Living the Fictional Dream

Hi, everyone! I hope you all had a nice of a weekend as I did! Plenty of writing time, reading time, and family and friend time. Also a nice evening by the campfire. Why can’t we have five-day weekends every week? Heck, I’d settle for once a month!

When I got back to town and re-connected to the Internet, I found the notice that the new issue of Mirror Dance is online. It includes my story, “Hair’s Breadth,” and, as I discovered when I went over to check out the new issue, it includes a story from my writing group mate, Sandra, as well — “The Cackle of an Old Crone.” This is her first publication, so congratulations, Sandra!!!

Everyone should go read both stories when you get the chance. Mirror Dance is a blog-style e-zine, so you can leave comments there, if you want. And, of course, if you like a story of mine, a comment here to let me know is never amiss.

Now for a little more about the writing of my story (includes some spoilers, if you haven’t already read the story yet).

“Hair’s Breadth” is a disturbing little flash piece about a love spell gone awry. It started life as a writing prompt that used characters from one of my novels, but in that version, it had a much different (and happier) ending. The main character in that version of the story couldn’t endanger his true love like that. This version explores the creepier and darker ramifications of love spells.

My favorite part of this story is Elg, the hag. Something about her really leaps off the page to me. I’ve always wondered what nefarious plans she actually had. Obviously, her signature was heavy on the zombie-fied girl in this story. I don’t think that Elg was actually inhabiting her body, but I do wonder what the hag got out of it. Perhaps she will appear in another story or flash piece someday.

And now, I must go! I have to write 7K and get my NaNo novel validated — all by midnight tonight. That gives me about 10 hours. I’m pretty sure I can do it, but I’d better get started!