13 Acorns eBook

“A set of engaging, succinct morality tales centered on inner change rather than the superficial.”- Kirkus Reviews

13 Acorns: Modern Short Stories for Thoughtful Adults is the debut collection from six-time award-winning indie author G. Edward Martin. This book brings together twelve original short stories across multiple genres, united by a shared foundation of philosophical and metaphysical fiction.

Each story is a small narrative with a big idea—an acorn—exploring one central moral, question, or truth. Taken together, these stories form a thoughtful and eclectic meditation on meaning, identity, faith, and the human journey.

Stories Included in 13 Acorns:

• The False Treeing Hound
  Daniel, a lost young man, abandons everything and heads west on a road trip. When his car breaks down, an unexpected encounter with a mentor changes the course of his life.
• The Grave Robber Sitting Across from Me
  After losing her mother, a young woman travels to Florida and discovers that her uncle and his girlfriend have stolen from the deceased—forcing her to remain silent in the face of betrayal.
• The Return Flight
  Near the end of a twenty-year space mission, a crew of astronauts realizes their ship is being followed on their journey back to Earth in this science fiction novelette.
• The Charleston Market
  Mike, a small business owner and market vendor, wrestles with self-worth and social order as he struggles to recover from a series of failed plans.
• My Old Street
  While visiting family, Joe discovers drugs hidden in his younger brother’s room and must make a difficult decision—hoping he chose correctly and can live with his choice.
• The Nobody Who Fought a Dragon
  Bill, the town’s drunk and local potter, is forced by his neighbors to battle a dragon threatening their village in this darkly comedic fantasy. (A fun reset/palate cleanser among heavier stories.)
• Benjamin: The AI Government
  Two friends secretly debate the consequences of a computer program designed to replace politicians and governments in this science fiction short story.
• The Values of a Dying Man
  As Phillip’s health rapidly declines, he must decide how to spend his final week and what truly matters most.
• The Unstoppable Train
  A journalist visits a nursing home to interview a former intelligence operative, hoping to uncover the truth behind one of America’s greatest unresolved conspiracies.
• The Demise of the Great Village
  A philosophical allegory tracing the rise and fall of a once-great society, dismantled from within by unseen and malignant forces.
• The Man Who Held Court
  A philosophical meditation on enlightenment—and the search for relief from anxiety, depression, and despair.
• The Bridge of Working Truth
  A son joins his father in completing an ancient bridge stretching from Earth to paradise in this allegorical reflection on humanity’s progress and philosophical thought.

About the Collection

13 Acorns is an eclectic and inspirational short story collection for adult readers, spanning genres including:

• philosophical fiction
• metaphysical fiction
• science fiction
• fantasy
• allegory
• dark comedy
• contemporary fiction

At its core, this collection explores self-actualization, morality, spirituality, faith, and the enduring search for truth—one story, one idea, and one acorn at a time.