Sniff and Grint are back!

Yes, not only is Graham Reader, the anti-hero Grim Reaper, in my next book, but Sniff and Grint are back!
Check out the first draft of their first scene :-)

No matter how many times Ekron hit the 'reset' button, the radar still showed the abnormalites. Slumped over his bench, he gazed into the bleeping screen.

"Okay, guys. Compared to you, I'm new here. Just what exactly is this?" Ekron looked over to his two workmates. They were both sitting on deckchairs, lying in the rays of three large neon signs they'd stolen from a local chain of pizzerias, sipping on their homemade Mai Tais.

"Eh?"

"I said, what is this?"

"Can't you see we're busy?" Sniff spat his straw out and punched Grint in the side. "Go and see what he wants."

"Eh?"

"I said...never mind." Sniff recognised Grint's 'eh?' routine. He could play it all day. He got off his deckchair and dragged his ugly little hobgoblin body over to the radar while cursing Ekron under his breath.

"Look." Ekron pointed to the 4 abnormalites. Sniff tried to wipe them off the screen with his soggy booger-ridden sleeve, adding some abnormalities of his own. "Thanks a lot." Ekron cleaned the screen with a rag.

"Mmm. What are they?"

"You tell me. Monkeys, souls, dogs, cats, and any other animal you can think of, it's all there, but those...the system doesn't recognise them."

"Oh, is that why they're flashing red?"

"I guess so, I don't know." Ekron had been stationed here at Outpost 452 for only a few months, he hadn't seen much action in that time. Pick up a soul or two, go investigate the occasional do-badder, but nothing like this. Sniff tapped the screen a few times.

"Is it a bug?"

"I told you, I don't know. I'm going to have to report this."

"What?" Sniff had already covered the communication switch with his hand. "Do you know what'll happen if you do?"

"What?"

"Something."

"Something? What do you mean?"

"Something will happen. Why d'ya wanna go and do a thing like that? We're all nice and peaceful here."

"You are. Look, it's not going away. There's a problem, we have to report it."

After a short staring match, Sniff let go of the communication switch.

"Okay, but I warned you. Remember that." Ekron hit the switch and contacted Headquarters.

New book, new ideas

TDX2 Free ebook still going strong, 84 downloads, 3 libraries and 38 likes, and I'm still waiting for Premium status to be sent out to all places. I also have 58+ votes for my 55 word story, let's see what Mr. Briggs thinks of that at the end of the month. I'm thinking 1 of 2 things, either nothing or something.
New book! New ideas! This one has been rattling around in my head for a while now, and finally I have some actual words written down, about 3000 or so.
It's amazing how writing works. I have a pen that seems to help me bring out quirky ideas, and once one idea is down, more appear, maybe 2 or 3, so you write them down, then a few more appear... Need a bit more research for this one, too. I'll finally get Moses in on the act, and the Overlords, too, cunningly (not) disguised as Men in Black, and Graham Reader (Yeh!) is back, with a female monkey...sorry...human sidekick. Oh, it's coming along nicely :-) Slowly, but nicely...

4th book Extract 1...

Now 80 downloads for TDX2, I was hoping for 100+, who knows, but I've really squeezed the networks I know to get that.
I now have 55 + votes from 59 for Austin Briggs 55 word story competition, thanks to my friends. Unfortunately, the votes aren't the only thing which he judges by. The judgement criteria includes votes BUT the final decision comes from how awesome he thinks your story is. Maybe no 55 dollars. I really needed the money. It's a good story, so much back-story to it. The guy thinks the baby is his, but who knows? Only the girl. But he's so big-headed he thinks it must be him. Anyway, fingers crossed.
The 4th book...based in Budapest, with a ton of historical facts behind it. Read an extract from Chapter 1...

If this wasn't far enough, then he didn't know what was. Out in the middle of nowhere, far from any living man, creature or tree, days from his last encounter with any kind of settlement, Rihat began to dig. Stopping only to listen to the faint sounds on the breeze, he dug deeper under the light of the moon and the stars. With a distant howl of a wolf, Rihat protected his precious cargo, an instinct bordering on paranoia. His Master had told him to run like the wind, run as far and as fast as he could, allow no one to take or touch the item which he carried, and hide it for all eternity, away from the imminent destruction of the temple in the holy city, away from the hearts and minds of all humanity...

"Szia."

Rihat abruptly stood up in his now 3-foot deep hole. He looked around, scanning the open plain lit up by the moon and saw no one. After some moments of silence, he began digging in earnest once again, thinking it was only his mind playing tricks.

"Ahoj."

A second sound. Someone was here, or were they? Was that a word he'd heard? It was from no language he knew. He'd been roaming north now for well over 3 weeks, it could be anything.

"Yassou.”

Rihat was sure that was Greek. He knew a little Greek, Stavros was his name.

"Hello."

That was Rihat's language.

"Hello?"

"Hello! What ya doing?"

There was someone else in this open plain. Jumping out of his hole, Rihat grabbed the sack containing his heavy burden, started running into the night, and tripped into another larger and much deeper hole. On landing, he heard the snapping of wood and knew it wasn't.

"Argh!"

"You wanna watch that. Oh dear. Are you alright?"

55 word contest + TDX2 Update 2

Austin Briggs, a fine chap, has a 55 word story competition online. If you have the most Votes at the end of the month, you win 55 dollars. Please click, read and if you like it, vote!! :-) I need 55 dollars.
http://austinbriggs.com/flash-fiction-contest/not-me/
Update on TDX2...10 days online for free AT Smashwords...https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/273975... 74 downloads, 18 Likes and in 3 libraries (I really don't know what the libraries are, but hey). Awaiting a review, perhaps more will come. It's a nice little story, just an advert to my style of writing, really, but a nice little romp in itself.

Author's feature: Linda Talbot on Dani J Caile: HEAVEN, HELL AND THE SEARCH FOR SATISFACTION

The first feature ever on this blog! Linda Talbot, fantasy author of Gift of Green Fire, a strange collection of short stories, and brand new Time Trance of the Gods (Book One), another collection of short stories based on ancient Greek Gods and mortals, was very kind to create this feature about me and my writing. It made me think about a few things...Hope you enjoy it :-)

 HEAVEN, HELL AND THE SEARCH FOR SATISFACTION

Dani J Caile has a bustling and bizarre imagination. It erupts with a host of earthly and otherwordly beings that one would expect to collide with baffling incoherence.

But beneath the wayward events and a humour that moves from pertinent to playful pun, lie clear concerns for humanity.

His novella Too Dull to Die, a free Smashwords edition, relates the fate of Guido, who is returned to Earth after death for another go at living because he has experienced no passion, pathos or even memorable moments.

"Guido is based on myself," admits Caile, "but without the life."

Guido eventually confronts God and accuses him of not caring about humanity. But it transpires God has left man to his own ends. And when Guido queries the point of the bible, God points out HE did not write it. If he had there would have been more jokes.

Says Caile, "Just imagine if there was a God, because I think no one can prove or disprove that point, if he loved you, wouldn't he want you to grow and take responsibility for your own life, like a true father over his children? In my opinion, man is responsible for his actions, whether there is a God or not."

In his third book The Rage of Atlantis, he considered the obstacles people put in the way of fulfilment and personal responsibility and how people seek scapegoats to increase the influence and feed the desires of those in power.

His influences were diverse. He explains,"Rage stemmed from thoughts of 9/11, Hungarian politics, dolphins and the hatred found in Marilyn Manson's 'Holy Wood.'

"What can we do to live fulfilling lives? Change? People find it hard to change. All we can do is live as impeccably as possible, I guess."

Caile's characters comprise a motley community. As well as hapless man, there are curious creations from hobgoblins to dolphins who talk. And there are often elements of extremes; good and evil, heaven and hell.

"It's easier to write in extremes and easier for the reader to understand the message given," he says, "Of course life is not black and white, but very, very grey. Hubble can see colours but the universe only sees black and white, life or death. You can't plead with the universe for a second chance. It's black and white, like life. You either do something or you don't. "

In his book  The Bethlehem Fiasco, a man is alone in the desert looking for answers. Is the influence he may subsequently have over people, beneficial or  likely to lead to conflict?

Caile believes, "I think prophets are fantastic people. The Bethlehem Fiasco attacks the disciples, not Christ. Belief is a very good thing, it gives you a purpose. Religion is another matter - money, power, control over the masses. Christ, Buddha, were great men but what came after them was corruption and greed."

But, for all the obstacles and pitfalls, this author believes everyone can live a fulfilling life. "Find your real priorities, motives and desires. The goals may be large or small. For instance Grint, a hobgoblin in  Man by a Tree, my first book, thinks a fulfilling life is eating and sleeping."

How do Caile's characters emerge?

He claims, "All my characters and ideas come from my surroundings. Someone says or does something or my mind spots something 'not quite right' or suddenly sees something or someone in a different light. Characters become composites of people I have 'experienced.'"

When asked if he once believed in fairies, he replies wryly, "How can you not believe in fairies? I have two living in my home. They put sugar and sweetness in my life. Actually, it took me six months to realise that the background picture on my computer was changed to a fairy scene of flowers and mushrooms by my daughter. Besides, wouldn't the world be a better place with fairies? Now Leprechauns - you have to watch out for them!"

Caile was brought up in Cambridgeshire, England and now lives in Budapest. What will he write next?

"My next book is in connection with the Manna Machine, the mythical device which fed the Israelites for 40 years, but the story will be set in the present. I'm still working on the plot and characters but once that's done, give me two months and it'll be complete."

His fans will no doubt delight in more offbeat fantasy and food for thought.

Linda Talbot

Gift of Green Fire

Time Trance of the Gods (Book One)

TDX2 - Status Report after 7 days

It's been 7 days since I put TDX2 on Smashwords.com for free. 61 downloads and 100s of pageviews. I even have 11 'Likes' and 1 review, with more to come. I added TDX2 to Goodreads and things are happening there, too. It's also been approved for the Premium Catalog, which means it goes to...
Apple (iBookstores), Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, WH Smith, Diesel eBook Store, eBooks Eros, Baker & Taylor, Page Foundry, and others...
For 7 days, that's pretty good, considering no one knows me. I might have another interview up soon (scandalous) and an article (cross your fingers). Still reading 'Attila', and a few stories from other indie authors...

Napier's Attila again...

I gave William Napier's 'Attila the Judgement' another chance, and it's a nice little romp through The Roman's Eastern Empire - so far, because it's almost 600 pages, a brick by comparison, and won't take a day to read.
BUT I hate Priscus The author takes on this character as his 1st person Point of View, speaking through this pompous Roman 'tutor'. There are really nice pieces of writing, smooth, adventure style, broken by the occasional shitty dialogue (but I've got used to Napier's dialogue voice), then suddenly there's a passage where Priscus (sounds like a disease or facial wart) takes over - I have to put the book down at that point and start again some other time.
So, other than Priscus, a weak 3 out of 5 read so far, like most of the reviews (7 out of 22) on Amazon, but definitely not worth the six 5* reviews it got.