Video Games are Real

Tag: short story

  • Girl Found Alive at Bottom of Swimming Pool. Seeks Vengeance.

    Girl Found Alive at Bottom of Swimming Pool. Seeks Vengeance.

    dead

    I haven’t been writing much lately (aside from general outlines in prep for YouTube video making…but I wouldn’t count that). So when fellow Write Club alum Gayle Towell approached me about contributing a story to her new Microfiction Monday Magazine project, I hesitated. But then, I figured 100 words (the limit for stories to appear on the site) wouldn’t be too difficult to squeeze out. And while that ended up being partially true, I also very much experienced how rusty I had become even in the short few months since I’ve last written any fiction of substance.

    Well, my effort–a story about a man and woman being scared of their child–which I am pretty proud of, went live today. Click over to Microfiction Monday Magazine to read my story “When Susan’s Daughter Sank.” It’s visceral, dark, and language heavy, just like I like ’em.

  • Reading Brian Evenson to my 4 year old

    Four years ago I read a passage from Brian Evenson’s creepy story “Eye” to my toddler (watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S522l8f0q1s). I revisit the experience to see if my child’s reaction to and perceptions of the story have changed.

  • The first glimpse at the novel in-progress, live at The Dying Goose

    The first glimpse at the novel in-progress, live at The Dying Goose

    The Dying Goose with Caleb J. Ross

    Damn, just when I was sitting down to do some honest writing on this novel that I’m way far behind on (on my admittedly self-appointed deadline), I get the news that my story “We’ll Learn Together” is now live in the new issue of The Dying Goose, meaning I’ve got to announce the publication to the world. #egoproblems.  Be sure to read the rest of the stories, too, especially “Commute” by my fellow The Velvet Born Chris Deal.

    I suppose it’s fitting though that if time is being robbed by this publication announcement post that it would be for “We’ll Learn Together” as the story will likely make its way into the very novel that I’m not currently writing. So, I guess you faithful readers out there can consider this story the first glimpse at what will become my first novel in 3 years (minimum; it’s impossible to say how long the novel will take to write, let alone actually get published).

    The story focuses on a single encounter between Michael, a reporter; Iola, a source for a book Michael is writing; and a professor from Michael’s University days. But this is no casual encounter. Michael, having just learned that his book project may be responsible for sending a man to his death, turns to his professor for some ethical guidance. The professor, unfortunately for Michael, isn’t very helpful. Also, Iola just minutes prior, stabbed a guy and left him to die on her front porch.

    I’m excited by the novel. I swear, I think this will be my masterpiece.

  • Organ donation as a front for petty theft: Three Days Ahead, new fiction in Thuglit issue 8

    Organ donation as a front for petty theft: Three Days Ahead, new fiction in Thuglit issue 8

    ThugLit-8-large

    My story, “Three Days Ahead,” has been published in the recently released issue 8 of Thuglit. I’ve been reading Thuglit fairly consistently since Nik Korpon’s entry (issue 2, I believe), and have come to really like it for it’s straight-forward, no nonsense approach to crime fiction. That being said, I don’t actually write straight-forward, no nonsense crime fiction. Actually, I’ve never really considered myself a crime fiction writer at all. Many (maybe most) of my stories do contain crime elements, but as actual crime writers will probably attest, crime alone does not a crime story make.

    But I had an opportunity. I originally wrote a similarly themed story that ended up being a bit of a mess. So, during a rewrite of that story I ended up with “Three Days Ahead,” which by comparison to the early version is much more focused, much more emotional, and a lot less flashy-for-the-sake-of-flashy. In other words, it was a Caleb J. Ross story. I was proud of it. The story is about a man who convinces the victim of a car wreck to portray her minor scars as proof of organ donation reception. The two then find family members of organ donators in hopes of grifting a few dollars on the emotional ruse.

    Apparently Todd Robinson over at Thuglit thought it was pride-worthy as well. Many thanks to him.

    Click over to Amazon to buy an ebook or paperback version of Thuglit, issue 8, containing all of the following stories:

    • MCFERRIN AND BLACK by Buster Willoughby
    • THE RIGHTFUL KING OF WRESTLING by Chad Dundas
    • EXTRAS by Mark Pruett
    • THE HIGHER THE HEELS by Patti Abbott
    • COCAINE STARLIGHT by Isaac Kirkman
    • THREE DAYS AHEAD by Caleb J. Ross
    • NOTHING TO LOSE by David A. Summers
    • NOT EVEN A MOUSE by Nolan Knight
  • Interviewed at Slit Your Wrists Magazine, bar tabs, story origins, and suicide – yours, not mine

    Interviewed at Slit Your Wrists Magazine, bar tabs, story origins, and suicide – yours, not mine

    The amazing Laurance Kitts interviews me for his Slit Your Wrists Magazine website, a site that frequent visitors may recognize; my story “Sebaceous” appeared there back in April. Laurance knows how to ask questions without bowing to a person’s ego, so you can read this Q&A without anticipating a pretentious me basking in the warmth of praise. I mean, sure, Laurance does feed me some softballs, but…those are easier to chew.

  • New story, “The Lipidopterist,” read live at The Meshuggah Cafe, recorded by Booked Podcast

    New story, “The Lipidopterist,” read live at The Meshuggah Cafe, recorded by Booked Podcast

    The fellows over at Booked Podcast are gents in the truest sense of the word. By that I mean they are whimsical placcards on the bathroom doors of bar restrooms. Also, they happen to be amazingly active participants in the podcast and reading communities, so much so that they are dedicating many future episodes of their podcast to live readings as recorded during the 2012 AWP Conference in Chicago, IL.

    Though my reading, done at The Meshuggah Cafe in St. Louis on February 28th, wasn’t officially part of the AWP Conference (which started February 29th in Chicago), the entire week blends for me into a single mess of drink, friends, and drunk friends.

    This recording captures the first time I had read “The Lipidopterist” out loud in front of an audience. All-in-all, I think it worked.

    Have a listen, then check out Booked Podcast for more. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you will never miss an episode.

    Lastly, head over to Amazon to buy “The Lipidopterist,” why doncha? It’s even available for FREE if you have that Amazon Prime thing.

  • Artifice Magazine likes me

    Artifice Magazine likes me

    And I like you, Artifice Magazine.

    A bit more praise here for the Oprah Read This >> Oprah, Read This project.