All of these pieces are available for free online.
I have two types of free short stories available: the Cas Russell short stories, which are available here on this website, and other published short fiction that is free to read on the web.
This page is only for stories freely available online. You can see the books and stories available for purchase in the library, or my text bibliography for the most comprehensive list.
The Cas Russell Short Stories
These are companions to the Cas Russell novel series. You have three options for reading them: (1) Subscribe to my mailing list! Subscribers receive the password to read them for free. (2) Send an email to shortstories@nullslhuang.com! That also gets you a password to read them for free, but without signing up for the mailing list. (3) If you’d prefer them in EPUB or MOBI format, they’re available at $.99 from online retailers.
(To read them online, just enter the password when prompted. If you have any difficulties, contact me.)
A puppy appears on Rio’s doorstep. Fortunately, Rio is fully aware he’s a sadistic psychopath utterly lacking in empathy, and thus does not hurt the puppy. But he also doesn’t know what to do with it.
Cas teaches Pilar to shoot. Considering Cas is an acerbic mercenary and Pilar is a delightful admin, this goes about how you’d expect.
Other Stories Available for Free Online
For word counts and publication dates, please see my full bibliography.
“As the Last I May Know” is available to read at Tor.com
Nyma wondered if this was what it felt like to stop being a child. “It’s not about right and wrong,” she said to him. “It’s about making it hard.”
An alternate history story that examines decisions and consequences when it comes to weapons of mass destruction.
“The Woman Who Destroyed Us” is available to read in its reprint at Lightspeed
I know what they say. They say she was a pioneer. They say she helped millions of people live a normal life. They say she created the next stage of evolution for humanity.
I need you to understand how wrong that is. To understand what she is: a killer.
“By Degrees and Dilatory Time” is available to read or listen to at Strange Horizons
Zara’s response was the best one, when he told her his diagnosis. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m sorry we as scientists haven’t fixed this yet. That we haven’t fucking solved it. We should have a cure.” She was so angry. At the world. At her scientific brethren. At human progress.
“My Grandmother’s Bones” is available to read at Daily Science Fiction
My father was the most haau person I know.
“The Last Robot” is available to read at Nature: Futures; there’s also an audio version
Seventy-six years after the world ended, the last robot and the last human met on a windswept plateau.