I’m writing again, after a two year break.  It’s rough, like starting over.  Ugh.  But, I’m well into a tale of death, revenge, and redemption.  This chapter is a work-in-progress.  Posting it here helps keep me motivated.   ------------------------------------------------------------ Arnica slipped the black 9mm with a leather grip into the battered Nike gym bag. The sound of the zipper ripped through the silence of the motel room. S...

Finished the Round Robin Story, which I titled Red Star in my head. Don't worry, no one expects you to read it.  (Though ruthless emails explaining when you lost interest and why, things like what is not working are/were appreciated.) It took 4 months of fitful, sometimes obsessive writing, in-between this little thing called life, to get the story of my imagination onto 316 pages in Word, which translates to roughly 100,000 words.  And its not so much a story as an obese ...

CLASSIFIED AURIC SOCIETY The Auric Society, formed in 1901, is a secret society of wealthy, ruthless, self proclaimed adventurers.   Our goal is to acquire world dominion by discovering gold in unexplored and dangerous regions of the world. In all but a handful of cases, this goal is a reality. The following journal entries were found after Robert St. James, an elite member, disappeared in the jungle of New Guinea while exploring a possible gold vein in1933.   ...

Went to a baby shower a few weeks ago. Don't worry this isn't about that. We played a game, and I thought it would be a great JUWC challenge, but I am mixing it up a bit. Below is a list of words.  There is one word for every letter of the alphabet.  Read through the DEFINITIONS first and see if a storyline jumps out at you.....then write a short story, scene, act, whateva...while using every single word.  (Sometimes when I am having writer's bloc...

Tabbitha looked up from the laptop into the dark blue eyes of a man she could only describe as, yuuuuummy.  The sounds of the coffee house seemed to recede when she tuned her whole attention to the man before her. Tall, yes he was definitely tall, at least six feet two inches.  Her neck hurt to stare up at him. Levis.  Very few men looked bad in a pair of tight Levis, but some looked so scrumptious they rivaled the sticky doughy treats in the pastry case not five feet f...

Link   Chapter 34   Verin’s four stubby leather wings echoed dryly in the dark chamber as he circled round and round the tower’s perimeter.   The dust, disturbed after decades of slumber, fell on invisible waves and landed atop the rotting bed canopy.   A lone figure lay unmoving beneath the heavy blankets.   Dark black hair spilled a shadow on the yellowed pillow, violet eyes stared unseeing at the canopy above.   Verin stop...

Sarah shoved the small brown paper bag into an over sized black purse.   She wasn’t hiding anything, she told herself.   It was just easier to carry in the purse.   She looked in the rear view mirror.   Tired.   She looked so tired!   And the makeup she applied to hide the dark rings under her eyes, made them look worse.   She sighed and looked longingly at the black purse.   No.  Not now, you have too much to do today.   Focus...

Location   I based Jude’s locale loosely on a map of southeastern Arizona.   If you go straight west of Drake, and straight North from Bagdad, where the line intersects, that’s Jude.   Carr County and Drake County are fictitious.   As far as I know there are no counties by those names in Arizona.   I created highway 30 to run from highway 89 to Jude.   All the other highways mentioned are real, though I don&rsquo...

Chapter 7   The faded white clap board house looked exactly like it did six years ago.   The outhouse still stood outback, though leaning precariously to one side.   Several dirty children played in the dirt which Jake supposed was once a lawn.     The creaky screen door burst open and a large bear of a man stepped out on the porch.   He wore stained jeans, cowboy boots, and no shirt.   His dirty brown hair was slicked back.   He bra...

Chapter 5   Jake pushed open the door to Kelly’s shortly after noon.   The place was packed.   Ranch hands in dirty jeans with sweat stained Stetsons in their laps, sat among shop owners and clerks in various attire.   The general din was barely below a roar.    Jake saw a hand go up in the back, made eye contact with Myrr, and nodded.   Steven Myrr was almost six feet tall, around 160 pounds.   Sharp angeled cheek bones protruded f...

Chapter 3   “I’m sorry Sheriff,” the barely five foot tall Hispanic receptionist at the Carr County Courthouse said.   “Sheriff Myrr isn’t in his office.”   “How convenient,” Deputy Adams muttered.   Jake wasn’t having any luck today, getting to work late and missing Ike Miller, then his truck not being ready, and now a new receptionist when he was on fairly good terms with the old one.   &ld...

JUDE   Chapter 1   “ She never mentions the word addiction, in certain company ,” ejaculated the overloud alarm clock.   Jake moaned.   6am already?   Where the hell did the weekend go?   And why did it feel like a tom cat shit in his mouth?   Without cracking an eye, he reached a heavy hand over and hit snooze.   Ten more minutes would do him, and his employer, a world of good.   “You up?” &...

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." - Albert Einstein                                      ...

Chapter 28   Mikael found Gainrel in what was fast becoming his habitual place, behind Baran Wardex who at the moment was sitting at the head of the Alai.   Mikael gave a quick nod of recognition to Thaddeus, the Legna assigned Baran, then to each of the other Legna standing behind their Wardex.   Golden breast plates gleamed from an internal light and each wore a stoic expression upon his face.   A silver sword was strapped to every hip.   “Cade l...

Samanda was trembling and backing away slowly.   “He will kill you when he sees it.   He will kill you and drink your blood.”     Mikota took a step forward.   “The King?”     Samanda shook her head.   “No, no, the other one.   The Shifter.”     Mikota shivered.   There were rumors in the castle shifters often visited the king, attempting an alliance.   But sh...