
W.A. Stanley (or ‘Was’ for short) is a multi-genre author with a penchant for telling strange tales with undertones relating to society, the modern world and the human condition. His debut novel, Till Death Do Us Party, is due for release in 2022 (but please don’t hold him to that).
In the meantime, take a look at some short stories, book reviews, opinion pieces, and of course, news and updates about the progress of his works.
The Latest
Featured Posts

Saturday Snippets: April 2022
It’s the last Saturday in April, which means it must be time for some Saturday Snippets!
Read on…
Introducing… Luminary
After spending most of April (and part of July) working on a draft, please allow me to introduce… Luminary!
Read on…
Redrafting, Rewriting, Reevaluating My Ability (or: Draft Three is Complete! Yay Me!)
After five weeks of blood, sweat and tears (mostly tears), and wrestling with the dreaded Imposter Syndrome, the latest draft is complete.
Read on…
The Retirement Plan
Where a Hunter for the City, Kex Atto, approaches her retirement. But in the City, circa 2254, retirement means death: you don’t work to live, you live to work. After this, the City has no furthur use for you.
Read on…
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News & Updates
Till Death Do Us Party
news & updates
Luminary
news & updates
Shorts
- The Retirement PlanWhere a Hunter for the City, Kex Atto, approaches her retirement. But in the City, circa 2254, retirement means death: you don’t work to live, you live to work. After this, the City has no furthur use for you.
- The SlumlordWhere Detective Jon Bakker is recruited by one of the City’s powerbrokers to locate the mysterious Slumlord… But aren’t they just a myth?
- Brothers in ClawsA tale of two brothers who love each other very, very much. When they’re not trying to rip the flesh from the other sibling, that is.
- The ANZACs: A Lesson in HistoryWhere Alexa, a student in 2235, receives a lesson about what was once the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps.
- The SynergistWhere Artur Simril, born on 15 September, 2253, grows up in the City. As the years pass, he tries to reconcile his dreams of becoming an artist with the career that the system has mapped out for him.
- A Plea to FacebookOriginally published on Silent Protagonist, this is a plea to Facebook requesting they treat Silent Protagonist with the respect it deserves, and block it with all the other Australian news outlets.
Ramblings
- Rediscovering the Ronin Rabbit: Usagi Yojimbo DiversionsWith the debut of Samurai Rabbit: The Usagi Chronicles, I take a new look at Stan Sakai’s beautiful creation.
- The Magic of NaNoWriMoA little debrief on my time with NaNoWriMo 2021. Or a brag. I’ll let you be the judge.
- Slumming It: When a Short Story is the Bane of Your ExistenceNot every story comes easy…
- The Ethics of Negative ReviewsIf you don’t have anything nice to say, should you even write your review?
- The Beauty of Independent BooksIndependent books are wondrous, miraculous things. Let me tell you why…
Book Reviews

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