Publications

Short stories, essays, notable posts, memoirs, poetry, and more by Todd Warner, Writer.

Publications

Books are made out of books. ―Cormac McCarthy

Writing is a passion. Writing is a journey. Writing is hard work.

Some time ago, I left the rat race and semi-retired. With time freed up, I could finally carve out the space in my life to pursue activities I had greatly neglected: time to read; more importantly, time to write. Since then, I have incrementally churned out essays, stories, a handful of poems, and a massive pile of words that seem to be congealing into a novel.

Fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and all that travel between. Literary, genre, and even the occasional rant. I write it all, for the most part. Writing for me is a passion—difficult, but rewarding. Amazingly, it turns out, a good amount of you like what I write. This page seeks to keep a running status of everything of note that I have written in the past, the works still seeking publication, and all the works in progress that may or may not amount to anything. I have only recently attempted to broaden my publishing journey.

And so, keep tabs on this page, O ye lurker on the internet. You can also subscribe to my blog/newsletter Ruminations. If you are a super-fan, or just yearn to contribute to the creative arts, consider becoming a Ruminant, and I'll occasionally share snippets and samplings, and behind the scenes pre-published excerpts of my work with you. Plus, it helps keep the lights on and the words flowing.


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⸺ Works in Progress

#AMSUBMITTING
  • "Gone to the Dogs" (psychological horror, short)
  • "Periphery Horror" (personal narrative, short)
  • "A Picnic in the Park" (historical fiction / horror, short)
  • "For Those Who Remain" (literary folktale, short)
Saeculum, a novel

With the world on the brink of collapse, a North Carolina farmer endures a terrible tragedy only to have responsibility thrust upon him in the form of a girl on the run.

In draft
  • Saeculum (thriller, novel)
  • "The Five-Second Rule" (personal narrative, short)
  • … a number of poems
Mothballed (shelved)
  • "Cops and Robbers" (literary, short)
  • "Vulture" (literary, short)
  • … a number of poems

⸺ Works Published (selected works)

via Literary Journals and Anthologies

"Stormbreak" [flash fiction]
2025. County Lines: A Literary Journal, vol. 13. Carolina Piedmont Writers Guild. December 1, 2025. ISBN 9798268850482. 13. [Bsh, Amz]
"After the Rain" [cover photo, winner: Carolina Prize for Art]
2024. vol. 12. November 27, 2024. ISBN 9798343204599. 0. [Bsh, Amz]
"Amanda Takes the Stage" [poem]
2023a. vol. 11. Writers Guild, Franklin County Arts Council. November 18, 2023. ISBN 9798864205518. 80. [Amz]
"That Guy" [drabble fiction]
2023b. vol. 11. November 18, 2023. ISBN 9798864205518. 95. [Amz]
"Why and What For?" — Poem
2023c. vol. 11. November 18, 2023. ISBN 9798864205518. 152. [Amz]
"Adrift" — Poem
2023d. vol. 11. November 18, 2023. ISBN 9798864205518. 175. [Amz]
"Date Night: Misadventures in Teen Romance" — Short Memoir
2022. vol. 10. Oct 17, 2022. ISBN 9798356027246. 91. [Bsh, Amz]
"Crepuscular Dreams" — Poem
2019a. vol. 7. Dec 1, 2019. ISBN 9781700507600. 101. [Amz]
"That Dog" — Poem
2019b. vol. 7. Dec 1, 2019. ISBN 9781700507600. 91. [Amz]

via Newsletter / Blog

"The Reason for the Season" [essay]
2025a. Ruminations (newsletter/blog). Errant Ruminant. December 25, 2025. https://errantruminant.com/blog/the-reason-for-the-season/.
"The Story's End" [essay]
2025b. March 6, 2025. https://errantruminant.com/blog/the-storys-end.
"Crepuscular Dreams" [poem]
2024a. April 17, 2024. https://errantruminant.com/blog/crepuscular-dreams/.
"Panster-Friendly Story Planning" [essay]
2024b. February 26, 2024. https://errantruminant.com/blog/story-planning/.
"Adrift" [poem]
2024c. January 23, 2024. https://errantruminant.com/blog/poem-adrift/.
"Life and Loss" [essay, existential]
2023. December 21, 2023. https://errantruminant.com/blog/life-and-loss/.
"My Mother, In Memoriam" [eulogy]
2022a. December 25, 2022. https://errantruminant.com/blog/adrift-untethered/.
"Grass. Sweat. Tractor." [eulogy]
2022b. May 18, 2022. https://errantruminant.com/blog/grass-sweat-tractor/.
"Ruminations on Scouting" [essay]
2021. October 11, 2021. https://errantruminant.com/blog/ruminations-on-scouting/.
"What the Hell, Will?" [humor, fever dream]
2020. July 13, 2020. https://errantruminant.com/blog/wth-will/.
"Mutton, Capons, Culled Beef, and Spent Hens" [essay]
2019. November 28, 2019. https://errantruminant.com/blog/mutton/.

via Other

"Perfect is the Enemy of Good Enough" [column essay]
2018a. March 19, 2018. Now-defunct Tech Magazine.
"The Narcissism of Small Differences" [column essay]
2018b. March 8, 2018. Now-defunct Tech Magazine.
"Barlow's Legacy" [column essay]
2018c. February 19, 2018. Now-defunct Tech Magazine.
"Cue the Naysayers" [column essay]
2018d. February 9, 2018. Now-defunct Tech Magazine.

  • Missing from this list are the gobs of corporate work I have performed (marketing and technical writing), as well as the articles written during my stint as a columnist for a small fintech publication.

Updated January 29, 2026