Carol Willis

Novelist, short story writer, and essayist

I am pleased to announce my story in Valparaiso Fiction is live: “Fluctuat nec mergiturhttps://scholar.valpo.edu/vfr/vol13/iss2/7

COMING SOON

The Golden Girl” - a darkly evocative story of murder to be included in the anthology, Crimes in Old Dominion, put together by Central Virginia’s Chapter of Sisters in Crime (SinC). The date of publication is TBD.

Love-all” - a poignant story about a mother and her daughter following the death of a loved one. To be published by Niftylit early this fall.

I will share links as soon as they are made available.

This month, you will find me revising my current WIP: A contemporary book club midlife-coming-of-age story.

Welcome! Please stay a while and read a few stories. You’ll find the links below.

What are you reading? Any favorites? Any writing tips about craft or inspiration? Any great movies or series you want to share? I’d love to hear from you.

Please use the contact page below to leave me a comment.

Background: Born and raised in Charleston, WV, I received a medical doctorate from Texas A&M University College of Medicine and completed a residency in Child Health from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. After practicing pediatrics in a small mid-western town, I completed a pathology residency at Vanderbilt University and obtained an MBA in Healthcare from George Washington University. I practiced medicine in Texas, Western Nebraska, and Chicago before moving to central Virginia with my husband where I enjoy the writing life.

I received an MFA in Writing from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

Something Extraordinary by Carol Willis

Carol Willis | inlandiajournal

High Hopes by Carol Willis

carol willis — Mulberry Literary

Entanglement by Carol Willis

The Hundred Thousand Things by Carol Willis

The Hundred Thousand Things | Unlikely Stories 

Cold Comfort – The Worlds Within

Cold Comfort by Carol Willis

School’s Out Forever in November 2023 in Living Crue Magazine

Inspired by the place I grew up, this story is near and dear to my heart. I also shared this as my graduate reading during graduation at VCFA.

“Trembling With Fear” is a captivating horror series featured on The Horror Tree. Written by Carol Willis, it delves into eerie and unsettling tales that will send shivers down your spine. Let me share some highlights from this chilling collection:

  1. “The Weird Ghosts of Lanark Manor”: This four-part serial takes you on a haunting journey through the dark forest, where a fire roars within a circle of stones. The tangled undergrowth and mysterious happenings create an atmosphere of suspense and fear1.

Above is a sampling of several short stories published in the last few years. I write across all genres for adults and children. I have completed a contemporary adult psychological thriller and crime suspense, two novels for middle grade, and a science fiction saga for YA. Many of my stories contain speculative elements and you will almost always find a dead body or a ghost and sometimes both. I am a member of Sisters in Crime, International Thriller Writers, Poets and Writers, Inc., and the Authors Guild.