Unquiet Desperation

Ever since I got involved with Podiobooks.com, people have asked when they might see fiction from me hit the Interwebs. Today’s the day.

If you head over to The Secret Lair, you will find the first episode of a work of serialized fiction called Tricksters.  It’s based on a writing prompt from two years ago, when Kris and I were meeting each morning at a local coffee shop to write. The ideas implied by the original piece have been lurking around in my head since then, and as one of my big goals for the year is to work on my practice of writing, I decided to jump in with both feet.

I freely admit that this a novice effort: I’ve long talked about writing fiction, and like many people, I’ve gotten caught up in buying books, reading blogs, listening to podcasts…doing anything but the actual work. That ends now.

Please check out the story. I welcome your thoughts.

I’ve ranted on The Secret Lair about how modern fantasy novels are pretty much cookie-cutter pieces of shite, especially when the blurb on the back goes something like this:

She is (insert Celtic-ish name here), an orphan girl in the land of (insert made up word, usually ending in -ia). Pursued by (insert bad guy with too many apostrophes in his name), who knows that she was the answer to prophecy and understands that she holds his doom. Now, she comes into her own power, as a priestess of (insert Greek or Celtic goddess here)…

…and she will save, or damn, the world.

Keeping that in mind, you can see why I loved today’s xkcd:

Kris and I have taken the time to post out first bits of original fiction over at The Secret Lair:

• In our first piece, The Monologue, Kris orates grandly before one of the many who have attempted to penetrate the Lair…and failed.
• Our second piece, entitled Serial, Chris tells a tale of boy meets girl…meets knife. NOTE: Not really for the kiddies, this one.

We look forward to your feedback. Go listen to The Secret Lair Episode 0011: BECKY presents.

This is a little twitterfiction that I started last Sept. for fun. Cmar was awesome with the medical side of things. This was tweeted over the course of three hours. I apologize for the odd formatting: it’s twitter, after all.¹ For the curious, I was at the Starbucks on W6th, staring out at the intersection of W6th and St. Clair.

codeshaman: Watching a guy who doesn’t look too well shamble across the parking lot. Would think he was homeless except for the business suit.

codeshaman: Damn…the guys suit look like he was rolling a gutter or something.

sambearpoet: @codeshaman: there are a lot of well-dressed homeless people downtown atlanta

codeshaman: @sambearpoet Yeah, Sam…but this guy is kinda pale…and I think he is chasing a pigeon. It’s just weird.

sambearpoet: @codeshaman: wild

codeshaman: @sambearpoet Holy, shit…dude just bit a pedestrian. This cannot be good.

sambearpoet: @codeshaman: 911?

(more…)

1. Note: I would have kept going, but when I reaized it was Sept. 11, I thought that I should probably cut it off.[back]