Happy Halloween Eve!

30 OCT 2018

Hello all! Bit of good news! My recently released short story, The Legacy, is currently sitting at #170 in Kindle Store > Kindle Short Reads > 45 minutes (22-32 pages) > Science Fiction & Fantasy
Go buy it and help me break into the top 100! It's just .99 cents.

The Legacy on Amazon


In other news, I really like the word Gasconade. It means extravagant Boasting. Good word that, I'll have to see about putting it in somewhere.

I recently found a story bit I wrote long ago. It's very rough and unpolished, definitely needs a lot of work, but it could become something in the future. Here it is in all its unvarnished glory:



***

The Rescue

As the rosy hues of dusk approached, Dunham the wagoner spied a small body up ahead at an approaching crossroad. Anyone out here was obviously in need of rescue, there being nothing around for miles in either direction. Dunham clucked his tongue loudly and drew softly up on the reins.

There, at the intersection of two small trails, was a young man.

“Good eve to you,” the wagoner said, as he drew his horse up alongside the young man. The stranger, for surely he was one, was dressed rather oddly for these parts. A little too warmly. One never knew what sort of person you’d meet on the road, but this lad didn’t seem to be a danger to anyone but himself. “Need some help?”

A face without whiskers looked up from the side of the road with a smile. “Why do you think I need help?”

Dunham took off his hat and scratched his balding head. He was a nice fellow, but didn’t take kindly to people complaining about help being offered. Kids these days, he thought. No manners. “You wanting some help or not?”

The stranger looked to the left and right, before him and behind him. “Yes, I would, thank you. I’m Fortune.”

“Nice to meet you. Name’s Dunham. Put your pack back there and climb on up here with me.” He motioned to the wagon. The stranger threw his pack in with the hay and other goods for sale, and accepted Dunham’s hand as he climbed up and sat next to him. Fortune’s hand was very soft against Dunham’s.

Boy’s never worked a day in his life, Dunham thought, as he lit a lantern and hung it behind their heads.

Sitting there at the crossroads, the wagoner turned to his new passenger. “Now where might you be heading so late in the day?”

“I know not, kind sir. Just that what I’m looking for is nearby. I’m hoping you might know.”

Odd one, the wagoner though, a very odd one.

“Well, these crossroads here lead to no place close. To the left is a low plain that eventually leads to a small, salty lake.”

At this, Fortune shook his head.

“To the right the trail leads up into some low hills. Nothing up there.”

Again, Fortune shook his head.

“Behind me is nothing for a day’s drive but more trail. Ahead, well, seeing as I’m going on ahead you might as well ride along and see what there is.”

At this, his passenger seemed satisfied. “Yes, let us ride ahead. It’s just my luck to run into you!”

Dunham clucked once and motioned with the reins for the horse to get going over the next low hill.

They rode for a few moments, listening to the sounds of the evening. “I’m looking for a friend,” Fortune said, looking around as they crested the hill. “He is supposed to be, uh, wandering around here somewhere.”

Dunham looked around at the deepening darkness. “’Round here? Told you already, boy. There’s nothing ‘round here for miles.”

“Is there a structure nearby?”

“A what?”

“A building. With walls and doors.” Fortune struggled with finding the right words. “A, uh, castle?”

“Nope, like I said, nothing around for miles. There’s Tun’s Tavern about a day’s journey behind me.”

“Has it been there for a while?”

Dunham shook his head at the question. Has the tavern been there for a while? What an odd question. “Ya, been there for nigh on half a century or so. It’s run by the grandson now.”

Fortune shook his head. “That’s not him then. Anything up ahead?”

“Wait. You mean he wouldn’t be there at Tun’s Tavern?”
“I mean that’s not him. He’d be pretty new here.”

Dunham was confused, but let it pass. There were many things that confused him, and this stranger and his talk was just another oddness that he might never understand.

They crested the next hill and both men saw a castle off to the left, silhouetted against the last of the sun’s fading light.

Fortune pointed excitedly. “Over there! That might be him!”

Dunham had had enough. He knew of no castle in the area. The closest castle was five day’s journey from here, and abandoned at that. Even from here he could see that there was some light coming from the castle. “I’ll have you off right here, stranger. I’ll have no truck with such odd happenings.” He thought of the tales he was told as a kid, of strange doing at dusk, especially at crossroads. He left the stranger and his bag right there, and put his horse into a fast motion with a loud “Yaw!” and a crack of the whip.

The stranger stood there, surrounded by the dust stirred up by the departing wagon. Although he was rather rudely dropped off, Fortune still wished the wagoner luck, which in this case manifested as a fortuitous wedding celebration in the next town over. Dunham was able to sell all the goods that he had left for a huge profit.

The sun’s light was dying quickly as Fortune started straight away for the castle in the distance.

*****

Night was well along when Fortune finally reached the castle. Lights shone in a few of the windows, and the large, front door was open.

“Hey Eddy!” he shouted as he walked in the entrance. “This is you, right?”

The entrance opened up to a massive hall. At his feet was a large marble inlay, with the words ‘Phortress Peripatetic’ inset with green striped stonework.

“Eddy! I think you’re supposed to use the letter ‘F’ for fortress!”

“Eddy?” Fortune looked around. “I’ve come to bring you back. We’ve missed you! How am I supposed to talk with you like this?”

There was a stranger at the dinner table. Something so strange as to be almost inconceivable.

***
FYI: Eddy is short for Edifice. :)



Another story idea floating around in my head:

The Romany are immune to curses. Non one can curse them. They've been cursed enough already. They have to travel constantly, being welcome in no one country. They have, though, made do with the terms of the curse as best they can.

Picture for today: something macabre for Halloween...

Helping Other Authors

21 OCT 2018

Happy Sunday all! I haven't written much of my own stories lately. Been helping out fellow authors with their tales. While I am not a professional editor, nor will I ever be one, I do know enough to be a second set of ears and eyes for others. Heck, I taught the English for many years, lol. And I even speaka da English too! 

I'm currently working with a few other authors on editing their works. I know I really appreciate it when others do that for me, so yeah, I don't mind helping others out occasionally. 

I have recently done some non-fiction work too, writing a couple of reviews (comic book and a vlog post) for the TSR's website Multiverse. I used to love love love TSR's products when I was a kid, so a little bit of thrill to be creating some small pieces for them. If you don't know what TSR does, head on over there and find out! 

Pictures for today, in honor of Halloween coming up: 

The Legacy, and Pixie Forest Publishing

The Legacy: 

Author Jensen Reed from Pixie Forest Publishing was kind enough to give my story some space over on her blog. You can find the link here: The Legacy

In honor of her giving some space to my little group of witches and their odd family, I'd thought I'd share another short snippet from the story: 

He dove again, and reappeared shortly thereafter. Clawing his way out, he rolled onto the ice and breathed heaving breaths, clutching for his clothes. Vapor steamed up from his body. The water in his hair and beard was already turning to ice.

“I c-c-c-can’t see!” He reached out again.

Destra tilted her head to one side and glanced at Beth, who shook her head slightly. Destra whacked Reynard in the thigh with her staff. "Get back in there you lazy lout! Our sister is still alive!"

Go get it. I've got other stories out there too, but this one is the baby in the spotlight right now. And when you're done with The Legacy and my other stories, go check out some of the fine work that Pixie Forest Publishing is doing. They are good people and I hope to work with them in the future.


Picture for today: Something old for my grandfather, who volunteered for airborne way back in the day when it was first starting up...Love you Grandpa. We're fools together, though I joined the Navy and not the Army. Proud to have served and retired.

New Release: The Legacy

09 OCT 2018

It's finally here! My latest short story, The Legacy, is available over at Amazon. My wife Cheryl did an amazing cover. I love it! Totally fits the feel of the piece. Pictures for today are the cover, a sneak peek inside the story and a picture of me to celebrate!

Here is the link and the blurb: The Legacy -It's only 99 cents!

“Hurry Reynard! It's poor Anna. She's fallen into the lake!"

On a frightening winter evening, three witches chase after their eldest sister Anna. Reynard the Hunter dives into the frigid waters in a vain attempt to rescue her, but the hole ices over. Anna and her would-be rescuer are gone.

Family members, including Anna’s lost son August, return home for the wake, only to find a power struggle rages among the sisters, both living and ... dead? Power in this family of witches and warlocks is handed down, but if neither Beth nor August received Anna’s legacy, where did it go? Is the old witch truly dead or did she have some witchcrafty tricks up her sleeves?
******

Besides that, there is all sorts of stuff going on in this story. Magic aplenty of course, but a lot of family bonding too, most of it good. Here is a screenshot of the story as I was finishing it off: 

Nice good stuff in there. This was originally released as part of a winter anthology, Back then it was only around 6,000 words. Lots of new added material all throughout the story. 

And here's a picture of me to celebrate!

What are you doing right now? Do you have a buck? Go get my new story! Thank you in advance. :)

Sales!

11 SEP 2018

I took a look today at Amazon's Author Central and found out three anthologies with my stories in them sold recently! The three are Den of Thieves (proceeds go to a charity), Incarceration, and Protectors of the Veil (which I get no money for). It's always nice to see sales. I truly do appreciate the anthologies and Carol Hightshoe in particular. Some day I may make enough money from sales to stop my regular day job. But it probably won't be until I retire.

Still working on my next release, that short story about witches in winter. 

Was thinking recently about new story ideas. One that stuck was "Birds of Stone." Another writer suggested that I was thinking of gargoyles, but my thoughts are of something smaller. Not artist/author Jean 'Moebius' Giraud's Arzach's flying stone bird either. Something smaller. Like a rock pigeon maybe. I don't know. It's very early in the thought process. If you've never seen (can't really say 'read' because there are no words) Arzach, you owe it to yourself to do so. Great storytelling with no text. 

Photo for today: Arzach

Pets: Guest Blog by David Owens

08 SEP 2018

Here is Dave once again, this time with some guiding words on pets in writing.

An image of my Boston Terrier Mayla. She insists I cover her each time she goes to her doggie bed in my office. 

Why an image of my dog you ask? First, examine television commercials. A widely accepted fact among marketers and advertisers is animals and children, when shown in a commercial, tend to hold viewers' attention. "Yo Quiero Taco Bell" anyone? The GEICO gecko as well, though to be honest he was brought into being during a SAG strike when no humans could be used in commercials. 

Second, in writing, the use of animals in a story may very well have the same effect upon a reader. IMHO the animal, especially dogs and cats, may be used in much the same manner as any other literary device. They can be used to foreshadow, further the plot or any number of things. "The Hound of the Baskervilles" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is one example.

Third, I don't think the use of animals, pets, etc., detracts from story. In many literary works animals became integral to the story even though they were used only as a "prop," for a stage play. Examples: Hemingway's prolific use of animals in his stories - he used all kinds of animals (The Bull in "The Undefeated, The water buffalo in "The Short Happy Life Life of Francis McComber," and insects in "Big Two-Hearted River." Steinbeck's "Travels With Charlie" is a wonderful example. [Frank here: I would like to add Fortinbras, the dog in Madeleine L'Engle's Time Quintet, is an excellent example of pet use in fantasy]

I do not mention "creatures" created for Fantasy works, because their roles are somewhat different than the animals used in the aforementioned stories and novels. In Fantasy, the creatures are specifically designed or "created" for a specific role, whereas the point of my short article is to invoke the use of animals as a different kind of device.

~David Owens



Well, I wholeheartedly agree with Dave on this issue. Pets are wonderful in stories, and they also may appear as a request for a themed anthology. One precaution, don't use them as filler. Ensure that whatever animal you write about has a porpoise, I mean purpose! 

The Legacy Covers

01 SEP 2018

My wonderful wife made some covers for me. These are for the short winter story, The Legacy, which was part of a seasonal anthology. I have a favorite cover, but you'll find out which one once I publish the story as a standalone. Winter is a big part of the story, the ring is also an important part of the story. The short description for the story is as follows: 

A family of witches, a murder, and the return of the prodigal son