Scars at Pulp Metal Magazine

The dark is seductive.

It needs.

It wants.

It's hard to resist.

Keep the blindfold on.


Scars

at

Pulp Metal Magazine

(scroll to 4th story down)


Thank you to editor Jason Michel for publishing my story.


Carrie Clevenger introduced me to Johnny Hollow. I was smitten. She dared me to write a story to one of their songs. I chose 'Dark Thing', which is playing as you read this. The lyrics can be read here. (Stay tuned to read Carrie's 'Dark Thing' story this Friday. I personally can't wait. UPDATE: Turns out. Her piece is so fantastically wonderful, she will be submitting to a mag instead. I'll blog it when its up.)

My Story at Jim Wisneski's 12 Days Of Christmas

Peace On Earth Is At War

(Day 2 Turtle Doves)

Still enjoying that sweater and hot cocoa? Well, good, cause we plum ran out of egg nog due to them critters up above there.

Zombie cows. More Stones. Farmer Eb, Mrs. Miller, and one ugly politician have a problem this Christmas. You wonder what the heck that has to do with Turtle Doves? Why don't you wander on over and see what all the hoopla's about.

I have the honor of sharing 2 Days with PJ Kaiser and her story, The Turtle Dove. She describes it as "a somber slice of life with a touch of fantasy". If you know her from #fridayflash, you'll know she knows how to deliver.

ps. Thank you to Jim Wisneski for organizing '12 Days' and inviting me to be apart of it.

Weeping Stones At Yellow Mama

Spin the dials on your radio,
nestle in to that cozy chair,
and read yourself quite possibly
one of the strangest stories you’ll ever read.

Weeping Stones

Life might be warm, but death is cold.
Any sucker can tell you that.
So, dear reader, pull up a chair. Put on a sweater.
Do not pull on the cat’s tail and yes, you may make
yourself another cup of hot cocoa.

Most of all, Enjoy.

Thank you, as always, to Yellow Mama editor, Cindy Rosmus.

Ps. If you like this story, be sure to tune in next Tuesday, to Jim Wisneski’s 12 days of Christmas. My story, Peace On Earth Is At War, ‘ll have enough dead’uns to make your toes curl.

Oh you better watch out... #fridayflash

Oh, You Better Watch Out…

The lights lay in the snow blinking crimson and ice. Beyond the glare of Christmas cheer, a shadow crouches under the porch. My heart pounds. I clench my hands around Kimberly's ankles.

"Santa?" She wraps her cold fingers around my neck, and nuzzles her nose in my hair.

"No, honey, that's not Santa…" I whisper, taking small steps backward toward the candy cane lined sidewalk. Oval green eyes blink. A flash of sharp white convinces me. "Definitely, not Santa…"

Kimberly breathes into my ear,"Then what is it, Mommy?" She lifts her finger and points.

You Better Not Cry….

The snow bites into my slippers making my toes ache. Slowly, slowly, I creep backwards. "It's…a…well, a…um…” I don't have a clue what it is.

Watching me like a prowling cat, it tilts its head sideways allowing me to take in the full profile of a creature face, triangular ears, and sharp blades of teeth. Before an "Oh my…" escapes my lips, my foot slips. I grab for a giant candy cane, but Kimberly is already tumbling from my shoulders. The candy cane falls to the ground, and so do we.

It springs from the shadows.

You Better Not Shout I’m Telling You Why….

I drape myself over her body, a protective blanket. It does nothing to block the shock of the green fuzzy blur that halts before us.

Oscar from sesame street, flies through my mind, but much to my horror and yes, amusement, I see it for what it really is.

Its head pauses above mine. I hear the flare of its nostrils. Its breathes in my hair. The heat of its breath licks my skin. It growls low and harsh, "Naughty or nice…"

I reach behind me, feeling for the candy cane.

It lowers its head and sniffs crying Kimberly.

Finding and wrapping my fingers around the cane, I sling it over my head, a candy cane wielding Christmas Amazon, only to have it caught between the fingers of the Grinch himself.

"Nice…" he spits between clenched teeth. Disappointment consumes his brow. He snaps the cane in half, turns, and flees the icy sidewalk. A fine dust of snow covers his tracks.


I previously posted this as a series of three at Six Sentences last christmas. It's obviously been rewritten & more than six (or 18) sentences now. Thanks for reading.

Christmas Is On The Horizon And So Is Many Good Publications

1. Shout out to Maria Schneider, creator of Editor Unleashed! Maria, previously editor of Writer's Digest, brings her skills and experience to her wonderful Writer's community. The discussions are friendly and helpful, the writers a great bunch, and I've always especially appreciated the critique forum. Earlier this year, Maria held a flash fiction contest and invited writers to explore how a judge picks and chooses winning entries. We posted our flash in a separate forum, read the entries, and then voted by giving the entries 1-5 stars. It was a phenomenal experience. Well, Maria's at it again with a "Why I Write" essay contest ($500 to the winner!). Come join her site and see what I'm talking about. Thank You, Maria!


2. Push Cart Nominee and novelist, Jason Michel's Pulp Metal Magazine is up for it's first issue! This new ezine is fast, racy, and sexy as they come. Wicked Noir from the awesome Dan Krokos, Steve Jenson, Melanie Brown, (one of my favs--->)Paul Brazil, and David Labounty. You'll also find bad arse photography (along with one of my own - 'You Made Me Do It') and fantastic art. All sorts of goodies here. Check it out!



3. The multi talented Mark Crittenden has announced he's guest editor (and illustrator) for Lame Goat Press! He's asking for submissions for his horror anthology Howl: Stories of the feral and Infernal. Mark has a fantastic eye and good ear, I expect nothing less than perfection from this antho. Read submission guidelines at his site or email him editormc@yahoo.com .


4. Good writer buddy, Sean Ferrell’s book cover is out! It's gorgeous.This guy's short stories blow me away, and I just can’t wait for August when his book, Numb, comes out. Check out Numb in the Harper Collins Catalog here, and then you’ll want to preorder on Amazon. (I did it, so should you!) Congrats, Sean!




5. While I’m at it I’m going to give a plug to one of my favorite Horror flash ezines, Flashes In the Dark. The zine is holding a Worst In Love contest (deadline Dec.31st). There have been some great entries, including Sean Monaghan's Fiancees Among Us (it's one of my favorite ghost stories EVER). He’ll probably win (or maybe Angel Zapata will- AGAIN. Or maybe the beautiful Ms. Eno?) but I say we give them a good run for their money. Check out contest rules here. Thanks to editor Lori Titus for running an awesome site.


6. Reminder that John Wiswell's surgery donation drive is still going! His hospital bills reached over $17,000 bucks! I know budgets are tight, but this guy is a hellava writer. He has no health insurance due to pre existing neuromuscular syndrome. Please donate to his cause and support a good person.





7. Tune in for Jim Wisneski's 12 Days Of Christmas starting December 14th! Christmas stories of cheer, horror, and about every kind of genre you can think of will be placed in your stockings early (my masterpiece, Peace On Earth Is At War will be on the 15th)! So be sure to read from the 14th through the 25th to satisfy that reader's sweet tooth.

My Muse Likes Cheesecake

My Muse Likes Cheesecake is up today at Flash Fiction Chronicles.

I hope this inspires you and kicks your muse's booty into gear.

Thank you to Gay Degani, editor of Flash Fiction Chronicles, for inviting me to write for (my fav blog on writing on the net!) the site. Follow her on twitter for daily word prompts and Flash Chronicle's author updates.
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Jeffrey Callico has his new lit zine, Negative Suck, up for its virgin Issue. You'll find my photography and some great writes there, including a bizarre poem from one of my all time favs, Angel Zapata. Check it out.