It’s time that I return and get back to what I love. I have plenty of projects to share with you. Until next time.
Tag: novels
Season of Blood- Curtis & Julie
John looked at his watch and smiled. Thirty more minutes until the end of his long eight hour shift. The boredom sat in soon after Molly clocked out, leaving him alone. Three customers stopped to fill their tanks in two hours. Not one person came in. He grabbed a near by pen and began spinning it on the counter to keep his mind from wandering.
The door ringed as a man dressed in blue jeans and a white printed tee shirt entered. He walked over to a section filled with candy, small bags of chips and other on the go snacks. John watched the man closely as the man picked up different candy bars, reading the label for a moment and placing it back. He grabbed another and another, repeating the process.
Twenty more minutes, John thought to hisself as he tried to stop from watching the clock.
“I’ll take this and a pack Marlboro Reds.” The man placed the candy bar, he finally decided on, onto the counter.
The door ringed again and four giggling teenage girls piled in. One of the girls walked toward the restroom while the others went to pick out drinks from the cooler.
“Will that be all?” John pulled his gaze from the teenagers to see the mans hand placed on a gun.
“Well. John, is it?” John almost forgot his name in black letters that sat on the white tag pinned to his shirt.
“What. What do you want? You can have anything you want, just please do not kill me.”
The man smiled putting the pack of cigarettes and candy bar into his pocket. “Look Johnny. May I call you Johnny?”
John nodded as beads of sweat began to form on his forehead.
“Great.” The man responded. “My name is Curtis, and that lovely lady out there in car is Julie.”
John glanced outside at the gas pumps spotting the lady Curtis was referring to.
“Now it’s just by chance we happened upon you and this town. Now Julie decided to make a wager with me about if I was able to convince you that you couldn’t pick the first person that entered after me to die.” Curtis chuckled at what he said.
John wiped the streams on sweat from his head with a shaky hand. “I don’t. I don’t understand.” He barely could form a sentence as the fear began to consume his entire body.
“Relax Johnny. All you have to do is point to one of those beautiful young ladies over there picking out some refreshing drinks, and let me know which one will not make it home tonight.” Curtis leaned in closer to John. “That doesn’t sound so bad, does it Johnny?” Curtis tapped his finger on the side of the gun.
John looked over at the girls as they laughed and continued with their shopping oblivious to what was transpiring at the counter. “I don’t think I can do that sir.”
Curtis raised his hand to quiet John. He pointed the gun at him. “Please, call me Curtis. Now Johnny, here’s the deal. It’s either one of these little ladies or you. I’m a fair man. I’ll give you three minutes to decide.” Curtis whistled the song from the television show Jeopardy as he waited for an answer.
John’s heart began to beat so hard and fast, it felt as if it would burst from his chest. He looked down shaking his head. Why is this happening to me? He asked himself over and over. He felt the barrel of the gun press against his head as he looked up with tears in his eyes. “I can’t do this. I can’t pick one of them to die.” He held in the sobs as Curtis stared at him.
Lowering the gun, Curtis nodded his head. “Johnny. You are one stand up guy. I respect your decision. I’m not sure if I could make that choice if I was in your shoes.” Curtis rubbed the barrel of the gun against his right temple. “Since you’re such a stand up guy Johnny I changed my mind about this whole ordeal.”
John took a couple of deep breaths to compose himself. “What do you mean sir?” He asked, trying to keep the fear in his voice pushed down.
Curtis smiled. “I’m not going to make you choose. I’ll just have to let Julie know she has won our wager.”
With a forced smile John asked a question. “So does that mean you won’t kill me?”
Curtis raised the gun pointing it at John’s head. “No Johnny. It just means I’m going to kill all of you.”
The first shot ranged out shooting John through his left eye. The back is his head exploded sending pieces of skull and brain matter onto the shelves of liquor behind him. The girls screamed in terror as Curtis, without skipping a beat fired his gun killing the three of them. The fourth girl emerged from the restroom screaming and ran for the exit, making it outside.
Curtis placed his gun on the counter and pulled the pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He carefully tapped the box against the counter and pulled the the first one from the pack. He grabbed a lighter from the display and lit the cigarette blowing a cloud of smoke out.
“It’s been fun Johnny but I have to go.” He put the pack back in his pocket as he exited the building walking back to his car to a waiting Julie.
He climbed into the drivers side not wanting to make eye contact with his laughing companion.
“Oh hon. Don’t be mad. I told you the wager would fall in my favor.” She took her finger and gently ran it down his ear.
Curtis pulled away as if he wasn’t down pouting about losing. “I’m indeed upset about this Julie. I honestly thought the kid would make the right decision.
Julie smiled trying to keep her happiness in check. She hated for Curtis to feel bad. “Well hon. Seeing how you are so down in the dumps, I’ll have to give you your present now instead of later. Go take a look in the trunk.” She pulled down the visor and began fixing her lipstick. She could see the anxiousness on his face through the mirror.
The trunk popped open as a loud “yeehaw!” made her smile.
Curtis looked in the trunk to see the fourth girl bound and gagged with blood flowing from a wound from her head. He stroked her head as the muffled screams began to rise. “We are going to have fun tonight sweetheart. It will be time in the line of many for my Julie and I.” He slammed the trunk back down and hopped in the car. “You’re too good to me Julie.”
She leaned over and kissed him. “You and me forever hon.”
They both laughed as they drove off into the night.
Season of Blood- Nickolas
Nickolas stared in the mirror trying not to blink as the image looking back at him began to distort. He involuntarily blinked as a tear ran down his cheek. He turned around peeking through the door into the adjoining room. He smiled widely as he watched the two tied up teenagers squirming under their restraints. He waved at them as if they would be able to respond. He turned to face his neatly made bed with two silver, diamond encrusted machetes next to a blue hat box. Nickolas carefully removed the lid, gently placing it next to the box. The dark mask looked up at him as if to call to him.
“Nickolas.” The mask spoke. “It’s been a long time. I thought you had forgotten about me.”
“It’s time to begin.” Nickolas whispered to himself as he picked up the mask carefully putting it to his face.
He emerged from the room feeling the god like power he enjoyed more than anything. The muffled teens began to struggle more as he grabbed a chair placing it front of them. The sounds from the plastic below his feet heightened the fear in the terrorized teens.
He placed a machete on each of their laps and sat down.
“You two are going to be part of something great. Something that will live in the hearts and minds of man forever. I almost passed you up. I thought to myself, they can’t be worthy of this great honor.” The mask began to move as he spoke.
He pulled the ball gag from the young ladies mouth. He put his finger to his lips to keep her from screaming.
“If you scream I will disembowel you.” His voice seemed to become deeper.
With tears running down her face, she mustered up enough strength to speak.
“What do you want from us?” She asked as a weird sensation swept through her body.
Nicholas didn’t answer right away, but leaned in smelling her hair.
“Do you feel the tingling throughout your body?” He smiled under his mask. “It’s a little something I came up with. It’s my favorite neuro toxin. What do you think about it?”
The young man tried to free himself as he attempted to scream with the gag securely in his mouth.
Without looking Nicholas viciously back handed the helpless young man.
“Do not interrupt me while I am speaking!” His voice echoed through the room.
“We are sorry. Please don’t hurt him anymore.” She apologized between whimpers.
Nicholas sat back to regain his composure. The temptation to cut her eyes, and lick the blood from her sockets was almost to much to hold back.
Nicholas looks over at the young man as he felt the mask constrict and release. He put his hands on the young man’s knees, and with a word grabbed one of the machete plunging it into his chest.
“I decided the lesson I need to teach will only benefit one of you.”
The gurgling only lasted a short time sending the girl into a screaming episode. Nicholas struck her in the mouth instantly stopping the screaming. She slumped over with blood running from her mouth.
“Let’s began, shall we?”
Still Writing Away
I really hope to have my manuscript done by the end of summer. I am really enjoying writing something different than The Darkstone Chronicles. I really needed a break from characters.
Besides my main book, Alexander, I am working on another called Temptress. It’s about a group of government female bounty hunters (takes place in the near future). Pretty excited to dive into that story.
How many of you are working on your own manuscripts? What’s your ideas for getting published?
More To Come…
Digital Magazine Cover
Started the cover for the magazine today. So far I’m keeping the name Genesis. Trying to get the name looking just right and deciding on a pic for the cover. Not sure what I want to use. Since it’s the first cover I want it to stand out.
Going to work on the editors page next and push out the rest of the interior. Starting to actually get things started and visualizing how I want it to look. Sorry if this post seems a little scatterer brain but my mind is all over the place. More to come!
Alexander (Last name coming soon)
Here’s a small tease from the novel I am currently writing. It’s about a family that was blessed by God and sent into the world to battle evil. I currently having trouble picking a
last name for the main family. Nothing I have picked so far has pleased me. You may see a last name of the main character in this teaser, but it is not set in stone. Enjoy.
Alexander entered his mother’s dimly lit room encased in a smell of lilac and vanilla. Shadows dance around on the ceiling and walls occasionally touching down on the floor. He sees his mother with her legs folded underneath her sitting in her favorite purple, velvet chair. The chair being so big made his mother look as if she was a child almost engulfed by the upholstery.
She didn’t acknowledge Alexander’s presence and went about humming to herself, slowly cutting large locks of hair off. Her mind began slipping many years ago. The doctors couldn’t diagnose her illness and her symptoms persisted until one day she couldn’t hold on to reality any longer. She doesn’t pose a threat to others, but sometimes she would babble on about various apocalypses, and has been known to speak in a wide variety of tongues.
She suddenly stopped cutting her hair and stared at the dark wall as if she was in a gaze.
“I know my son has come to visit with me. I’m not blind.” She pointed in the direction of the wall, but no one was there. “Now, go away so I can talk to my child.” His mother turned and stared at Alexander who showed no surprise by his mother’s actions.
“Who were you talking to mother?” He calmly asked her.
“It was nobody important. Someone that has been very bothersome to me lately.” She smiled brightly.
“How are you feeling?” Alexander walked over and sat down in the chair across from her.
“Nothing is wrong. My friends tell me I’m all right.” She began to get a distance look in her eye.
“What friends, mother?” Alexander asked.
“That’s not what I want to talk about. There’s something you should know.” She started to become very excited as if the news would burst from her mouth.
“I have something to talk to you about also mother.” Alexander crossed his legs putting his hands over one another resting them on his knee.
“You would like to know about The Coming?” She gently brushed the strands of hair from her lap onto the floor.
“My friends tell me that they are already here. They are coming for our family.” She started humming to herself. “Remember I used to hum this song to you every night before you went to bed?” Alexander smiled at his mother.
“How do your friends know all these things mother?”
“My friends know all. They are not of flesh and bone like you and I. They go where they please and they know many important things.” She stared down at her scissors as if she was lost in thought for a moment.
“What else has your friends spoken to you about mother?” Alexander leaned over gently taking the scissors away from his distracted mother.
“They are also here to wipe out the family called Dresdian.” Her eyes began to sparkle as if she became very interested in her own words.
“Dresdian. Why would they want to kill off a demon family that lives amongst mortals posing as aristocrats?”
“I don’t know why. It’s just what my friends have told me. Are you dating again? Have you gotten her out of your mind?” She gave a sly smile and a small snicker.
“I did not come and visit you to talk about my social life. Nor do I wish to speak of her.” Alexander’s voice became very stern, but his mother could hear a little hurt lingering also.
“I don’t mean to upset you my sweet boy. But what you seek is from the person you do not wish to see. Now you must leave me. I am very tired and I wish to rest.” Alexander’s mother rose and gently kissed him on his forehead. She stumbled over to her bed and laid down, letting out a long relaxed sigh. “One more thing my sweet boy. It might not be wise to talk to your grandfather about what you will do. He won’t understand.” She quickly fell asleep leaving Alexander to the silence of the room
How it works for me
I started drawing and writing comic books with my best friend when I was just a kid. As I grew older I found that I love the part of writing stories more then drawing them. So when I start my books, I go back to my archives and grab my main characters and a plot to build on. It makes it a lot easier for me to get started that way. The main character for my first book was created back in 1987. Her name is Arainia and she was one of the first female characters I created. So I made her beautiful with a soft look to her, and made her as hardcore as the male characters I created. It’s important in my books to have strong female characters like that. It makes writing the story more exciting for me. Anyways, I actually started writing in my head before I even sit down in front of my computer. I tend to lay out the basics for a couple of chapters in my head and fill in the blanks later. I never read any of the books on how to write novels. I just adapted my way and it seems to work. I tried putting everything in outlines before I write, but it seems to take all the fun out of it for me. I want my writing experience to fun, not work. I have to feel the flow. I want the creation of the story to be in the back of my mind always. I am actually taking a small break from writing book II of The Darkstone Chronicles to blog. I find this blogging a good way to get my flow on. It helps a lot and I apologize if it seems like I rabble at times. Just the way my mind works.
Okay, so I started doing my two book writing thing again. My wife can’t believe I can do that, but they are totally two different stories with different characters so it’s actually pretty easy for me. They are almost neck and neck, so I figure if I write some here and there, they might just get done at the same time. That would be pretty awesome. When I start writing on a book I haven’t messed with for so long, I have to read the last two chapters to figure out what’s going on in the story. But as soon as I do that, I remember everything. It also helps that I make log of every character, planet, craft and war that I write about. I’m really excited about the two books, but almost feel compelled to start on the other three also. LOL. That’s not going to happen. I would have creative overload and go into some sort of writers block. Happened before.
My mind is in a constant state of writing. About time. My novels are appearing in my dreams which is awesome for me. I like that it plays out in my head like a movie. I’m trying to think of more ideas to promote my books, like making magnets or giving away prints of some of the art. I’m going to start posting art from The Darkstone Chronicles very soon. I really would like a larger following, and I am adding more people here and there. I believe having a blog has helped me some. I am going try and blog atleast once a day with quotes and parts from my books. As I said before, you can get my first novel at Amazon.com. It’s called The Darkstone Chronicles.
When I write I like to listen to music. It helps me keep focus. I listen to Radiohead, Travis and Palo Alto. Really pushes me and gives me inspiration here and there. Another genre I use sometimes is Classical. That helps with getting into my characters heads. If my one of my books ever became a movie I would love to have their music in the soundtrack.
To all Writers
I love writing. I love the fact that I can make up characters and worlds and make up stories about them. I’m new to blogging, and I would like to reach out to other writers out there to come and have discussions about the art of writing. I’m very interested to hear your ideas and about how you got started, what books you read and how you are getting your projects out there. As always.. Happy Writing!
My favorite writer is Anne Rice. I love her description in every book. She is really good with painting a picture with her words. She’s the one that inspired me to write a book. She has really great advice on how to publish and deal with agents. What books are you reading? I love to try out new authors but don’t know where to start.
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