Order my new YA near-future dystopian novel, WE WERE THE CUCKOO BEES! Early praise for this story: “A chilling dystopian thriller about identity, power, and the quiet terror of being watched, perfect for those readers who crave suspense, moral tension, and disturbingly plausible futures.” – Anne Willow, author of BROKEN PROMISES. Available 02/24/2026:
01/25/2026 – BREAKING NEWS: My coming-of-age novel, PAPER AIRPLANE, BROKEN BONES, is a FINALIST for the 2025 SOMERSET AWARD FOR LITERARY & CONTEMPORARY FICTION, and it has been SHORTLISTED for the 2025 DANTE ROSSETTI AWARD FOR YOUNG ADULT FICTION (Both awards are categories of the CIBAs)
Praise for PAPER AIRPLANE, BROKEN BONES: “A wholly absorbing…coming-of-age tale…the cast comes with myriad layers.”– Kirkus Reviews
YA historical fiction novel, PAPER AIRPLANE, BROKEN BONES, set in Fort Lauderdale in 1980, was published on MARCH 25th, 2025 by Willow River Press an imprint of Between the Lines Publishing! In addition to the Kirkus review above, check out more glowing reviews below & the link to order the book!
“A haunting and deeply evocative coming-of-age novel that lingers in the mind long after the final page, Paper Airplane, Broken Bones masterfully explores themes of guilt, loss, and the turbulent shift from adolescence to adulthood. With raw, unfiltered honesty and sharp, lyrical prose, R.B. Shifman captures the fragility of youth and the weight of secrets in a story that is both nostalgic and unsettling. This is a book that doesn’t just tell a story—it grips you in its ghostly embrace and refuses to let go.” – Kathryn Dare, Portland Book Review
“Paper Airplane, Broken Bones is a nostalgic coming-of-age story that perfectly captures the joys and tragedies of youth. R.B. Shifman expertly crafts complex characters battling for control in a world both cruel and beautiful.” – Angela Sylvaine, Bram Stoker Award-nominated author of The Dead Spot
My corporate-horror short story, “MAYO MONDAY,” headlined the OCTOBER 2023 issue of the horror magazine, CHM (Cosmic Horror Monthly). This all-ages story is published under my given name, Richard Shifman. Click the link below to order the issue:
As of February 16, 2022, the first editions of Everyone Leaves This Place, Love’s Heavy Spell, and Still Running Deep are no longer published. A limited number of unused free copies of the first editions of these novels can be obtained by contacting the author.
WELCOME TO R.B. SHIFMAN, AUTHOR 