#FridayFlash, NaNo and Writing About Writing

It's funny how things go.  When I first started writing there was no way I'd show my stuff to people. I also knew there would be a long way until I could muster the courage to do so. Although, I knew that nowadays writing doesn't have to be a strictly lonely activity, so I signed up for Twitter and started talking to like minded people. 

This is when I first learned about #FridayFlash. Oh boy, how badly I wanted to be a part of it!  But I was still shy, so I watched, read and learned. 

On May 2010 I finally gathered my wits and wrote my first flash fiction, Zombie Walk.  The response was so great that it even got published on an e-zine, Flashes in the Dark, and it inspired me to run a contest Zombie Luv, which was so very funny and a great success! Recently, to my surprise, it was accepted in the anthology The Best of Friday Flash vol. 2, or as we affectionately call it, BOFF #2. (I strongly suggest you follow the links and buy the thing. The stories there are... Wow!)

After that first push I got a little bolder. I wrote weekly stories and made great friends in the #FridayFlash community. I even joined WeSeWrimo (Web Serial Writing Month) and NaNoWrimo (National Novel Writing Month), and got some great writing experience from it. 

WeSeWrimo I "won" kind of easily, since you're the one setting your own goals. I was very modest and made the best of it. NaNoWrimo is something different altogether. You have to write 50K words in a month, and if you have never tried something like that, let me tell you this is no easy task. NaNo flunked very early on, but I wasn't too upset about it. 

A few months later life got the better of me and I stopped writing. It took me over a year to put it together so I could even consider the writing venture again. No matter, in due time I got back and I do write a few stories now and then, and even, *cough, cough* poems. O.o (Not showing those publicly, sorry! :P) 

Ironically enough, now that I write much less than I used to, I find myself writing about writing. Back when I started Randomities (this blog you're reading, if you're new here ;) I set a goal of sharing only my stories and other random stuff. What I least wanted was to write about writing, because I thought that such meta-writing was for the likes of Stephen King, not people like me. 

Well, life got the better of me again! Recently I was humbled and honored to be invited to join the #FF staff as a contributing correspondent. I hope I'll be up to the challenge! You can make your own mind about it by reading my first article: "NaNo madness this year? Thanks, but no thanks".

So, if you're curious to know why my NaNo experience flunked, and more importantly, why I'm totally okay with it, follow the link above. I hope you'll find it somehow useful. ;) While you're at it, I suggest you browse through the Friday Flash website. It's full of information and links to uncountable wondrous stories. Have fun! 

Story Up at the #amwriting blog! Endure - #FridayFlash

Picture credit

I'm thrilled to announce that my story "Endure" is up at the amazing writing community's blog #amwriting.org. :D


Please go there and tell me what you think.


After you do so, I suggest you check out the blog for some excellent writing advice and great flash fiction from our #fridayflash folks. 


Here's another link: Endure

Uh, oh! Randomities Won the Versatile Blog Award!

A while ago, Angela Perry bestowed me with the Versatile Blogger Award. This is one of my favorite awards, because it implies that your writing is not limited to a certain genre, voice or else. Thanks, Angela, for the honor!  


Since the rules for this award became a bit confusing, I'll break my own rules and share a bit more of myself, but I'll not follow Angela's to the letter. (I have principles, you know? :P)


I'll stick to four random facts then:

• I have recently moved across the ocean. That's why my tweets seem to come up so late, but I'm actually going to bed much earlier than when I was in Italy. 

• Most of you already know, but to my new friends I'm revealing that Mari Juniper is a pen name. As a former attorney I have this weird obsession about privacy, which is why I'm not telling anything else about the item above. Sorry? 

• Do you have a favorite writer? I do. It was Neil Gaiman's wonders that drew me to the writing career. Do I want to write like him? No, of course not. I want to write like myself, but I certainly want to write as well as he does. ;) 

• You know I have two dogs, right? If I could, I'd have three. No, four! Gee, My house would probably become a shelter... :P

Okay, breaking one's own rules is fun, but it's more fun to share the love! So, I'm sending the Versatile Blogger Award to:


>> Kevin Mackey, from KjM on the web.


>> Chuck Allen, from Chuck Allen


>> Sonia Lal, from Story Treasury


>> Helen Howell, from Helen Scribbles


There you go. Now go share the award love, my friends! :) 

Knight Post - Book Review: Runs in Good Condition

Understand why the fuss, HERE.
Picture credits on this post.

This is as special knight-post. Monica Marier has been an honorable guest before when her debut novel, Must Love Dragons came out. She told us in a very cool interview how she signed up with a publishing company through a facebook contact, and about her other work as a composer and as a cartoonist. 


This is the review of the sequel, Runs in Good Condition, which you can pre-order here. 


Now, please note that it's not because I'm grateful to Monica for her help that I'm not observing my review policy to the letter. Just saying. 

*

In Must Love Dragons, we're introduced to our hero, Linus Weedwhacker - yes, that's his name. Once a drunkard bastard, this ranger becomes a family man who has to go back to his old profession to support his growing family. In the first book, he joins a team of rangers to hunt the frost dragon, and upon his return he puts himself in a dangerous situation: he agrees to run for president of the Rangers' Union, now a corrupt and inflated organization. 

Runs in Good Condition shows us his campaign, its results and hints about this numerous and lovely family's fate. The book is filled with comedy (naturally, knowing Monica's knack for humor), danger, and touching family scenes.


What I most liked about 'Runs in Good Condition' is how Linus's old acquaintances from the Rangers' Union, who despised and even hated him, come to respect and love him once they get in touch with the better man he'd become. Vilori Reagan, one of his supporters is a great example of this change. At first he was so reluctant that I wondered if he was a playing double agent, but in time he gets to know the new Linus, the one who washes the kids diapers himself, who cares about the rangers' well being and not in the least about the privileges that come with presidency, who's willing to risk his life to make the necessary changes in the Union. Something  similar happens to Wendel Biggs, a man whose life was destroyed in Linus's "bad times". The change in these characters happen smoothly, as they follow Linus's campaign from different sides. I didn't care as much for the changes of two other characters, though. Tyrus Gruthsfield was Lynus's mentor at the time of his downfall. It feels like the author couldn't decide whether he became just a bitter old man who wanted some moral revenge, or if he'd become the true villain he appeared to be in the end of the first book. Also, Morfindel, Linus's companion from the dragon hunt adventure, was an extremely annoying character in the first book, even if somewhow charismatic. In Runs in Good Condition he lost all his annoying traits and suddenly became a most agreeable character. I prefer much better the Morfindel from the second book, but it would have been nice to see the changing process in him as seen in Reagan and Biggs.


These are small details, however, if we consider the book as a whole. The story is highly entertaining, the plot flows smoothly, the characters are likable and unique, and the ending is not only good but it irritated me because I wanted to have the next book at hand to know what will become of the Weedwhackers and their friends. 


That's a recommend.

*

Monica Marier is a caffeinated writer, artist, mother and eccentric. On weekdays, she's busy working on her books, recording audio files, and composing serials and short stories for her blog. On weekends she's a co-founder of Tangent Artists, a webcomic company where she writes and does art for 3 comic series. 

Her book “Must Love Dragons” is now on-sale through Lulu, Amazon, and upon request at Barnes & Noble. The sequel “Runs in Good Condition” is now available for pre-order through Hunt Press. Her serial, “Madame Bluestocking’s Pennyhorrid” is now running in the e-zine Dr. Fantastique’s Show of Wonders.

Emma Newman's Week - Book Review: From Dark Places

Understand why the fuss, HERE.
Picture credits on this post.

To close up Emma Newman's Week, read a review of her anthology, From Dark Places.

Please note that it's not because I'm grateful to Emma for her help that I'm not observing my review policy to the letter. Just saying. 

Finally, Emma Newman's Week also features an interview and a story with a character of her book.

*

My first impression at opening the pdf file from which I read From Dark Places, by Emma Newman, was relief, followed by delight. 

The old cliché says you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but it's nice to have a cover to try and not judge the book from it! Several ebooks I've read in pdf format were missing their covers and I found it very frustrating. Emma's book is complete in many senses, including the back cover, so I started the reading it with an extra dose of good mood. (I also liked the cover, but don't ask me if it made any difference in my general opinion on the book, because I won't tell.) Another good surprise was the book's layout, but if the book didn't disappoint me, it sure wasn't because of its good looks. 

There are 25 stories in this anthology, the great majority of which are of the fantasy genre. 'From Dark Places', the story that gives title to the book, and 'Seeing Him Again', explore the (possible) mental illness of two different women; 'The Tenth Lord' gives a modern and strange look on fairy tales, something that could be happening to our neighbor; 'Sunday Lunch' is about family, sanity and the loss of a loved one. It gave me a big knot on the throat at the end. 'The Letter' is a goodbye by a hurt woman, which gave me several chuckles and left me wondering how the heck did the dog die. I'm still curious. 

There are also gods and goddesses; death, the devil and angels show up in varied forms (as well as false ones) and there are zombies. I was pleased to learn that 'And Then There Were None' was published in this anthology, as it was one of my favorite entries for the Zombie Luv Contest. The take on love between the brainless undead (sorry for the pun) is very touching. 


Most of the stories lead the reader to a false conclusion that will be clarified in the end with a humorous or creepy twist. As the reading progresses, it's impossible not to expect a twist in the end, which could diminish the reading experience if not for the author's creativity. Another ever-present element in this book is her love for tea;  it shows up in no less than seven stories and made me pause the reading to brew my own tea to keep the characters company. 

Two stories have stayed with me longer, making my favorites (apart from the dog mystery in 'The Letter'): 'The Need to Create' is a very curious view on how god handles its creations and on the making of humanity most (in)famous historical characters. 'The Unwoven Heart' is a lovely story about loss and restoration with a twitch of magic. Devil shows up as a metaphor for grief, and the gathering of threads represents the healing process and the strength to move on with life. The story has a lyrical tone that made me smile. 


'From Dark Places' is certainly a recommend, and I would love to see how the author handled longer fiction. '20 Years Later' is on my to-read list. 

*

Emma drinks too much tea, has too many ideas and writes too many stories. You can find out more about her debut novel '20 Years Later' here. She blogs and gets up to all kinds of writing mischief at www.enewman.co.uk.

'From Dark Places' is available in print and e-book book formats. You can buy a signed copy from her website and if you like dark short stories, join Em's Short Story Club to get an original short story for free in your inbox every month.

Emma has recorded audio books for publishers and has narrated short stories for fiction podcasts. To find out more about her voice work go to www.enewman.co.uk/voice. You can  also find Emma on Twitter: @emapocalyptic.

Emma Newman's Week - Underestimated - #FridayFlash

Understand why the fuss, HERE.
Picture credits on this post.

In continuation to Emma Newman's Week, I present you a story featuring one of her characters from her anthology, From Dark Places. 



Emma's week will close up with a review of one of her books, and you don't want to miss her interview here at randomities.  Stay tunned! 

*

They were crouched in a small balcony, cornered at the 15^th floor apartment, their opponent closing on them.

“See what happens when you come up with this humanity crap?” whispered Pete. “The last time I heard I should act more like a human being or some bullshit like that, I almost got killed.” To the girl’s set face and trembling lips he continued, “You have no idea the kind of shit I’ve seen, rookie. Now where’s the holy water I gave you?”

She lifted her hand to the mouth, eyes widening. “You didn’t lose it, did you?” asked Pete. Blond slick hair blurred the girl’s face. “Where’s it then?”

“Yes, where’s that little bottle of salvation?” said Gerome, his mouth twitching up in a sardonic smile.

Pete lost color, his pallor matching Gerome’s. All of Anna’s body froze up, except for her eyes, which moved up to the bum’s void eyeballs.  Her nose reacted and she instinctively pressed it with her fingers to prevent the horrid smell from absorbing all her attention.

“I’m disappointed at you, Pete,” continued Gerome. “I’d expect the girl to underestimate me, but not such an experienced hunter as yourself.”

“How do – ?”

“Yet again you misjudge me.” Gerome sighed and dismissed the crouching girl passing by him on her fours. “You should have noticed my accent and the fact that my mouth didn’t smell as foul as my clothes.”

“What else do you know?”

Gerome laughed. “Do you believe I’d tell you?”

Pete stood up to face the monster. “You parasite piece of shit. You shouldn’t believe I’d rely only on a clumsy stupid girl.”

He thrust his hand inside his pants but the beggar was too fast; he grabbed Pete’s wrist and pushed him forward, making him hit the balcony’s cold metal. Pete’s back hurt both from the impact and the odd angle of his spine. Gerome was so close that he could see the scars where his eyes were once placed. The vampire extracted his fangs and went for Pete’s neck, forcing him to lean back even more.

Better dead than undead, he thought. Pete used his free hand to change his balance but he wasn't strong enough, so it only caused him more pain. Gerome noticed his attempt and chuckled, an inch from his jugular. Then he opened his mouth wider, and Pete closed his eyes.

Gerome’s scream was so loud that Pete would have fallen off if not for his free hand clutching the balcony’s bar. The vampire released him and stepped back; Pete reacted instinctively and threw his flask’s content on Gerome’s chest, who danced at the sound of hissing holy water.

Breathing hard, Pete looked up to see Anna setting an arrow to a black crossbow. His mouth hanged open as she pointed, aimed and fired. Gerome fell with a thud and Pete slid down in front of his extended hand.

He followed her approach with blank eyes. Only when she shook him by the shoulders he managed to focus on her concerned grey pools.

“Are you out of your freaking mind? Do you know how hard it is to get the heart, even at short distance? You could have killed me!”

She released him hastily, losing her balance and sitting in Gerome’s mummified hand. She yelped and stood up too fast, dizzily stepping in Pete’s foot, and grabbed the balcony’s bar for support. Pete shouted in pain.

“Oh, sorry!” She extended her hands towards him but he growled back something unintelligible. “I do know how hard it is, and I have been practicing.”

“Where was the fucking holy water, anyway?”

“In the living room.” She pointed, pouting. “It fell from my hand when Gerome showed his fangs for the first time.” She looked up to avoid meeting his gaze.

Pete snorted and asked, “Did you ever consider that Gerome could have kneeled or something? I was right in your shooting line!”

“Oh, vampires are fast…”

“Yes, darling. They’re freaking fast!”

“Will you please stop shouting? You are alive, aren’t you?”

Pete sighed. “How the heck do you have a crossbow at home, anyway?”

Anna cleared her throat before replying, “I descend from a long line of hunters. I don’t think they’d have taken me in otherwise…” She lowered her head.

Silence fell until the stench of decay mixed with the odor of the beggar’s clothes was too much for them.

“Gimme a hand.”

She helped Pete up and they called headquarters. After letting the cleaning crew in, they left, keeping silent until the bright lights of the E.R. entry shone on their faces to wake them up from their reveries.

“Pete?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m worried that Gerome knew so much about you.”

“Yeah.” Pete shuddered, and grunted in pain.

*

Note: I apologize for the feel of incompleteness this story gives. Since Pete is not my original character I didn't want involve him in any "definitive" situation. If you'd like to read more of him, he's featured in the Emma's story "The Victim" in her anthology From Dark Places.


Oh, and I was the one who put the cursing in Pete's mouth. Just for the record. ;P

*

Emma drinks too much tea, has too many ideas and writes too many stories. You can find out more about her debut novel '20 Years Later' here. She blogs and gets up to all kinds of writing mischief at www.enewman.co.uk.

'From Dark Places' is available in print and e-book book formats. You can buy a signed copy from her website and if you like dark short stories, join Em's Short Story Club to get an original short story for free in your inbox every month.

Emma has recorded audio books for publishers and has narrated short stories for fiction podcasts. To find out more about her voice work go to www.enewman.co.uk/voice. You can  also find Emma on Twitter: @emapocalyptic.

Spotlight Time!

This is something I've always wanted to do here at Randomities. It's spotlight time! 


One of the most important things in a writer's career is to have people talking about their books and stories. (and buying them, of course :P) So I'm dedicating a "spotlight series" to the projects of my writing pals. 


Today, Randomities will be featuring Jodi Cleghorn, who organized not one but two anthologies in the past few months. (wow) 


Both books are being released in paperback through Amazon Chart Rush tomorrow (May 17th), and revenues from both books go to charities to help with the Queensland community in Australia, which suffered greatly with the Yasi Cyclone last February. 


These are beautiful projects that gather a great many writers in them. Check them out and help them climb Amazon's ratings!

Click here to buy

Inspired by the Talking Heads’ song of the same name, Nothing but Flowers explores the complexities and challenges of love in a post-apocalyptic landscape; from a take-away coffee mug to a gun to the head, a fortune cookie to a guitar, the open road and beyond.

Poignant, funny, horrifying and sensual, this collection of short fiction leaves an indelible mark on ideas of what it means to love and be loved.

All profits from the sale of this anthology go to The Grantham Flood Support Fund.

*

Click here to buy

“One hundred beautiful stories. Our stories. 
When so much was lost or destroyed, this was created. 
That’s something that can never recede or wash away.” 
~ Kate Eltham – CEO of The Queensland Writers Centre 

100 STORIES FOR QUEENSLAND has something for everyone, from slice of life to science fiction, fantasy to romance, paranormal to literary fiction. Heart-warming, quirky, inspiring and funny, the stories between these covers will lift readers to higher ground. 

Proceeds from the sale of the anthology go to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Appeal.

Knight Post - Book Review: The Soulkeepers

Understand why the fuss, HERE.
Picture credits on this post.

No #FridayFlash this week. Instead, I present another knight-post! 

Please welcome G.P. Ching, who has published her first novel, The Soulkeepers, which you can buy on Amazon, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords and on paperback.

Now, please note that it's not because I'm grateful to Genevieve for her help that I'm not observing my review policy to the letter. Just saying. 

*

Jacob Lau is a fifteen year old boy who died; after which he woke up in the hospital with a broken body and a confused mind. His mother was missing, possibly dead, and he had no one else. Well, not until the uncle he never knew showed up to take him home, to the enormous city of Paris, Illinois. This is how Jacob gets to know his family and their viewpoints, and more importantly, he's forced to see himself. When a strange and exceedingly attractive woman enters his life, he comes to learn about the Soulkeepers and their opponents, the Watchers. 

This story shows an interesting and unprejudiced view of the battle between good and evil as portrayed in the bible. If you look behind the magic, the fighting and the mysterious characters, you'll see a teenager growing into a man, learning to accept himself as a fallible human being, as a good person, and more. You'll also see a critic of the small minds of small town's folks, the extremes people can go to because of their need of acceptance, and of course, love. 

The book moves a bit slowly until the story is unfold, but once it does it's worth the reading. No character remains static through the story, the issues they have to deal with do not fall from the sky, or climb up from below, they're also created by the characters themselves. No mystery remains unsolved and the ending is quite nice, allowing space for a sequel if the author wishes to do so.

That's a recommend.

*

G.P. Ching is a short fiction writer whose work has appeared in various print and electronic publications. She is a partner at DarkSide Publishing, and member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She lives in Illinois with her husband, two children and a very demanding guinea pig. Learn more about G.P. at her blog So, Write.

Laura Eno's Week - Book Review: Don't Fall Asleep, A Dream Assassin Novel

Understand why the fuss, HERE.
Picture credits on this post.

To close up Laura Eno's Week, read a review of Laura's book, Don't Fall Asleep, A Dream Assassin Novel. 


Please note that it's not because I'm grateful to Laura for her help that I'm not observing my review policy to the letter. Just saying. 

Finally, Laura Eno's Week also features an interview and a story with her. (written in it, yes ;)

*

Cassandra Dade is a Dream Merchant who has been trained as a Dream Assassin, a skill so rare that it had become almost mythical. She is a highly skilled but tormented woman, who leaves Earth to start a new life on planet Altair IV, where she'll find a partner and friend, and also a part of her past she'd rather have left behind. 

Don't Fall Asleep is an action-packed book in which Cassandra is a hunter who soon finds that she is being hunted as well. While her relationship with Nathan -- her newly found partner -- develops into a warm friendship, the author introduces us to a world where the deepest and dirtiest wholes are far more interesting than the high domes where the ruler class live a sheltered and dull life. 


The dream waving concept, as well as the description of the dreams the characters enter, are the highlights of this book. I have always been curious to learn how is the working of other people's minds, and dreams seem to be a good window to understand it. Laura portrays  the characters' personality very well through their unconscious minds. 


The action in the book is slowed down by the frequent strolls Cassandra and Nathan make together. While they are entertaining, the get a bit exasperating as the book reaches to its climax. To the contrary, the traumatized Cassandra seems rather quick in inviting her future partner to her highly secured (and amazing) house. 


All in all, Don't Fall Asleep is a pleasant reading that ends tipping up what's coming up in the next book. I sure want to know how Cassandra and Nathan will defeat the hidden villain, but I confess I'm even more curious to learn more about Artie. 


That's a recommend. 

*

Laura Eno lives in Florida with a very tolerant husband, three skulking cats and two absurdly happy dogs. She has a pet from the Underworld named Jezebel and a skull called Mr. Fluffy who help her write novels late at night. Please visit her strange imagination at http://lauraeno.blogspot.com

Laura Eno's Week - Possible Origins for Mr. Fluffy. 1. - #FridayFlash

Understand why the fuss, HERE.
Picture credits on this post.

In continuation to Laura Eno's Week, I present you a story featuring no one less than Laura Eno herself!


For a better enjoyment, I suggest you also read her interview here at Randomities, and her answers to the Bernard Pivot Blogfest.  


Laura's week will close up with a review of one of her books. Stay tunned! 


The title of this story was inspired by John Wiswell's series of flash fiction on Batman's Joker, called "Possible Origins for Him." They're a literary treat, so go check them out afterwards! Thanks for allowing me to use your concept, John!


Finally, there's some good old cursing in this story. Purists, be warned.

*

Possible Origins for Mr. Fluffy. 1.

There she was. I could see her dream from above, the only solace this restless woman had in this uncertain period of her life.

In her dream, she was twenty years younger, her hair was long to the waist, bundled up to prevent distraction when shooting with the laser gun tied to her thigh. She was beautiful, confident, and tough as nails. The ship shook by an explosion. She slid easily to the side, used to change fighting stances on heels, her dress gliding against her skin as she pressed her back to the corridor’s wall. A shadow approached from where she had come. She shifted weight and unbuckled her gun. It was a human, that she could tell, but it was impossible to know if it was friend or foe. Another explosion. The man took advantage and showed himself, pointing a gun at her. “You idiot!” she shouted, and jogged toward him. “You almost got both of us killed!”

Almost there.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her in before she could react. She met his chest with a huff and they locked eyes. His sardonic smile gradually approached her mouth.

Picture credit

There. I made my presence noticeable and she woke up, heart pounding.  I wasn’t surprised at the creativity of her cursing in response to my timing. I had prevented her from kissing Han Solo, after all.

She made a conscious effort to calm down in the semi-wake state she couldn’t shake herself off. The chill I left in the air made her uneasy. I could see her mouthing soundlessly “What the fuck?” in the darkness. I chuckled at that but she didn’t hear me. It was yet too soon.

As she lied in bed unable to move, I made myself visible. What form would I take? I wondered. How amusing! I took the form of a translucid head, floating above her. As I passed over her, turning like a football, my inexistent skin decomposed until there was nothing but a skull left. She watched in dismay as I crossed the wall behind her bed like a classic Ghostbusters’ specter and left to the other side. I grinned a satisfied lip-less grin. This was going to be fun.

The first contact was made, so I kept observing her in search of an opening. I saw her dragging herself out of bed, feeling cold from the inside out. As she brushed her teeth the memory of her dream slipped away into her unconscious mind. She tried to hold onto it, knowing it was something she’d dearly want to remember, but the impact of the first contact was too powerful and she could only replay my decaying in her head.

Coffee made everything go away. The day was sunny and she had a bright future ahead of her. I sighed as her shoulders slumped at the doubts and fears gurgling in her mind. She had no idea of what to do with all that brightness, or how to find a new way of quieting the voices in her head. She wondered if her neighbors were right and she was indeed crazy. I snorted at that thought of hers and poked her. She shifted in the seat, staring at the kitchen’s white wall. She blinked, deciding to do something about all that white in her house, losing the idea that was forming in the back of her mind in the process. I shook my head. She mirrored my reaction and set to make lunch to put her frustration aside. Her spirits lifted somehow then her husband arrived. I sought an opening but her guilt for his doubled effort in coming from and to the office for lunch blocked me out.

Her waking was the only opportunity I had to strengthen the connection, so every day for the next two weeks I’d make my presence undeniable. I’d hedgehop toward her head, take the appearance of her cat, maddened and reaching as if to attack her, or I would simply float above her. She’d wake up sweating, her chest tight and cold.

One day, she woke up with a jolt, hitting her head on the night table and missing her left eye by sheer luck. 


“Shit! I’m sick of it you, you son of a bitch! Go haunt your fucking own mother!” 


So, her wake-self had bones as well, eh? I chortled merrily for this new knowledge of her. She froze in place and frowned. 


“Okay you fucking moron,” she shouted to the walls. “I’m through with you. If you think you can scary me, you’re downright wrong! From now one you’ll be Mr. Fluffy. How’s that for a pitiful ghost, eh?” 


I was astounded. So she thought I was a mere ghost? As I left to consider my options, she added half-heartedly, knowing I was gone, “I’m bringing a fucking priest if I have to, you hear me?”

I decided that despite her misunderstanding of my nature and purpose she was worthy of some persistence, so I intensified my efforts showing up every day and taking all opportunity I had to make my presence felt. She’d then wake up in the middle of the night and curse me under her breath, drawing a smile out of me, or a chuckle. But this was getting tiresome for both of us, so I gave ourselves a night of rest and prepared myself for a dramatic last try.

Instead of the skull she had envisioned for me, I forced my visual manifestation to look similar to an upper body. I dove in with stretched arms, ready to physically shake her off her lethargy. But she woke up, jumped out of bed screaming, stepped in her cat’s tale and ran over her daughter who had come for a visit, worried about her haunting tales.

I was hovering over in the kitchen, resisting giving up although I knew I wasn't able to conceive another solution at that point. She explained what had just happened while preparing coffee with trembling hands. Her daughter asked about her eye, which was healing quite well, and they fell into silence. A sigh was the sign for her daughter to suggest a walk. It was a gorgeous day outside. After a quick shower they left by foot and I followed suit, hopeful for the new openings a different and relaxed environment would create.

Letting themselves bathe in the warmth of the spring sun, they talked, laughed and on their way back home she felt renovated. There, I had full contact now!

After her daughter left, she frowned at the living room wall. Later that day, Laura wrote her first story. After she finished it, she gazed at her garden through the window and smiled at the sound of my laughter. “Fuck you, Mr. Fluffy.”

As she pronounced these words, I noticed pink tentacles sliming themselves out of under the bed.

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Cue: No one knows how Laura and Mr. Fluffy came to know each other -- and I suspect neither does she -- so I thought I'd be fun seeing other people giving continuity to this speculation, hence the "1" indication. I'm sure Laura would like it too. ;) 


John only asks us to keep the title's concept and punctuation, as well as the stories in first person. Otherwise, have fun! 


p.s.: I forgot to say, if you ever decide to follow the lead, please let me know that I'll link you up here and on the "Stories" perm page.  :) 

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Laura Eno lives in Florida with a very tolerant husband, three skulking cats and two absurdly happy dogs. She has a pet from the Underworld named Jezebel and a skull called Mr. Fluffy who help her write novels late at night. Please visit her strange imagination at http://lauraeno.blogspot.com