’s how language works, right. I’m not saying that if you enjoy this, you should… Continue reading
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‘A Devil of a Time’ by Francesca Astraea, Illustrated by Tatchiana Michaela

A new story? In this year of our lord 2023? Well, I actually wrote this last summer to pitch to magazines. BUT STILL. Here you go. No blurb because you have this wonderful illustration by my friend Tatchiana Michaela, a Bristol-based illustrator (who is open for commissions if you’re interested!). As per, it was available… Continue reading
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Quiet Night Out, a Bezzina’s Story by Francesca Astraea

Welcome to the latest Bezzina’s story! It is a standalone; you don’t have to read them in order of publication, but you can find them all here. Sophey and Ariel have an idea to boost the fortunes of Bezzina’s Emporium of Magical Artefacts and Antiquities, but they’re going to have their work cut out… Ernest… Continue reading
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Winter Sun, a Bezzina’s Story, by Francesca Astraea

I always name characters after members of the No. 1 Readers’ Club over on Patreon – this was Jackie’s turn! As is usually the case, this Bezzina’s story is a standalone. You don’t have to read them in order, but you can find them all here. One winter evening, a couple enter Bezzina’s Emporium of… Continue reading
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The King of Banana Town by Francesca Astraea

Had a slightly… bananas… prompt. Wrote about racketeering. Enjoy! It wasn’t known as Banana Town when Gus moved there. The town, that is. It wasn’t known as much – just a crossroads with some houses, a petrol station and one of those everything-and-anything grocery shops. If it had a name, Gus scrubbed it out… Continue reading
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Reset. by Francesca Astraea
Take a deep breath and swap a truth for a truth. Rumour had it, the woman lived in a tree. Rumour had it, she used to be a tree. Wait, no, she was still a tree. Rumour had it, if you visited her on the right day, she would exchange a truth… Continue reading
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Making Connections (The Magician, the Major Arcana Series) by Francesca Astraea
When booking a session at an exclusive life coach’s ‘wellness centre,’ Natalie anticipated a white sofa, ambient music and mineral water in glass bottles. She thought the life coach would wear loose fitting, neutral clothes and use phrases such as ‘staying present’ and ‘checking in with the soul.’ She did not expect the lifestyle… Continue reading
