Going to Shea Stadium

guitars

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

“Have a seat.” Jackie’s voice was young and encouraging.

“Learn to play guitar at my age?” Anxiety from the time he tried learning the trumpet when he was ten surged in his seventy-one-year-old chest.

“Learning something new will keep you young,” his granddaughter said. “It sharpens the mind and…”

“There’s nothing wrong with my mind,” he complained. “I’m still inventing and just made a breakthrough.”

“I know you like music,” she said.

“Sure, as a consumer,” he said. “Look, I know you’re trying to help, but my time machine’s warmed up by now. August 15, 1965 and Shea Stadium await.”

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Another Morning Alone

sitting room

PHOTO PROMPT © Sandra Crook

Another morning alone sitting in front of the window. Another morning with my wee table absent of a decent game of checkers. Dim, gray light pours through the window while the desk lamp emits a warmer, golden glow.

I wish I’d gotten more sleep last night but the missus continues to refuse to admit she snores. The sofa was comfortable, but then she started banging around the kitchen fixing breakfast.

Finally, she and the grandchildren are off for the day. No use avoiding it.

I get up and transfer my lazy, tuchus to the computer chair. Time to start writing.

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The Night The Music Was Murdered

guitars

PHOTO PROMPT © Yvette Prior

Olena came to America from a war-torn country in Europe for a better life. Home was hardly the place to encourage her, but then great music comes from pain.

The last thing she felt in her life was pain. Riding a light-rail home she didn’t know she was in danger until the first stab. He stabbed her six more times before running. Five passengers watched as she bled out.

Templar stood at the statue he made to honor her but that wasn’t enough. Tonight, he would begin his hunt for all the murderers out there who prey on the innocent.

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“Fantastic Schools Familiars” Coming in October

familiars

Cover art for the anthology “Fantastic Schools Familiars”

First of all, I got cover credit, so I’m really happy. My short story “Dead Cat Fever” will be featured in the Wisecraft Publishing anthology “Fantastic Schools Familiars.” This is part of a much larger series in which I’m only sparingly represented. I promise you that my protagonist Daphne and her familiar Skinner aren’t nearly as cute and appealing that the pair on the cover, but they’ve been through a lot.

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One Sweet Ride

Teds-Car-in-the-Woods

PHOTO PROMPT © Ted Strutz

Larry hurt all over. He was too old to be tramping through the woods.

His legs felt as wooden as his cane. He’d fall without the support and even if he didn’t break a hip, he might not be able to get back up.

“Made it,” he croaked.

He had no idea how the remains of the ’48 Dodge Sedan had gotten out here. He did know the first time he sat behind the driver’s seat decades ago, it took him back to the days of his youth.

He didn’t want to die in the insanity of the world today.

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Book Review of “Ghost Story” (2011), Book 13 in “The Dresden Files” Series

ghost story

© James Pyles

I’ve been systematically going through The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher and late last night, I finished Ghost Story (2011) the thirteenth in the series.

Oh man.

Spoiler Alert!

Stop here if you haven’t read the novel and want to be surprised (and there are a lot of surprises to be had). You have been warned.

This story begins six months after the end of the preceding novel Changes. In that book, everything Harry ever possessed was taken away from him including a daughter he didn’t know he had.

In order to save her from the Red Court vampires, Harry literally sells his soul and ultimately has to murder the love of his life and his daughter’s mother to save his child and really, the whole world.

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The Last Visitor

melt

PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Rogerson

Another séance, another summoning, another mystery solved, or whatever. Robert lost count of all the spectral visitations he had performed in order to pay for his modest home in the suburbs (ridiculously overpriced).

The clients and spirits had all left half an hour ago, the candles were burnt out, and he sat back on the patio sipping a brandy. He could already feel tomorrow’s hangover.

Robert had hardly closed his eyes when a new voice disturbed him.

“The gateway to the beyond is closed,” he complained.

“Not for the Angel of Death.” Her words were ice. “This is your time.”

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The Second Wave is here!

second wave

Promotional image for the upcoming Starry Eyed Press anthology “Second Wave.”

Ten of my drabbles (the maximum number allowed) are featured in this anthology.

A SINGLE MOMENT –– A HUNDRED WORDS –– A UNIVERSE OF POSSIBILITIES
What happens after the unknown has arrived? When the echoes of first contact fade, humanity is left to navigate the tremors of change — new alliances, fragile peace, simmering conflicts, and the birth of strange, dazzling futures.

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What About The Bob?

the bob

PHOTO PROMPT © Lisa Fox

“Not this one either, Lilly,” Martin complained. “This isn’t a person, just some building.”

“You wanted a bob,” said the virtual avatar.

“As in haircut, not a…” He consulted his heads-up menu. “Big Old Building.”

The immediate environment shuffled through a series of images like cards.

“You didn’t like Hailey Bieber, Jenna Ortega, Zendaya, Megan Thee Stallion…”
“Megan Thee Stallion, yuck,” spat Martin. “1920s. I said I wanted a VR simulation of an actress from the 1920s…”

“…I know,” said Lilly “…bob haircut.”

“Wait. That’s her!”

“Louise Brooks,” said Lilly. “Yes, she’s rather fetching.”

“Run her first movie for me.”

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