Irette Y Patterson: 19 books

Forty-something-year-old Melinda doesn’t need a new dad. She had a father. A very good one, thank you very much and she’s not a kid who needs an eager face in the crowd cheering her on at her dance recital. So when her stepfather-to-be Melvin asks her to participate in a dance with him...

Cicely thinks she's doing the right thing by ending her new relationship. But as she's packing up his things, memories threaten to make her question her decision. A Southern girl. A Philly guy. A BWWM IR 3,915 word romance short story which questions if you have to leave everything behind to chase your dreams.

A women's fiction short story – What’s the difference between saying you have a belief in a better future and real faith? After being stood up by a first date, Rochelle is about to find out. A 3,200 word - short story about friendship, belief and how sometimes the person who you would normally never talk to is the person who sees everything more clearly than you ever could.

A Black American Christmas short story – A looming job loss sends Dee into cost-cutting mode during the Christmas holidays while her husband is seemingly taking the opposite approach. Can they agree to the worth of holiday traditions during this stressful time? Approximately 2,100 words. Originally published on The Saturday Evening Post's website.

The Mother’s Day bouquet isn’t at all what Melanie expected when she placed the order at Miss Lila’s Extraordinary Floral Shop. The hot pink flowers are way too gaudy for her staid grandmother. Or are they? A 4,409 word short story featuring a magical floral shop in Atlanta where the right bouquet makes all the difference.

A Black American short story - All Sandra wanted was a nice, Thanksgiving away from her country,family with her new, sophisticated friends. When her cousin Ree Ree shows up unexpectedly, Sandra finds herself trying to reconcile how she grew up to the person she wants to be. A quick, humorous, holiday read of 3,640 words.

Aspiring writer Michelle is stunned by the terms in her first publishing contract. But won't turning it down mean she isn't a real artist? A short story of 3,241 words

The one thing that is constant in recent Philadelphia transplant Luciana’s life is the man she has nicknamed “Weather Report.” Each morning she watches for him at the bus stop from her fourth-floor apartment window. The interaction is her one bit of humanity that isn’t dictated by a financial...

Three short fiction pieces totaling 3,755 words set in Atlanta about the choices we make and the chances we take. In “Chicken” shy Celina is building up her courage at her favorite diner to attend a new language learning group. When her carefully made plans are interrupted, does she have...

A three short story collection about weddings and families. Wedding Flowers: A Miss Lila’s Extraordinary Floral Shop Story Older bride Elyse thought stopping into the floral shop on a whim was a good idea. She figured that she could easily cross off “flowers” on her wedding to-do...

Older bride Elyse thought stopping into the floral shop on a whim was a good idea. She figured that she could easily cross off “flowers” on her wedding to-do list. All the choices, though, gets her questioning what she really wants from the wedding. A 2,474 word short story featuring a...

New runner Sandra thought that she had prepared perfectly for her half-marathon. When disaster strikes three miles from the finish line, she'll have to decide what winning means to her. A 2,559-word women's fiction short story about friendship, 

Long-standing Atlanta florist and hearth witch Lila has settled into a nice, predictable life. Predictable, that is, until the mega-grocery store next door hires a retiree with a penchant for bow ties as their new floral manager. The man is messing with her business and the heart she thought she’d...

Marcus wants to put his best foot forward when meeting his girlfriend's parents. But can he do that while still being himself? A 2,567-word short story.