Carmel M Portillo: 20 books

"Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord." When Cele and Gary's life were destroyed by the same person, instead of taking revenge, they let karma deal with it. In this satirical short story, the reader discovers just how nasty karma can be when left to its own devices.

What would happen if the shortage of Catholic priests reached a world-wide crisis? This "what if" story takes place in the not to distant future about this very topic. Due to doctrinal issues and a lack of vocations, the Roman Catholic Church is in full crisis mode as is described though the eyes of...

Collection of inspirational essays and short stories from a variety of spiritual paths ranging from Judeo-Christian to Nature-based and anything in between. Intended to be thought-provoking and uplifting.

First published January 31, 2012 on Kindle, "Chictopia" is now available on other e-reader platforms: Short story about a hen with aspirations of something better than her life as a production egg layer. She defies the odds to search for the fabled land of "Chicktopia." A great story for kids and adults alike!

What would you do if you found yourself waking up in a strange place, trying to make sense out of some very disturbing dreams? In this unconventional, but heartwarming Christmas short story, follow Maria Catherine LaRosa on her journey to find the purpose of her existence.

In this adventurous short story freshman senator from New York, Tony Perez, discovers first hand how his strict, new immigration law can backfire in a big way.

Short story account of a terrible tragedy at a corporate call center. The mass carnage requires an investigation by the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, but the story goes into an unexpected direction. WARNING: There are some graphically violent scenes. NOT RECOMMENDED FOR YOUNG READERS.

When Danielle Carroll comes into a sizable inheritance, she is finally able to live out her dream of purchasing a Victorian mansion for a Bed and Breakfast. She finds the perfect place in Pittsfield, N.H. that was built on a plot of land that one of her ancestors once owned. However, she is in for a...

Short story about a woman who's friend orchestrates her kidnapping; but why? Read on to find the surprising end.

After Candice Martin's break up of an eight-year relationship, she devises a plan for her suicide and begins to carry it out. This is a flash fiction short story of the thoughts going through her mind and the actions that follow during a moment of desperation.

Best friends Debbie and Deirdre are setting out on the Vacation of a life-time; an all expense paid trip to Iceland. As their adventure unfolds, something major changes their plans and possibly the course of their lives.

This short story is actually the prologue to a novel that I am working on. In this prologue the reader is introduced to a very intelligent, sociopathic ten-year-old. This child, Jerri Gordon, likes to conduct twisted experiments. When Jerri overhears that a fellow student has a severe allergy, she...

Mini-novel about Brigid Catherine Kennedy's search for the object of her dying grandmother's request. Her search coincides with her father's own quest for the truth of his own identity. As the story unfolds, the two quests are realized to be connected in some way, but the ending will leave the reader with an unexpected surprise.

I have decided to publish Twists and Turns: An Eclectic Collection of Stories in electronic format to reach a broader audience. The stories contained within these pages are a compilation of stories and novelettes that I have written over the past ten years. Most of the stories in this book have been...