Yes, Owen (left) and Max (right) playing with shaving cream on our dining room table. These two munchkins are my real "works in progress". Notice how studious they are, investigating the properties of Barbasol.As for writing, yes, I've been working on a few things. I finished "Climb" (3,400 words) and another short-short, "Guided by Wire" (1,700 words), and both are out in submission land. The real joy of shorts: they leave the nest so soon.
I've started another piece called "Tap, Tap" (shooting for 2,500-3,000 words). The idea for "Tap, Tap" came to me while I swam laps at the aquatic center. The deep end is soooo deep and it has this creepy little grate at the bottom...
The first paragraph (subject to change):
Dillon paced the floor of the deep end, mop in hand, waiting for his shift to end. The Olympic-sized pool had been drained as it was every year for cleaning and maintenance, and Dillon found himself, along with the other lifeguards, doing a very un-lifeguard like task.
He's going to be doing a number of un-lifeguard like behaviors before it's all over.
Also, "The Surgeon of An Khe" is up at The Absent Willow Review. The story was originally slated for release in Our Shadows Speak vol. 2, a project that editor Lincoln Crisler recently scuttled. Oh well...now you can read it for free (I wrote the darn thing almost two years ago).
Enjoy the ride.
14 comments:
I also see that Dead Bait is up for sale as of this morning.
Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww, so cute. Barbasol, second only to good ol' mud.
Jamie - Whoot for Dead Bait! I enjoyed writing that story..."Grim Adaptations"
Rebecca - Gotta love the mud.
My wife was a lifeguard for about 8 years. So I Am VERY interested in reading Tap Tap. Sounds awesome.
Huh. Why didn't my parents ever let me play with foam??
I guess someone was storing up lots of ideas while finishing his first draft. Fantastic week, Aaron. I'll check out your story tomorrow.
Your stories rock. I'm amazed at how many shorts you write. And I used to let the kids use shaving cream at school to practice their spelling words. It cleans the desks and everything...
Barry - something about the deep end just "ain't" right.
Natalie - you would have eaten it. My kids did.
Cate - Once you let the short story monster loose, game over.
Elana - (see above). No really, thanks. Nice call with shaving cream spelling. Do you think HS seniors would be interested?
That looks like fun. I know how I'm spending my evening.
You're sounding very productive these days, despite the F/T hours in school.
The first thing that popped into my head looking at the picture of the boys was the old song from the Dr. Demento show on the radio...Shaving cream, shaving cream, shave every day and you'll always look keen (or something like that).
Good times.
And the lifeguard story sounds very creepy.
1. Those kids are insanely adorable, in addition to being studious. Just saying.
2. Awesome story. Loved plenty about it, but some things that stood out: the thread of the orange earth as a symbolic clingy element was brilliant, the olive jar visual grossed me out and fascinated me at the same time (all the visuals were great, but that's the one that comes to mind just now-- think I'll be skipping the martinis for a week or so...), and I really must compliment you on the gradual build of tension and atmosphere-- no little part of which is the voice itself. Deftly handled and executed.
Your kids are so cute! I love how riveted they are on the shaving cream. :)
Off to read your story now!
Dang! That was a beautifully written story. Disturbing too. Well done!
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