Player Two: My First Short Story Publication

I’m thrilled to share that my short story “Player Two” is now live in the INSERT COIN anthology from Raconteur Press.

After publishing My Name It Is Sam Hall in November (part of the Unified States of Texas series) and a couple of illustrated books under my pen name Taco Jones, this marks my first venture into short fiction—and honestly, I’m still processing that it’s real.

Player Two is set in Houston, 1985, in a strip mall arcade called Starcade Galaxy. It follows thirteen-year-old Evan Ortiz three months after his father’s death, on a Saturday night that used to belong to them. When their favorite arcade cabinet—Commando Crusade—flickers to life with an impossible message (INSERT COIN TO RESPAWN PLAYER TWO), Evan drops his last quarter and gets pulled into the game for one final mission with his dad.

It’s a story about grief, video games, and the weight of learning to move forward when someone you love is gone. It’s got pixel jungles, digital snow bases, run-and-gun action, and a final boss that’s more psychological than physical. The copy editor told me it made her cry, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

INSERT COIN captures that specific magic of retro arcades—the smell of carpet cleaner and fryer grease, the glow of CRT screens, the weight of quarters in your pocket on a sweaty Saturday night. The anthology brings together stories of high adventure and real stakes, where players face actual consequences, clever boss fights, and moments of genuine heart.

I’m honored to be included alongside talented writers like KB Carlisle, Jesse James Fain, John Gorman, Eric M. Hamilton, Joshua Ladd, Reginald Lewis, Malory, Nate Stone, and others. The anthology is edited by David Badurina and available now in both Kindle and paperback.

If you grew up pumping quarters into arcade cabinets, or if you just love stories that blend nostalgia with genuine emotion, I think you’ll find something special here.

Amazon Link - Insert Coin Anthology

Thanks for reading, and thanks to everyone who encouraged me to keep writing.

— Eric