Welcome to this week’s Free Book Friday, wherein we give you the best titles in indie publishing for the low low price of nothing. Congrats to last week’s winner Kaylah for getting a free copy of Steampunk, edited by Ann and Jeff VanderMeer.
This week, we are giving away issue #137 of One Story, “The Puppet” by Reif Larsen. Check out an excerpt:
When Valise first checked in to the Holiday Inn, the lovely receptionist in the oversized sweater gave him the key to his room and said very kindly, “Please, M. Retour, if you will avoid windows at all times. Or else sniper will shoot you dead and…” She sighed and parted her hands to indicate the predicament they were all in. Valise stared, struck by the restrained elegance of this gesture, the hovering kiss of palms into a weary bloom of fingertips. The air in the lobby was damp and sour; he could smell the faint paw-back stink of cordite entwining with the scent of the single, despondent lily in the vase on her desk. Suddenly, he was overcome with the electric, almost toxic, sensation that he had already experienced this precise pairing of pantomimed resignation with the lingering scents of damage and inflorescence. He had never been to Sarajevo before, of course, nor had he ever met this woman, but the sense of déjà-vu was so violent and true that Valise shivered, and without thinking, tapped the call bell in front of him.
Ding!
“Yes?” the woman said, blinking. This, too had happened before.
This week’s Free Book Friday is sponsored by One Story. 
One Story is a non-profit literary magazine that features one great short story mailed to subscribers every three weeks. Their mission is to save the short story by publishing in a friendly format that allows readers to experience each story as a stand-alone work of art and a simple form of entertainment. One Story is designed to fit into your purse or pocket, and into your life.
To enter the giveaway, all you have to do is comment in the space below. Make sure to tell us your email address so we can contact you if you win! We also recommend doing the following:
- Check out the One Story blog
- Become One Story’s friend on Twitter & Facebook
- Subscribe to One Story to receive two free trial issues
- Sign up for our newsletter
- Become our friend on Twitter & Facebook
Winner will be chosen randomly at 12pm on Friday, August 27 and notified via email. The winner must respond to our email within 48 hours, or a new winner will be randomly selected.
Good luck!
EDIT: Giveaway now closed. Congrats to this week’s winner DT. Check out the new Free Book Friday, featuring Danielle Dutton’s Attempts at a Life.
