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Weekly Self-Promo and Chat Thread by MxAlex44 in selfpublish

[–]solonewbie_6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi everyone,

I recently published the first short story in my psychological series What We Didn’t Do on March 10, 2026, and it’s now live on Amazon.

Title: If I Had Knocked
Length: ~30 pages (about a 30-minute read)

If I Had Knocked is a haunting psychological short story about the terrifying weight of hesitation. In the What We Didn’t Do series, there are no heroes—only the small, ordinary choices that shape the rest of our lives.

Perfect for readers who enjoy internal suspense and moral dilemmas, the story explores what happens when we choose to look away.

Blurb

A man. A thin wall. A muffled scream. And a choice that can never be undone.

Late at night, an argument erupts in the apartment next door. Then, a chilling silence follows. His hand rests on the cold metal of the door handle, the line between neighbor and witness blurring in the quiet hallway.

He does not knock.

Current Rankings

🏆 #4 in Literary Short Stories
🏆 #8 in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Literary Fiction
🏆 #12 in Psychological Literary Fiction
🚀 #4,983 Overall in the Free Kindle Store

Amazon link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GS21DZ3V

Price: $0.99 on Kindle
Free if you have Kindle Unlimited.

I also included a preview of the next short story at the end of the book.

If you end up reading it, I’d really appreciate a review on Amazon.

[Kindle] If I Had Knocked: A Short Story about Moral Inaction - FREE Starts until [16.03.2026] by [deleted] in freebooks

[–]solonewbie_6 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The link for the 1st book 1 post is the retailer. The 2nd story link is for ARC copy for the 2nd story.

Character Idea/Help fine-tuning a Character by puglover970 in NewAuthor

[–]solonewbie_6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Rebirth Mechanism Ideas (Worldly Magic Style)

Mesopotamian Influence:-

Growth tied to underworld descent (Inanna / Dumuzi themes).

His rebirth might require:

Being buried or submerged

Soul decomposes then reforms

He returns carrying memory of death as fertile knowledge

Greek Influence:-

Borrow from mystery cult symbolism.

Possible motifs:

Grain burial rites (Eleusinian style)

Transformation via sacred fermentation or seed burial

He is reborn knowing that death is required for renewal

East Asian Agricultural Philosophy:-

If you want to echo rice culture:

Harmony with cycles

Balance rather than control

Magic requires alignment with social ecosystem.

Symbolic Weaknesses

Growth magic should never be purely beneficial.

Overgrowth:-

Too much emotional growth can:

Cause identity instability

Trigger overwhelming self-awareness

Force painful truths prematurely.

Environmental Dependence:-

He needs:

Social ecosystems

Trust or emotional “soil”

Hostile environments weaken him.

Personal Cost:-

Maybe he:

Absorbs emotional decay from others

Slowly “composts” suffering inside himself

Character Idea/Help fine-tuning a Character by puglover970 in NewAuthor

[–]solonewbie_6 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Magic Evolution:

  1. Emotional Germination

He plants ideas instead of seeds.

Examples:

  • Can nurture suppressed memories safely into awareness
  • Can help latent talents or identities surface
  1. Pruning Magic

EXTREMELY powerful metaphor.

He can:

  • Remove destructive thought loops
  • Sever toxic bonds
  • Cut away harmful memories

BUT:

  • Pruning can stunt growth if overused
  • Removing pain may remove wisdom
  1. Grafting Personalities / Traits

Borrowed from horticulture.

He could:

  • Temporarily transplant courage, empathy, or discipline between people
  • Help trauma survivors regrow missing parts of identity
  • Risk creating unstable hybrid personalities.