Austin Briggs's Blog, page 63
September 30, 2011
There Is No Child Within Danny Taylor
"Little Danny Taylor, all grown up I see, not a bit like your father was."
"No sir, not a bit like my father, I do not drink, I do not gamble, and I do not consort with hoodlums."
"Ha, yes, then what exactly is your business?"
"Your end, sir."
There Is No Child Within Danny Taylor is a post from: Aztec Books
September 28, 2011
September Contest Judging
What a month it has been – I've received a great number of absolutely amazing 55-word flash stories this month, some of them written by successful fiction writers.
I'm excited about the coming end of the month, when we'll need to select and award the top stories. I also dread that moment. The selection will be tough.
So I'm grateful to Emily Suess from Suess's Pieces, who kindly offered a helping hand judging the September contest entries. Here's Emily's bio:
Emily Suess is a freelance writer and editor in Indianapolis, Indiana. She currently specializes in creative non-fiction and web copywriting, but her past experience includes positions as assistant editor at Children's Digest magazine, editorial assistant at The Saturday Evening Post, and writer's assistant to young adult fiction writer and Printz Award winner, John Green.
Emily has been published in Indiana Insight and is a regular contributor for Small Business Bonfire and Naptown Buzz. She blogs about writing, freelancing and more at Suess's Pieces.
This is how the judgement will go this month:
The contest will close for entries on Sep 30, midnight Geneva time (the Swiss Geneva, not in Illinois).
Emily and I will select the winning entries based on the clear criteria published before by Oct 3. We may get influenced by the number of positive votes, but it isn't the sole decision criterion.
I'll publish and award the Winners by Oct 5.
Then the contest will reopen for October entries. I'll announce the judges in the course of October.
Good luck to all who sent their stories. I had great time reading them, and can't wait to send out my awards.
Meanwhile, if you haven't read and voted for the September stories, read them now. Links are in the sidebar to the right of this article.
September Contest Judging is a post from: Aztec Books
September 27, 2011
Emily
Emily was born a Siamese Twin. Her twin was fully formed, but not visible at birth. She was nourished from deep inside Emily's chest. As tiny as a thimble. As Emily became a talented young woman, she sensed she shared her life and her music with her sister. One day, her twin began to grow.
Emily is a post from: Aztec Books
Promises
"I like to tease," he said, "Can I tease you?"
She looked away.
"You're doing such a great job, I'm your greatest supporter."
"Are you?" she asked.
"Of course," he said, "I will make sure they know how good you are, I promise. We'll have so much fun."
"Okay," she said.
"Okay," he mimicked, laughing.
Promises is a post from: Aztec Books
September 26, 2011
A New Life
The pain was immense. His wife would not make it in time. The little one was coming. Lying back into the double-bed, he brought the knife to his neck, and in one smooth motion, slashed an opening down to his groin. In his last dying breaths, he could feel her squirm free of her prison.
A New Life is a post from: Aztec Books
September 24, 2011
One Won't Hurt
Rachel walked faster as she saw the toy aisle. She wanted to press all the "Try Me" buttons, but was already late for work. Just then, Rachel spotted a light up tiara. Placing it on her head, she whispered, "I'm sure one toy won't hurt." Rachel skipped, knowing that work would have to wait.
Sam Kelley.
One Won't Hurt is a post from: Aztec Books
A King Among Us
The horses raced through the hot wilderness, sun beating down unforgivingly. Hooves violently pounded the earth throwing up dirt. Nostrils flared. The young king had managed to escape the palace and get past the city walls. He thought he was close to safety. But a troop of angry Babylonian soldiers was in hot pursuit.
A King Among Us is a post from: Aztec Books
"I'm sad because you hurt my feelings"
When I was round with potential, I said I would never forget. The way adults do, when they're tall and smarter than their children. But it happens anyway: a tiny face falls, twilight tears. So easy to forget how small she is, how quickly she overflows. A kiss and a promise later, we try again.
"I'm sad because you hurt my feelings" is a post from: Aztec Books
September 22, 2011
A Step Too Far
"Not doing it, no, no."
"You'll regret it".
"Thought I could, but I can't go through with it".
"Do it, you've come this far, do it".
"Oh God, what will my family think of me"?
"Do it. Do it."
"It's my kids I'm thinking about".
"You knew what you were getting into".
"Oh shit, BUNGEEEEEEEE".
A Step Too Far is a post from: Aztec Books
September 21, 2011
People and Their Empires
Considering the economic woes and political discord that plague our society these days, some people have begun to reflect on the decline and fall of great nations throughout history, from the Roman Empire to the British Empire.
I am one of these people.
I grew up in a stable country. It had history, pride, and a bright future. I was taught to love it. I pledged my life to defend it.
My country was an over-achiever. It differed from all others; so much so that some called it a separate civilization. It had its bad times. Some of those times were very bad, but that didn't matter to me, because it was the only place I knew. I loved it.
I remember a story from my middle teens. It marked the beginning of my fascination with societies going through periods of massive change.
I was sitting in a classroom with about thirty other pupils. It was a warm spring day and sunlight was pouring in through the large windows. Our teacher, a small woman with kind, patient eyes behind heavy spectacles, asked us to write an essay on what our country would look like in thirty years.
I raised my hand. "I love science fiction," I said. "Can it be a science fiction story?"
"Certainly." She studied me with a smile, as if readying a humorous comment, then switched her attention to others.
As she answered questions from the rest of the class, I continued to ponder the question. An idea came to me. It seemed so bold, so unusual, that I had to share it immediately. I raised my hand again.
"Yes?"
"About that essay…" I felt my cheeks warm up because all eyes in the class were on me. "So, science fiction is permitted?"
She smiled again. "Science fiction is good. The best writers in that genre are true visionaries."
I felt a renewed rush of blood. "How about just fiction? Without the science?" I asked.
Behind me, someone snorted.
The teacher continued to smile. "Please tell us more."
"Fiction. Well, I don't know yet, but … I could say that Americans have won the Cold War. Our country is falling apart. We're no longer perceived as powerful by the rest of the world. All this…" I made a sweeping gesture with my hand, "is probably gone."
The silence was so complete that I could hear the classroom clock ticking above the door a good ten meters away. The teacher was studying me without a smile. The sun was reflecting from her eyepiece, and I could no longer see the expression of her eyes.
As the silence continued, my excitement slowly started to turn into embarrassment. No one seemed to know how to react, but I sure wasn't getting the response I had envisioned. I felt like I had just made a fool of myself. Although I didn't yet feel humiliated, I was getting close.
Finally, the teacher spoke. "Don't write it that way," she said. "Our country will exist forever."
I lowered my eyes among the giggles and whispers from all around me and sulked for a good fifteen minutes. Then my embarrassment gave way to anger. How could I have been so stupid, I thought. Of course my country would be there forever.
It fell apart a few years later.
At the time, I was a young cadet in an elite military school, training to defend our borders. I remember the moment when our empire ceased to exist. As a group of us were returning from field training, tired and dusty, we passed a cafeteria window from which a TV was blasting at full volume. "Welcome…" a TV reporter's excited voice said, "…to the last Sunday of the Soviet Union."
You know what was even worse for me than the loss of my country? It's that it went down without a fight. Poof. Just like that. Here on Sunday, gone on Monday.
Since then, I've been fascinated with the rise and fall of empires, especially those that did put up a fight.
I want to know how people thought and behaved in those situations; how they stood up for what was dear to them.
The Aztec empire was a brilliant example of this.
Pouring over the native pictorial codices, the long accounts by the first Spanish priests recording the native Aztec voices, and the letters and memoirs of the Conquistadors, I had to admire the strength of spirit the Aztecs showed as their world was crumbling around them.
I feel sorrow for the loss of that great empire. I still long to see its buildings and statues; to touch its priceless books; to cheer at their sport competitions and festivals.
The collapse of my own nation didn't produce heroes worthy of respect. There was nothing left to fight for. Perhaps that's why I accepted Cuahtemoc, Cacamatzin, Xiconetcatl and others as my own heroes. They inspired their people to mobilize. They rebelled against their own governments to fight for what they believed was right.
There is much we can learn from studying the decline and fall of powerful empires. But the most important lesson for me isn't about the colors of the walls of their temples, or who succeeded whom as emperor.
The most important lesson is about the strength of the human spirit, to have the courage to recognize (and confront) our own decline, and to make the right choices when our moment comes.
That's why I'm writing my series of the Aztec novels. To explore just that.
People and Their Empires is a post from: Aztec Books
