James Pyles's Blog, page 155

He’s Not Here Anymore

“What did you hope to find after a year?” The question was rhetorical or maybe self-indulgent. He was alone, unlike a year ago when they all gathered to scatter his Dad’s ashes over the land he loved so much. He thought about leaving another rose, but it would just wither and serve no one. What […]

Goldilocks Is All Grown Up

“If your parents find out about this, they’ll kill us.” “They won’t find out. Besides, I’m not a little cub anymore. I’m a big bear.” “I fell in love with you the second I saw you. Maybe even before that.” “I know, Goldie. You’ve told me before. You ate my porridge, sat in my chair, […]

The Princess and the Bear

Catherine and Vincent were in love, but cursed by the evil Bishop of Aquila to forever be apart. She had spurned his blasphemous advances, and though thought to be the faithful servant of the Holy Pope, he in fact was in league with dark and sinister forces. He discovered her affair with Vincent, Captain of […]

Horror in Straw

On a school field trip, third-graders Tony and Martha decided to do a little independent exploring. Slipping away from the rest of the group, they headed into a secluded field. “I think they’re some kind of scarecrows or something.” The boy wrinkled his nose in thought. “That seems silly. I mean they look like they’re […]

Kiesha’s Grand Adventure

Grandpa’s rathole, or what he called his “lab,” was full of devices in a state of desuetude. But the journal that arrived by messenger just five days after the old man’s body had been delivered to the crematorium told Kiesha an entirely different story. The stench she had anticipated wasn’t so bad as she steered […]

Why Does My Wine Glass Look Like That?

Johnny B. and his two companions in “crime” had a merry time of it in first class on their way from London to Sydney. He was late the villain of a popular CW television series, and now taking his musical show on the road, or rather in the air, and he wanted to have a […]

Sacrifice

“You’re going to be fine. Just hang in there. We’ve got heavy equipment coming. We’ll have the two of you out of there in an hour.” “What?” Ben Howard was on his knees. How did he get here? Wait. The earthquake. The little girl was going to be killed. Somehow he managed to push her […]

The Girl Who Liked Pteranodons

“Grandpa, I want to color.” The almost three-year-old girl showed the new box of crayons to the old man. “But I thought you said you wanted to go to the park after dinner.” Her blue eyes brightened. “I go to the park.” She dropped the box on the floor and went hunting for her shoes. “Hey, […]

The Unknown Children

Six-year-old Otilia cried herself to sleep every night for the past two weeks, ever since mother sold her to the man. The man took her and four other children in a truck, hiding them in big boxes. Now she was at her new home, the mansion of a rich man in Gaborone. The maid gave […]

Am I Wasting My Time Trying to Become a Published Science Fiction/Fantasy Author?

I read a wide variety of information sources, including conservative and liberal news, social media, and blogging outlets, in an effort to stay informed. I find that no one bias tends to render the world as it truly exists (in my opinion), so I try to find a balance between them all. Finding that balance […]