Nicole Jeffords is an Austin-based fiction writer who explores the hidden motives and unvarnished truths of human behavior.

I write stories that aim to come as close to the truth as possible.

Much of my fiction is inspired by people I’ve known or observed — relatives, public figures, strangers whose behavior lingers in the mind. I disguise them carefully, but I do not soften what I see.

This website is the first home for my short stories and serialized work, their first stop before making their way further out into the world.

Subscribers to Ruthless Fiction receive each new story before anyone else.

Browse the collection and see what unfolds.

Most Recent Short Fiction

The Girl Who Had Everything

She had the wedding, the lifestyle, the man… everything looked perfect from the outside. But behind the scenes, the money wasn’t hers, the story didn’t add up, and one friend knew far too much. When the mask starts to slip, the question isn’t if everything will unravel… it’s who will pull the thread. Because some friendships don’t end quietly… and some secrets come with receipts.

Most Recent Nonfiction

103 Speaks: The Legacy of Babette Hughes

She lived 103 years… and never stopped speaking the truth. In this tribute, Nicole reflects on a friendship that shaped her life, and the extraordinary woman behind 103 Speaks. This is a legacy of resilience, wisdom, and a voice that refuses to fade. 

Most Recent Political Story

Getting the Dirt

(A Tommy Duncan story)

In Washington D.C., a city steeped in shadowy secrets, press secretary Bethany Keener plays the game better than most—until a whisper from a frightened assistant puts her too close to the flame. The president she serves doesn’t play by the rules, and the lies he spins are as dangerous as they are deadly. Now, Bethany must navigate a web of deceit, power and threats, all while keeping her own mask firmly in place. In D.C., nothing stays buried for long—but some truths can kill.