by Jim Bates
Please welcome Jim Bates to the Writers Journey Blog with the first of our "Promotional" articles. Thank you all so much for reading!
Periodic Stories Volume IV
My first collection of thirty-one stories was published in March 2021. It was based on the first thirty-one elements and was entitled “Periodic Stories.” Each story had to use the particular element in some way. It also, most of all, had to be compelling.
In July 2021, a second collection was published, “Periodic Stories Volume Two”. It was based on elements thirty-two through sixty-three. The stories were a little longer than the first volume.
“Periodic Stories Volume Three – A Novel,” was published in March 2022, and was based upon elements number sixty-four through seventy-seven. The stories were even longer and blended together through recurring characters to form a full-length novel.
This collection “Periodic Stories Volume IV” has been a labor of love. It includes elements seventy-eight through one-hundred. I have enjoyed writing this collection immensely because in many cases the elements are more obscure and lessor known. So, even though the stories have been challenging, I think they came out well. Anyway, I hope so. And, more to the point, I hope you enjoy them!
Elements seventy-eight through one-hundred on the periodic table serve as inspiration for this fourth and final volume in Jim’s Periodic Stories series. In it, two materialistic millennials get hooked on their platinum credit card with disastrous results. Do they learn a lesson? A young girl discovers there’s more to life than winning a gold medal in boxing. Find out what it is. And you will meet Stacy and Arnie, two science geeks who are devoted to each other and befriend the element fermium. Like in the previous three volumes, these stories are character driven and delve into the complexities of what it means to be human in this day and age. They are lovingly written and thought-provoking. Oh, yes, in every case, science plays a role.
Click the cover.
In 1871, Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev came up with a system to arrange elements by their atomic number (number of protons) and their chemical properties. Thus, the periodic table was born. I remember it hanging on the wall in my chemistry class and was struck by its beautiful logic and simplicity. Recently, I came up with the idea of writing a series of stories based on those elements.
Click the covers.
Bio: Jim is an award-winning author whose stories and poems have appeared in over four hundred online and print publications. He loves to write! His collection of short stories Resilience was published in March 2021, by Bridge House Publishing. Short Stuff a collection of flash fiction and drabbles was published in October 2021, by Chapeltown Books. Two collections of short stories, Periodic Stories and Periodic Stories Volume Two were published in July and September 2021, by Impspired Publications. Dreamers a collection of short stories was published in March 2022, by Clarendon House Publishing. Something Better a dystopian adventure novella was published in July 2021, by Dark Myth Publications. A collection of stories entitled Periodic Stories Volume Three – A Novel was published in April 2022, by Impspired. Most recently, Haiku Seasons was published in September 2022, by Impspired. A collection entitled Holiday Stories was published by Impspired in November 2022. The Alien of Orchard Lake is a full-length novel and was published in December 2022 by Dark Myth Publishing. Periodic Stories Volume IV was published in January 2023 by Impspired and “The Alchemy of Then” is a collection of poems scheduled to be published in March 2023 by Impspired. All of his books can be obtained through standard outlets. His short story “Aliens” was nominated by The Zodiac Press for the 2020 Pushcart Prize. His story “The Maple Leaf” was voted 2021 story of the year for Spillwords. He lives in Long Lake, a small town west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. All of his work can be found on his blog at www.theviewfromlonglake.wordpress.com.
Praise For the Periodic Series
“I loved this book - it's my total favourite, and I read a lot. I love the cover it is so easy on the eye - light pink and grey. I enjoy these pastel colours also, as it is non-threatening and invites me to an easy read - which is what the stories turn out to be. I love that each story is of similar length - as this gives me a predictability on how long a read it will be. Each of the 31 stories capture human relations and interaction. I enjoy how most stories are told in first person - this makes it an intimate and inclusive read. I think I will be reading this book on and off for years, and am very grateful to the author Jim Bates for creating such a gem.” Irish Poet and Author, Ger White for Periodic Stories Volume One
“If you liked Jim's first collection of Periodic Stories, you'll love this one. The stories are longer and fleshed out in more depth and detail. These new elements are less well known, yet Jim manages to find something interesting to stay about each and every one them. These engaging stores will appeal to the general reader and especially those curious about science. For example in "Antimony" a young boy and his friend plan to escape a traumatic home environment by hitchhiking to the town of Antimony, Colorado, named after the element. What happens to them forms the core of the story. All of the stories are like that, touching and heartfelt and ultimately satisfying. This is a wonderfully entertaining collection and I highly recommend it.” Poet Thomas R Bates for Periodic Stories Volume Two
“This is a wonderful continuation of an enjoyable series, which is based on the wonderful idea to wrap every story around an element from the periodic table. If you don’t like chemistry, just like me, then no worries: the elements are mentioned only briefly, and entertainingly. And it is not just chemistry students and teachers featured on the pages. There are also drug addicts, a crazed security guard, and members of a band with troubled relationships in the mix, which make the collection a pleasure to read. Highly recommended.” Author P. C. Darkcliff for Periodic Stories Volume Three – A Novel.