Flashes From the Verse

Last Date Night in the Valley

He’d wanted to take her to a fancy restaurant in Corpus Christi, but with her last class of the day letting out at 7:30 p.m., she’d balked at the six hour round-trip just to eat raw shrimp from a champagne glass.

Photo by Aly Ramirez / Unsplash

About the Author

Daniel Verastiqui is a science fiction author based in Austin, Texas. He is currently writing The Vinestead Anthology, a series of standalone novels set in a shared universe where virtual reality, synthetic humans, and one very powerful corporation keep making everything worse. His latest book, House of Nepenthe, released in June 2026.

Explore his books →

Stories I Tell My Daughter: The Snowman and the Flower

Waldor wanted nothing more in his life than to see a beautiful flower. Where he lived, it was always cold, and flowers never had a chance to grow.

Stories I Tell My Son: The Strawberry Farm

Once upon a time, there was a dragon. In this dragon's ear was the biggest strawberry farm you've ever seen.

Which Would You Choose? Synthetic or Cyborg?

President Duke argues that anyone who transferred into a synthetic body stopped being human the moment their original brain died. I've been thinking about this argument for years, and I still can't find a hole in it.

Only the Quiet Remains

A farewell to my friend and canine writing partner. If you've recently lost one of your own, this one may be worth skipping.