The Little Thief, a short story

I've decided to post my recently finished short story The Little Thief. I've added it as a page. Feel free to read it, and if you'd like to leave any comments, please leave them on this post.

The Writer's Brave New World

Today's world of e-publishing gives writers a chance to publish all forms of fiction and a place to publish them. The number of publications before e-publishing that accepted short stories and short novels were few and far between. Now, there's a place for almost anything a writer wants to do. To my way of thinking, this is a tremendous improvement over the pre-e-publishing world. Until recently, there was little point in writing short stories, because so few magazines wanted them, and the few who did want them were extremely selective. Your story had to fit their orientation. Today, your short story can fit your orientation, and possibly a lot of readers' orientations as well.

RaShelle Workman wrote a post on her blog Rashelle Workman "the-novelette-and-novella-rule" about the advantages of writing novelettes and novellas. Basically, they're short (novelette 7.5k-17.5k words, novella 17.5k-40k words). Like novels, they have a plot arch or character arch, but they are fast-paced, with little back story and few or no subplots. And, according to her, characters should be drawn vividly.

Recently, I've turned primarily to writing short stories. I hope to write about forty to fifty of them this year, and self-publish them in several e-books. There's always the possibility that one or two of these stories will turn into novelettes or novellas. I'm open to any possibility. I'm no longer tied to the old model of querying literary agents, who query publishers, and then publish as a novel or possibly a collection of short stories if you're a NY Times bestselling novelist. I write what I want to write and self-publish it in the best format possible.

I know several other writers who are writing and self-publishing short novels as e-books. I've seen single short stories self-published as stand alone e-books. It's a new world of publishing. You have the choice of following the old model or the new or some blend of the two. The key is to write as much as you can and put it out there, and to do it as professionally as possible. We no longer have to wait and follow a tortuously slow publishing process.

To me, this is the writer's Brave New World.

Writing Short Stories (2)

My plan this year to write about fifty short stories and publish them in a series of collections of about 12-15,000 words each is coming along. I've just finished writing the fifth story for the first collection, which will be about 13,000 words altogether. I now have to revise and polish these stories, design a book cover, and publish them on Amazon. I'd like to get it done within one to two weeks. I also hope to write one or two new stories for the next collection while I'm finishing this first collection. It'll be a challenge. But I'm up for it.

I haven't felt this much excitement or optimism about writing in a very long time. I've basically accomplished my goal thus far. I'm eager to see how it all plays out. Sometimes, I wonder if I'll ever work on a novel again. This is just so much more pleasant. The requirements for a short story are much different than those for a novel, much looser. I guess the question is, do I have fifty stories in me. A couple of months ago, I wasn't sure I had even one story within me. So putting out five in about five weeks has surprised me, pleasantly. 

Rebirth as an Artist.

I'm excited with my new approach to writing and blogging. Thus far, I'm satisfied, even a bit ecstatic, over my new writing of short stories. I'm finding new inspiration in some of the new blogs I'm following. This reaching out to different blogs focusing on different subjects--philosophy, art, poetry, music, photography, self-discovery--plus my second drawing course, has rejuvenated me. I feel reborn: a new person. I'm happier now than I have been in a long, long time. Stepping out of your old ways into new ways of viewing life and doing things is powerful. I highly recommend it.

It amazes me that, at 66 years old, I can feel this way. It's not a 66-year-old feeling. It's a childlike one.

My drawing courses and my attempt to work with pastels has taken a bit of time out of my days. But, it's a time I'm beginning to look forward to more and more.  My artistic talent is minimal, but it feels huge in my mind. Perhaps it's a delusion. But I'm having fun with it.

Tanya Reimer told me I should write for men, men's stories, which is part of my move to crime fiction. That's a man-thing, isn't it? I know, a lot of females write crime fiction.

I don't know where this fascination with criminal minds comes from. I think it's in part because we know, deep down inside, committing a crime is something we'd all do if the right circumstances came about. Many of us have already committed crimes during our lives. Perhaps they were petty crimes, stealing something from a friend, beating someone up, breaking something that belongs to someone else. Perhaps some of us have committed more serious crimes. There's a dark side to everyone, a shadow side, and to ignore it is to do so at your own peril.

How long and how deeply I'll delve into crime fiction is yet to be determined. All I know for sure is the ideas are swirling, and that's a good thing.

Rule of Three Contest--week 2

Today is week two of the Rule of Three contest, in which we post the continuation of our short stories for the contest. My first post is here: http://richard-writingandliving.blogspot.com/2011/10/rule-of-three-contest.html

I used the prompt: a character lies to another in an important matter.

Here is week two's entry:

            “Hello,” said the man on my left. “It’s a pleasure having you here in Renaissance. Please let me buy you a drink.”

 He had the most intense green eyes I had ever seen. Having no money, I had to accept his offer.

            “What would you like, Miss …?”

            “My name is Camilla.”

            “Camilla,” he said, straightening his red silk tie, “I’m Prince Giovanni. What shall it be?”

            “I’d be happy with a glass of wine.”

            “A goblet of wine for my lady,” he said to the barmaid. The beautiful young woman gave me the most curious smile, as if she knew something I did not know.

            I studied the prince carefully as I said, “I’m grateful for your generosity, my lord.”

            “It’s nothing. It’s my duty and pleasure. I’m here to guide you through Renaissance.”

            How is this possible? I wondered. How could he have known I was coming? “Why do I need a guide, my lord?”

            “Renaissance is a beautiful place, but it is not without its dangers.”

            “Prince Giovanni, I assure you, I am not afraid.”

            “You are brave then?”

            “I am afraid of nothing, my lord.”

            “That’s all the more reason you need a guide. Nothing here is as it seems.”

            “What do you mean, my lord?”

            “Take that man on your right. He seems friendly enough, but he is a rogue—a villain.”

            I looked at the man on my right. He had the most intense blue eyes I had ever seen. He did not look like a villain. I turned back to Prince Giovanni. “What do I have to fear of him, my lord?”

            “I cannot tell you, Camilla. It’s a secret.”

            My nerves began to tingle. My true fearfulness was beginning to assert itself. Maybe I did need a guide. “How do I know you’re not a rogue—a villain?”

            “I am a prince. I’m of noble blood. My blood is pure.”

            “How am I to know that, my lord?”

            “I will take you at sunset to the old silver mine just north of town and show you.”

            “My lord, how am I to know in advance that it’s safe to go there with you?”

            “Did you not tell me you’re afraid of nothing?”

            “That’s true, my lord.”

            “Then it’s agreed. You will go with me at sunset.”

            “But, my lord--”

            “I must take my leave, Camilla. You can trust me. I will meet you here at six-forty-six—sunset.”

            “But, my lord,” I said as he bowed to me, strolled out of the tavern, and disappeared.

            What have I done? My hand shook as I picked up the golden goblet.

            The barmaid began to chuckle, looking at me as if I were a fool.

             I took a long drink of wine from the golden goblet. The wine tasted sweet. It began to steady my nerves. Thank goodness for wine. Without it I would have revealed my true nature.

            I heard shuffling on my right and looked over at the man sitting there.

(To be continued)

Rule of Three Writing Contest

I've been invited to join in on the Rule of Three writing contest, in which a short story is written over a period weeks using the rule of three. The setting of the story is a town called Renaissance, and it has a history. If you're interested in taking part in the contest, go to http://amloki.blogspot.com/p/sign-up-for-rule-of-three-blogfest.html . I haven't written a short story in years, maybe ten years or more. So it will be a challenge. I'll be using the story I started on the Platform-Builders Campaigner in a previous post of mine. At this point I have no idea where this story is going, but I'll do some thinking, planning, and executing soon. It'll be a challenge for me, but one I think I'll enjoy. It looks as if I'm going to be writing in a genre I've never written before (except for a story I wrote in high school back in the 60's--that tells you how old I am)--horror. Yikes. I would never have believed it. But, what the heck. I'm so fascinated by Roland Yeoman's blog http://rolandyeomans.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-do-you-get-when-you-cross.html that I want to try it. Anyway, I'm hoping some of my friends will take part. See you there if the forces are with us.