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Sunday, June 26, 2016

WQ185

This is an example of the 'easy access to guns' argument...
https://www.buzzfeed.com/davidmack/a-texas-mom-shot-dead-her-daughters-in-the-street-before-she?utm_term=.vhrJ4NbrR#.ehwlyNLj7

Unfortunately, Strange Musings Press is closing down :-(
http://www.strangemusingspress.com/p/main.html
All their books will be FREE on ONE DAY soon, so if you'd like a copy of any of their books, especially the one with my short story in, then subscribe to the blog and make sure you're ready to pick a copy up :-)
https://www.amazon.com/Star-Reviews-Afterlife-Alternate-Hilarities-ebook/dp/B01DOUI7YS

Anyway...it's time for the Iron Writer Weekend Quickie 185!
Here it is on the site...
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-185/
And here is my take...Yep! 30 words, 1 sentence!





WQ185 - image above, underestimation, a trivial matter, body language

When I came in I could tell from her body language that it wasn't a trivial matter, and I had underestimated the Post-it 'Oops' note stuck on the front door.






Saturday, June 18, 2016

Summer Shorts 2 ...out now!

Yes, another short story in another anthology from the Indie Collaboration!

https://www.amazon.com/Summer-Shorts-Indie-Collaboration-Presents-ebook/dp/B01GZTSRBI



News...
On June the 3rd, my Amazon author rating peeked to a new level (#11,844). I didn't know why, there were no sales...then I checked the KDP/KU 'borrow' system...someone in India read all 886 pages of 'The Trilogy' in one day... yeah, right. I got hit by the hackers who are trying to make 'midlist' authors look dodgy to Amazon... and then Amazon deletes the author's account. The author who did nothing is the victim. So, I have now unenrolled all my self-published books from the 'borrow' system for the next term. They are still available now, but in a month or two, you'll have to BUY them to read them. Shame, huh? The pain, strain, excitement and time needed to produce a story... and you need to pay for it? Yep. I'd like to give them free but Amazon doesn't allow it, and now hackers see me as a target.

I also have my own 'meme', thanks to @BookTrib :-)
https://twitter.com/BookTrib/status/743911155400220672/photo/1


Other news...it's Iron Writer Weekend Quickie 184!
Here it is on the site...
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-184/
Or here...:-)


184-  Image above, write a 200 word story using the sentiment behind these cliches …“If you get the sense, chuck the tense”, “All dressed up and no place to go”, “It’s better than a sharp stick in the eye”, "Don’t get your knickers in a twist”


He stood there on the corner, the cold fog moving on through the city and him in his black Italian cut three piece suit. I could see him from my third floor window from across the street. What was he doing there?
A few people passed by, and he tried to speak with the men. Most kept walking on, but some allowed him to say what he wanted to. There was always a lot of gesturing and shaking of heads, ending in shrugs of shoulders and a walk away. One man seemed to understand him and led him to the corner shop but a few steps away and gave him an apple. With a short greeting and exchange of smiles, he was alone again, looking at the apple. The next moment he was jumping up and down in possibly anger and frustration. He began to shout in the street, attracting little attention from those around.
Settling down, after a little cry, a plead to the world and more crying on his knees, he stood straight, gave his suit a tug and again looked down at the apple in his hand. With a nod of his head, he ate the apple.




Thursday, June 16, 2016

Writers Games 2016 - Event 5: Second place!

Success! I got SECOND place in Event 5 of the Writers Games 2016!
After three 'unplaced' and one 'disqualification' (trust me to do that!), I finally got into the Top 3 of an event, the 'mythical creature'. If I can edit it correctly, the story will be put into the yearly anthology.


I also got equal 2nd place in the Iron Writer Challenge 160, placing me yet again into an Iron Writer Tournament...Yay! I have missed only two, I think, since it began.
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-160-2016-spring-open-challenge-8/

AND... I have finished the first draft of "How to sink a ship (in eight, long, excruciatingly terrifying, stinkingly evil nights)"!!! 53,000 words...BUT it needs a lot of work. It'll take some time to sort it out, but when it's done, it'll be a winner!

Now... onto Event 6 and a story for a 'Gun' anthology... :-)

Saturday, June 11, 2016

WQ183 + 60k views!

This blog has now seen over 60,000 hits! Yeah! if only they were sales...

This week I have a story in the Iron Writer Challenge 160...please go and read, maybe vote :-)
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-160-2016-spring-open-challenge-8/
I don't think I'll go through this time to the finals :-(

I've also been struggling through the Writers Games 2016, 7 weeks, 7 events.
So far I've had feedback from the first 3...unplaced, unplaced, disqualified...yep! They hate me :-)
I think it's a good thing, trust me. Still carrying on, though.

Plus I'm at 45k with the novel! I'll get that first draft! I will!

And it's Saturday! Here's my take of the Iron Writer Weekend Quickie 183 on the website...
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-183
...and also here :-) Enjoy...


WQ183 - image above, empathy, insulation, a writer

'Her face was mesmorizing, like some ancient landscape painting; her blackheads were fur trees across her nose, her eyebrows a line of trees jutting out from a ridge, the boil on her forehead was a volcano waiting to erupt, her bulging vein below her right eye was a stream with a bridge across its...'
"Henry!"
With his line of thought broken, he relaxed back into his chair. "Yes, darling?"
"Are you going to help me or what?"
Help? She had destroyed the moment, a perfect literary moment of immense introspection, and she wanted help? "What was that, my darling?"
"The insulation in the attic! We need to rip out the old stuff and put in the new! I've got thirty plus square meters here!"
"Oh darling, if only I could!" Another ping on Facebook made him check his notifications. "I feel empathy for you in that you feel that such matters are more important than my writing, but really, I have a deadline to keep! I must finish this by next week!"
"I'll give you a deadline if you don't come up here right now and help!"
He stood up and went to her. Would anyone ever understand HIS needs?

Friday, June 10, 2016

Abuse of Power: Government takes over the market from Metropol

Yes, it's all here in English...
http://budapestbeacon.com/media-issues/simicska-rumored-to-sell-free-daily-metropol/34791

With the help of the generous tax paying public, the Government stole the free newspaper market from Metropol.It took years for Metropol to build a 'trust' with the public, and the Government took it and now use it for their own purposes to spread their PROPAGANDA.
For years, the free 'rag' Metropol, formerly known as Metro, has been given out to passengers of both BKK and MÁV every morning (metro and train stations in Budapest), perhaps 100,000, 200,000 copies or more per day. It was filled with little snippets of news, both local and worldwide. Sometimes it was interesting, sometimes not. But since the owner became anti-government, there was pressure on both BKK and MÁV to cancel the distribution contracts from the 'higher powers', and now the end has come.
In it's place is a pro-government rag, 'Lokál', run by the 'informal advisor to the Prime Minister', an advisor that officially has no income but drives an expensive car, wears expensive clothes, etc... for sure, he's living off tax-payers' money.
I picked up one of these today to see if it was PROPAGANDA.  Yes, it was, and it focuses on the typical half-brain Hungarian, especially with the semi-naked girl on page 7. It's a free, pro-government, 'everything is running smoothly in this country' rag.
Not many people were taking them, and if I take any more, I will use them as fuel for grills and barbecues.
Shame on the Government. Shame on you, Orbán.
Oh, and another...this one is really shameful...
http://budapestbeacon.com/featured-articles/lazar-says-state-not-bug-ngos-office/34907
..and this...
http://budapestbeacon.com/featured-articles/hungarian-banker-and-media-mogul-zoltan-speder-in-governments-sights/34902

This won't stop them. either...
http://budapestbeacon.com/news-in-brief/hungarian-government-appeal-secret-snooping-rejected-european-court/34875
And this just allowed them to use guns on anyone they want...
http://budapestbeacon.com/news-in-brief/hungarian-parliament-modifies-fundamental-law-yet-again/34849 
...really, I can't keep up with this CORRUPTION and ABUSE OF POWER. 

Saturday, June 4, 2016

WQ182 + update

Been a little busy, finished off the Writers Games 2016 Event 4 entry and also Iron Writer Challenge 160 for next week...and now Weekend Quickie 182.
The new novel? Stuck at 40k but I will soon complete the first draft now that I have some time :-)

Sold a paperback 'Manna-X' to a 'friend of a friend' and got back some feedback..."Excellent!"
That's all I need to continue writing, healthy feedback :-)

And now 'Weekend Quickie 182'!
Here's the website link for more 200 word takes...
http://theironwriter.com/the-iron-writer-challenge-weekend-quickie-182
But here's mine, just in case :-)


WQ 182 - image above, Cub Scout talent show, the next day, chaos

There was chaos at the Cub Scout talent show in the local community hall last night when Den Chief Batholomew Timothy Maithewaite, after downing three bottles of vodka and a casket of cider, demonstrated his 'snake in the grass' routine to the families of the Pack members performing. Once the 'snake' was out and allowed to roam, screams and howls ensued and the hall was practically emptied in a matter of seconds. Mrs Magdalene Thorndyke, Head of Entertainment and Drama for the town, was seen to faint before her piano while Den Chief Maithewaite chased those few brave enough to watch an encore out of the building and across the lawn.
A brief announcement was made soon after on the local radio station RU65 by Den Chief Jeffrey Jackson apologizing to those attending the talent show and said that certain individuals will be dealt with according to the rules of the Cub Scout Association.
When asked the next day on his 'activities', Maithewaite, looking pale and unkempt, said that he could not comment on record as to what possibly transpired, but he would be handing out a special badge of 'bravery' to all Tigers at the next Cub Scout meeting.