A short scene — continued?

ImageI realize that I write a lot of “micro-fiction” — little scenes that evoke a mood, or at the very least give my nervous fingers a place to roam. Generally, I like them — there’s something pleasant about a nice little haiku of a story, balanced and complete on the edge of a sword. Often just to catch a shimmery little butterfly-idea, or a nice turn of phrase.

Plus, they don’t take too long to write.

Also — I think a lot of fiction on ‘teh intarwebs’ quickly spirals down into TLDR -country. The main purpose of this blog is to showcase my writing in easily palatable little dribs and drabs.

But, am I getting into a bad habit? Would any of you like to see some longer pieces — or the continuation of a shorter piece I’ve posted before? I’ve been poking at Star Prophet and thinking about turning it into a full short story. Thoughts?

In Cold Blood

Don’t ever read In Cold Blood if you ever plan on writing anything again. EVER.

It’s a master-class in prose, labyrinthine blocks of text that hang effortlessly in the air. Compound that with the level of research that went into it, the pure journalistic wildfire of it all.

I was feeling proud of my little tale of sword-fights and dinosaurs. But now – completely humbled. Important perspective, but damn.

EVER.

Quiet as a tomb.

The blog’s been quiet this week — mainly just me pushing my friends’ projects on you. If you’ll notice the sidebar, I’ve actually been getting some writing done — I’m in the last leg of the “book” and can see the finish line in sight.

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Artist - Eric Kumsomboone

So…yeah…….deal with it?

N. E. White's avatarN. E. White

Can’t claim credit for that. Really. I want to, but obiwannabe is the guilty party. Go check out his blog and remember to inundate his comment section when he asks you to. I dare you.

What is it that grips a completely normal person and turns them into a hideous recluse spouting at imaginary people who run around slicing off Kings’ heads and spearing babes?

Well, it’s their third nipple, of course.

You see, some of us are born with an extra one. As obiwannabe explains, it is normally not talked about in polite conversation so many of us who have one are not even aware we got an extra nipple running around on our torso, even though we’ve had them all our lives.

I found mine last week. It peeked out at me from under my armpit.

I said to it, “What are you doing there, Third Nipple?…

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Beneath the willows

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Quintus, Gorton, Quick and Mara put their fallen comrade on their shoulders, and moved solemnly through the fields of corn to the north. Tetch floated close behind, followed by Linus and the stone elf.

The blind man spoke the ancient words.

“Time and wave
sun and wind
night and fire
moons and stone.

We walk through the world only once.
Only one life is given by the Nameless.
It is a gift, a burden.
A challenge, a duty.

To not waste it.
To serve the Highest.
To the end of the Path, with our honor intact.

This path has ended.
We return our brother to the earth,
in trust that his soul kneels now at the feet of our Lord.
His gift returned.
His burden set down.
His challenge answered.
His duty fulfilled.

By the Swords of Faith, in respect and honor we stand for Elijah Croft.”

The hunter’s words led them to the broken stone road that ran east to west. Mara and Quintus spotted a grove of willows, and nodded in unison. They lay Elijah’s form down, and took great pains folding his arms carefully around his weapon — straightening each piece of armor, and buffing clean any mark of ash or dirt. Elijah’s plain face was still, his red hair seemed darker under the shadows of the willow branches.

40K or bust!

Hitting the 40,000 word mark on That Thing by the end of this week. I think I’ll celebrate by upgrading its title from ‘That Thing” to “That Long Thing I’m Writing That More Well-Adjusted People Would Call A Book.”

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