To the Light: A Short Story now on Kindle

That story that I mentioned in a previous post is now available on the kindle. It is called To the Light.

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A mother's love knows no limits. Not even death can hold Rachael away from saving Katelyn. Especially when the guilt sets in that it is her fault that Katelyn is in danger.

Slightly Overdue Status Update

Current status update:

Working on two horror short stories/novellas. I’m not sure at this point what length they will wind up being. I’m actively working on one, the other is outlined with a few ideas and scenes jotted down waiting for me to come in and put it all together.

I’m also thinking very seriously about re-editing then re-releasing Child of Galina, if I decide to do this I will take the current version down. I was in a bad place with my career when I edited it and feel that I rushed it. I also am at a better place in life generally and feel that now I can handle the memories that reading though it will bring up from the time that it was written. And who knows, some of those memories may inspire my next (probably horror LOL) story.

Back to the horror writing; the one story that I’m just outlining at the moment very much comes from the advice of those that say to write about what scares you the most. So I’m delving deep and have already been brought to tears just in the outlining of this story. I’m not sure that once it is done that it could truly be classified as horror, it may be more psychological, but we will see. This story is going to take a long time to complete as it is very taxing upon me emotionally to write about my greatest fear in a way that makes it come to life in my mind and on the page.

Side note:

I was informed that the author of A Day in the Life was a little offended that I pointed out his age in my review, but seriously I didn’t mean it as an insult, I just know where I was at that age with my own writing and am kind of envious/jealous of where he is right now. Just to clarify on that point. 

I'm Fine a Poem by Crystal Raen

I’m Fine.

Those words are like poison

Vitriol to me.

A lie told to hide the shame

The shame of vulnerability.

My life is perfect

Envious to many.

To be depressed

                                Or stressed

                                                                Or angry

Would be spitting in the face of my blessings.

So I hold them in.

These worries

                                These fears

                                                                This anger.

And I hold on to my life

                                           My loves

                                                                My dreams

With fingers so tightly

That I’m afraid it will all shatter

Into tiny pieces

To the floor around me

Revealing my biggest fear

That it was all an illusion

And I

I was undeserving

Undeserving of the love

Of a good man.

Undeserving of my child

So beautiful and full of life

That it makes my heart ache

From the love that I have for her.

Undeserving of anything.

                                        Other than loss

                                                                Than fear

                                                                                Than worry

But that worry,

No matter how bright my days

Or how full my heart is

That worry sits there

Nibbling away at my happiness

Feeding my fears

And my anger grows.

Anger at myself

For not enjoying each moment

For not reveling in the happiness that is my reality

Anger at not being good enough to deserve these blessings

Tears burn at the backs of my eyes

A friend stops me to say

                                                “Hello”

To ask

                “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” My reply

“I’m fine.”

Review: A Day in the Life by Lucas Whorley

So another local author, albeit a much younger than me local author, has written and self-published a book. I've only met him very briefly, but we have mutual friends who recommended I read his book. I thought that I would review the book now that I have read it. I was really impressed considering where he grew up (same town I did LOL) and his age.
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In A Day in the Life by Lucas Whorley suicidal Adam is convinced to leave his apartment and socialize by his closest, but not that close anymore, friend Randy. Adam’s surly attitude leaves the atmosphere in each scene raw and dirty, but in a way so realistic that you feel you are witnessing the story unfold just a table over from where you are seated in Four Season’s Café.

You follow Adam reluctantly (but only because Adam’s own reluctance is painted so realistically) through his day with Randy and Randy’s two-timing on again, off again girlfriend Lindsey. Through this day you meet Lindsey’s jaded sister Kimmy and travel with the group to a park for some “fun” and then to the backwoods of Grayson County for a brawling shindig where secrets spill forth from drunken lips and people's actions are loosened by their affinity for the drink and other substances. The book ends rather suddenly and through the descriptions I wasn't at first sure what happened, this is one area where the story could be polished up a little, but once I figured things out I was a little shocked by the character's reactions, or lack thereof, to the event. But then I remembered who had inspired the characters in this story and realized that their reaction was true to life. 

While the book is incredibly short, more of a short story than a novella, it is well written. There are some rough edges to it that could be smoothed out and the formatting is lacking in several places in the paperback copy that I purchased. But for a self-published book it stands strong compared to many others that I have read in the past. 

Young Death

So a few months back I took a free writing course on Coursera's website. ( Side note: I seriously love that site, you guys should check it out.) In that course I wrote the following short short story. One of the rules was it had to be under 500 words. I've held this story and experience close to my heart for over 28 years and thought now was as good a time as any to share it. So dear reader please enjoy and feel free to comment with your thoughts, recommendations, etc.
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Young Death by Crystal Raen

There was rain hitting the glass panes of the picture window in the living room. The smell of wood heat came up from the basement and a wooden box full of broken crayons sat on the floor between Chris and me.

Quiet conversation takes place among the grownups while we color. We stop only to fight when he tries to fix my drawing. I have a typical three year old melt down. Our parents make plans for us to have a play date later in the week. We say goodbye.

Friday arrives, but I am sick. Mom is scared; I’ve thrown up too much. My fever is too high. She calls my aunt. “Kay, I’ve got to take Crystal to the Doctor. I’m afraid she has the stomach flu.”

It's late now, I’m asleep, tired from the doctor visit. Nothing left to throw up. I’m too tired to go see why mama is crying. The next few days are a blur. Everyone around me is sad. I want to see Chris. I’m told I can’t. The grownups give me some toys, tell me to go play. I do, but I’m confused. Then we all dress up. Everyone is wearing somber colors; I have to sit quietly in a pew. Everyone is crying, I try to give them gum and tissues.

They smile sadly and tell me to be still.

“Is Chris coming?” No one answers, they just sob harder. I feel sad too.

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve seen my cousin. He’s my best friend and I want to play. I tell mama and my grandfather constantly. My grandfather says we will take a trip. In the car he tells me that Chris can’t play with me anymore. That God called him home. We park in the grass. We walk along and stop in front of two headstones. One for Chris and one for his father.

“Pawpaw, why can’t Chris come play with me?” I touch the cold gray stone that my grandfather says marks the grave of my cousin.

“He’s sleeping with the angels.”

“Can he come back when he wakes up?” I look up at my grandfather, he seems so tall, so strong, his tears scare me.

“He won’t wake up sweet girl, not in this world. He’s home with God now.”

“Can I go where he is?” I sit down now, still not understanding what happened, only understanding that my best friend was not there. I wouldn’t see him again. I didn’t truly understand what that meant, I only knew that I didn’t like it and it made me sad.

“Not for a long time. We cannot follow where he goes.”

My grandfather picks me up, my tiny body wracked with sobs. We get back into his car and drive home. I quit asking about Chris. I understand now that it upsets the grownups when I do.

101 Fantasy and Sci-fi Writing Prompts

My hiatus from writing has gone on for entirely too long. In an effort to jump start my writing, I decided to create a list of 101 writing prompts. Once I finished these prompts I decided that it might be worthwhile to share them with the world at large in the form of a workbook. So, if you too are suffering from writer’s block, you may want to give this workbook a try.

It is called 101 Fantasy and Sci-fi Writing Prompts and can be found on Amazon with my other works.