Liss Thomas's Blog: Mingling Myths and Monsters with Mortals, page 19

Not Human - CCC - Continued - #290 - Chapter 6

Image courtesy of ["foto76" ] / FreeDigitalPhotos.netContinuation...

The tears started to fall in small trickles down her cheeks. Jill wrapped her arms around herself, trying to process her father's revelations to her. He wasn't from the human realm and her mother was missing. 

"Was she like you? Not human?" Jill asked. 
"No, she's human," Tom said. 
"But you're a big dog. Can't you track her?" Her father's face scrunched. 
"I'm a wolf, Jill. And I've tried to find her." 

Jill feared the worst but couldn't bring herself to ask the question.

"She's alive." Tom answered. "I think what's hunting you got to her first." 

Tom did a quick check of the perimeter before setting all the alarms in place. He kicked his senses into overdrive while he told Jill the whole truth. He laughed when she asked if she was born a puppy. Sweet summer rains pelted the roof and thunder shook the air. Tom spoke of his world, his refusal to kill for the King's hateful vengeance. He'd served his king well until that moment. That one defiant act caused him banishment, extracted from the pack, left to wonder a barren land and choose death by starvation, thirst, or deadly scorpion. He'd survived longer than most, existing on the scorpion whose venom he drained before eating. It caused only delusions instead of death, stealing sanity for a few hours. He wondered through the region and passed into another, desperate for water and food before he finally blanked out, exhausted and ready to die. 

"Who found you?" Jill asked, eager to hear more. 

Tom smiled. "Jackals. A mother and her cubs. I'd wondered into their territory before I collapsed. She took pity on me and nursed me back to health. Our kind usually don't mix and her mate seemed less pleased with her decision but he allowed it. It was her brother who offered to bring me to the human realm, away from my king and his punishment but he must have found out I'm still alive. I don't know how but he has an axe to grind about it. He won't stop until I'm dead.  

"Will he kill Mother?" Jill asked. "Not before he's captured us both." "He'll make you watch us die." She said it as a statement. "Yes." "We won't let him. I'll do anything you tell me to but we need to get her back," Jill said wiping angry tears from her eyes with her fists.
"That's my girl," Tom said.

Not Human - CCC - Continued - #290

Image courtesy of ["foto76" ] / FreeDigitalPhotos.netContinuation...

The tears started to fall in small trickles down her cheeks. Jill wrapped her arms around herself, trying to process her father's revelations to her. He wasn't from the human realm and her mother was missing. 

"Was she like you? Not human?" Jill asked. 
"No, she's human," Tom said. 
"But you're a big dog. Can't you track her?" Her father's face scrunched. 
"I'm a wolf, Jill. And I've tried to find her." 

Jill feared the worst but couldn't bring herself to ask the question.

"She's alive." Tom answered. "I think what's hunting you got to her first." 

Tom did a quick check of the perimeter before setting all the alarms in place. He kicked his senses into overdrive while he told Jill the whole truth. He laughed when she asked if she was born a puppy. Sweet summer rains pelted the roof and thunder shook the air. Tom spoke of his world, his refusal to kill for the King's hateful vengeance. He'd served his king well until that moment. That one defiant act caused him banishment, extracted from the pack, left to wonder a barren land and choose death by starvation, thirst, or deadly scorpion. He'd survived longer than most, existing on the scorpion whose venom he drained before eating. It caused only delusions instead of death, stealing sanity for a few hours. He wondered through the region and passed into another, desperate for water and food before he finally blanked out, exhausted and ready to die. 

"Who found you?" Jill asked, eager to hear more. 

Tom smiled. "Jackals. A mother and her cubs. I'd wondered into their territory before I collapsed. She took pity on me and nursed me back to health. Our kind usually don't mix and her mate seemed less pleased with her decision but he allowed it. It was her brother who offered to bring me to the human realm, away from my king and his punishment but he must have found out I'm still alive. I don't know how but he has an axe to grind about it. He won't stop until I'm dead.  

"Will he kill Mother?" Jill asked. "Not before he's captured us both." "He'll make you watch us die." She said it as a statement. "Yes." "We won't let him. I'll do anything you tell me to but we need to get her back," Jill said wiping angry tears from her eyes with her fists.
"That's my girl," Tom said.

Dad's a Monster - CCC Continued - Chapter 5

Continuation... 


Photo credit: ucumari / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Tom nursed his day old coffee, thankful they'd survived the night with no further incidents. He scented Jill's approach to the kitchen before he saw her but when she appeared he groaned. She entered without a word and headed straight for the coffee, like he'd done, but one sniff of the ancient brew caused her to toss the contents and start fresh. Once a drinkable substance percolated down, she took the cup from his lips, tossed the old coffee, rinsed the cup and replaced it with fresh before she made herself a cup with mostly milk and eight sugars.

"Would you mind changing that shirt?" he asked. 

"Why?" she asked looking down at her ensemble. Over a short black mini skirt, torn fishnets and black knee high combat boots, she wore a white t-shirt painted to resemble a gunshot wound to the heart, complete with bullet hole, spattered and dripping blood and pieces of gore appropriately placed.

"Let's just say if you're shot today, I'd like to be able to tell."

"Fine, whatever," she said as she shrugged out of the shirt. Underneath she wore a tank top made of tied material. A thin layer of cloth barely covered her bra but everything else showed through the holes, even a small bellybutton ring. Tom realized the trap as he watched a smug look cross her face. "Dad, I turn 16 in a few weeks. I'll be a high school sophomore next term. You need to lighten up."

"I also need to homeschool you next year. It's the best way to keep you safe," Tom said. 

Jill lost it. "Dad! I have friends! You can't do this! The only saving I need it to get away from a control freak monster like you!"

She continued her rant as Tom stood and filled his coffee cup. He closed and locked the kitchen door, a convenient feature of the old Antebellum Plantation home. He continued circling the room closing the blinds to hide what was to come next. When he sat again she stared hard and deep into his eyes searching for a sign her tantrum had worked. It hadn't. It was time to tell her.

"I may be a monster, but I promise it is only for your protection," Tom said.

"Well forget it! I'm not going to become some homeschooled freak just because you're a total loser. I'll go live with Mom."

Jill shot to her feet and threw her coffee cup at him. Tom blocked then growled. His teeth elongated and his features shifted. His lips pulled back from dagger like canines as the growling intensified. Bending low, he shifted more until before her he stood as a large Timber wolf. Jill backed away until she hit the door. She wrenched the handle without success before sliding to the floor. Tom ached to see her terror. It felt wrong to throw all of this at her at once but he had no choice. He stalked forward and blocked any chance of escape and when he spoke, she shuddered.

"I may be a monster but I am still your father, Jill. Did you really think you imagined that thing in your window last night? There are worse things out there hunting you right now! I can't stop the chain of events that brought all of this down on you but I can protect you. You have to trust me," he said. Jill's blank stare made her look younger than ever. Tom pulled back his features and pulled her from the floor. He sat her back down in her chair, made a fresh cup of coffee for her and resumed his place. "I'm sorry but you needed to see it for yourself."

"Are you the reason Mom left?" she asked in a small and remarkably controlled voice.
"I don't know."
"I want to go live with her," Jill added.
"You can't," Tom said.
"Why?"
"I can't find her."

Dad's a Monster - CCC Continued

Continuation... 


Photo credit: ucumari / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

Tom nursed his day old coffee, thankful they'd survived the night with no further incidents. He scented Jill's approach to the kitchen before he saw her but when she appeared he groaned. She entered without a word and headed straight for the coffee, like he'd done, but one sniff of the ancient brew caused her to toss the contents and start fresh. Once a drinkable substance percolated down, she took the cup from his lips, tossed the old coffee, rinsed the cup and replaced it with fresh before she made herself a cup with mostly milk and eight sugars.

"Would you mind changing that shirt?" he asked. 

"Why?" she asked looking down at her ensemble. Over a short black mini skirt, torn fishnets and black knee high combat boots, she wore a white t-shirt painted to resemble a gunshot wound to the heart, complete with bullet hole, spattered and dripping blood and pieces of gore appropriately placed.

"Let's just say if you're shot today, I'd like to be able to tell."

"Fine, whatever," she said as she shrugged out of the shirt. Underneath she wore a tank top made of tied material. A thin layer of cloth barely covered her bra but everything else showed through the holes, even a small bellybutton ring. Tom realized the trap as he watched a smug look cross her face. "Dad, I turn 16 in a few weeks. I'll be a high school sophomore next term. You need to lighten up."

"I also need to homeschool you next year. It's the best way to keep you safe," Tom said. 

Jill lost it. "Dad! I have friends! You can't do this! The only saving I need it to get away from a control freak monster like you!"

She continued her rant as Tom stood and filled his coffee cup. He closed and locked the kitchen door, a convenient feature of the old Antebellum Plantation home. He continued circling the room closing the blinds to hide what was to come next. When he sat again she stared hard and deep into his eyes searching for a sign her tantrum had worked. It hadn't. It was time to tell her.

"I may be a monster, but I promise it is only for your protection," Tom said.

"Well forget it! I'm not going to become some homeschooled freak just because you're a total loser. I'll go live with Mom."

Jill shot to her feet and threw her coffee cup at him. Tom blocked then growled. His teeth elongated and his features shifted. His lips pulled back from dagger like canines as the growling intensified. Bending low, he shifted more until before her he stood as a large Timber wolf. Jill backed away until she hit the door. She wrenched the handle without success before sliding to the floor. Tom ached to see her terror. It felt wrong to throw all of this at her at once but he had no choice. He stalked forward and blocked any chance of escape and when he spoke, she shuddered.

"I may be a monster but I am still your father, Jill. Did you really think you imagined that thing in your window last night? There are worse things out there hunting you right now! I can't stop the chain of events that brought all of this down on you but I can protect you. You have to trust me," he said. Jill's blank stare made her look younger than ever. Tom pulled back his features and pulled her from the floor. He sat her back down in her chair, made a fresh cup of coffee for her and resumed his place. "I'm sorry but you needed to see it for yourself."

"Are you the reason Mom left?" she asked in a small and remarkably controlled voice.
"I don't know."
"I want to go live with her," Jill added.
"You can't," Tom said.
"Why?"
"I can't find her."

The Next Big Thing - Part Three

I want to thank my friend Mitchell Allen for inviting me to do this again.  It's always fun to talk about your works in progress.  




What is the working title of your book? Hidden Monsters
Where did the idea come from for the book? It developed from a writer's prompt on Creative Copy Challenge
What genre does your book fall under? Young Adult Fantasy
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?  I haven't pictured this series as a movie yet but I like Abigail Breslin as Jillian but with dark hair like below.



What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book? Jillian finds out her father is not from the human world but having a father who is a wolf has it's advantages especially when the government wants to dissect you and other monsters are out to kill you.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? Self-publishing works for me so unless I get an obscene deal from a publishing house....
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I'm still working on the first draft.  Actually, this story is developing as a series of shorts on the CCC.  I think I'll continue to develop it there until I get stumped, then I might actually develop it into a novel.
What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Perhaps "Shiver" by Maggie Stiefvater



Who or What inspired you to write this book? My cool friends on the CCC have encouraged me to continue the series and it's so much fun I can't stopped.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? The series is listed on Creative Copy Challenge from challenges #284 - #288.  Follow the challenges to see how the story progresses!

Guest Post by Friend and Fellow Author, Matthew Quinn

Things I’ve Learned about Writing Research
By Matthew W. Quinn
One of the most important aspects of writing is research. If an error throws the reader out of the story or provokes them to throw the book against the wall, you have failed.
For my novel Battle for the Wastelands and its companion novella Son of Grendel, I had to do a lot of research on Civil War battles and weapons. Both Wikipediaand YouTube proved quite useful, as I could quickly find out about different guns, then go to YouTube to watch them being fired.
However, my current hard science fiction project (which does not yet have a title even though it’s already spawning sequels) will require even more. There are plenty of books about the Civil War that won’t be hard to find, but finding a book from the 1980s about the Strategic Defense Initiative and in particular a proposed nuke-pumped laser is harder. Furthermore, it’s set in a future space-based United States Navy, so there’s an extra layer of research that simply Must Get Done if I want to sell to military and former military people.
My most helpful resource has been the public library system. Although you can get a lot of superficial information from the Internet, books are what’ll help you go deep. When I lived on the South Side of Atlanta, the statewide PINES library system was extremely helpful in getting me the information I needed. When I moved to the North Side, the Atlanta-Fulton library system became my new mainstay. Libraries often have books that bookstores don’t. One of my big research sources for Battle for the Wastelands was the series Daily Life In… , in particular the ones about Victorian England, the United States during the Civil War, and the 19th Century American frontier. Those books were apparently fairly limited in terms of press run, since the Amazon price for each one is around $50. They’re especially valuable because although many history books cover big-picture items like wars and the reasons behind economic shake-ups, they won’t go into detail about how people lived, what they ate, etc.
Writing groups are another source. Different group members often know a lot about particular topics. For example, at least three members of the writing group Malissa and I were in are retired military. One provided some good advice on portraying a military policewoman’s reaction to being hit on in a bar (probably not a good one), while another — a retired Navy submarine chief — provided a lot of material about Navy culture and protocol. He also informed me of the “one crew one screw” rule in which collective punishments are used to give all members of a unit incentive to keep troublemakers under control. I was sure to use this in Battle for the Wastelands when a sergeant makes all members of a squad do “gaspers” (what I describe as “an unholy mix of squatting, push-ups, and jumping to their feet”) when three members get into an argument.
Meanwhile, one member of my other writing group knows a lot about firearms. During a critique of Son of Grendel, he pointed out that I should depict insurgents firing modern assault rifles on full auto reloading, since this goes through bullets VERY fast. Although I’d depicted them having to fight the guns dragging upward, I’d forgotten about that even though it’s fairly common sense. Another member is a retired Army sergeant who’s been quite helpful in areas of military protocol and tactics, including a scene in Son of Grendel where a colonel is directing soldiers during a firefight while on horseback — he might as well be wearing a sign that says “Kill Me” — and a scene in Battle for the Wastelands in which a sergeant oversees shooting drills.
However, you’ve got to make sure you’re using quality material for your research. I remember (hopefully incorrectly) a history of Anglo-Saxon England I read in high school implied the Normans imposed the infamous “first night”on England after their conquest, but the historical evidence for this “right” even existing is rather spotty. If something seems weird, I would recommend looking for corroboration in other sources.

Matthew W. Quinn is a published writer of short stories and an aspiring novelist. His horror tales “Melon Heads,” “I am the Wendigo,” and “The Beast of the Bosporus” and his science-fiction story “Coil Gun” can be found on Amazon.com, while his licensed BattleTech story “Skirmish at the Vale’s Edge” can be found on BattleCorps.

Picture Prose - Behind the Glass Door

Behind the Glass Door

I stood at my sister's back door and took this picture.  These two characters let me know that sneaking up on them was not allowed.


What we think they are saying:Woofy:  Get back!  I said get back!Riff:  You aren't coming in are you?  Help!

What they are really saying:Woofy:  Did you bring treats?  Come on in!Riff:  You aren't coming in are you?  Help!  Help!  Help!





The rest of the party was not as interested.

Scratches at the Window - PT4 - CCC

Writing Prompts – Creative Copy Challenge #288
Image courtesy of [federico stevanin] /FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Continuation...

ShakeApproveContinueAttachHoldThroughLieLastingNaive
Reward
Continuation… Jill's door exploded into splinters as her father forced his way inside. He took a quick survey of the room and saw claw marks through the window. "I'm here, Jill," he said as he took hold of her and pulled her from the bed. She continued to shake and sob as he rushed from the room. He pushed open the door to his own room and switched on the secondary alarm. Blue currents flashed at the window, lasting only a moment before fading to nothing. Satisfied, Tom sat with Jill still in his arms. "What did you see, Baby?" he asked. Jill's grip increased. "It was just a bad dream, I guess. It couldn't be real," she said. Tom recognized the lie and went along with it. "Lie down and get some sleep. I'll keep the monsters away." She rewarded him with a small smile before he put her under the covers. Tom stood watch by the window, not naïve enough to think there wouldn't be another attack. He needed to take more drastic measures to keep her safe but knew she wouldn't approve. He attached a silencer to his pistol, set it beside him and waited.

FREE DAY - THANKSGIVING!

Another free day scheduled for FINDING MONSTERS!  November 22, 2012

If you prefer the paperback, click here!

Temper Tantrum - pt3 - CCC

Writing Prompts – Creative Copy Challenge #287
Today’s words are brought to you by Liss Thomas.  Liss is a young adult author currently traveling with her husband across the country. Her debut novel, Finding Monsters is the first in the 'Guardians of Esurack'series, now available on Amazon.com
Image courtesy of [think4photop] /FreeDigitalPhotos.net
FindingMonstersBlueShimmeringGuardiansAnubis (jackal headed Egyptian god)LightButterflyRealmQuest

Jill stared out the window as branches scraped against the new panes. She could see the large screws securing the window shut from her perch on the bed and swore under her breath. It used to be a picture window but now the old divided pane broke up the view into small ugly squares. How was he finding the time to do all of this? He probably got help from his former cop buddies. They appeared out of nowhere like guardians on a quest to ruin her life. Jill kicked off her black punk boots and shrugged into her favorite skull T-shirt. She climbed into bed and turned off the light. 

The realm of sleep and dreams crossed into reality. Jill heard the sound of nails clicking her window and monsters fighting below. She awoke with a start and glanced at the window. A large butterfly sat on the corner, its blue iridescent wings shimmering in the moonlight. Jill smiled and closed her eyes but strange sounds continued to filter through. When she opened her eyes again a face watched her from behind the divided panes. Lips pulled back over sharp canines, dark cold eyes stared at her from the head of a jackal, like the Egyptian god Anubis. The growl its lips made shook the glass, penetrated the walls and caused her heart to stop. 

Jill screamed.