Jacob Power's Blog, page 4

Key Slapper

Though it’s not the best photo and it’s dark, it’s a picture of my daughter years ago beginning to lay claim to my typewriter

For those of you who don’t know a key slapper is someone, like myself, who learned how to type on a typewriter. At least, that’s what I like to think. Now, I’m not a curmudgeon, or a luddite, or anything of that sort. I like to think of myself, or my generation, as the last to experience that of the old, while all the new gadgets came about. Remember the 90’s? When a f...

So what’s going on?

There’s been a lot going on since the last time I posted. In addition to the flash fiction posts I’ve been busy working on a short story I hope to finish soon. Then it will be a round of proofing, editing, and so on before self-publishing this as well. A few of the characters either made an appearance, or were mentioned in “Frank Winston,” are in this one as well. It’s my plan to have a series of short stories that will be related based on some of the characters in each of the tales. Kind of...

Whiskey Kiss

Here is this week’sChuck Wendig Flash Fiction Challenge. This week’s challenged is the Random Cocktail Generator. What happens is you go here, or here, where a random cocktail is named. The name is the title of the author’s 1000 word short story. Thiswas mine. Enjoy.

Whiskey Kiss

It’s simple math, really. You take today’s date and subtract twenty-one years. If the ID of the person in front of you is before that date, they’re good, if not they go away.

“Five bucks,” I say, holding my hand up r...

High Stealing

This is a submission to Chuck Wendig’s Flash Fiction Challenge: Ten Random Sentences. The object was to use one of the sentences provided, write a story under 1000 words, and post it. I managed to squeeze two of the sentences in there. Enjoy.

High Stealing

There are different types of junkies, and my drug comes from doing something than taking something. The planning phase is where it starts. Lining up all the waypoints, the dominoes of how a plan should go, then letting the whole thing fall on...

Review and Reflections on Cheryl Strayed’s “Wild”

Currently I’m reading/listening to the book “Wild,” by Cheryl Strayed. I’m not sure why I decided to give it a go, but I had noticed this book probably for over a year, I’m not entirely sure of the timeline. A white book with a brown hiking boot and red laces stands out in the crowd. I remember picking it up and looking over the description and putting it down. I do that a lot. Mostly because I feel I don’t have any money worth losing for more stuff to accumulate in my house, and the realizat...

Heading North for the Winter

Here is something from the vault I wrote several years back. It’s a true story, and seems like a lifetime ago. To put this in a time perspective I would have to say this was some time around December 2002 or 2003. Enjoy.

Heading North for the Winter

Everyone thought we were either crazy or stupid for doing what we did, but I was in a state of joyful madness about the whole thing. It began when a friend of mine, James, asked me if I’d assist him in an endeavor for his soon to be pregnant fiancé....

Getting back to the craft.

So it’s been a weekend and I did the one thing I did not want to do. I was lazy, and didn’t spend time writing. To be fair, or maybe this is just an excuse, I did publish my short story “Frank Winston” last week. I did comment on a blog that seemed to express the same position I find myself in. I did a lot of research about book promotions that has left my head spinning. I did open a Goodreads account, and I am still figuring it out. I did get to spend time with my wife, and kids while we vis...

ANNOUNCEMENT: Short Story Now for Sale

My short story, “Frank Winston,” is now available on Amazon, and Kindle Unlimited. I’ve written about this story before here on the blog. You can read a sample of it here. It’s a tale of two old guys who are crass and ornery. Think Grumpy Old Men, but in the mob (to a slight extent). They haven’t had the best of luck in their years and seem to give each other the same amount of trouble that they get themselves into.

Here is the blurb.

Frank Winston is not just one guy, but two elderly ex-cons t...

No Excuse for Excuses

So here we go. Why shouldn’t I write? The reasons vary and the list can venture into something as trivial as re-arranging your sock drawer. But that’s not what I’m going to talk about here. There are several, I’m sure, versions of this type of rant on the internet so indulge me and read on if you will. This is my little pep talk for me, and you if you like, to get some shit done. This is my way of putting the excuse back on itself, and realize if I want to be a writer then there is only one t...

Coming Soon

I’ve decided to publish a short story I wrote sometime last year and publish it on Amazon. It’s titled “Frank Winston,” and I’ve put a sample of the story here. As of right now I am doing somerevision/editing work to the story, putting together a description, and finalizing the cover art. I’m hoping to have the finished product up and available in a week or so.