Publication Announcement (Wifely Wisdom)

I'm pleased to confirm that my flash fiction piece "Wifely Wisdom" will be featured as part of the forthcoming National Flash-Fiction "flash flood" on 27th June.  My story will be appearing between 9-10 pm BST.  There will be a steady stream (couldn't resist!) appearing throughout the day, so feel free to check all of the entries there out!

Safety In Numbers (Race The Date)

They faced her, battalion-like.  No chink in the group armour.  Tess defeated before they’d begun.  It didn’t matter really - the supposed due process; guilty pre proven innocent, as she was.

 

There had been no warning prior to the descent upon her – simply a gathering of the girlish forces, en masse.  Then the accusation.  The declaration.  Stupid, really. 

She knew the girl concerned.  The name – Sam - at least.  Too little for it to hold meaning, still less for there to be any chance of her involvement.  She couldn’t even track where it had all supposedly started, in amongst the needling and demands; the clamour for the truth.  All over some boy she had blatantly never heard of.  Try telling them that though.  She did, for what it was worth, though they weren’t listening; indistinguishable in agreed condemnation.  Safe amongst their numbers.  Words as weapons, wielding them; the wrongfully righteous against the sole mistaken condemned. 

Tess, alone.

She wasn’t a gossip! 

Silence.  A level gaze.  Again, her denial.  Again – and again. 

Still the stares, dead-eyed.  Indifferent.  No break in the ranks. 

“God, just leave her.  She’s pathetic.”  One voice.  The dismissal and departure.  No concessions.  Last person.  Gone. 

Tess, alone.  Defeated.

Comment

201 words written for this week's Race The Date flash fiction challenge.  Based on the prompt "outnumbered".  Check out previous entries/challenges here.

A Secret Shared (VisDare)

Photo Source (via VisDare)

Emma could see them if she concentrated, from the corner of her eye.  Yet when she turned, they weren’t there.  She grew used to them as a child – her shadow friends, somewhat seen and never heard.  Learned not to look, to capture them at the edge of her vision.  Her mother laughed when she told her – said she would grow out of it.  In time.  Instead, they grew with her, lengthening as Emma gained height.  Smoke edged blur became darker pitch.  They moved when she took her eye from them, otherwise placid two dimensional.  Innocuous. 

There were three of them, not always en masse.  Sometimes singular, sometimes plural.  There seemed no rhyme or reason.  Emma tried to talk of them.  Received blank looks, was told “no lets pretend”.  They were there.  She knew.  They knew too.  Their secret now.  Silent.  Together.  Forever. 

She had tried to tell her. 

Too late.

Interludes (Flash! Friday)

Photo by the National Parks Service (via Flash! Friday)

Time travels strangely beneath his branches; sentient-sleepy.  The first time he recalls, the boy plays with his car; an old model. Feigns interest in toy over girl, despite her best efforts.  Later, he pushes her into the dirt when she tries to play.  She cries.  He ignores. 

Time travels onward.  Older now, the transport is real.  He learns their names.  Nick and Sara.  Nick driving, seeking to impress, as they pass underneath; oblivious.  They are wrapped in each another.  He envies them their youth, the promise; that still to come. 

Time travels onward.  Time marks their faces, their fondness unchanged.  They picnic in his shadows, ring on her finger, hand at her stomach; an unthinking caress.

Time travels onward.  Sara on foot.  She travels alone.  Shelters in the shadows beneath him.  Lies there; oblivious to the onset of traffic.  Closes her eyes.  Time travels onward.  She stirs. Leaves the toy car in her wake; an offering to time’s past.       

Afterword and Afterthoughts

Another flash fiction piece - this one written for the Flash! Friday competition which runs (surprise, surprise) every Friday.  This one featured the photo prompt above and the word prompt "time travel".  It received an Honourable Mention.

Shadow Selves (VisDare)

Photo Source (via the VisDare Challenge)

Shadow Selves

It started as a rumour – that the statue would show you yourself, if you looked hard enough.  It gained momentum slowly; inexorably.  Sam ignored it, at first.  Before half of his mates had had a go.  Even after a woman from down the road made a swift exit from the booth, refusing to go back in.  It was when Paul refused to tell him what he had seen that his interest was truly piqued.  No fool, their Paul.  Still, he had to see for himself, he supposed.

Sam's feet led him there of their own volition the following Tuesday.  He pulled the curtain aside and stepped into the gloom, allowing his eyesight to adjust gradually before he saw.  The truth of it all.  He couldn’t help himself – he had to laugh.  It was spot on.  He had always been a bit of a devil on the quiet, god help him.       

A Brief Explanation:-

Recently I've been looking for a short fiction challenge or two to get me into thinking about prose and how to fit ideas together after a period where I hadn't been writing consistently.  The Visual Dare (Vis Dare) photographic challenge - essentially, to create a story in 150 words or less based on the visual prompt - is one of the ones I've come across during my internet travels.  If this is something which interests you also, you might want to following the posted links and take up the challenge.

Mine is loosely based on the photographic prompt, for reasons which are probably apparent on reading.  Definitely fun to write, which is the point!

Neverwhere – Where? (Hear Ye! Series)

I’ve been enjoying the rerun of BBC Radio Four's production of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere over the Christmas period and wanted to mention it here in case anyone wanted to listen before time runs out.  Apparently, the first episode is only available for approximately 12 hours (GMT), having previously been broadcast on 25/12/013, so if you want to check out the audio broadcast, with a cast including James McAvoy, Natalie Dormer, Bernard Cribbins and Benedict Cumberbatch, amongst others (including brief cameos by Neil Gaiman himself!), you can find Episode One here.  Various links and information concerning the production here.   

Resurrecting the Zombie Apocalypse – The Days of Flaming Motorcycles (Selective Shorts Series)

It’s about time Catherynne M Valente got a lengthier mention here and where better to start than with one of her short stories – The Days of Flaming Motorcycles (available here to read for free).  At face value, The Days of Flaming Motorcycles is the tale of Caitlin Zielinski – possibly the last non-infected person in Augusta, Maine, living in the aftermath of a zombie apocalypse.  Delve a little deeper, however, and, unsurprisingly, Valente’s story has a little more to tell for itself.  Taking a detour from the usual “them or us” style scenario, Valente suggests the inspiration for the short story came from the concept of the "quiet apocalypse" it was necessary to live through and suggestion of a scenario in which the need to “co-exist” or compromise was examined - something Valente highlights by virtue of Caitlin’s relationship with her infected father with whom she continues to live, having managed to “train” him not to try to attack her, simply by virtue of being faster on each and every occasion he tries.

 

Whilst the concept of family and emotional ties is a familiar theme for those acquainted with the genre, Valente’s story provides for a far more nuanced contemplation on the concept of adaptation, far beyond the usual “fight or flight” scenario we are more used to seeing played out within apocalyptic zombie film and thus follows a less familiar route.  Valente’s “zombies” are not of the “reanimated corpse” variety we are used as reader to encountering; nor are they “mindless” (to quote the point of view characterisation of the short story).  Instead, through observation of Caitlin’s father’s behaviour, we learn that the infected retain the ability to mourn their present state, like “lost children”, communing en masse amongst an increasing “tower of garbage” created from the physical vestiges of their previous lives; their “cathedral” of grief.  By the tale’s conclusion Caitlin too has been drawn into the vestiges of grief’s “religion”.  An original twist on the zombie scenario and thought provoking commentary on the concept of mental and physical decline.  

Celebrations Ensue

Following on from my previous post related to Neil Gaiman's All Hallow's Read, I recently learnt that he has released a free audiobook download of a short story, Click-Clack the Rattle Bag, in conjunction with Audible in celebration of the festival.  Even better, each free download results in a donation to charity.  US and UK sites are accessible here (US) and here (UK), subject to which you’ll have access to a suitably spooky story for Hallowe'en.  It’s approximately 10 minutes long and sends a shiver down the spine by the conclusion.  Be quick, though, as the story will only be capable of download until Hallowe'en.

Enjoy!

Chilling With Chilling Tales (Selective Shorts Series)

I’ve mentioned on more than one occasion how much I enjoy reading short fiction, whether in the form of a collection or in singular format, in magazines, both hard copy and online.  Given this, I wanted to contribute a review or two concentrating on specific stories I’ve come across during my random readings (hence the reference to the “Selective Shorts Series”), purely on an ad hoc, as and when basis.

First up is Barbara Roden's contribution to the Canadian horror fiction collection, Chilling Tales – 404.  Essentially, at its most basic level, the story is one concerning office workers under pressure within a corporate environment.  So far, so familiar, in terms of its premise.  The initial dialogue confirms a colleague’s office is empty, save for the remaining desk and chair, even though neither of the two workers conversing had been aware he was due to leave.  Wilson, one of the two, appears to have been allocated a number of the files which had been being dealt with by the now absent Dwight; files which have simply appeared on his desk overnight without an explanation or accompanying note.  The “404” of the title refers to the white screen confirming “file not found” which is pulled up by a search for Dwight’s profile on the company website after his somewhat mysterious disappearance.

From this set up, we gradually become aware that it is not only Dwight who has become absent from the office and paranoia sets in amongst the workforce, who are under the supervision of a seemingly increasingly sinister supervisor intent upon enforcing the stringent regulations put in place by the company.  Ultimately, this causes them to question their sanity and sense of self.

A fun and slightly tongue in cheek tale about the office environment, as well as a brief commentary upon the malleability of words and documentation, subject to the interpretation placed upon them.

A Couple of Other Things:

Those wishing to sample Roden’s work can find an example of one her short stories, The Appointed Time, freely available on her website here.   

Also – a couple of blog entries concerning the editing process for those interested in the structural aspects of writing:- here and here.

Magical “Minis”

I’ve previously mentioned my liking for shorter fiction; something which encompasses the challenges presented by significantly shorter word limits in the form of flash or even micro fiction.  If you, too, like prose in “bite sized chunks” on occasion, you might want to check out Erin Morgenstern's on-going project, Flax-Golden Tales.  Her form of the “Friday feeling” is an original ten sentence short story, inspired by a specific photograph taken by Carey Farrell. 

The tales are posted weekly, each with a differing theme; predominantly fairy tale oriented.  Princesses and Monitoring System are a couple of my recent favourites.

Incidentally, her first novel, The Night Circus, is also well worth a look if you like the sound of a novel in which a circus arrives without warning and is only open at night.  Add in a duel between two young magicians and you have the premise of Morgenstern's debut.  Recommended.

Selected Shorts

I’m always interested in short stories, whether singularly or produced as part of a collection or anthology – possibly because I’ve seen numerous references to the suggestion that this is a “dying” art form.  (Stephen King, for one, is an author who fights against this suggestion and, incidentally, looks towards artistic expression in e-format, serialisation; pretty much anything if it gets the words onto paper.  If you haven’t taken a look already, do yourself a favour and look out at least one of his short story collections.  If you’re not a horror fan, why not plump for Different Seasons and read – or even re-read - his novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, amongst others?)

This is just a précis of some of my recent reads – and, in a couple of cases re-reads, which would be worth taking a look at.

Stories (Edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio was a compilation I originally picked up a copy of for Gaiman’s novelette The Truth is a Cave in the Black Mountains and Joe Hill's The Devil on the Staircase (both of which are well worth the time expended in a read of).

 

It was also my introduction to Kat Howard's work, being the volume which contained her first published short story, A Life in Fictions, the tale of a girl who is, quite literally, written into a story by her boyfriend.  Since then I’ve looked up copies of further shorts published by Howard and never yet been disappointed by having done so.  I’d heartedly recommend her Beauty and Disappearance  published in Weird Tales 356 but a number of her short stories have also been published online, such as Choose Your Own Adventure and The Least of the Deathly Arts.

Speaking of Joe Hill, 20^th Century Ghosts also deserves a shout out.  Hill is often coupled with the phrase “son of Stephen King” in write ups but is more than capable of holding his own against the legacy of his father’s writing, on the basis of my reading to date.  Whilst this collection of short stories is predominantly horror based, some of the entries fall outside of this category, such as Pop Art, the story of an inflatable boy or Bobby Conroy Comes Back From the Dead, which simply takes place on the set of a making of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead.  (Incidentally, if you’re a UK reader, there’s a short film of Pop Art available via the BBC website here, courtesy of Amanda Boyle).

I’ve also looked up a number of Karen Joy Fowler's short stories this year, within her collections, Black Glass and What I Didn’t See.  I particularly enjoyed The Pelican Bar in her 2010 collection (What I Didn’t See), in which Norah is sent to a boarding school with a difference.  To say much more would spoil the impact of the story, so I’d suggest looking it up yourself to get the full effect.

Margo Lanagan is something of an acquired taste for some but her short story collection Black Juice contains the excellent Singing My Sister Down, which was nominated for both the Hugo and Nebula awards for best short story.  It documents the tale of a young boy watching his sister being executed by way of a tar pit for the murder of her husband.

Tales Of The Underground

“Matthew has loved Ariel from the moment he found her in the tunnels, her blond hair shining and her bee’s wings falling away.  They live together in Safe, a refuge deep underground for those fleeing the harsh city Above – as does Whisper, who speaks to ghosts, and Atticus, who has thick claws for hands, and Jack Flash, who can shoot lightning from his fingertips.

But one terrifying night, an old enemy invades Safe with an army of shadows, and only Matthew, Ariel, and a few friends escape Above.  Forced to survive in the most dangerous place he can imagine, Matthew strives to unravel the mystery of the shadows’ powers and Safe’s own secret history.  For he knows he must find a way to remake Safe – not just for himself and his friends, but for Ariel, who’s again faced with a life she fled, and who needs him more than ever before.”

Above is Leah Bobet's first novel, although I’ve been following her work online for a while now, given she’s been publishing short fiction and poetry since approximately 2001.  Those seeking her earlier work might like to consult her online bibliography for short fiction here.  Alternatively, samples of her recent poetry can be found here and here.  She also maintains a blog here.

In Above we’re introduced to Matthew, the boy with lion’s feet and gills (the legacy of his father and mother respectively) on supply duty prior to Sanctuary Night - the night when those wanting the sanctity of Safe’s quarters has their right to live there reconfirmed.  Matthew is the Teller for Safe, the one responsible for collecting everyone’s stories and recounting them subsequently.  Safe is populated by the unwanted from Above (essentially, our own world and specifically the city of Toronto); the Sick or mentally ill, those marginalised by society and the Cursed.

Before long, Safe is raided by a shadow army and Matthew and a few fellow escapees, including Ariel, a girl who turns into a bee when threatened, are forced into the world Above, aided by the sympathetic Doctor Marybeth.  Life in Safe being the only one Matthew has ever known, this forces him to confront the reality of the history and Tales provided to him by others, whilst seeking a way to retake his home.  The Tales are cleverly woven into the narrative and assist, rather than detract from, our understanding of the overriding narrative arc – as well as aiding in our grasp upon the characters as we navigate the world of Above with them.

Above is populated by precise and poetic prose, with clear care and attention paid to drafting.  Ultimately, this rewards the dedicated reader with a complex and far reaching story in which there are no simple solutions to the problems presented in the aftermath of the raid on Safe, nor trite “happily ever afters” for those seeking to re-establish their broken community and save themselves in the process.

 

The social commentary related to the marginalised within society and characterisation emphasising this aspect of the novel is similarly adept.  Thus, Corner is far from the maligned villain suspected at the outset of the narrative and whom the inhabitants of Safe have been taught habitually to fear.  Similarly, Ariel provides an effective illustration of psychiatric institutionalisation, warts and all.  The premise of hope in help within its walls depends upon the aid of good doctors, such as Doctor Marybeth, as opposed to the influence of the previously destructive “Whitecoats”.  The move, however, is when all’s said and done, one towards healing and renewal.  This, then, is the image with which we are left as reader.  That of regeneration and survival.  The move towards progression.  Ultimately, this makes Above a story of humanity and all the more real for it.   

Collective Collaborations

The recent introduction of e-versions of instalments is probably as good a time as any to refer to Shadow Unit here.  As someone who has caught the odd episode of Veronica Mars, X-Files, Supernatural and CSI (Vegas, not Miami – traditionalist here), it shouldn’t come as a massive surprise that I’ve found myself tuning into Shadow Unit on a virtual basis.

For the previously uninitiated, Shadow Unit is a TV series “aired” in website format.  In the words of the writing team themselves, it’s “a mystery/suspense show, a profiler shoe – but with a science-fictional problem at its heart.  An ensemble cast of smart, witty, capable people, each with a vulnerable place at his or her core.  A single, unified what-if…only a little outside the laws of physics as we know them”.

 

Essentially, the FBI’s Behavioural Analysis Unit investigates those cases designated as outside the “norm”, the ones which are sent “down the hall”.  Those involving the “Anomaly”, which causes genetic mutation, a parasite/host relationship, injury, virus or infection, amongst the speculative theories.  Characters are categorised as either alpha (“normal”), beta or gamma; gammas being humans fully affected by the Anomaly and, thus, a threat to society.

The series is deliberately interactive, with some characters maintaining LiveJournal accounts and even having been known to respond to fans of the show on occasion.  There is also a detailed “wiki” and running order for episodes.

 

To date, three full seasons have been released, with the website reader (Paypal) funded and Season Four currently under way.  There also appear to be plans for previous seasons to be released in “dead tree” format via sources such as Amazon , following on from the current e-format versions (of which there are 10 capable of being downloaded).  Best of all, they can all be located easily here, with a clear running order set out.  Just be sure to avoid character synopsis/summaries, if you’re making your way through the episodes in chronological order, so as to avoid inadvertently stumbling across spoilers for “future” episodes!

I’d previously checked out episodes via the website but have now availed myself of the opportunity to download the e-versions, as it’s more comfortable to read them in a non-backlit format (personal preference only).  It’s been well worth the minimal effort and cash involved.  (Each “book” constituting of a couple of “episodes” each and various extra “cookies" and LiveJournal extras is less than £2.00 on the UK Amazon site, with US versions similarly reasonably priced.)

 

The writing is effortless and the characterisation sound; unsurprising, given a number of well-known authors form part of team responsible for formatted episodes (Emma Bull, Elizabeth Bear and Holly Black, amongst others). 

I found myself easily hooked in and am enjoying the opportunity to revisit the characters.  If you find yourself intrigued by the premise, you could do worse than pay the website a visit, starting here and let the characters and plotlines speak for themselves.