Justin Pyfrom's Blog, page 16

26th Short Story Released

No one knows how, why, or when this new pandemic occurred. But it doesn’t matter now because one man has realized how to put it to an end…and it’s all on in his handwriting.

It is available for Amazon Kindle.

You Know What They Say About Good Intentions

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven..”
― John Milton, Paradise Lost

The duality of Hell

I have to say. My boss, Hamed, is a spectacular job bringing this story to life on his first photoshoot. To this day, I never expected him to say “Yes”. Martin had to keep reminding me that this project of mine was something very special and people were taking notice of it. Nevertheless, I’m over the moon that Hamed was willing to take part in this little project of mine. I say “little” because the project that I’m going to be working on for next year is going to be quite grand. But that’s not what I want to talk about today. I want to share some “Behind-The-Pen” secrets of What Fresh Hell?

This is the only story that had a focus on hell, instead of heaven, and it gave my brother pause. I mean, a long pause. I didn’t show – or told – my mother or grandmother about this story because I didn’t want them to panic.  That or have their friends judge me through them. Nobody got time for that.

Anyway, the title “What Fresh Hell?” came after the story was backward for me because I usually have the title for the story after the outline. I didn’t know how to title the story without giving it away; it was a pretty straightforward story with a linear plot. It had only one main character and the story was told in the first person. Side note, first-person isn’t really my choice of narrator. I mean, I know how to write in the first person but, if I can help it, I very much prefer the third-person perspective in my writing. It gives me more freedom, you know?

However, I tried writing this story in the first person and it just wasn’t working for me. Everybody was in the same situation – and circumstances and there was no room for multiple conversations – observation. It was quickly made clear to me that I need to focus on one person and have that person talk about his current predicament. By making that switch, I managed to write that story in around two days. Everything just…clicked.

Remember the saying “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. Yeah, I took that to the next level for the main character as I just took the crime that brought him to his current destination and all the events leading up to it including his childhood. Also, point of order, I don’t think I have to explain where he is because the reader will quickly figure it out. I mean, it’s not hard. I came to accept that so it gave me the freedom to play around with the surroundings and really put the main character through the wringer. It was just too much fun.

Interesting fact, I originally had the main character to be of Latin descent. But, after working with Hamed and noticing how fantastic of a job he did, I went back to make the main character Arabic. Trust me, he deserves it and I only had to give him one clear instruction: “Go back to the worst thing you’ve ever done before dying and going to hell”. It took a moment but the moment after that was just pure magic. I have to find a way to get him on another cover; that talent can’t be wasted. If you don’t believe me, see for yourself. And, with that, I hope you enjoy the story.

You can buy the book on Amazon. The link is here.

You can also learn about it on Goodreads. The link for it is here.

25th Short Story Released

There are so many questions that he wants to be answered but doesn’t know where to start. Wait, that’s not true. He does have one question to start with: “Where the hell is he?”

It is available for Amazon Kindle.

A Clear Wrong Way To Grieve

Time is cruel. It punishes. I mean, we sentence people to time.

-Maureen Cahill, Lethal Weapon,1×07 “Fashion Police”

The duality of grief and memories

A Walk To Remember was the story that didn’t have a personal link to me but to what a friend said to me. Actually, it one of few short stories from this project that I didn’t make personal. I think because of that fact that I was able to keep it completely ground in science fiction. I wouldn’t call it mundane science fiction (a new term I’ve learned) because I did put one technologically advance software in there but I didn’t make it the focal point. My point was tackling the process of griefing, specifically the “wrong” way of doing it.

Now, a friend of mine suffered the loss in the family while I was doing security and I offered my ear. While talking about who we have lost over the years on this earth, he said something that really stood out to me. He told me that the memories were so powerful that he can’t get them out of his mind and wished that he could. I asked if he really meant that and, to my surprise, he said, “Yes”. It was something I never expected anybody to say.

I mean, I’ve lost countless people in my life, my dad being the biggest loss. I still have his face in my mind along with all the memories we shared. Well, mainly the emotional attachment to those memories. Nonetheless, I don’t think I would want to give up those memories just to make the pain go away. It’s not healthy, you know? But, I was looking at my friend and all the pain he was in and I could understand why he felt that way at that time. It was too much. Damn near overbearing and I knew that it was never going to go away – not completely. I don’t care what anyone says. Time doesn’t heal.

So, when writing A Walk To Remember, I wanted to keep the same emotion. Everything in the story played off the theme of memory as I had the main character go through everything she was told to do while giving the reader subtle jabs of emotional suspense. Since I knew my readers are just as intelligent as me – if not more, I figured that they got the idea that something happened – the what and who if you will. I just wasn’t going to tell them how, why, when, or where. Again, the idea was to get the reader emotionally invested before ripping their hearts.

Doing all that required a complete timeline of the main character’s life so I can then choose which event I wanted to plant into the story to keep the reader emotionally interested.  You know…now that I’m saying this out loud, I think this is my first time doing a completely sad story with no happy ending. It was quite delightful, really. I honestly didn’t think I was capable of it since my writing tends to lean towards…well…other emotions. Even the twist at the end doesn’t really satisfy anybody because the pain is still there, much like grief. And, with that, I hope you enjoy the story.

You can buy the book on Amazon. The link is here.

You can also learn about it on Goodreads. The link for it is here.

24th Short Story Released

Ava is a woman with a daily routine that is meant to be therapeutic. But she doesn’t see it that way and wants to escape it all. She wants to forget it all and will do anything to make it happen.

It is available for Amazon Kindle.

My First Glance At The Abyss

Let no man pull you so low as to hate him.”

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

The duality of criminology

What if I actually acted on my darkest thought in my youth?

A Dialogue Among United Darkness was that one story that was needed to purge out of my system. This story was something that tugging at me for the longest time because it was one of the darkest moments in my teen years. It’s not a moment that I’m particularly proud of and the fact that I’m willing to relive it all is a big step for me. Now, let me start from the beginning.

I remembered it like it was yesterday. I was feeling good about the fact that I was getting a hold of my gift and was writing stories that were intriguing me. And, then, it happened. My cousins came in and ruin it. They send their usual waves of invalidation and blatant bullying while claiming that they were just “preparing me for the real world” with their usual evil smirk. It was at the moment that I said what I said: “If you don’t leave me, I will grab a knife and drive it into your heart.”

The room went silent and my grandma looked at me with a face that was riddled in shocked sadness. I think she felt like she failed to provide proper support against my cousins and didn’t know what to say at the time. But it was my cousins’ response that created a full rift between us.  They wanted to call my buff and I responded by going into the kitchen and grabbing the knife while making it clear that I would kill them and sleep like a baby because I would have rid the world of them. Now that got their attention and they shut their mouth as my grandma held me back. Their eyes of shock and horror stayed with me and the idea of A Dialogue Among United Darkness was born.

I only used my two biggest adversaries for this story: my cousin, Dominque, and his father, Dwayne. They took a huge joy around my life miserable didn’t like it when I was happy. So, when I made that threat, I never saw them again. I guess it either because they got the reaction that I wanted or they didn’t anticipate that level of reaction. But I highly doubt that they were afraid of me. They were not invited to my Trunk Party and I even blocked them on all social media when I got to college. Along with my other cousins, they attempted to make amends with me, but I wasn’t hearing it which my grandma wasn’t a fan of but understood nevertheless. So, when I wrote the story I made the characters similar to my relationship with them.

I took cues from my favorite gothic writer and wanted to explore the criminal mind. Not all criminals are socio- and psychopath. Some of them just snapped and did something that was out of character for them. That would have been me if it wasn’t for my grandma calming me down. Of course, I wasn’t going to do such a heinous act of violence. I definitely don’t have the stomach for blood and I sure as hell wouldn’t survive in prison. Plus, I have a future to contend to and I wasn’t going to let a group of nobodies ruin it for me. But I didn’t tell them that. I wanted them to leave me alone and the mere thought was more implanted in their mind. That’s what I wanted to focus on. Both sides.

The main character isn’t meant to be me though it does look that way when you read it. Instead, it meant to represent the yin to the other character’s yang. Or is it the other way around…I forget. Anyway, I also wanted to show what could happen to a victim of bullying and abuse if someone doesn’t step in at the right moment. I found this story to be therapeutic because I was able to get the rest of my rage I had for my cousins out of my system.

Actually, come to think of it, the twist that I have at the end of the story was very satisfying for me. However, my brother wasn’t too much of a fan and prays that my cousins don’t read it. The thought crossed my mind but I really care if they read it. It’s better that I wrote it and got the rage out of my system. I don’t – nor will ever – forgive them but, at least, I don’t hate them. And, with that, I hope you enjoy the story.

You can buy the book on Amazon. The link is here.

You can also learn about it on Goodreads. The link for it is here.

23rd Short Story Released

After waiting for so long, a prolific crime writer gets to have his coveted interview with an infamous killer. But the two of them seem to have a lot more in common – and more connected – than they realize.

It is available for Amazon Kindle.

A Response To The Bullying

“Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.”
― Robert Frost

The duality of Knowledge

As you may already know from previous entries, I was bullied for a copious amount of reasons, both in and out of my family. Interestingly enough, it was always because of my intelligence and my willingness to learn new things. Moreover, I got most of the bullying from my family – mostly my cousins – because they were more determined to change me into something they can approve of. The key thing they wanted me to change was my passion for knowledge i.e. me being a bookworm. Reflecting on this gave me an interesting premise for Knowledge Flaunted.

Now, I’ve never been one for flaunting my knowledge. I’m capable of acknowledging my shortcomings and love to learn new things as long as they, of course, interest me. I also try my hardest not to make other people look, or feel, dumb because of The Golden Rule. You know…”treat people the way you want to be treated.” However, I really don’t like it when smart people try to tear down people and make it seem like they’re the smartest in the room. I have been guilty of that in my younger years (I think I was a senior in high school) and it took a major shot to my ego to make me see sense. I had to learn that I’m not the smartest person in the world.

But, going back to my cousins, they never liked me for me. But, contradictory to their disdain of me, they had a habit of requesting to utilize the very thing they want to make me feel bad about. They wanted me to tutor them or guide them and I would quickly – and happily – say “No!” Of course, I would be chastised about it and my aunts and uncles would try to gaslight while invalidating my feelings. But I would always double down and make it clear that I will be offering my services to people who don’t value or deserve them. A constant headache of a cycle, if there ever was one.

Anyway, as I continued to reflect on my cousin’s and foes’ treatment of my intelligence, I began to realize something. I began to keep my intelligence to myself. Not dumbing myself down. Never that. I learned my lesson back in my middle years. No, what I was doing was keeping quiet about my intelligence and how to say something when it was necessary. Admittingly, later in life, I used my intelligence to put “know-it-all” smartasses in their place. I hate when people think they have the right to devalue people because of their difference in intelligence. But, strangely, over the years, I began to realize that I was separating myself from my mind and becoming cold in the process. I mean really cold. Like giving quick knowledge and then walking away. I don’t gloat, comment, or even acknowledge it and, eventually, it was brought to my attention.

So, looking back to that road in my life in accepting what I worked so hard to acquire, I decided to reflect that same feeling I had into the world I was creating for this short story. I wanted to make the world as cold as I was with my intelligence. I also did a little something with the characters in the story but I don’t want to spoil anything. Besides, I like to see if my readers can figure out what I’m conveying to them in my work. and this is no different. I wonder how many people can figure what I did and how I did it. It would be fun. And, with that, I hope you enjoy the story.

You can buy the book on Amazon. The link is here.

You can also learn about it on Goodreads. The link for it is here.

22nd Short Story Released

The government has made it a law now. Everybody has to take an IQ test before they are allowed to work and one man has to be the one to administer it despite how he really feels about it all.

It is available for Amazon Kindle.

I Think Britney Spears Was On To Something

Look at you, gettin’ more than just a re-up
Baby, you got all the puppets with their strings up
Fakin’ like a good one, but I call ’em like I see ’em

– The Outsyders. (2008). Womanizer [Recorded by Britney Spears]. Circus. New York City: Jive Records. (2008).

The duality of a womanizer.

What if there was a way to punish womanizers?

I remember being told that it’s not illegal to be a jerk. It was during a seminar about narcissism and dealing with them in the legal system. They (psychologist) enlightened me – and everybody who tuned it – that the judge doesn’t care about the diagnosis as their dockets are pretty full unless it’s already been filed and presented.  Furthermore, it’s technically not illegal to be an insufferable arsehole. The same can be said about womanizers. It’s not illegal but it’s sure as hell immoral and deplorable. But the inspiration behind The Woes of Men and Sex came far before watching that seminar. Actually, it took place in college.

While I was in college, I had a frienemy that didn’t like the fact that I was a Christian and a virgin. In fact, he was hellbent on trying to turn me into him. He wanted me to sleep around with multiple women and wouldn’t insult my faith and ethnics because of it. Even to this day, I don’t like the idea to sleep around. If there’s an agreement, that’s a different story. But this man didn’t bother with that and would insult the women if they approach him about this while making them out to be the bad guy. I watched all of this and had no problem calling him out on his bullshit. That was something he didn’t like. Not even in the slightest.

He wasn’t the first sociopathic womanizer I’ve come across in my life. And, yes, I said sociopathic because they weren’t that organized; otherwise, they would be called psychopaths. But that also leads to how I constructed the story.

I wanted to mirror my disgust and desire for retribution in this story. I wanted the reader to understand my frustration with these species of men that think it’s okay to hurt these women and discard them as conquests. I also wanted to serve as a cautionary tale to all men about the sword-edge sword of entitlement. Remembering all of my conversations with these pathetic men, I always remembered their smug sense of entitlement in their tone as if they had every right to treat these women like they did. It was that toxic set that I wanted to be their undoing because, in hindsight, it would be eventually. Besides, as they would soon figure out, entitlement works both ways.

It took about a week to create the ultimate nightmare for a womanizer. I went about in a way that made my brother laugh as he called me a sadist. See, womanizers don’t respect women. Not really, anyway. So, I decided to create a race of women that could exploit that way of thinking while making them irresistible to the heterosexual male. I won’t give too much away but my brother will tell you that the fate of the main character, which was the embodiment of all the womanizers I’ve ever encountered, was quite a sight…and a little unfair. Nevertheless, he enjoyed it so much that he passed it along before I even got a chance to make this post. Haha! And, with that, I hope you enjoy the story.

You can buy the book on Amazon. The link is here.

You can also learn about it on Goodreads. The link for it is here.