Tag: humor

Speculative Fiction Call: E4 Mafia & Junior Officers

I’m at it again. I’m doing edits and story selection for two anthologies with Henchman Press!

Tales of The E4 Mafia 2

We’re looking for more stories about those corporals, specials, lance corporals and petty officers!

Give us your best speculative fiction (science fiction, fantasy, horror, and urban fantasy) stories about those experience young soldiers, marines and sailors getting tough tasks handled, dodging overbearing leadership, show how and when to ignore their unit’s stodgy processes, and skirting the regulations and rules with the grace of a ballet dancer. A ballet dancer who happens to have access to a ridiculous amount of equipment and weaponry!

Please send your submissions to keith@keithhedger.com with a subject line of “Tales of the E4 Mafia 2”. Submissions are due by 31 March 2025. Please format your story in Times New Roman in 12 point font, and should be between 4000 and 12,000 words total.

Butterbars! Large and (Not So) In Charge

No one starts a job or career knowing everything. Junior officers, whether they’re 2nd Lieutenants or Ensigns, in any military bring some nuance to their position. They have education and are provided with training, taught to lead and make decisions in tough situation. What they don’t have is experience at their job, an understanding of how their unit operates, or the personalities and capabilities of their people. Combined with directives to make decisions, give orders and direct efforts, this can lead to, err, interesting results, to say the least.

What we’re looking are speculative fiction tales centered around these most junior officers and the situations they create or impact. We expect to see absurd outcomes, courses of action that are other than optimal, or humor as these leaders’ directives and orders create chaos, their troops adjust to avoid negative consequences, and somehow they still get the job done!

Please send your submissions to keith@keithhedger.com with a subject line of “Butter Bars!”. Submissions are due by 31 March 2025. Please format your story in Times New Roman in 12 point font, and should be between 4000 and 12,000 words total.

So, if you write military fiction, speculative fiction, or any brand of fantasy or science fiction, send me a story!

Tales of the E4 Mafia has arrived!

I’ve done a lot of cool things in my life. I’ve written stories and published books before. But Tales of the E4 Mafia is different. It was my concept and idea.

So thanks to Leo Champion and Henchman Press for backing this anthology. Thanks to the authors who submitted stories (I got to read a lot of cool stories for this), and thanks to the authors included Dan Kemp Author, Andrew Heymann, Barb Caffrey, Gaige Mosher, Scott Reichek – Author, Josh Hill, Chris Sommerkorn, Michael LaVoice, Charles R. Scott, Gail Sanders and the late Ray Daley.

I learned so much in the process of getting Tales from idea to a printed book delivered to my home. From working with authors, to developing my editing process and learning more about my craft by reading the stories these authors generously submitted. Several authors are first time published in this book, so I had the privilege of sharing that ‘first book’ experience with them.

I appreciate everyone who’s supported myself and the authors in this book, those that have shared our many posts about Tales, and let their friends and communities know about this book. We’re all grateful for your reviews and shares, and comments that have been made to us about our stories.

Thank you!

Tales of the E4 Mafia is Live!

Enjoy the cover of Tales of the E4 Mafia!

It’s finally out! Henchman Press has released Tales of the E4 Mafia!

This isn’t just a big deal because I have a story in the anthology, although Mob Rules is a cool story. Tales is a big deal, because it was my idea, and I did the editing and story selection for this. Well, except for Mob Rules. The publisher accepted my story and provided edits for it. Thanks, Leo!

That means you get to read 11 great stories from a variety of authors from all over the place. Here’s the story list:

Better to Beg Forgiveness by Scott Riechek

Short Supply by Michael LaVoice

Burping the Worm by Andrew Heymann

Surprise, Surprise, Surprise by Charles R. Scott

Mob Rules by Keith Hedger (yes, that’s me)

Into the Night by Barb Caffrey and Gail Sanders

Forever Young by Dan Kemp

Missing Man Formation by Ray Daley

Hardcore by Joshua Hill

Helmet by Chris Sommercorn

The Mafia is Eternal by Gaige Mosher

So, along with getting to read a bunch of cool stories, I learned a lot about the other side of writing. That space between writers and published fiction and the work, effort, and tasks that are required to get an anthology from idea to out in the world, available for people to read. I had to vet stories, make suggestions to authors who have churned their guts out to write a great story, coordinate contracts between the authors and the publisher, act as the information conduit between all parties, and become more than a bit of a project manager. In short, I learned a lot, and it’s my hope that you’ll take a change on us and this crazy thing we created.

If you’re into military science fiction, military fiction, science fiction and have a sense of humor, give Tales of the E4 Mafia a shot. It’s all tales from the soldier’s view, getting things done and solving problems in the way that only experienced enlisted soldiers can.

And if you enjoy the stories, please give us a review!

Tales of the E4 Mafia