The Quiet One

This is kinda-sorta an "author's notes" post but without the spoilers. After a few months of quiet, I have a flurry of writing news. Horror d'oeurves features my flash piece, "Slips of Yew," a title I lifted from Shakespeare's "Scottish play." Okay, Macbeth. I guess it isn't bad luck to reference Macbeth in writing, just theater. Or is it theatre?

When I used to teach Macbeth, I'd show the rather grim and bloody Roman Polanski version. Yes, some moments are silly (e.g., a sleepwalking (in the nude) Lady Macbeth). Thanks for that, executive producer Hugh Hefner. Like anyone slept in the buff in a drafty Scottish castle, but I digress (again). The third of three witches in the film was younger than the others and Polanski/his writers chose to make her mute and assign her lines to the other two. "Slips of Yew" was born as I imagined her voice.

Imagine the excitement when I warned a room full of high school seniors (mostly boys) that we'd see nudity when I showed them the "something wicked this way comes" scene. Now imagine the shock and revulsion when the nudity was a cave full of old hags. Awesome. Those were the days...

Anyway, "Slips of Yew" to Horror d'ouerves marks my third official professional sale (5 cents a word or better)--fourth overall if you count a contest I won a few years ago. Unfortunately, it, added to my other professional sales, runs 1,000 words short of the ascribed 7500 word count/3 pieces threshold to be an active member of the HWA. So be it. I'll keep writing. Thanks to editor Shane Staley for picking up my little bit of darkness.

There's more, too, like "Lucky Numbers" in Dark Moon Digest #16. What's the skinny behind "Lucky Numbers"? Let's just say it might not be a good idea to cast a mask of your recently deceased loved one (post burial, even). And because everyone loves cover art:

The issue isn't officially out yet, but will be soon. Speaking of soon... I'm up at Every Day Fiction again on Wednesday. More soon.

My Notes on "Digging Deep"

"Digging Deep" is up at Every Day Fiction today. I think they're switching servers tomorrow, so it's only appropriate the last story before blackout is about death. Sort of.

Let me tell you about "Digging Deep". 

Here be spoilers.

Read the story first, if you would.


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I wrote "Digging Deep" shortly before Aimee died and submitted it one time before my hiatus and return to writing. It is a story about death as I mentioned above, but more. It is a horror story, but not a Horror story. "Digging Deep" talks about Truth like I hope most of my work does. Although I've capitalized it, this Truth is human-truth, not God-truth. I'll leave that for the theologians.

I want readers to understand what moves the narrator. This is a story of big revelation rather than big events. It's not about what happened to the mummified remains the narrator helps to exhume or the horrors which might lurk on the English countryside near his home. No, it's about real horror--horror any of us can feel.

On one level, there's the horror of losing a child (or any loved one). You see, the narrator feels the connection between his daughter, Ellen, and the awful things they dig from under the standing stones. The braided hair sets him off.  My grandmother buried both of her children--my Aunt Norma Jean (who I never met because she died at 21, decades before my birth) and my father (brain cancer shortened his life). I look at my own kids, those with whom I share genes and my stepchildren, and can't imagine--don't want to imagine--such terrible ends for them. I fiercely love Kim, and the thought of anything, anything happening to her abhors me. Anyone who loves so fiercely can feel the inevitable pang of death. So yes, death stalks the narrator as it does all of us.

But that, dear readers, is only a bit of the story--even for a tale just shy of 1,000 words, there's more.

"Digging Deep" is also about the horror which comes when people become little more than objects. The mummified bodies, once living, breathing people (again, the braids), are now objects for the university men. Waxy broadens the theme when he talks about the barmaid, saying, "Wouldn't mind a roll with that one," making her little more than a sexual object. For the poor narrator, Ellen becomes a thing--both an object for the "university men" and, by extension, a sexual object for men like Waxy--as he connects the dots between the three. In the end, especially in the end, death leaves each of us nothing more than objects.

Yes, that latter bit is implied. It's what the story means to me, now, nearly two years after originally writing it. But the truth--and the truth of all fiction--is that any reader's reality is just as valid as mine.

I've written the story and now it's time to share.

"What Julie's Dad Doesn't Know" at Every Day Fiction

It's good to have some writing news to share (what with the on-going reconstruction of my house).

"What Julie's Dad Doesn't Know" is live today at Every Day Fiction. Give it a read, eh?

"The Thing About a Haunting"

How appropriate "The Thing About a Haunting" is now playing at Every Day Fiction--while at the same time, I'm up to my elbows in home improvements. Once you read the piece, you'll understand.

And by "home improvements" I mean home destruction. I've spent close to twelve hours a day for the last three days breaking my house. I've shattered tile, torn wall board, smashed plumbing, demolished cabinets...

Ugh.

And we haven't even started putting everything back together again.

But we will.

There will be pictures.

I promise.

For now, take a break, read my strange little story, and enjoy the last day of May.

"Soul Marbles" at Every Day Fiction

You can read my journeyman story, "Soul Marbles", at Every Day Fiction today. I use the word journeyman because a few top-notch flash markets have held it for "final review" and then rejected it in the end. I'm glad it finally has a home.

Is it speculative? I'll leave that for you to decide (and you will have to decide). As always, I appreciate the read, the rating, and any comments, good or bad, you choose to make.

I'm off to our "league" forensics meet today. It would be nice to bring home the banner...

Happy Valentine's Day Podcast

Matt Cowens has created a nifty little podcast of "Better Lessons" for Every Day Fiction.

Give it a listen, if you like. It's sort of a love story. I guess.

And this heart's for you (happy Valentine's Day):

WIP Wednesday: Stranger in a Strange Land

Today's writing prompt (from The Write Addiction)...it's a mash up: rewrite "The Three Little Pigs" as if it was a science fiction story.

I had one of those secret life/real life crossovers earlier today when I stumbled across this entry on J. Seraphim Anderson's blog, the white star journal. I've been playing relatively well with others on the interweb^TM for a few years, but I still feel like a

in my own town. I need to get out more. Meet some real humans.

_____

I finished a short Gothic story, "The North Lantern", yesterday, and today I'm hoping to put some serious revision to two flash pieces.

The first line of "The Fisherman's Son" (one of the two):

My father, who was quite sick, hadn't caught a single "keeper" on the last day we fished Glen Elder Lake together.

_____

Speaking of flash, "Faith" is to be included (along with "How to Burn a House") in The Best of Every Day Fiction Three. Happy dance? Sure, why not.

Why I'm Glad It's Saturday

"Cookies" is posted at Every Day Fiction. I could have predicted the response. No, it isn't a story for "everyone".

Hammer away, folks. At least it's Memorial Day Weekend and I won't have to face that much abuse.

Blue Collar Boys

A Ray Bradbury inspired flash, "Blue Collar Boys", is up at Every Day Fiction today. It takes a little Fahrenheit 451 background knowledge to "get", so I'm sure I'll get pounded in the comments. Such is life.

You see, Montag's wife overdoses on sleeping pills early on in the book, and a couple of "blue collar boys" arrive after the emergency call. From Fahrenheit 451:

"Hell!" The operator's cigarette moved on his lip. "We get these cases nine or ten a night...You don't need an M.D., case like this; all you need is two handymen, clean up the problem in half an hour."

Just like plumbers. Man, I love that book.

And before you go, please sign up for the newsletter using the link under the title header (top of the page). I'm working on migrating my whole website to the blogger format--it's so much easier to update.

I know I can't compete with Shroud's offer if you sign up for their newsletter, but I will send a free, unpublished story to my new subscribers. That's worth something, isn't it? Maybe?

Yeah, and finally, the followers thingy is back. A few comments convinced me it's for the readers as much as anybody. I'll climb a ladder to the moon for my readers, so tada...

Have a great weekend.

"Billy Boy" Up at Every Day Fiction

Head over to Every Day Fiction for "Billy Boy" today. It's quick and (relatively) pain free, promise. As always, I appreciate your comments (and vote...wink, wink).

The story was inspired by the classic folk ballad "Charming Billy" (lyrics here--you'll have to scroll down) and a (mostly) abandoned strip mall in Lawrence where my carpool used to meet. Kind of spooky looking in those empty stores.

Tim O'Brien, one of my favorite authors, wrote a story entitled "Where Have You Gone, Charming Billy?" which I used to teach to sophomore level students. If you can find a copy, it's a great read.

Enjoy Thursday, and thank you for your support.

Faith at Every Day Fiction

...and yes, I've realized there is a misused word in the last paragraph. Yes, adsorbed is a "real word". It just doesn't mean to permeate the skin.

So, if you can stomach a little vocabulary infraction and some Nyotaimori, read "Faith". Let me know what you think. The story came about after reading a random news bit about the "dish".

Today, dear NaNoWriMos, investigate your protagonist's deepest beliefs. These will bubble to the surface in times of trial, either crushed by circumstance or strengthened.

The Tibetan prayer flags are in honor of K.V. Taylor's wonderful entry, "Boudha" in Grant's Pass. Have a lovely Saturday.

Splat...

...go my thoughts, spraying every which way.

Firstly, two great contests find themselves in full, um, gear. KV Taylor asks what nasty (fictional) villain or other undesirable you might bring to a Halloween party. Barry Napier wants recommendations for quality, online dark fiction at his blog. Try 'em out. You might win something fun.

Secondly, Cate Gardner will be cheering on our NaNoWriMo suckers friends. I'll be there, too, bringing the pictures (each post in November will have an "inspiring" photo). My Friday flash might even have a NaNo theme. Time will tell.

Thirdly, 52 Stitches will change its look a little this Saturday (Halloween). I'm running a poll for font/background color suggestions. You can also use our newly purchased url: http://www.52stitches.com/ (which redirects to the blog). Yes, I've given up--the "official" name of the site is 52 Stitches (in numeral form, not word). If you don't know what I'm talking about, that's fine. I'm not sure I do, either. (I tried sooooo hard for Fifty-Two Stitches to stick...but the url is sooooo much easier this way. Ease=more memorable.)

Finally, I'm thrilled that "Inked" will find itself in this year's Every Day Fiction anthology. Of the four pieces I've had in EDF, "Inked" was the one which received the most derisive comments. Go figure.

Happy Monday, everyone.

I Smell Smoke

"How to Burn a House" is up today at Every Day Fiction.

Make sure to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and lock your doors.

They Warned Me This Would Happen...

I have a short up at Every Day Fiction today. "Inked" is a different kind of story, and the editors warned me that some readers wouldn't like it because of the vague nature of the tale. A few have already left comments to that direction, one fairly nasty. I love EDF because they accept all sorts of flash. I loathe reading the comments from some of the peanut gallery, though.

Personally, I think the story tells it all. You be the judge.

I'll post my WIP Wednesday later. Promise.

New Story at Every Day Fiction (with an interview)

"To Make Things Right" is up at Every Day Fiction, followed by an interview from little ol' me.

I must say the story was inspired by one of my favorite short stories of all time (and one that still leaves me scratching my head), "The Assembly of the Dead" by Chet Williamson. Find a copy and read it. I know you can in 100 Hair-Raising Little Horror Stories.

Enjoy!

Tipping Points

The Tipping Point is defined as the moment of critical mass, the threshold, and the boiling point. It is the point when everyday things reach epidemic proportions...the fact that little causes can have big effects, and that change happens not gradually but at one dramatic moment.

- from The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

When I woke up yesterday, a lovely little email from Camille Gooderham Campbell was waiting for me. My story, "The Sub-Basement" was the most read piece for April 2009 at Every Day Fiction, earning yours-truly an interview.

Me: What?

(after a moment)

Me again: But that story was published in January...

It seems "The Sub-Basement" somehow managed to garner around 4,000 hits during April despite being published three months ago. One of the questions in the interview dealt with self-promotion of my writing (i.e., what did I do to promote the story?).

Me: Nothing.

Wait...I do blog. I mentioned "The Sub-Basement" when it was published back in January. The story has a link on the right side of this page. Other than that...is it luck? Maybe an invisible "tipping point"?

Self-promotion is a necessary evil. The new mantra in publishing is "develop a following" and that is before your book is even picked up by an agent. I'm not sure I know how to develop a following. The right kind of self-promotion is part science and part art. It baffles me. Too much "me-me-me-it's all about me" and say bye-bye to any loyal readers jaded by egregious self-pimping.

I do know how to grow potatoes (I have twenty lovely plants in the garden right now). You have to shove the cut seed potatoes in the ground, wait...wait...wait. I dig deep, plant the seeds low, and then fill the holes in with dirt as the plant grows, providing more room for the plant to sprout baby taters as it reaches for the sun. It's a slow process. Then the plants die, and the miracle happens.

Wait two weeks or so, and you find full-sized potatoes hidden under the dirt.

I think the same is true with writing/publishing. I have a long way to go yet, but I'm filling in my holes, bit by bit. Write a new story...rejection. Revise the story...publication. Someone reads the story, checks out the blog. He/she is offended by my use of an Emily Dickinson quote in the title and never comes back. Start the cycle over again, hopefully landing a reader that might just come back.

It takes time, I guess. Is it luck? Yes...but I think luck is a matter of being in the right place for a long time. Sooner or later, something positive is going to happen. I hope.

Little tipping points are everywhere. I have to believe they are.

The Sub-Basement at Every Day Fiction

My short, "The Sub-Basement", is up today at Every Day Fiction. Last time I had a story there, I took a beating in the comments section, so I was a bit hesitant to give it a go again.

You can read it here. Yeah...it has pulp written all over it. That's my shtick.

Ouch!

I have a short-short up at Every Day Fiction today, "Donuts of the Living Dead". It is not, Dear Reader, a piece of horror fiction as one might expect from the title.

A couple curmudgeons have already smacked me around a bit in their reviews. Take a read here and see what you think. I call it voice, by the way.

Licking my wounds...