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Category: Dystopian fiction

Dystopian fiction: stories about societies deemed problematic within the world of the novel, often satirizing government rules, poverty, and oppression.

Exciting News from Pages Alight (and S.M. Ulbrich!)

Exciting News from Pages Alight (and S.M. Ulbrich!)

Published by S.M. Ulbrich on 03/25/2026

Hello, friends and fellow story-lovers!

I’m Shirley Ulbrich, writing under the pen names Pages Alight (for my more whimsical and visual storytelling projects) and S.M. Ulbrich (for my fantasy, sci-fi, and dystopian tales). Today I’m thrilled to share that we’re hard at work on a brand-new story book—a project that’s been dancing around in my imagination for quite some time. I can’t wait to tell you more as it takes shape!

In the meantime, my little collection of small notebooks (there are currently three available) continues to bring joy to folks who love to jot down thoughts, sketches, or daily reflections. They’re simple, charming, and perfect for tucking into a bag or keeping by your bedside.

And the big news I’ve been waiting for… my luxury adult coloring book is finally in review! After a couple of rejections (those picky full-bleed page requirements kept tripping us up), it looks like we might see it go live as soon as today or tomorrow. Fingers crossed—I’ll shout it from the rooftops the moment it’s approved and available!

To celebrate the creative energy flowing right now, here are a couple of illustrations I created that didn’t make it into the final story book or coloring pages. I thought you might enjoy them as a little sneak peek into my artistic process:

Sleepy Tales
Emma and the Whispering Unicorn

What do you think? Do any of these spark a story idea for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

If you’d like to stay in the loop on the new story book, the coloring book launch, or any of my other creations (under any of my names), feel free to subscribe to the newsletter or follow along on social media. Your support means the world to this indie author and visual storyteller.

Thank you for being part of this creative journey with me. Here’s to more stories, more colors, and more pages alight!

✨Warmly,

Shirley Ulbrich

aka Pages Alight & S.M. Ulbrich

Don’t Know Where This Was Discussed, but Here’s My Thoughts

Don’t Know Where This Was Discussed, but Here’s My Thoughts

Published by S.M. Ulbrich on 01/20/2026

A man slaughters a big cow, starts the grill, and says to his daughter, “Daughter, go call our relatives, friends, and neighbors to join us… We’re having a celebration!”


The daughter goes out to the street and shouts, “Please help! My father’s house is on fire!”
After some time, only a few people come out to help, while many others act like they didn’t hear anything. The ones who came stay, eat, and enjoy the food until late.

The father, confused, looks around and says to his daughter, “I don’t know most of these people. Some I’ve never seen before. Where are our friends, family, and neighbors?”


The daughter calmly replies, “The people who came didn’t come for a party. They came because they thought we were in trouble. These are the people who care about us. These are the ones who deserve to celebrate with us.”

Lesson: The ones who don’t show up when you’re struggling don’t deserve to be with you when you succeed.

What do you think? I think it all depends on the intent of a person, really. Some people may WANT to help, but don’t know how. There are times in everyone’s lives when it’s just too hard to stretch and serve another, even though we want to help.

If someone came to our door right now, my husband would do everything he can, but he can’t give money or can’t be gone from the house very long, as people need him here. Those circumstances must be taken into consideration, and not punish those with good intent.