Konn Lavery's Blog: Posts from konnlavery.com, page 22

Ash

There’s a new drug on the market with mysterious origins. Blissful, fun, and highly addictive. In the heart of Toronto, the Crystal Moths distribute their first batch of the cutting-edge black-market goods to their street-crew. If only their plan could be executed so easily. As it turns out, the cops aren’t the only ones who are gunning to take’em down.

Ash is October’s short story that is the starting point of something new, combining worlds that should have never crossed. Enjoy the story in written form, the artwork, and in audio through the podcast with improv synths. The new era has begun.

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I hate dealing… I’ve been doing this since I was a little brat, and it’s way more work than the payoff. Every day we put our lives on the line in hopes we can get a bump up the ranks and a sweet pay increase. Still, I don’t have many options. In this new ‘organization,’ I’ve gotten the hint that the bosses aren’t gonna give us anything more substantial. We have a role to fit, and they aren’t interested in sharing the profits. Bosses need workers, and druggies need the product, and the ‘company’s’ pocket gets thicker.

Let me tell you when a new shipment comes in, it’s time to hustle. This particular shipment came in at around, like, 2 AM – which is fairly common. We usually don’t know what day or the specific time. Your phone will buzz, and you better stop whatever the hell you’re doing and get down there to get your piece of the goods. If you don’t, tough shit. The rest of the street-crew will take it and sell it. At times, they’ll despise you for it too. Other times they’re glad to take the cash. It depends on the drug, the amount, and everyone’s workload. The game is: sell the drugs fast, so the bosses don’t expect you to front the cash. If you don’t, say your goodbyes to your loved ones.

I was half-tanked this specific evening, playing pool. My girl came and visited me later and stayed the night. She has no idea what I do. I like to keep it that way, way less headaches. Still, when you get a phone call at 2 AM after a drunken mattress tangle, she starts to raise an eyebrow. Maybe I’ll tell’r one day so she stops thinking I got a side piece.

So, I sobered up, got dressed, remembering to tie on the white rag on my arm – bosses get pissed if we don’t show loyalty. What kind of name is Crystal Moths, anyways? The rag symbolizes a moth, I think. Whatever, it doesn’t matter. They’re the biggest players in the game and always have work. Most people would – and have – killed to be a member of the Crystal Moths. I don’t ever want to lose my gig, no matter how much I bitch about it.

The drive over wasn’t long (yes, still sobering up). Even though Toronto never sleeps, you can get to the docks from North York fast if you know the roads’ ins and outs. I’m no fool and parked my car a few blocks away. I suppose if a police bust occurred, I’m fucked. But, if I had the car closer, they would get the plate. It doesn’t matter. Eventually, I got to the docks to meet the rest of the Crystal Moths. Our direct boss, a couple of goons, and a higher-up that haven’t seen in a long time stood with six street crew members. I was the last to arrive, it seemed, just on time too.

All of them had some representation of white clothing. Shirts, bandanas, suits, you name it. This higher-up . . . his name is Mastema, which I highly doubt that’s his real name. Seriously, think about what kind of name that is. I grew up in a hardcore religious family and remember a thing or two. If you didn’t, look it up.

I know the street crew pretty well. We’re all hungry to feast ourselves onto whatever goods there are. The boss has been stingy on the smack and coke, and that stuff sells for top buck. I know enough junkies who are dying to get their fix. Well, that all changed after this night. Junk and lines aren’t the only product on the market. Plus, this is just another job, another paycheck to me. Everyone has to pay bills, and you have to fend for yourself. Not to mention I got to pay for my kid’s child support. Don’t get me started on his mom . . . whatever she likes to say, my work is no different than some corporate sleaze climbing their way up to the top, squishing everyone they can. I’m just squishing junkies.

Our boss was quiet, her hands cupped together, face cold. Like Mastema, who was pacing back-and-forth, she was wearing a full white blazer. What makes this pickup more interesting is that Mastema was there. I think the last time I saw the guy was when he recruited me. The Crystal Moths are stingy with who they hire, especially after that incident in Edmonton. It involved some hotshot vigilante and the exposure of our plugs in the police. Since then, Mastema personally screens everyone who is involved with the business.

Mastema kept his eye on all of us. He always looks sharp, dressing in expensive suits, long hair. His skin is so pasty, and his eyes are so bright, they almost look white. Hell, the guy looks like a vampire if you ask me. I’d never say that to his face. There are stories of him gutting people that say the wrong thing. Not that I have witnessed it, but I prefer not to find out.

He looked tense, fiddling with his golden rings. This isn’t like him at all. There’s no point in saying anything because no one talks until a boss talks. I’d love to have a smoke too, ask the other street dealers how they’re doing. We’re semi-close. I keep them at an arm’s reach, with my kid and all. Small chat will have to wait for another time.

The warehouse doors are slightly open, where two other guys come out, wearing white dress shirts. They’re holding crates. It must be from overseas or something. The two Crystal Moths dropped the wooden boxes in front of Mastema and took their place with the other goons. One of them was holding a crowbar. Mastema stopped walking right in front of the crates.

“We have something new,” he said in that creepy, calm voice he has.

His words did grip my attention.

“In these two boxes, we have a particular product that is going to revolutionize our business.”

A few of us exchanged glances, having no idea what the boss-man was getting at. I looked at our direct superior, whose gaze was on Mastema. Mastema nodded at the man with the crowbar. The guy leaned into a box and cracked it open, handing Mastema a black plastic vacuum-sealed bag.

“This,” Mastema said. “Is the future. No one else has their hands on this product, except for us.”

“What is it?” A street-crew gal – Sierra is her name – asked. Way bolder than I am, as I stayed silent during this whole thing.

Mastema casually chucks the bag at her. “Crack it open and pass it to your colleagues. Understand that because we have exclusive access, so no one anywhere has tried it before. You will need to persuade our clients. Lace it. Taste it with them. Use any method you prefer, as long as you move it.”

Sierra peeled the bag open, pulling out a palm-sized charcoal diamond chip. She passed the bag around as each street-crew member grabbed a piece. It was my turn, taking out one of these new . . . drugs. It was brittle along the edges, like it was about the flake off, but had more of a leathery texture in the centre, like a leaf losing moisture or something. This was organic for sure.

“It’s highly addictive, so be careful. However, I encourage you to try and familiarize yourself with our new product.”

“What’s it do?” Sierra asked.

A devilish grin painted on Mastema’s pale face. “It makes a Frisco Speedball look like child’s play.”

Silence. We were all staring at these strange diamond-shaped drugs. I had never seen anything like it. The street-crew – including myself – had so many questions about it, but most of us were too afraid to ask. I heard of Frisco Speedballs before. I don’t know if the others have.

“Some of you are so young,” Mastema sighed. It was a weird thing to say because the guy looks no older than the rest of us. But the way he talks, though . . . it’s like he’s had past lives or something. I’m not spiritual anymore but just telling you.

“Ever shoot up a concoction of cocaine and heroin as you’re about to peak on a tab of LSD?” Mastema asked.

Silence.

“It’s an exultant ride,” he said.

You have to be really ballsy or fucked up to want to do that. I haven’t, despite my abuse background – hence the child support – and there was no way in hell I was going to try this… this…

“Ash,” Mastema said. “It’s similar, but more cohesive, more addicting, and a lesser burnout. We don’t know the long-term effects yet, but that’s why we’re selling, isn’t it? You grind it until it is a fine powder, self-explanatory. Snort it, smoke it, lick it, or whichever creative method works for you. The effects will vary.” Mastema grabbed another plastic bag and raised it. “This is a historic moment, and you have the honour of being a part of it.”

One of the street-crews, Bari, smells the ash he held. It had no odor. “Where does it come from?”

“Not for you to know,” Mastema said.

“People are gonna ask, whadda we tell’em?” Bari asked.

“Get creative. I don’t care,” Mastema said.

After that, we chatted about prices and split the drugs. Two crates of this shit. We were pioneers embarking on something no one has heard of. It was the last time I laid eyes on Mastema too. I’m sure he’s off handling the business.

As you know, this ash stuff is taking the world by storm, and no one knows where it comes from. I still don’t know where they got it or what the hell it is. Since that night, I just sell it. No way have I tried it. I’m clean now. My kid doesn’t need a deadbeat father. Most of the time, I grind it up to disguise it, which makes it just look like some charcoal or. . . ash.

“How much does it go for?” the silvery voice spoke.

I say, “well, a gram can be two-fifty. It depends on how supply, and where the cops are at.” My voice reverbs in the darkness. The moment holds. “Look, I told you names, everything, we change our meetup spot every time . . . “

The elegant hand slides the glock on the splintered table back into the dark, away from the open black bag. I can barely see the gal sitting behind the beaming light. Christ, the brightness is annoying, and these zap straps, she’s a real piece of work. Who ties them this tight? A droplet of blood falls from my nose and onto the unfinished table, soaking into it – a reminder of when she hit me in the face and put me here.

She reaches for the black bag, exposing her pasty skin and the glimpses of her blonde hair. I still can’t see her damn face due to that light. The gal snags one of the diamonds and inspects it.

“You said organic?” she asks. The ash is fresh enough that she can spin the diamond between her thumb and index finger.

“Yeah,” I say.

“A leaf?”

“Well, I don’t know. It sure as hell isn’t made in a lab.”

 “It’s a scale,” she says.

“A scale? Like a reptile?”

“Yes, dumb shit. You can have them as pets. They are in the wild?”

Belittling me . . . she thinks I’m a joke. I’m not. I’m a simple man because I choose to be for my kid. I say, “okay, lady, why hasn’t the news said anything?”

I can see her smirking under the sharply cast shadow. She pulls on her hair in the dark, dragging it off. The real darker hair is a short, sweaty mess as she drops the wig on her lap. She frees the wig, pushing the chain-linked light out of the way.

Now I can see her whole face. A young gal, man, can’t be much older than my baby sister. Mid-twenties. Her cold eyes and confidence say otherwise like she’s seen shit. She speaks, “the news knows, but they’re all part of the game. Everyone is fabricating this bullshit narrative. Give it time, and some independent studies will come out on the web.”

I brush her words aside and ask, “you’re clearly not a cop. What do you want?”

She leans forward, and I see a nasty bullet scar on her chest, under that tank top. “You street dealers have no idea how deep the Crystal Moths run,” she says.

Scar . . . independent studies. Mid-twenties, pasty gal. Yeah. No fuckin’ way. . . “Hey,” I say without thinking, eyes locked on the scar. “You’re that girl, aren’t you?”

The gal sits back, letting go of the light. It swings like a pendulum, casting sharp contrasts on her now stone-cold face.

“Yeah,” I say, now certain in my forthcoming claim. “You exposed the cops out west with the video. The Crystal Moth bust in Edmonton. The journalism student with that website everyone goes to . . . Lola.”

The gal chucks a burner phone on the table, standing up and clicks the light off. “Cops are on their way,” she says, walking away. Her boots echo in the open space as I keep shouting, “Hey! hey!” hoping she’ll come back. That bitch! She doesn’t listen. Eventually, a door shuts, and I’m left alone in the dark. Mastema is going to have my head.

The post Ash appeared first on Konn Lavery.

New Fantasy Anthology by Author Marc Watson

For October I am pleased to welcome back Marc Watson. He has been on the blog previously for his Catching Hell series, way back when we first met in 2016 before he was published, and in 2018 for the sequel novel. In between those two books, he had written the dark comedy novel Death Dresses Poorly (which I recommend checking out).

Now, his latest and greatest, Between Conversations Tales From the World of Ryuujin, continues in his Catching Hell universe with nine brand new short stories. Let’s welcome Marc Watson to the blog and learn more about his latest release.

Welcome back Marc Watson! For those not familiar with you, give us a short intro.

I would love to Konn, and thank you for having me back!

I am Marc Watson, a genre fiction author from Calgary, Alberta. I have been in the writing industry for four and a half years, and writing for my own enjoyment since I was a teenager. I’m a father of two young boys, devoted husband to a patient wife, I work a full-time job I love, and I consider myself a poutine connoisseur extraordinaire.

I have written three novels, the aforementioned Catching Hell duology and Death Dresses Poorly, as well as having been published in two short story anthologies, and have just recently released Between Conversations, which is my first self-published release.

You’ve got the new Between Conversations Tales From the World of Ryuujin anthology out, congratulations. How have your readers described it?

Thank you! The book is still fresh and feedback has been slim, however the main thought I get about it is how diverse the stories and characters are despite all being in the same universe. There’s adventure stories, tense drama, tongue-in-cheek bar scenes, a YA-style story, a full-blown horror/thriller novelette… it covers a lot of ground.

However, readers so far have told me that there’s something for everyone, and what else there is also enjoyable thanks to the voice I give it.

What made you want to write an anthology, intentional or is it just one of those that sprouts?

Rejection! The great motivator. I had written and submitted the short story Low Level Buzz for consideration in an anthology, for which it was rejected. However, I loved the setting and the characters in it, and wanted to share this little piece of the Ryuujin world (that’s my name for the universe these are set in). I also had the rough mental outline for Alive Again, the first story in the collection.

Eventually I realized I had enough material to make a decent anthology, and I had the core concept, of it all being in the same universe at different chronological points in time, so I thought putting it together would be a great exercise in learning how to self-publish.

Additional note, what made you want to base it in the Catching Hell universe?

To answer that you’ll need to understand that I’ve mentally been living in this world ever since I was 15 years old, writing poorly-crafted stories by pen and paper. Decades pass and stories build up and although I have a basic understanding of the overall story that Catching Hell is a part of, I knew that there were other aspects of this world I could write about and flesh out a bit more.

The Japanese call these Gaiden. Side stories. Spin-offs. Small bits that add to a greater whole. I liked that idea, and knew that even within the construct of this world, with its rules already established and tone settled on, I can give the reader a lot of different flavours.

If I understand correctly, your first two Catching Hell novels are being redistributed?

You are correct, sir. The path of Catching Hell was never an easy one.

The original duology was published by Double Dragon Publishing, who I enjoyed working with a great deal because they were flexible and understanding and were just what I needed. However, they were purchased by another company out of the UK. After some back and forth, this new distributor wanted to continue to publish them. I however wasn’t certain they were the right fit for me.

Which is where Fluky Fiction came in. They are the publisher of Death Dresses Poorly, as well as the editor for Catching Hell: Destination as well as Between Conversations. I threw a tweet out about what was happening and it started a back-and-forth between us. They admitted that epic science-fantasy wasn’t really their genre, however due to our working history and mutual respect, they agreed that they would re-release the duology, with a fresh edit and new coat of paint. I couldn’t refuse. I love working with them way too much. So now they’re set to come back next year, with the reissue of Catching Hell Part One: Journey arriving in Q1 of 2021.

I quite miss our yearly drink catch up at When Words Collide. Since we weren’t able to have a one-on-one beer together, tell everyone on the internet what else has consumed your time since the 2018 interview.

And I miss it as well, Konn! As the first person in this writing world who really took notice of me and reached out, I owe you a lot and I enjoy catching up face-to-face.

I have been busy with learning how this self-publishing thing works and educating myself. I wrote the lion’s share of this collection in November of 2019, and I spent a lot of time after that figuring out my next move with it, and then making sure the steps I took were educated ones. It is unique and interesting and incredibly freeing! I don’t know if I want to abandon my desire to be primarily traditionally published, but my respect for the DIYers out there such as yourself has grown considerably.

However, I’m still just looking after my life and all the non-writing aspects of it. Kids need to be coached and taken places, or entertained when nothing is going on (like, say, March to June of this year). Work still needs to be done, and the lawn doesn’t mow itself! I don’t double-down on writing very often. Now that this is released, I’ll likely move on to something else. Or not.

For aspiring writers and established authors, tell us about how you approach your writing and author career. It’s quite unique and it could relieve a lot of unneeded stress people put on themselves.

Gladly! As I’ve stated before, I am an anti-author. I don’t want to write full time or sell a million copies to retire early. I like my life outside of writing very much and I look forward to doing other things. I am a hobbyist author. A day tripper. It’s why I’m not pounding out two or three books a year. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s not how I personally want to spend my time.

By anti-author, I mean that I somewhat fly in the face of the traditional author stereotypes with this way of thinking. I write only when I want, and never for more or less than I feel is needed. I don’t set writing goals ever, and I don’t actively participate in events like NaNoWriMo (despite accidentally “winning” it…twice…). The measure of success we give ourselves can be just as damaging as it is rewarding. If you only write 10 words in a week for whatever reason, that’s fine. If you smash out 10,000 words in a day, more power to you. Just don’t let what you perceive to be required to be a “successful” author hold you back or push you forward in a dangerous way.

Let’s thank Marc Watson for joining us!

You can find Marc Watson through the following links below. Check out his new anthology as well. I snagged it and it is sitting next on the to-read list.

WebsiteTwitterFacebookInstagram







Find Between Conversations Tales From the World of Ryuujin from the links below:



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Synopsis

In the world of Ryuujin, heroes rise and fall, but there are always stories that slip through the cracks. The tales of the people who shape the years to come. Heroism and betrayal. Conversations between friends and enemies that will change the course of the world. These are nine stories from a world that is historic, modern, and terrifyingly futuristic. A world where science and magic intertwine, and give birth to the unknown souls who become heroes, and the legends who fade away into history. From the author of the renowned dark comedy Death Dresses Poorly, and from the world of his hit science-fantasy duology Catching Hell comes a collection of adventure, drama, joy, and terror as we look into the lives of the powerful, the meek, and the people who make the world turn over the course of centuries.

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Podcast: Seed Me – Episode 03

Episode 3 of the Seed Me novel episodic audiobook is here. As with previous weeks, a new chapter will be shared on Thursdays. Enjoy the podcast below and share it around:

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Logan joins his friends, Janet and Skip, to get a hangover breakfast and check out the farmers’ market. There’s a new vendor there, who only raises Logan’s suspicions about the Vicky’s look-alike from the pub. Vicky is dead by the way. Logan isn’t too sure about this new vendor…

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Podcast: Seed Me – Episode 02

Episode 2 of the Seed Me novel episodic audiobook is here! Once a week a new chapter will be shared. Enjoy the podcast below and share it around:

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We find Logan waking up the next morning after an obscure night of drinking. His roommate, and good friend, Skip is home with Janet. What they discover on the news is most unsettling.

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Scrap Your Manuscript? Or Keep It?

As creatives, we end up making a lot of art. I’ve known plenty of writers, musicians, illustrators – the list goes on – that have started projects and left them in limbo for many years only to bring them back to light again. Writers tinker all too frequently with manuscripts and short stories. Eventually, these drafts end up sitting in some digital folder covered in metaphorical dust, and some of them never see the light of day again. On the flip side, sometimes writers revise and revise a story and never end up completing it. So the question is, do you scrap your manuscript?

A Good Concept

We’re specifically going to be talking about writing and stories. However, the theories apply to all types of projects and creativity. As my graphic design college teacher once told me, “you can put lipstick on a pit bull.” I love this quote. He was referencing bad design versus good design. Sometimes you can’t save a design, no matter how many times you revise it or dress it up. It is always going to be ugly because the concept itself isn’t good. This saying applies to every other creative outlet as well.

How Do You Know If It Is a Good Concept? Or should you scrap your manuscript?

If only this were a straightforward answer. Since we are talking about writing, we’ll look at methods specifically to it. They may apply to other arts as well. Some ways of figuring out if your story is a good idea are:

Practice the 30-second elevator pitch: See if you can explain your story’s premise to someone in 30 seconds. Ask what they think of it, do they find it boring? Engaging? Or is it rough and needs to be worked on? This method is quick and easy and doesn’t require a lot of commitment from anyone.Beta readers: You have most likely heard of the term beta readers. Get someone to read your work! There are plenty of articles online that talk about how to find beta readers, so no need to cover it here. In short, find someone who has an opinion that you respect and who will give you constructive feedback. Anyone that is going to say “it’s great” isn’t helpful.Read your story out loud: For a full manuscript, this will take multiple sessions. Still, reading your story out loud will give you a fresh perspective on the manuscript. If you find yourself slowing down or bored in certain parts, that is a clear sign that your readers will have the same feelings.Have your story read to you: A similar technique to the one mentioned above, have your story read to you. You could have a friend or computer read it to you. Microsoft Word has a text to speech option, which lets the software read the story to you. You become the listener and can experience what it’s like from there and. This method can help you understand what parts are boring, not believable, or if the whole thing needs to be scrapped.Let it cook: You might not know if the story is terrible until you give it some time. Stephen King has mentioned he gives himself at least three months before returning to a manuscript. There is a lot of work done in the subconscious mind when writing a story. Sometimes your mind needs a little bit of time to work through what is missing. On occasion, this can also take years to happen. Perhaps the concept is fine, but the execution isn’t. You may need more practice, research, or experience in your craft.Genre Checklist (Meeting the Criteria): The last point is my least favourite and may not be applicable. If you are writing within a genre, and want to stick to its principles, make sure it meets the criteria. If you’re writing a High Fantasy book, look up what is High Fantasy and does your manuscript meet the checklist? For example, you wouldn’t want zombies and a ton of romance in the story to meet the high fantasy requirement. Again, it may not apply to your manuscript, but cross-referencing other works is a reliable method.

If you have a diamond in the rocks, try some of the ideas above. Getting an outside perspective can offer new insight into your work. If it isn’t a good idea, great, you can scrap your manuscript and move on with life. Other times it is a little more complicated than that.

Work on Something New

If you are uncertain of the manuscript, frustrated, or trying one of the notes above, work on something new. As a writer – any creative – it is part of the craft to persist in the art. You don’t want to be a one-trick pony that has only ever produced one piece. Giving yourself the freedom to explore new concepts allows you to become better at your craft. You may also find new ideas that can be integrated into your previous concept. Or perhaps discover something better than the previous one.

Scrap Your Manuscript

The methods above are effective ways of deciding if you should return to your manuscript and keep working on it. The last point mentioned talked about letting the idea cook. It’s the most realistic way of knowing if your idea is any good. The future version of you will come back and look at the work with a fresh perspective and will most likely be wiser and smarter. It is amazing to go back and look at your older work to see all the mistakes and faults you made for just being inexperienced.

Keep Your Manuscript Regardless, Don’t Delete It

Never delete your progress or scrap your manuscript in the shredder. In the digital world, it is straightforward to store your work-in-progresses. Personally, I’ve kept every sketchbook that I have (except for one and I regret throwing away). As previously mentioned, looking back at your old work to see your progress is incredibly rewarding.

Focusing on the craft and improving your skill in the art will enhance your future work. You’ll come up with better concepts, and looking back at your old ones will make you pleased about how far you’ve come. It may even make you laugh about how ridiculous your previous concept was. Or, you might get that aha moment that’ll make the piece feasible. Take the time; don’t rush your art.

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Podcast: Seed Me – Episode 01

I am pleased to announce the launch of a brand new direction for the blog. In addition to the regular posts, a podcast will be posted on a weekly basis focusing on episodic audiobook versions of the novels!

The podcast is distributing to various broadcasters and is currently available on Anchor, Spotify, Beaker, Pocket Cast, and Radio Public.

See The Podcast

To kick off the podcast, the novel Seed Me is the first to appear with chapter 1 (listen below). October is the season of spooky, so why not get some creepy cults and drugs going?

Many people have asked about audiobook versions of my work over the years. The closest I got was creating videos for the monthly short stories. Now, I’m finally going through with it, with episode-based versions. This also means the monthly short stories will come back in audio version.

Enjoy!

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A New Fall

As with every year, the September version of Unprocessed Thoughts is themed around the end of summer, the coming of fall, and what a crazy busy year it is. This year is a new fall, which has been busy, but differently. There are no conventions this year. The Edmonton Comic Expo was usually the last stop before settling down for the winter and writing the next book. This year, with no conventions, it’s time to… what is that new business lingo term? Ah yes, time to pivot. A New Fall.

Welcome to Another Edition of Unprocessed Thoughts

I admit I miss the convention hype. However, I don’t miss the prep work, long days, and rough eating habits. The free time has been outstanding and it has let me grow in many new ways now that we’re all thrown out of the regular yearly routine of convention season. These thoughts are expressed in previous blog posts, so we’ll leave it at that.

Better Planning, Learning, and Scheduling

Everyone is online. People are hungry to consume EVERYTHING. Previously I had shared a Bookbub article about reader trends in 2020, and people want free. They want to read. So with no convention season, I have been able to sit back and plan promos better.

The release of Mortal, the concluding Mental Damnation novel, marked the first trial of online marketing in many years (probably a good six or so). The two-month period of guest posts, book spotlights, Facebook ads, promo site submissions, and reader magnets has been delightful. I’ve learned a ton and now applying it to promoting the backlog.

So far, I have eight books out, and I have the habit of doing the initial launch promotion at conventions and then quickly moving onto the next book. That’s not a wise idea because books have a long lifespan, especially in the era of ebooks. You can update covers, re-release, add bonus content, and so on.

Don’t Worry, More Writing to Come!

The marketing and promotions of the backlog aren’t taking up all of my time. Its surprising how much of it is automated, scheduled, and a few clicks away. Comparing that to the prepping of convention season, it’s a small fraction of the time. More writing is coming.

Recently I have been hinting at a new book, potentially later this year. Those subscribed to the newsletter already know. Others might have put the pieces together through vague social media posts. This new book brings a lot of speculation seen in the previous novels to light.

That’s not all for A New Fall!

Remember that slasher novel I hinted about in 2018? Well, it is still around, and I’m pulling it off the shelf for a significant overhaul. I had paused it to focus on The White Hand, and overall I was not pleased with the slasher novel. General beta reader feedback was, “it was okay.” Jump ahead two and a half years, and I finally know what to do with it.

Time permitting, I will see if I can participate in NaNoWriMo this year with an entirely new story. New is exciting since 2019, and most of 2020 has been revising existing manuscripts or writing established storylines (Mortal and Fire, Pain & Ruin and Secret New Novel – working title). We’ll see how my schedule goes with the contract life. Although, with no social gatherings, I may have the time for NaNoWriMo.

YEGman Featured in the Edmonton Library’s Capital Press Collection

My home city, Edmonton, launched their new downtown library this September. The launch featured the release of the Capital Press Collection. I’m thrilled to say that YEGman was selected to be a part of the collection. This is another note about promoting the backlog, books live a long life, and sometimes it takes time for your work to get recognized.

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Honoured to have #YEGman selected to be a part of the Capital City Press collection, featured at the new downtown @epldotca. Check out the new location! They have a dinosaur zoo. #yeg #capitalCityPress #epl #readLocal #yegWrites #authorsofinstagram #bookstagram #booklove #writersofinstagram #writerLife #authorlife #thriller

A post shared by Konn Lavery (@_konnartist) on Sep 19, 2020 at 1:00pm PDT

The Short-lived Copyright Scandal

The story was originally a 2-part post on Facebook, but I’ll share it here if you missed it. Another copy of Reality was published not by me, and I had to get Amazon to take it down. It was my first time submitting a copyright infringement form. It’s an easy process, and quite anticlimactic. But, the fact someone wanted to try and capitalize on my work was flattering and odd. The real book is free, and the bootleg version with broken formatting was sitting at around $14 USD for the ebook. So, I’m not sure what the endgame was.

Ultimately the copyright version was taken down after a few days. Unfortunately, there was a series of strange events during the time the bootleg book was up. The perma-free Reality (the real one) had its price revert to $0.99, despite me not touching the price. Amazon has made it clear that they hold the right to adjust pricing as they need.

Considering it happened during the small window of the bootleg’s life, I’m guessing their system had a hiccup. Either way, the book is being promoted as free on various promo sites and ads. I submitted a price change request to Amazon, and they fixed it in about a day.

The price reverting did result in some lost ebook downloads, reduced amazon ranking, and for that one day, the book was purchased, refunded, and a 1-star rating (with no review) showed up. It’s speculation that the 1 star was related to it, but considering the book was bought and returned while the price wasn’t free, it’s relatively safe to say the person did the 1-click checkout and realized they were charged. That makes sense they were mad, since it is false advertisement if the book isn’t free when promoted that way.

All is back on track, and the bootleg is gone. The perma-free is back up and running with more stars ratings coming in little by little that appear genuine. That’s all I wanted, and I’ve learned a lot about managing these scandals.

This isn’t the first-time copyright infringements have happened to my books. A while back, I had found copies of “translated” print books on eBay in Spanish. Also, my ebooks have appeared for free download on sketchy sites. This is just the first one to appear on Amazon.

Life Will Always have Bumps

I’m sharing this story because it’s entertaining, confusing, and hoping it sheds some insight for my fellow authors. Life has a ton of bumps and ruts. A writer’s career is not a sunny smooth highway. If you’re running a promo, keep tabs on it regularly. Imagine if I didn’t check Amazon during the promo days, didn’t see the bootleg version, and the real book’s price reverted? Chaos!

One More Surprise for A New Fall.

All treats and no trick in the coming months. Remember, I mentioned better planning and scheduling? Well, keep watch this October for a couple of book sales and a new exciting endeavour I am pursuing. This new addition is something many people have asked me over the years. This is another way to share these stories. Keep watch on social media and the blog. The announcement will happen within the week. Like I said, A New Fall.

Beer Note: Grandville Island Brewing – English Bay Pale Ale

I’m a fan of pale ales. They’re not as hoppy as some IPAs. Perhaps my tastes have changed, but IPAs recently seems to have mutated into these unfiltered, double hop, high alcohol percentage, potent drinks that have no flavour other than hop. An IPA that is a little more potent than a pale ale is my preference. It’s hard to find.

Either way, Grandville Island Brewing makes excellent beers. Their winter ale is featured on a previous Unprocessed Thoughts, and it’s fantastic. This pale ale is easy-drinking, flavourful and worth checking out.

The post A New Fall appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Digital Declutter and Minimalism

Social media has gotten a bad wrap over the past couple of years. Rightfully so, as we’ve had it for about ten years and have been able to see the real-world consequences of it. The negativity is through increased depression and suicide. There’s even the new term “digital detox.” On larger scales, we’ve seen social media sway entire country elections, and others attempt to use it as a form of warfare.

How crazy is all of that? This blog post isn’t about the massive implications of social media, nor our moral obligations. The insights today are related to the previous posts, Unsubscribing from an Increasingly Subscription-Based World, and Automating Ourselves Out of Humanity.

Over the past year, I’ve gradually leaned off of social media, subscriptions, tech usage, and have installed some tracking blockers both on my phone and laptop. In summary, removing myself from the internet highway. Why? This choice has been brewing for years, from reading and listening to smarter people than me. It’s also closer to a life philosophy I follow, known as minimalism.

Minimalism?

The concept of having a lean life has been a part of humanity for hundreds, if not thousands, of years seen through the practices of Taoism or Buddhism. Their life philosophies are a little more intense but are worth checking out. Minimalism is a newer term summarizing people that live with only the things they use and need. Everything else goes away. Joshua Fields Millburn, and Ryan Nicodemus have taken it to a whole new level educating people and sharing their experiences. They have an excellent documentary that can explain everything called The Minimalist.

Some minimalists have gotten rid of everything except for seven pairs of clothes, their laptop, one fork, one plat, and hop into a tiny home. That’s a bit extreme for my own needs in life. I remove the stuff that doesn’t have value.

Minimalism has a powerful effect on the mind, giving it room to breathe by clearing out the clutter of your life. The few items you do have also hold far more value because you take care of them, knowing that’s the fork you use or the jeans you’ll wear a lot.

The nice thing about minimalism is your life simplifies drastically. You’re no longer chasing the latest fashion or tech trend, nor trying to impress families with lovely cutlery sets or fancy home decor. You have less to clean and less to manage in a home, freeing up time. Oh, and you save a lot more money when embracing minimalism. The list can go on about the perks of minimalism, and if you’re unfamiliar with it, I recommend checking it out.

Digital Declutter and Minimalism

Alright, now that we understand minimalism, the same concept applies to the digital world too. Just because we can’t physically touch these items doesn’t mean they can’t affect your brain, mood, and overall life. As mentioned in the previously related posts, too many subscriptions can chew away at your wallet (not to mention you never own anything). The introduction of all the automation apps takes the value out of anything you do.

Social media follows these same ideas: there’s too much digital in our lives. Now, hold with me, we’re not going to start a commune off the grid or anything. Go for it if you’d like, but there’s truth to cutting back your time digitally. Get ready for some more recommendations!

Books, Films, and People Who Influenced the Digital Declutter

Alright, first we’ll look at some books that can help you learn a bit more about yourself and the effects of spending too much time in the digital world.

Solitude by Michael Harris

One of the first books I read years ago re-ignited my interest in isolation. Being mostly homeschooled in my youth, I didn’t have many friends and was quite comfortable being alone. Solitude is a fascinating book that explores the benefits of getting to know you and trusting yourself. It recommends spending time away from people both in the real world and social media. The book covers concepts I was aware of because my dad introduced me to a ton of spiritual and philosophy books that got to the same thing: removing clutter in the mind. You’ll feel way better for it.

The Narcissism Epidemic by Jean M. Twenge, PH.D. and W. Keith Campbell, PH.D.

After reading a book on a broader scale, it is a little dated in terms of the tech they mention (remember Myspace?), but the theories still apply. They both talk about the increase in people’s obsession with their image and the decrease in empathy. In short, they lean towards saying the obsession of one’s ego is taking away the human aspect of individuals. I’ve wondered, why wouldn’t you want to be human? We’re only this way once in life.

The Lonely City by Olivia Laing

This book isn’t directly related to the topic, but I wanted to mention it because it talks about isolation. It covers a range of artists over the past century who have spent a lot of time alone. The author also reflects on her own life, living in a big city where she knows no one. She comments on her time on the screen, affecting her emotions.

Who Owns the Future? by Jaron Lanier

Jaron Lanier is gaining a lot of popularity now. He’s appeared on talk shows and in the Netflix documentary The Social Dilemma with his book 10 Reasons to Quit Social Media, which is a bold statement. His previous book, Who Owns the Future? It is denser but covers a broad range of topics about tech and how it is flawed from the foundations of the copy function. It’s a longer book but gives a good insight into where everything came from and where it is going. It asks many fundamental questions about keeping our morality in check and our mental clarity by opting out of social media entirely (which leads into his 10 Reasons… book).

It Came From Something Awful by Dale Beran

Alright, out of the whole list, this book has hit home the hardest. It covers the history of the recent political polarization we’ve seen online, rooting back to some prominent websites such as Something Awful and 4chan. The author’s humorous tone makes it an easy read. Still, the topics are mind-opening because he shows just how toxic social media and online message boards can become, which only boosted my choice to further digital declutter.

Documentaries and People

I’ve mentioned many books that have influenced me over the years and spring-boarded my decision to cut down on my digital usage drastically. There are some documentaries as well, such as The Minimalist. A couple more are The Great Hack and Terms and Conditions May Apply. Edward Snowden and Renée DiResta are people worth checking out as well. Let’s not forget Sacha Baron Cohen’s dramatic speech about social media as a whole.

What does any of this have to do with Digital Declutter?

Let’s loop back to why I recommended all of these books, film, people, and how it ties into the idea of minimalism. The “ah-hah!” moment hit hard in late 2019, as explained in the Unsubscribing from an Increasingly Subscription-Based World blog post.

Digital decluttering is essential for the same points mentioned about minimalism. Add value to your life. Is social media adding value to your life? How about reading the news or listening to podcasts? A lot of reporters and influencers share their opinions on topics. Some don’t get all the facts right, or they prefer to magnify on specific points that can influence you.

Another point worth mentioning is mental clarity. Are these medias adding to you? Do they make you happy? These are the questions I’ve asked myself, and they’re worth asking youself too. Specifically, social media is designed to be addictive. As Michael Harris mentioned in Solitude, we get caught in a “ludic loop.” You are probably aware of what a ludic loop is because other people have given it names such as “doom scrolling” or “dopamine hit,” and so on. These things are short-term band-aid solutions, fooling you into thinking they’re making you happy. They aren’t. It’s like another hit of a drug, masking itself as happiness.

Where do we go from here?

These are the choices I’ve made about the online world. There is irony in being a designer/web developer and opting out of all of this. A lot of people in the web and app industries are doing the same. This technology is powerful with great benefits, but it can easily be abused and become toxic.

Digital declutter is a decision I’ve made to help make me a better person. I’ve found spending too much time online has not made me happy, nor has it given me a healthy sense of reality. The philosophy does not mean I’m going to chuck it all aside and go off the grid. It’d be great, but I do believe that the internet is a fantastic invention and the people who have built it didn’t have malicious intentions, to begin with. The way it is being used is a grim, unfortunate reflection of the dark sides of ourselves.

Let’s Summarize: Business, Family and Pandemic!

I’m pan’d-out (I coined that!), but it’s worth mentioning that tech as done beautiful things to let us all stay connected in 2020. This year has proven to be the weirdest period of mine (and many others) lifetime. Hopefully, it will be the last.

We’re all forced into isolation because of the pandemic, limiting our socializing. We miss our family and friends, and the internet has allowed us to keep in contact with loved ones. You may also highly rely on social media to reach your customers or audience. I know I do. If you can get rid of social media and not remove value from your life, awesome. But a lot of people, unfortunately, have their hands tied.

Check out some of the books, films, and people that I’ve mentioned. Maybe they’ll give some personal insight for you. It doesn’t mean you have to throw your router out the window and torch your computers. Remember the concept of minimalism? Ask yourself, does spending tons of time on social media add value to you? Or are you stuck in a ludic loop?

These are questions I ask myself that has led to the digital declutter. I’ve uninstalled all apps on my phone, leaving me with the bare basics of a smartphone. My email and social media live on the computer only. My friends call me or video chat to keep in touch if we can’t meet in person. If I have ten minutes to spare, instead of checking my social feed (which has a colossal polarization of emotions), I pet my cat, read a book, or . . . the wildest concept of all . . . I do nothing. Clear the head, let the mind wander, and see what it does. It can be surprising.

The post Digital Declutter and Minimalism appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Edward Willett release the next Worldshaper novel The Moonlit World

For this month’s guest author we welcome back Edward Willett. An author and performer from Regina, Saskatchewan, he has authored far over 50 books ranging in genres, styles, and non-fiction. Last year we had him join us to talk about his Master of the World novel. He keeps a frequent podcast titled The Worldshapers which involves conversations with science fiction and fantasy authors about the creative process. Let’s welcome Edward back to the blog to discuss his new releases!

Hi Edward Willett, thanks for coming back! You’ve been busy over the past year. What’s new since we last chatted?

Well, let’s see…I wrote The Moonlit World. I was writer-in-residence at the Saskatoon Public Library from September through May (although the last couple of months I was writer-in-residence-in-residence, since it all turned virtual) and worked with more than 70 local authors, conducted workshops, and gave talks and readings. My podcast, The Worldshapers, won the Aurora Award for Best Fan Related Work in October 2019 and was shortlisted again this year. Master of the World was longlisted for the Sunburst Award for Canadian Literature of the Fantastic in the Young Adult category and shortlisted for the Fiction Award at this year’s Saskatchewan Book Awards. And in March, I Kickstarted an anthology featuring guests from the first year of my podcast, Shapers of Worlds, which is about to come out in ebook, on September 22, and will be out in print in mid-November. That’s from my own Shadowpaw Press (www.shadowpawpress.com), through which I also published a revised edition of my YA SF novel From the Street to the Stars (originally published as Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star), and released brand-new ebook versions of my five-book YA fantasy series The Shards of Excalibur, orphaned when Coteau Books, the original publisher, went bankrupt. Oh, and I just sold a big new space opera to DAW Books: The Tangled Stars will be out in 2022.

I think that’s the highlights…

The Shapers of Worlds anthology, which was successfully kickstarted, features authors that have been on your podcast. What birthed the idea of this anthology?

Shadowpaw Press, my publishing empire (which consists of me and the cat it’s named for, and I’m not sure which of us is the emperor), is a member of SaskBooks, the association of Saskatchewan publishers. At the 2019 SaskBooks annual meeting in Saskatoon, a Winnipeg publisher came in and gave a presentation on her successful Kickstarting of an anthology, and I thought, “Hey, I know some authors!” It took me a while to build up steam and actually make it happen, but I reached out to my first-year guests and was immensely gratified by how many wonderful authors were willing to take part. (Even those who couldn’t contribute were supportive.) In the end, I ended up with original stories from Tanya Huff, Seanan McGuire, David Weber, L.E. Modesitt, Jr., John C. Wright, D.J. Butler, Christopher Ruocchio, Shelley Adina, and Edward Willett, plus fiction by John Scalzi, David Brin, Julie Czerneda, Joe Haldeman, Gareth L. Powell, Dr. Charles E. Gannon, Fonda Lee, Derek Künsken, and Thoraiya Dyer, a list that includes several bestselling authors and winners of and nominees for the Hugo, Nebula, World Fantasy, Aurora, Sunburst, Aurealis, Ditmar, British Science Fiction Association, and Dragon Awards.

You previously mentioned book 3, The Moonlit World, of the Worldshaper universe was in the works (featuring a world of Werewolves and Vampires). It’s available September 15th, what can you tell readers about this new piece?

Well, my inner working title was always, “Werewolves and Vampires and Peasants, Oh My!” Shawna and Karl find themselves in a world Shaped by someone with a fondness for both those classic horror creatures, and have to try to find the Shapers responsible and gather the knowledge of the world’s making, without getting eaten and/or changed into either a lycanthrope or undead bloodsucker in the process. The world holds surprises for both of them. Shawna becomes more powerful and must face the ethical dilemmas greater power brings. And, of course, as I hope the previous two books were, it’s very funny. There are Star Trek jokes, Star Wars jokes, Buffy jokes (of course), musical theatre references…oddly enough, Shawna shares my sense of humor. Go figure.

The Worldshaper storyline is open-ended, where you and your editor Sheila E. Gilbert worked thoroughly to make sure the universe wouldn’t break down the road. So… what’s after The Moonlit World?

Book 4 is already roughed out and takes place in a film noir world—gangsters and corrupt politicians and all that sort of thing—in a 1930s kind of setting. It might even be a literally black and white world! Whether that comes out from DAW or I put it out myself remains to be seen, depending on sales, but I fully intend to write it.

While working on the third book, you’ve also been busy editing and writing additional books unrelated to the Worldshaper universe. Tell us a bit about these projects.

Well, of course, there’s the Shapers of Worlds anthology mentioned above, which I’ve already talked about. A few months ago, Shadowpaw Press also released From the Street to the Stars. This was originally published in 1999 by Roussan Publishers as Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star. That company’s been gone for a long time, and I finally got around to revising the book and bringing it out afresh, as Book 1 in what is now the Andy Nebula: Interstellar Rock Star series. Book 2, Double Trouble, is written (it was out as an ebook once already), but needs a complete rewrite, which on my list of things to get out relatively soon. I actually have story ideas that could carry that series for several books, but that depends on interest, of course (and time).

Earlier this year, lamentably, Coteau Books, a well-respected literary publisher here in Regina, went bankrupt, orphaning my five-book young-adult fantasy series (three of which were nominated for either the Sunburst or the Aurora Award for Best Young Adult Fiction). I quickly put out brand-new ebook versions of the series and will be bringing out new print editions in short order. Book 1 of that series is Song of the Sword, if you want to search it out!

I’m currently close to finalizing a new young adult science fiction novel to be released through Shadowpaw Press. Star Song has an interesting history: it grew out of one of the first short stories I sold, “The Minstrel” (included in my collection Paths to the Stars, also from Shadowpaw), and was the first novel I seriously tried to sell. In 1991, I submitted it to Josepha Sherman, then editing for Walker & Company. She sent it back and suggested some revisions, which I made, and sent it to her once again. She got back to me and said I’d done exactly what she wanted and she was “ready to make an offer,” but the company president, Sam Walker, had died, and his son had taken over and decided the company would no longer publish science fiction.

And that was that. The book never did find a home. So, I’m very excited to bring it out, extensively rewritten, with a great cover by Dan O’Driscoll, hopefully by the end of the year.

The other thing I worked on was a proposal for a big, new, sprawling space opera for DAW Books. The Tangled Stars will come out in 2022, and I’ll be plunging into the writing of it pretty soon now.

The Worldshapers podcast has been regarded as an excellent resource for writers (those reading this it should check it out), what made you want to start a podcast?

I began my career as a newspaper reporter, and over the years I’ve hosted my own radio and TV programs and interviewed all sorts of people on all sorts of subjects. I’ve always enjoyed talking shop with other writers, and so…a podcast. Every episode follows the same format: we talk about how the author got interested in writing science fiction and fantasy and how they broke in, then we go through the author’s particular creative process, from idea generation to planning to first draft to revision to editing. At the end, I ask questions like, “Why do you write? Why do any of us write? And why write fantastical fiction in particular?” It’s been great fun to do and I hope listeners enjoy it as much as I do. And I’ve been gratified by the amazing authors who have agreed to talk to me—many of them international bestsellers and major award-winners.

I do want to reiterate a quote from our last interview, this is quite true for all writers and is worth reading again:

“I find there’s a great overlap between being and actor and director and being an author. Actors pretend to be other people; writers do the same. Directors move actors around on stage and guide them in their interactions with each other in order to best tell the story being presented. So do writers.”

Anything else you’d like to add Edward?

Keep reading. And if you like a book, take a minute or two to leave a rating or review on Amazon or Goodreads. Every little bit helps to make a book stand out in today’s crowded literary marketplace.

Thank you for joining us!

You can find Edward through the following links below.

Website: edwardwillett.com

Amazon: amazon.com/Edward-Willett/e/B001IR1LL6/

Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/22635.Edward_Willett

Find The Moonlit World at one of the following distributors.



Amazon U.S. Amazon CanadaIndigo Barnes & NoblePenguin Random HouseIndiebound



The critically acclaimed Worldshapers fantasy series continues with The Moonlit World

The Worldshapers fantasy series by award-winning Saskatchewan author Edward Willett continues with the September 15 release of Book 3, The Moonlit World, from New York’s DAW Books, in trade paperback and e-book formats.

The first book in the series, Worldshaper, received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was long-listed for Canada’s prestigious Sunburst Award; Book 2, Master of the World, which just came out in mass-market paperback (it’s also available as a trade paperback, audiobook, or e-book), was also long-listed for the Sunburst Award and short-listed for the Muslims for Peace and Justice Fiction Award at the 2020 Saskatchewan Book Awards.

In The Moonlit World, fresh from their adventures in Master of the World in a world inspired by Jules Verne, Shawna Keys and Karl Yatsar find themselves in a world that mirrors much darker tales. Beneath a full moon that hangs motionless in the sky, they’re forced to flee terrifying creatures that can only be vampires…only to run straight into a pack of werewolves.

As the lycanthropes and undead battle, Karl is spirited away to the castle of the vampire queen. Meanwhile, Shawna finds short-lived refuge in a fortified village, where she learns that something has gone horribly wrong with the world in which she finds herself. Once, werewolves, vampires, and humans lived there harmoniously. Now every group is set against every other, and entire villages are being mysteriously emptied of people.

Somehow, Karl and Shawna must reunite, discover the mysteries of the Shaping of this strange world, and escape it for the next, without being sucked dry, devoured, or—worst of all—turned into creatures of the night themselves.

Beneath the frozen, gibbous moon, allies, enemies, surprises, adventures, and unsettling revelations await.

Praise for The Moonlit World:

“Willett continues to use his innovative worldbuilding to play with genre tropes; there’s a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness to this desolate world that will please fans of dark fiction…entertaining.” – Publishers Weekly

Praise for Master of the World:

“Willett takes full advantage of the fanciful premise to deliver a fun setting populated by fantastic vehicles, mysterious islands, and heroic and villainous characters, all drawn from classic literature….fans will find it contains thrills aplenty.” – Publishers Weekly

“Highly amusing and fun…this series is for fans of any piece or part of geek culture. With the infinite possible worlds in the Labyrinth, every book should be a new, enjoyable adventure.” – Booklist

“Master of the World shows Willett at his world-building best…This page-turner keeps readers of all ages losing track of time as they find themselves pulled further and further into Willett’s tense, challenging, and sometimes funny world.” – the Saskatchewan Book Awards judges

Praise for Worldshaper:

“This novel sets up a fascinating, fluctuating universe with plenty of room for growth for the main characters, and readers will eagerly join their journey.” —Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
 
“Willett’s series starter is fun, quirky, and highly enjoyable, nicely laying the groundwork for future volumes.” —Booklist

More about Edward Willett:

Edward Willett is the award-winning author of more than sixty books of science fiction, fantasy, and non-fiction for readers of all ages. The Moonlit World is his eleventh novel for New York’s DAW Books, one of the world’s major publishers of science fiction and fantasy. He won Canada’s Aurora Award for Best Long-Form Work in English in 2009 for Marseguro (DAW Books), and a Saskatchewan Book Award in 2002 for his young-adult fantasy Spirit Singer, recently re-released by Shadowpaw Press, and has been shortlisted for both awards multiple times. Upcoming works include a young-adult science fiction novel, Star Song, for Shadowpaw Press, and The Tangled Stars, a new space-opera adventure for DAW Books. Willett also hosts The Worldshapers podcast (www.theworldshapers.com), which won the 2019 Aurora Award for Best Fan Related Work, featuring conversations with science fiction and fantasy authors about their creative process; Shapers of Worlds, a Kickstarted anthology featuring some of the bestselling, award-winning authors who were guests on that podcast during the first year, comes out from Shadowpaw Press in e-book format on September 22 and in print on November 14.

The post Edward Willett release the next Worldshaper novel The Moonlit World appeared first on Konn Lavery.

Work Out

A man who hopes to put his past behind him is pulled back into the dark life by his old party buddies. They need his help after getting involved with Edmonton’s most notorious gang – The Crystal Moths. If he’s not careful, he’ll slip into his old life and can say goodbye to his future.

Work Out is September’s standalone short story that takes place after the #YEGman novel, bringing you into the grungy underbelly of Alberta’s capital. There is no justice down here.

Work Out

Always exercise… every day, every… single… day. I never stop working out. If I didn’t, well, things would start to get ugly. I’ve spent too much time trying to pull my self out of the gutter, and there’s no way I am going back in that dirt. So I lift, cardio, and repeat. My old friends say the ridged routine has made me dull, or I can’t ever loosen up. Yeah, well, too bad, bro. This is the new me. Guess we’ll go our separate paths.

I take selfies, so what? The engagement I get online is crazy. Not to get like, egotistical (because my life coach says it’s a toxic path for the mind), but it’s a real motivation booster seeing those numbers go up from all the gals. Maybe I can be a life coach one day. My followers get what I am trying to do, not like my old pals. My friends, or ex-friends, I should say, and I were into some serious shit. Partying was a regular thing. Then the drugs came in, and eventually, we got roped into selling the goods. You need money to keep partying, and what’s a quick way to get cash? You sell the drugs. Man, we knew that right away after watching our own pockets burn before our very eyes. Long story short, I got out, they didn’t. It’s sad seeing them wither away.

About a year went by. I thought they wrote me out of their lives, but one found me. When an addict needs their goods, it turns out they’ll try to leech off of anyone. It was Tweaky-Travy, or Travis rather. I try not to use our old nicknames for each other. It’s degrading.

Anyways, Travis was standing outside of the cross fit gym just off 124th there. I get there pretty early, so I didn’t expect to see anyone other than the bros at the gym. Travis was unrecognizable, skinny, tattered clothing and all. He was rubbing his arms a lot with his hood up. If he didn’t call me by my nickname ‘Roadkill’ (long story on that), I would have walked right past him in the parking lot.

Roadkill. What a name. Anyways, the site of my old party bud was sad, but I stuck to my guns and asked him what he wanted. The man was pathetic. I still can’t believe I used to be like him. So, Travis started talking, saying he got mixed up with the Crystal Moths. I heard about them on the news, after a big scandal about a corrupt sergeant and the hashtag YEGman stuff. It was short-lived, minus the heat the police took. Social media is funny that way. Everyone loves sensationalizing something one moment, and then they forget about it the next.

I don’t. I remember the Crystal Moths from that horrific video that girl took. It looks like old Tweaky-Travy got himself involved with these guys. Sorry, Travis, said that he was needing my help with distributing some of the drugs he had. If he didn’t get rid of them this week, he would have to pay for them all now. And if that didn’t happen, well, you should look up the Crystal Moths and their return policy.

Man, my heart is too big. I wish my brain were bigger. As mad as I was, I chose to help Travis. We’ve been through hell and back together. He’s a moron, but I couldn’t just leave him to get gutted by these guys. The Crystal Moths don’t mess around. They’re not only in Edmonton, these guys are all over, which meant Travis was dead meat.

Look, it’s only been about a year since I’ve switched my life around. I still have some contacts from when I used to deal. The other guys never had these connections. This would be a quick job. It looks like Roadkill was back in the business. You should have seen Travis’s face when I told him I’d help him out. He gave me a bag full of this shit right there and then. I had to stuff it in my gym bag quickly, so no one saw it. We’d meet up in a couple of days. Tweaky-Travy, relieved, booked it after.

All-day, my brain kept thinking about what I was doing. My coach would be so pissed. I called up a few of my old contacts, and they hooked me up to their distributors. I managed to get rid of the goods down the chain of addicts and sellers. Boom, job done. There’s a thrill to holding a fat stack of cash after the end of a day. Tweaky-Travy sucked at this shit.

Travis and I met up a couple of days later. He seemed nervous, even though I told him the job was done. Hell, he looked like he saw a ghost, even after I gave him the cash. He was fidgety and wouldn’t say anything. He wouldn’t leave either. I finally asked the guy what was up. Travis said there’s more to sell.

I could have decked the prick right there and then. After a long day of working out, you get all pumped up on adrenaline. The urge was so strong. I gathered myself and saw the red flag – this was a slippery slope that I didn’t want to go down. Travis was using me as his enabler. It took every fibre of my being to tell my old pal that I couldn’t this time.

My heart skipped a beat. My stomach rotted. Travis’s face was grim, and his face whiter than paper. It was like I sentenced him to death. I kept telling him I couldn’t. He snagged my tank-top, begging me. The guy was down on his knees! I wanted to say yes so badly, but I couldn’t this time. I swatted him off, throwing him to the floor. He was as shocked as I. All I could do was run away and not look back. I heard him cry out to me, something about turning him into roadkill. I don’t know. I just kept running.

Travis didn’t come back. That week I was so focused on my workouts. I needed to keep myself distracted from thinking about what I had just done to my old pal. We had gone through thick-and-thin over the years. We had each other’s back until I went to rehab and got my life in order. I still can’t believe I left him. He showed up on the news not too long after. I was watching it on my TV, having my post-workout evening shake. They had Travis’s mugshot on the screen while the whole report focused on the Crystal Moths. Even the title was degrading: CRYSTAL MOTHS LEAVE SIGN TO CORRUPT POLICE ON DEAD MAN.

That’s all they saw Travis as, a dead man. This had nothing to do with the cops. It was a deal gone bad. Gotta love the news eh? The report switched to a graphic photo of Travis’s body at the crime scene. A moth was nailed into his forehead. It’s so demeaning. I felt sick and could barely finish downing my shake. He died because of me. What kind of friend was I? If I had only… no. I can’t talk that way.

My coach worked with me on my mindset to get out of that life, and I can’t run these thoughts through my head. That’s how my old pals and I stuck together. We manipulated each other. It’s toxic. Still, I can’t get it out of my mind. Tweaky-Travy, sorry, Travis, is gone because of me. The other guys started to reach out. Some of them are pissed. Others are trying to get me to deal again. There’s no way I can go down that road again. They’re persistent. They call me a murderer – which is one of the kinder insults.

The gym started to notice, and we got the cops to kick them out of the parking lot. They still let me know they’re around. Whether it’s a note on my car or a phone call, I ignore them as best as I can. Their little jabs are constant reminders of what happened to Travis. It’s my fault, and I need to live with that. So, I keep working out. The repetition clears my head: exercise, every… single… day.

YEGman Novel

An X-Cop Vigilante brings the law as a rebellious journalist traces his steps.

Synopsis

In the darkest streets of Edmonton, crime is around every corner. The police have exhausted their resources. Citizens are in a constant state of fear. The city is in dire need of justice. Someone needs to give the felons what they deserve – skip the courts and deliver their verdict with a fist full of fury!

At least that is what Michael Bradford tells himself. He struggles with violent tendencies while personally investigating the Crystal Moths, Edmonton’s most notorious gang. His vigilante methods get caught on film and are uploaded to the web with the hashtag YEGman. These videos catch the attention of a rebellious journalism student whose aspires to cover the developing story on the city’s underground hero.

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