Dime Store Riot

You can find the challenge here My step up to the plate can be found below: My Airport “What’d I tell you?” Mickey asked. Jaime switched off the faucet and looked in the mirror. “It’s a big airport.” “I know how big the airport is. That’s not what I asked.” Jaime smirked, picked at a pimple on his jaw line just below his left ear, and said, “You told me to stay away from the airport.” Mickey exhaled slowly and slid both his hands into his dark jeans. “And here the fuck you are.” Jaime stood back and fussed with the frosted tips of his razored bangs. “Here the fuck I am.” Mickey’s fist came out of his pocket, fingers all brass knuckle gleam. Jaime’s mouth O’ed. Mickey shoved him with his left and cracked him on the back of the head. Something exploded by Jaime’s eyes and he went down, clutching for anything to stay standing. Mickey crushed the fingers clutching the sink rim. Jaime started to scream, but Mickey smothered it under his smooth palm, driving the blond head to the floor and

Bold is the starter sentence provided at Friday Flash Fiction . The rest is all me. She was always threatening to punch someone in the face, but this time she meant it . I didn’t pick up on it right off, being across the room at the jukebox; a real jukebox, the kind filled with little records and the mechanical arm pulling ‘em from the stack and dropping ‘em for a needle spin. I knew there’d be good stuff on there. I was too busy looking for Copperhead Road to know exactly how it started. Pretty damn crowded in there and the jukebox was right next to the pool table and this short dude who musta been pregnant with a boy, cause he was carrying low, was smacking the balls around like it was a lonely Saturday night. It was Saturday, by the way. But first thing I heard was Tara’s voice screech, “Bitch, I will punch you in the goddamn face.” It got quiet. I started jabbing faster. They didn’t have Copperhead Road , but they did have Guitar Town and my favorite Johnny Paychec

I have a new story up at The Darkest Before The Dawn . But first: Big thanks to Aldo for maintaining so many first rate sites, being an A-1 stand-up guy, and putting up with a couple of whiny e-mails from me about when he would be able to resume posting the accepted pieces. Now, you can read Maiden’s Prayer for something a little quieter than my usual work. If you like it, you may be in luck and get to see the main character again, relatively soon.

I have a new story up at A Twist of Noir. You can check out Mask versus Mask here . Soon, at Darkest Before The Dawn , a second story will flash across the ether. Sometime this week, assuming the holidays don't eat up all my non-day-job time, I'll post the next chapter of Dogfight .

The television and I have always been close. As a kid, we lived out in the middle of nowhere and the few houses remotely close were childless. Both my parents worked a great deal, so during the school year I poured my own bowls of cereal, got myself dressed and down the long driveway to the mailbox where I waited to board the bus for my hour ride. In the summer, I kept myself occupied during the hazy stretch of days. Naturally, I read a lot of books. But I also watched a lot of television and have fond memories of a number of shows. A few, like Punky Brewster , are part and parcel with my childhood. I don’t think I’ll ever forget all the cartoons from back when Saturday morning was nothing but cartoons . The shows like The Cosby Show and Quantum Leap offered those rare times when the entire family sat down together and they remain among my better memories. Though, it’s not all pleasant. A number of old shows I used to watch have been released on DVD. After a repeat viewing, they'v

This is where it goes down...

I often work on several things at the same time when I write. My brain runs wild with thoughts (if you ever read an unedited piece, you'll understand). When I'm working on something, I'm always reading, or watching tv and movies. This sets my brain firing off in other directions. I do this, too, for those times when I get stuck. When the words aren't coming out the way I want them, or I'm simply having trouble separating Chad and all his doubts and worries from the moment. Being able to put that aside and go to something else usually helps. Sometimes, it backfires. And when it backfires? My work crawls. Anyone else have this problem?

Two of my stories feature a man I refer to as the "Concierge". The guy who specializes in getting you all those weird things you didn't know how to get on your own and sure as hell didn't want to admit you wanted. In "The Double D", he's after John Dillinger's penis that was severed and kept in a jar on orders from J. Edgar Hoover. In "Lord Knows", he's after Tupac's bulletproof vest. Both stories reference other things he's obtained. I'm working on a new story. But I've run into two problems. I've never thought about either one. The first is balance. Expecially, when it comes to explaination and exposition. One hand, I'd like to assume that someone reading it has read the other stories and understands the shtick. On the other, chances are, someone reading the third story probably hasn't read either of the two. So, how do I put enough in so the new reader gets it, and get's it quick, but without boring th

Finished my submission for Eric Beetner's contest. Gonna let it stew for a couple days and then give it a read through, probably a tweak before sending it off. More linkage thanks to Christopher Grant.

The piece Keith Rawson and I finished a couple months ago, Pictures of You , is now up at Darkest Before the Dawn . Dig it here . Next month, Maiden's Prayer .

Eric Beetner is running a contest over at his site to garner buzz about Too Many Blows To The Head You can enter it here . Meanwhile, the The Watery Grave Invitational is shaping up to be a slugfest. So, far: me, Keith Rawson, Paul David Brazil, Patti Abbott, and Eric Beetner.

Just heard back from Aldo at Darkest Before The Dawn . He took Maiden's Prayer , but it won't drop until October. However, sometime this month, the story I wrote with Keith Rawson, Pictures of You , will be appearing at DBTD. Got another two pieces to finish that I've been dicking around with for too long. Also, need, despite what my contact says, to whip my horror submission for the role-playing thing into shape. I want it done and over. Yesterday, I finished the first chapter of a project with Brian Roe. I've very very pleased with how it turned out. I sat down for only an hour, hour and a half, and wrote it without much forethought. You can check it out here. First chapter by me, second chapter by Brian and repeat.

Haven't been working as much as I'd like, but last night I just finished a new piece. Maiden's Prayer is set in Hollywood. I'm happy with it, for now, and looking forward to seeing it online. Keith Rawson and I are working on our second collaboration. I've been invited to contribute a bit of fiction for an anthology as part of a pitch for a new edition of a long out of print role-playing game. No guarantees, but it's nice to work on something a little different. Signed up for The Watery Grave Invitational . One of the judges is Mr. Hard Luck himself, Dave Zeltersman . Soon, the first part of a project I'm just starting with Brian Roe will be up at The Dogfight . It'll run for 13 bloody and sexy chapters.

New story up at Beat To A Pulp . You can read Six Bullets For John Carter here . So far, it's gotten a positive reaction both over at SF Safari and at Marooned . Also, noticed a lot of links popping up out there. I'm very happy it's garnered this level of interest. The editing at the Beat To A Pulp streamlined it into a nice lean piece, but I still wish more of the cut background had remained. I worry that without it, a couple of things aren't clear.