Under Development - (Part 3) Elation

A young idealist hunts for international development work in China. It appears he may have finally reached his goal, but how long will his happiness last?

Lanzhou Railway Station (Photo: M. Griffiths)

The Nature of Love

A couple in love enjoy a day out in nature but something is amiss...





Kookaburra (Photo: Wikipedia)

Under Development - (Part 2) Distraction

A young idealist hunts for international development work in China. As his frustration grows he finds himself getting distracted...

Donkey carts going to market, Gansu, China (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Under Development - (Part 1) Frustration

A young idealist hunts for international development work in China.

Woman watching sheep, Gansu, China  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

My Crazy China Trip - (Day14-15) Shanghai and Home (Finale)

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

Shanghai skyline (Photo: M. Griffiths)

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 13) Shanghai Sights

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

Grandma knitting, Shanghai. (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Vote for me!

One of my stories - 'Tell Him He's Dreaming' - just got 5th place in the New Zealand Writers College short story competition. 

You can read the top 5 stories here.
 

 The judges comments are interesting. Getting all five judges to agree on any of the stories seems nearly impossible!

Enjoy the stories. 


Matthew

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 11-12) Longsheng Terraces to Shanghai

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

Yao minority women, Guangxi, China

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 9-10) Lijiang River and Yangshuo

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

 



Tourist boats on the Lijiang (Li River)  (Photo: Wikimedia commons)

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 7-8) Xi'an to Guilin

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

Train Bunks, China  (Photo: M.Griffiths )

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 6) Lost and Found

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

Daoist Priest, White Cloud Temple, Lanzhou (Photo:  M. Griffiths)

 

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 4-5) Xi'an and The Terracotta Warriors

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

Bus Station Chaos (Photo: M. Griffiths)

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 3) The Forbidden City

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

The Forbidden City (Photo: shrinya/flikr)

My Crazy China Trip - (Day 2) The Great Wall

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

The Great Wall in the rain



My Crazy China Trip - (Day 1) Beijing

A novice traveller gets more than he bargains for during 15 days in China.

Love at First Flight - (Part 5) Dancing in the Street (Finale)

Love at First Flight - (Part 5)  Dancing in the Street (Finale) 

A foreign teacher arrives in China and falls in love with a local, but the path of true love is anything but smooth.

Taiyuan Clouds  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Love at First Flight - (Part 4) Freeze Frame

Love at First Flight - (Part 4) Freeze Frame  

A foreign teacher arrives in China and falls in love with a local, but the path of true love is anything but smooth.

 

 



Stone Lion, Taiyuan, China  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Love at First Flight - (Part 3) Sad Songs

A foreign teacher arrives in China and falls in love with a local, but the path of true love is anything but smooth.

Nanjing Road, Shanghai  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Love at First Flight - (Part 2) Life is a Roller Coaster

A foreign teacher arrives in China and falls in love with a local, but the path of true love is anything but smooth.

Happy Sunday (Photo: JiKang Lee via Flickr)

 

 

Love at First Flight - (Part 1) Broken English

A foreign teacher arrives in China and falls in love with a local, but the path of true love is anything but smooth.
 

 

Arrested Development

A development consultant in China finds life getting out of control.
[Rated R]

Farmer selling produce from a donkey cart, Gansu Province  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Trial by Fire - (Part 4) Water (Finale)

Two travellers in Tibet witness a self-immolation and face a dangerous dilemma.

Tibetan woman with prayer wheel, Lithang.  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Trial by Fire - (Part 3) Earth

Two travellers in Tibet witness a self-immolation and face a dangerous dilemma.

Tibetan man, Lithang, Eastern Tibet  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Trial by Fire - (Part 2) Air

When a woman in Tibet self-immolates two witnesses face a dangerous dilemma.

Tibetan horseman, Lithang Horse Festival (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Trial by Fire - (Part 1) Fire

When a woman in Tibet self-immolates two witnesses face a dangerous dilemma.

Tibetan women, Lithang Horse Festival  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Tell Him He’s Dreaming

An engineer has an environmental epiphany but things don't work out as planned.

Traditional Street, Shangri-la (Zhongdian), Yunnan, China (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 8 Fight or Flight (Finale)

The sun was up already and the light played on his closed eyelids as Mark slowly drifted into consciousness. He felt wonderfully warm and comfortable. He lay on his left side, his chest against Evie’s back and their legs intertwined. His arm was draped over her hip.

“Mark,” she whispered “are you awake?”

“Uhh.” he mumbled sleepily.

“Umm. I just wanted to say that I couldn’t think of anyone I’d rather be locked up and held hostage with.”

“Thanks” he replied, “me neither.”
 

 

 

Airport in fog, Taiyuan, China  (Photo: M Griffiths)

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 7 Cold Storage

They woke up with throbbing heads, Evie lying on a rough wooden bed and Mark on a mat on the floor. Both were dressed only in shirts and underwear.

     “Where are we?” Evie muttered, sitting up and looking around the room.

 

Apartment view through security bars, Taiyuan, China  (Photo: M Griffiths)

 

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 6 On the Road

Mark was dozing in the chair when Evie rolled over and groaned. Light streamed around the edges of the curtain. Outside birds chirped and cars tooted.

“Oh God. My head hurts.” Evie said.

“Let me get you some painkillers.” Mark pushed himself up out of the chair and came back with some paracetamol. She popped two and swallowed them with water and lay her head down on the pillow again.

       She opened her eyes and looked at his rumpled clothes. “Have you been there all night?”

“Yeah. I wanted to make sure you were ok.”

“It wasn’t necessary you know.” she said closing her eyes.

 
 

 Street stalls, Shanghai (Photo: M Griffiths)

 
 

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 5 Party Time

With Evie out at the karaoke bar Mark did some washing, tried to practise the guitar, then learn some Chinese vocabulary but nothing could stop his mind from wandering. Finally he sat down, fired up his laptop...

Chinese costumes (Photo: M Griffiths)

 

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 4 Ancient History

Mei moved one seat over next to Mark and said, “You like her don’t you?”

 “Well, yeah, sure, she’s nice. But I’m just helping her out for a week or so. Nothing else to it.”

“Are you sure?”

Dragon, Jinci Temple, Taiyuan, China (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Photos of Eastern Tibet

Here are some photos of my last trip to China and Tibet in 2013.


I hope you enjoy the photos. Feel free to read the short stories on this website. 


Beijing Private Eyes - A foreign teacher in Beijing meets an unexpected and attractive visitor in need of assistance. He offers to help and things begin to get complicated.

Read Beijing Private Eyes - Part 1  Arrival  here


For my six peak oil short story competition entries set in Australia and China see here

 

Dancer in Tibetan Festival, Rebkong (Tongren), Qinghai Province, China. (Photo: M. Griffiths)

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 3 Room Service

The next morning, in the middle of shooting the second short scene of the day a commotion erupted. “Mr Zhang is here!” said Lily. Zhang entered the studio. He was medium height, about 40, and slightly chubby in the face and around the waist line. Evidently his success had started to have an effect. He made his way to Evie and held out his hand. She extended hers and Zhang raised it to his lips kissing it lightly and holding it as he spoke.

 Tian'anmen, Beijing (Photo. M Griffiths)

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 2 Lights, Camera...

“How did you sleep?” Mark asked.

“Brilliant thanks. The bed was fine. I feel a million times better.” Evie said looking around. “This is a nice place.”

“Thanks."

Yungang Caves, Datong, China (Photo: M Griffiths)

 

Beijing Private Eyes - Part 1 Arrival

Drama, Romance, Karaoke!   A long story in 8 parts.


The tall blonde woman strode through the airport dressed in black leather and high heel boots. She was on a mission and in no mood for delays. She scanned the arrival hall and spotted her name held up by a small Chinese man dressed in a nondescript blue jacket, dark pants and back slip-ons. She walked toward him and he lowered the sign. He pointed to the exit and she followed him out to the door of a black SUV parked illegally over a pedestrian crossing.

Temple Wall, Wutai Shan, China. (Photo: M Griffiths)

New story coming soon...

Hi all

Thanks you to all the readers who have visited this website for a look at my stories. So far you hail from (in alphabetical order):

Australia, Canada, Ecuador, Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, USA, and Vietnam.

I plan to post the next story on Wednesday evening, Australian time.

It will be the first part of a longer story set in China which I will serialise over the next month or so.

I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Regards

M

P.S. To get you in the mood here is a photo from my trip to China in 2013. McDonalds Chinese style in Lijiang old town, Yunnan province.

Blog update April 2014

Welcome to this short fiction blog.

The stories here reflect my interests: environmental issues, resource scarcity and also the history, cultures, and landscapes of Tibet and China

The first 6 stories are entries in a short story competition hosted by John Michael Greer (details here), peak oil writer and blogger. They each inhabit a post peak oil world where resources are scarce and industrial society is changing to something different. The top entries will be published a book. Wish me luck!

A previous set of stories was published in 2012 in a book entitled After Oil: SF Visions of a Post-Petroleum World, available from Amazon (Amazon) or in Australia from Fishpond (Fishpond).

 

Each story stands alone but some are linked. Suggested order of reading:

Stories set in China:

Winds of Change –  In 2022 a migrant worker struggles to realise his dreams and fulfil his family obligations.

Outside In – It's 2050, the country and economy have changed. A recycler studies for an exam to improve his prospects, and an indentured servant plans her escape.

Seeds of Time – (Sequel to Outside In). In 2055 rural China prospers again after a period of dramatic changes, then things are complicated by a strange visitor and a hidden object.

 

Stories set in Australia: A North Queensland Trilogy

Robots on Mars – 2025. A space-mad city boy adjusts to life in the country and tries to solve a mystery.    (Note: no actual robots or Martians involved)

Promised Land – (Sequel to Robots on Mars). It’s 2050 and development threatens the rural district. Is it what they really need and if not, how can they stop it?

 

Heart of Glass - (Sequel to Promised Land). The year is 2099, high school graduates prepare to step into adulthood and the community prepares to celebrate the turn of a new century.


[Note: The competition word range is 2500-7500 words. My stories are between 4000 and 7000 words.]



 
Also see: Beijing Private Eyes - A foreign teacher in Beijing meets an unexpected and attractive visitor in need of assistance. He offers to help and things begin to get complicated.

Read Beijing Private Eyes - Part 1  Arrival  here ]


Coming soon....

Tell Him He's Dreaming - An engineer has an environmental epiphany but things don't go quite according to plan.

Trial by Fire - A Tibetan woman self-immolates and two witnesses confront a dangerous dilemma.

Arrested Development - A development consultant in China finds life getting out of control.

My Trip to China - A novice traveller has the adventure of a lifetime.



I welcome constructive comments.

Heart of Glass

Heart of Glass - (Sequel to Promised Land). The year is 2099, high school graduates prepare to step into adulthood and the community prepares to celebrate the turn of a new century.

This is story 3 in the North Queensland trilogy
See story 1  Robots on Mars  
See story 2  Promised Land

  

Toowoomba View, Queensland, Australia  (Photo: M. Griffiths)

“Vance?...Vance? Are you with us or out the window somewhere?”

Vance snapped out of his day dream. “No Miss. Just thinking.” His classmates laughed and he felt his cheeks redden. In fact he’d been staring at the girl between him and the window. Zoe. Her long black hair, striking profile, and the silky dark skin set off by her white linen sleeveless top. The prettiest girl in North Queensland, he thought, maybe the whole of Oztralia, at least if he was the judge.

 

Seeds of Time

Seeds of time - China in 2055 and beyond....In rural China prospers again after a period of dramatic changes, then things are complicated by a strange visitor and a hidden object.

Sequel to Outside In


Beneath the shade of a poplar tree Shen lifted her conical hat and wiped her brow. She tucked a lock of long black hair behind her ear then she reached into her pocket and fed some apple to the ox. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a figure walking up the road beyond the field, the silhouette dark against the afternoon sun. She looked up but did not recognise the gait. Not Chang, not the travelling pot mender or the vet with his bag of instruments and medicines. She put her hand to her forehead to shade her eyes better. The man walked closer. He waved and called out in a strange accent. “Ni hao.” Hello.

Village house, Shaanxi, China (Photo: M Griffiths)

Outside-In

Outside-In - Short Story: China in 2050.... the country and economy have changed. A recycler studies for an exam to improve his prospects, and an indentured servant plans her escape.

Shen covers the bruise on her cheek with one hand.  Her normally friendly face is expressionless and she does not raise her eyes when Jiang greets her.

“Tian-ah.” exclaims Jiang, “What happened?”

She does not look up, just holds out the recycling. She wears simple but well-fitting clothes and her hair is tied in a ponytail with a bright red ribbon.

“Did you argue with your foster mother?” he asks softly.

               She nods. “She tells me I will stay until I am twenty two. The maximum allowed. Only then will my debt be repaid...” Her voice trails off.

He picks up the bundle of newspapers and magazines, hooks them onto his weighing stick and calculates the money. He adds a little extra and hands it all to her.

Recycler, Taiyuan, China (Photo: M Griffiths)

Winds of Change

China, 2022. A migrant worker struggles to realise his dreams and fulfil his family obligations in a world affected by the ongoing global financial crisis and resource scarcity...

 
 

Apartments under construction, Taiyuan, China (Photo: M Griffiths)

“I used to love Spring Festival.” Yang said as he frowned at his glass of beer. “Now I am starting to hate it. Every time I go back my parents tell me I must go home to the farm and get married.”

               “Bummer.” said Josh. “At least I don’t have my parents on my case. Just a huge debt hanging over my head.” He brushed his hair back from his face and stretched his legs out under the Formica table. Beside them on the wall of the small restaurant faded posters advertised various brands of drinks. Bottles of Tsingtao beer and two small glasses stood on the table between them.  

Yang pulled out a cigarette and lit it. He slipped the packet back into the pocket of the thick jacket draped over the chair. It was designed to keep the cold winter of North East China at bay. It was more than adequate for the milder temperatures of coastal Jiangsu province, just north of Shanghai. “What about you? When will you go back to your home?” he asked Josh.

 

 



Robots on Mars

Robots on Mars – Set in 2025. A space-mad city boy adjusts to life in the country and tries to solve a mystery.    (Note: no actual robots or Martians involved)

Kangaroos, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (Photo: M Griffiths)

Grandad used to talk a lot about the good old days but when they came again he stopped. Then he started talking about the bad old days instead.

The bad old days aren’t much fun. I know because I’m living them now. We came to live with my uncle and aunt on their farm. We left our house in Brisbane, got rid of most of our stuff, and packed everything else into our car and a trailer and drove to north Queensland. It was the longest, slowest, most boring trip ever. Luckily I had my video game player.

Promised Land

Promised Land - It’s 2050 and development threatens a rural north Queensland district. Is it what they really need and if not, how can they stop it?

Koalas, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary  (Photo: M. Griffiths)