Each of us has at least one weird friend who defies convention and relishes the bizarre. It’s even possible many of us are that friend. Of course, there are degrees of weirdness — I, for instance, consider myself to be on the charmingly eccentric side of weird as opposed to being on its totally bonkers, crazy-eyed, bat-eating, raggedy edge.
However, even if I were, I would still enjoy indulging in other people’s weird literary thoughts — like the stories inThe Rabbit Hole— just as much as I enjoyed writing “Life Changing” for this anthology.
I hope you’ll consider acquiring a copy or two, in paperback or for Kindle, for your weird friend and yourself. The proceeds will benefit the Against Malaria Foundation, a GiveWell top-rated charity.
Halloween is the last day to pre-order this excellent collection of 35 weird stories for only $1.99. (For a taste of their tone, see a few of their blurbs below.) Beginning November 1, the ebook price will be $2.99, or you can have a paperback book to hold in your hands for $12.50. Even better, the proceeds go to the Against Malaria Foundation, where $2 buys one life-saving mosquito net. (AMF is one of GiveWell’s top-rated charities.)
The Rabbit Hole will be an intriguing addition to your library, and would make a welcome gift for anyone who cherishes a few hours of escape from Normal — or even the New Normal.
Foggy A father and daughter’s boating trip is ambushed by a mysterious, underwater tormentor.
I Should’ve Known Better There’s just one thing wrong with his beautiful luxury apartment: it’s a transdimensional portal. Will the Flying Demon Things get him before he gets one of the centaur Babes?
The Scroll and the Silver Kazoo You never know who (or what) will show up at an open mic event.
Quicksilver Falls A mysterious phenomenon puts the future of the world in the hands of a simple Tennessee farmer and sparks the world’s strangest writing competition.
Satori from a Consulting Gig Management consultant Frank Dow has a new client: God.
The Adventures of Conqueror Cat Herr Trinket (a sharp-eyed and even sharper-tongued shelter cat) traverses an interdimensional rabbit hole into poochlandia to explore the enduring timey-wimey dog-cat dichotomy.
Eggs On End Claudia had a secret: she was ordinary – agonizingly, mind numbingly ordinary. But all that was about to change. And it would all begin with eggs.
Life Changing Lawrence decides to exercise his brain to avoid his Alzheimer-stricken mother’s fate, but when his life twists beyond recognition, he can’t escape the possibility that lost minds must be somewhere.
Carolina Brimstone The passion of the zealot is proportional to the power of the demon inside. Constance Hennfield’s fervor knows no bounds.
Glad you could join us for the next whimsical episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning tothe beginning, and reading really fast…
Photo credit: Jamie MacArthur
“Plummeting is not an altogether unpleasant sensation,” Elliot thought as they fell into the chilly night. “If I didn’t know how it has to end, I might be enjoying it.” He was beyond panic, and the sight of Cassandra tumbling beside him left him feeling only regret.
Glad you could join us for the next nail-biting episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning tothe beginning, and reading really fast…
Photo credit: Lee Daniels
Before Elliot’s scream skidded to a halt, the mushroom cap sat empty over an expanding set of ripples.
Juliet was the first to jump into the water.
“Come on, you guys!” she called, paddling hard and fast for the center of the vanishing rings. “Are you really gonna let the little guy’s chance for True Love slip away?”
Glad you could join us for the next extreme episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning tothe beginning, and reading really fast…
Photo credit: Wes Lum
From the shadows of Elliot’s mind, came a whistling chirp. “Is this what dying sounds like?” he wondered idly as darkness stole over his eyes and his body rose above the coarse black rocks. “If it weren’t for the squeezing sensation, I would think this was an out-of-body experience.”Continue reading “Everybody Eats”
Glad you could join us for the next beguiling episode of Elliot’s Adventures. If you’re new here, you can catch up by returning tothe beginning, and reading really fast…
Photo credit: S.T. Ranscht
Feeling an itch for excitement in the very soul of his single-footed self, Elliot forged a path up the hill that stretched further than even his fully extended eyes could see.
As his muscles, undulating beneath his glimmering skin, drove him ever forward, the sun rolled lazily across the sky, slowly stirring the air in its wake to blow a warm dry breath over his streamlined form, mocking his efforts with the very real threat of dehydration. His confidently rapid gait struggled against the parching wind and the thirst it left behind, and his progress slowed to the pace of a sleeping sloth.
A dark tendril of doubt crept over the crest of this endless uphill landscape. Should he admit defeat and turn back? Can a person ever go home again?
Tacoma Rainbow Postcards (Photo credit: Duncan James Livingston)
We recently received a form letter rejection ofENHANCEDfrom an agency based in Tacoma, where 41″ of rain fall every year. That’s 2″ more than the national average, and doesn’t even count Tacoma’s annual 4″ of snow.
Some might call this shameless self-promotion, but until we sign an agent, who else is there to do this dirty job? Tomorrow, it’s back to the fun stuff! I promise.
Why was I going to apologize? Robb and I wrote Enhanced so we could work together to create a story we could share with people like us — people like you. We’re proud of what we’ve written. We believe it’ll stick with readers like good books do, and we dare to hope it can be a beacon for kids — and adults — who feel like they’re outside the mainstream.
So without apology, I want to tell you about it. But not about our “writing process” — in the name of all that’s holy, not the “writing process”! (…unless you ask…)
Since the beginning of language, there have been storytellers.
“Hey, do you mind if I tell you a story? One you might not have heard.” The 11th Doctor
Have we got a story for you!
“All I read is young adult science fiction, so when I tell you I’ve never read this story before, you know it’s original!” Jessica Watterson of The Sandra Dijkstra and Associates Literary Agency talking about Enhanced
Yeah, I’m new to this whole blogging thing. I’ve anticipated, in a somnambulistic sort of way, writing one — someday. I just didn’t know it would be today. But somebody I respect suggested the Blogging from A to Z Challenge would be a good way to break into the blogging habit, and I believed him. My anticipation is now fully awake. And quaking.
Is there anything more boring than listening to unpublished authors talk about their “writing process”? Well, maybe out-of-work actors talking about roles they used to play and, in LA, The Industry. And any gamer anywhere talking about their avatar like it’s them. And first-time parents going on and on…and on about their week-old genius baby.
Space, Time, and Raspberries 
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