Aaron Polson's Blog, page 70

Ergonomic My...

The principal drones on, and Bob's chair comes to life.

At first, he is only aware of a dull sensation in his buttocks like bits of broken wood poked him through his shorts.

Bob shifts his weight, trying to wake his slumbering muscles. The chair moves with him. The metal feet skid across the tile floor, creating a jarring screech. The other teachers glare, some with mouths open. Voices blur together.

"I never..."

"Bob, really..."

"What's wrong?"

He answers with a yelp. The dull sensation sharpens...

Dead Bait and the Magic Season

Dead Bait has been released, a fantastic collection of 19 horrific tales of weresharks, zombie piranha, and my very own mutated bottom feeders (they evolve before your eyes in "Grim Adaptations"). Good reading for the haunted season.

Speaking of this magical time of year (October, with that most wonderful of holidays, Halloween, is just around the bend), I need some suggestions for reading and watching material. What books, movies, TV shows, etc. do I need to fill up my haunted days? How can I...

WIP Wednesday: Shaving Cream

Yes, Owen (left) and Max (right) playing with shaving cream on our dining room table. These two munchkins are my real "works in progress". Notice how studious they are, investigating the properties of Barbasol.

As for writing, yes, I've been working on a few things. I finished "Climb" (3,400 words) and another short-short, "Guided by Wire" (1,700 words), and both are out in submission land. The real joy of shorts: they leave the nest so soon.

I've started another piece called "Tap, Tap" (...

On Writing in Our Age

I spent some time in a used bookstore last week. The Dusty Bookshelf, with stores in Lawrence and Manhattan (Kansas...not that Manhattan), is a wonderful maze of old paper, words, and dreams. The photo on their website doesn't do the store justice. I've never been in the place without books stacked ten to twenty high around the desk.

It's where books go to die (if they are good and lucky). A sort of book Valhalla.

I perused the Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy sections, flipped through the ...

The House Eaters

I've had an offer from Virtual Tales for The House Eaters.

I originally titled this post "Arm Wrestling with Some Demons". I'm going to take the offer, of course, but the future is unknown, and the unknown is filled with shifting shadows which frighten and confuse.

I made some major revisions to the book after guidance from some dear beta readers (thanks). I resubmitted to one agent, and said agent ultimately passed. I let the book sit. I've used "I" too much in this paragraph.

After the ups and...

Old School

I use black thread because of the way it looks against his skin.

Its skin.

But before I sew, I pour in the salt. At first, the stench seeping from its mouth knocks me back, but I hold my nose with one hand, hold out the container with the other, and dump the contents past its rotten teeth. The pile of salt conjures thoughts of sugar or a small hill of snow. Must taste awful though, if the poor thing still can taste.

Then, the stitches. I push my needle--a heavy upholstery needle from that little...

Of a Split Mind

Last night was the annual rules meeting for Speech/Drama coaches. For those of you who don't know, I spend a number of Saturdays each spring with teenagers who like to "act". (beyond the usual adolescent drama)

On the way to the meeting (a nice 35 minute drive), I was listening to NPR. British commandos rescued a reporter for the New York Times, Stephen Farrell. Farrell's Afghan interpreter (a fellow reporter), Sultan M. Munadi, was killed in the raid. The NPR piece told a little about Mr...

WIP Wednesday: Huzzah for the Short Form!

Okay, I ended my first draft of Loathsome on Monday with a sub-stellar word count of 62K. With 10-15K of needed additions, I can sit with that.

Now (rubs hands together), I can write some short stories. First up to bat: "Climb". I'm about 1,000 words in, and like what's shaping up thus far. The finished product should land around 2500-3000 words.
The elder god, M'bori Sangu, sleeps in his shrine at the center of the plateau. Before each rainy season, the five villages bring their best dishes...

This is the End?

I "finished" my first draft of Loathsome yesterday. Finished is such a funny word, isn't it? That...thing is far from "finished". I hate the book right now. I'm sure it's total crap.

*sigh*
We'll see how I feel in a month. For now, I'm thrilled to be back in the realm of short stories. My "catalog" is thin, and a few tales have languished on my flash drive, waiting for revisions. Short stories won't make me rich or famous, but I never claimed those goals, anyway.

Tickle, Tickle

At first it's just a pencil.

The lead breaks again, and Wade jams it into the electric sharpener. Under the sound of the whirring motor, a scream, discordant, sharp. Wade jumps back; the pencil falls to the ground.

Where the lead used to be, a tail stretches out, coils, and straightens. The thing is twice as long as the pencil shaft now. It swells, and little legs sprout at the sides. Wade scambles to his desktop, knocking notebooks to the floor.

The black serpentine thing works up the side of ...