CRACKS
When lightning cracks reality open in rural Sweden, Craig steps through alternate versions of his present, searching for a world where he didn't ruin everything.
out now
WHEN WE BREAK
A collection of dark stories
Who knew it was so much fun to read and write short stories? Well, probably many people—but I wasn't one of them. Until two years ago.
What started simply as writing practice turned out to be a published short story collection. Starting from deeply personal fears, these stories explore people's breaking points in extreme situation. Add a touch of the supernatural, and maybe—just maybe—you'll find out what you would do if the right choice is also the wrong one.
dark fantastical stories
when we break
FALLEN
Ezra is on a flight to meet the girl of his dreams. When he is called to the cockpit mid-flight after both engines fail, he realizes that the survival of everyone on board depends on him. He can only save them by making an impossible sacrifice. But perhaps that's what he deserves.
SHATTERED
A straightforward horror story about a cursed glass recycling container at the Bråta recycling center in Mölnlycke, Sweden.
SCORNED
Charles's optimism is put to the test when he moves into a nursing home where both staff and residents play sadistic tricks on him. Only Edith, another resident, seems to be on his side. When events turn more sinister, Edith's radical advice on how to deal with his tormentors shifts from being batshit-crazy to tempting. But who is Edith really?
BURN
Jenny is done with people. She lives a secluded life in the woodlands of Härryda, Sweden, and prefers her three cats over all the people she cut ties with decades ago. But when a forest fire surrounds her little paradise, those people come back to haunt her. Escaping the horrendous confrontations with those she once loved is as inescapable as the hellfire outside. She's probably just going mad. If only they could have chosen a different appearance than her beloved cats ...
DANGLING
Being stuck in a malfunctioning cable car would be enough to think that's the end of it all. But being trapped in there with a little girl who claims she's the daughter she never had adds a whole new level of horror.
DISCONNECT
Ebba's mom left her in charge of the care of her teenage brother Lars, who suffers from a dangerous blood disease, as a test to "win" her first own home. But then, Bob comes around. Bob is an AI entity trained in doing what's best for humanity, so his first action is cutting everybody off from the internet - the only channel for Lars to get gain access to his weekly treatment. Bob offers Ebba a way of saving her brother's life - but it's a price she cannot possibly pay. As she scrambles for other solutions, Lars is getting worse, and Bob's scheme makes everyone else a possible enemy. With no one to rely on, does she love her brother enough to do the unthinkable?
when we break
what inspired the collection
Writing practice
I started writing short stories just to improve my writing skills. After all, when you have limited space, every sentence and every word counts. It's great practice for any writer.
So, there was no pressure, and I chose to write about personal things. Things that scare me. Not knowing some of those stories would end up in a published collection.
Personal fears
What scares me, you ask? The list is long. I cower anytime I hear thunder. Whenever I have to fly, I arrive drenched in sweat. Also, being a long-time adult apparently doesn't mean I no longer wake up in the middle of the night thinking there might be a ghost in my room. I fear what life awaits me when I can't take care of myself anymore. Although I love my house in the woods, what if those woods catch fire? Oh, and cable cars. Hate them with a passion. Not to even speak of the wonders and dangers of AI ...
Society issues
... And those dangers of AI are a clear link to real societal issues. But there are more in this collection.
How we treat the elderly in Western societies, for example. We should be ashamed of ourselves.
Bullying is another theme you might come across.