K. Morris's Blog, page 761
November 20, 2014
Publishing Single Short Stories
A great post from Jo Robinson on the art of short story writing. Kevin
Originally posted on Lit World Interviews:
There are lots and lots of people who buy and read mainly stand alone short stories. Probably because of the speed of life these days. This came as a big surprise to me when I published my first one. There are short story connoisseurs who follow authors who only publish short, and are considered masters of the art. I thought it was a cop out to be honest – a way of publishing something a lot easier than a novel length book, because I thought that anyone can bang out a short story. There’s an art to creating a good short though, so that’s not entirely true. I’ve always enjoyed reading them and have piles of anthologies and singles on my Kindle, written by authors from debuts to Stephen King. A short story must still be a complete tale, with good flow, plot, structure and ending. In some ways getting…
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Save, Save and Save Again!
Yesterday I breeched one of the cardinal rules of computing. I had taken the day off from the job which pays the bills (with my boss’s permission of course), With the aim of getting stuck in to some serious writing. Having treated myself to a healthy breakfast consisting of hash browns, bacon, sausages, eggs and beans (with several slices of tost just in case I faded away), I sat down at my laptop and began typing.
I worked merrily away, words populating virtual paper until, oops the machine froze. So intent had I been on my writing that I had neglected to save the document. The laptop, showing no immediate desire to behave itself, I took a deep breath and went to make a cup of tea. Fortunately the computer had, by the time I returned unfrozen allowing me to save my work.
I don’t know what caused the machine to freeze but suspect it may have been connected with Windows Update prompting me to install Microsoft’s latest updates. Whatever the cause I was lucky not to have lost the story I am working on – the lesson I draw is that work should be saved, on a regular basis to avoid hapless computers being thrown against walls by angry authors who, through their own forgetfulness have neglected to save their manuscript. I am pleased to report that my laptop has survived to drive me mad on a future occasion.
Author Interviews With Samantha and Barry O’Connor (Characters In My Story, “Samantha)
My story, “Samantha remains free in the Kindle store until 23 November.
Forced into prostitution by her brutal pimp, Barry it is touch and go as to whether Sam will survive her ordeal or end her brutalised existence in the cold and murky waters of Liverpool’s Albert Docks. As a Liverpudlian born and bred, all of the places featured in “Samantha” are known to me, (all characters are, it goes without saying entirely fictional).
Some time ago I conducted interviews with Samantha and Barry with the aim of further exploring 2 of the characters who populate my story. For my interview with Samantha please visit (http://newauthoronline.com/2014/02/16/have-you-ever-interviewed-one-of-your-characters-interview-with-samantha/), and for my interview with Sam’s psychopathic pimp, Barry O’Connor please visit (http://newauthoronline.com/2014/02/14/have-you-ever-interviewed-one-of-your-characters/).
To download “Samantha” free please visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samantha-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI (for the UK), or http://www.amazon.com/Samantha-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top (for the US).
November 19, 2014
#Readers #Book #Promo – Samantha by #Indie #Author Kevin Morris is #FREE from 19th – 23rd November
Thank you to Chris The Story Reading Ape for the below post.
Originally posted on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog..... An Author Promotions Enterprise!:
Samantha tells the story of a young girl forced into prostitution in the city of Liverpool. Can Sam’s love for Peter, a man she meets in a nightclub, save her? Or will Sam end her life in the murky waters of Liverpool’s Albert Dock?
Amazon:
Young Offender Part 2
Below is part 2 of my story, Young Offender. For Part 1 please visit (http://newauthoronline.com/2014/11/07/young-offender-part-1/).
Jenny stood in front of the bathroom mirror.
“Little bitch”, Jenny said examining the deep scratch above her right eye. God it stung like hell. Why did she put up with her cousin’s violent outbursts? Casting her mind back Jenny remembered a conversation with her former boyfriend, Rob,
“That kid will end up in jail”, Robert had said.
“Rob, can you put down that bloody paper and have a proper conversation about Luan?” Jenny had said her voice sharp with exasperation.
“You know what I think Jen”, Robert had said, throwing his copy of a leading national tabloid on to the dining table. “The kid’s a no hoper. Bring her here and you saddle us with a delinquent teenage criminal. There’s a piece in the paper saying that criminality is largely genetic”, Robert had said picking up the newspaper and opening it at an article on page 3 entitled, “Scientist says criminals are born, not made by society”.
“So Luan’s behaviour is all down to genetics, it has nothing whatever to do with the fact that her mother is a drug addict and feeds her addiction by prostituting herself? That poor kid, ever since she was a toddler there have been men visiting Grace’s flat for sex. Its no wonder that Luan went off the rails growing up with a mother like that”, Jenny had said, her face flushing with anger.
“It’s bad jenes. Grace has them and the kid’s inherited her mother’s criminal genetic make-up. It’s the pig that makes the sty, not the sty that makes the pig”, Robert had said, reaching for his cigarettes.
“How dare you call my cousin a pig. How dare you do that! You sit in our comfortable home, coming, as you do from a middle-class family and you dare to judge people who have been brought up in an environment which you can barely imagine, and don’t you dare to light up”, Jenny said glaring at Robert’s cigarettes, “you know how I hate smoking. Oh, by the way is your cigarette habit genetic?”
“Don’t be bloody ridiculous”, Robert had said.
“Well its just as ridiculous as you saying that Luan’s behaviour is caused by genetics and we should give up on her. Your mother and father smoked so, obviously smoking, like criminality is genetic isn’t it?”, Jenny had said, twisting the tissue in her hand into a tiny ball.
“If that kid comes here then I’m leaving”, Rob had said.
“When we met Rob I fell in love with you for your forthright opinions. I liked the way you weren’t afraid to express yourself irrespective of what others might think of your point of view but, having lived with you for the last 2 months I find you haven’t got a single original thought in that head of yours. All your opinions are parroted from the tabloids”, Jenny had said.
“You know who you remind me of? Rob had said.
“No but I’m sure you are going to tell me”, Jenny had said.
“You remind me of that joke about the social worker who finds an elderly lady lying in a pool of blood on the street. She is, quite obviously the victim of a vicious mugging.
“My god”, says the social worker, “whoever did this to you needs my help”, Rob had said.
“You are pathetic Rob. A pathetic narrow minded bigot who rights off a young teenager because he is to pig ignorant to understand that the environment affects people, that we are not created bad but our shaped by our upbringing. Just pack your things and get out”, Jenny had said.
Downstairs the clock struck 10:30. The sound brought Jenny back to the present with a jolt. Turning from the mirror she exited the bathroom and crossing the landing entered her bedroom.
Jenny dressed in jeans and a t-shirt. Should she put on that necklace her mother had given her for Christmas? Why not, it was a beautiful piece of jewellery and she felt good wearing it. Jenny reached for the necklace on her dressing table. It wasn’t there. Frantically she searched under the dressing table, in every drawer, under the bed, in fact Jenny looked in any place, however unlikely the necklace might be.
“Not Luan. Surely Luan wouldn’t do that to me?” Jenny thought, her eyes hot with unshed tears.
addiction
I wake my head heavy, mouth dry, in desperate need of a fix. Shakily I get out of bed and on trembling legs make my way to the stash of powder.
I grasp the packet, desirous yet fearful to indulge my addiction. Could I get through the day without my fix? Perhaps so but, as the day progresses I know that my body’s craving for illicit pleasures will cause snappiness, lack of concentration and other classic signs of addiction.
With trembling hands I open the packet and watch as powder fills the receptacle. A few minutes later I sigh with satisfaction – this cappuccino tastes so dam good …
November 18, 2014
Free book promotions
The following titles will be available free in the kindle store:
Samantha, from November 19th – 23rd November
Samantha tells the story of a young girl forced into prostitution in the city of Liverpool. Can Sam’s love for Peter, a man she meets in a nightclub, save her? Or will Sam end her life in the murky waters of Liverpool’s Albert Dock?
You can get Samantha here for the UK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samantha-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI and here http://www.amazon.com/Samantha-K-Morris-ebook/dp/B00BL3CNHI for the US
Streetwalker, from November 23rd – 27th November
In this collection of flash fiction we meet a variety of characters, many of whom have been deeply damaged by life. The stories range from a young prostitute who walks the dangerous streets of London to tales of vengeance and comeuppance. Serious issues of abuse of power are touched upon. Anyone who is looking for a comfortable read should avoid this book.
You can get Streetwalker here http://www.amazon.co.uk/Street-Walker-other-stories-Morris-ebook/dp/B00HLRNDP4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416341367&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Street+Walker+and+Other+Stories for the UK and here http://www.amazon.com/Street-Walker-other-stories-Morris-ebook/dp/B00HLRNDP4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1416341367&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Street+Walker+and+Other+Stories for the US.
An act of mercy, from November 27th – 1st December
A collection of dark and intriguing tales encompassing blackmail, murder and sex.
You can get an act of mercy here http://www.amazon.co.uk/An-act-mercy-other-stories-ebook/dp/B00EHS74CS for the UK and here http://www.amazon.com/An-act-mercy-other-stories-ebook/dp/B00EHS74CS for the US
For my Author page visit here http://www.amazon.co.uk/K-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1 for the UK and here http://www.amazon.com/K-Morris/e/B00CEECWHY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Stop the Rain
Incredibly poignant.
Originally posted on Laura A. Lord:
It is two weeks from the anniversary of the day I lost you and I have been so completely swallowed up in the excitement of new life that I have not thought of you in months. I have pushed back the brief memory – static images in grey scale on a monitor, the thump, thump, thump of a tiny heartbeat.
These fourteen days will be filled with sleep-over birthday parties and Thanksgiving meals. They will be a bustle of last minute Christmas shopping and decorating and wrapping and hiding and excitement and frustration. For you see, your brother is due soon and we are all in some sort of limbo state: in one way waiting, in one way actively working to be as ready as possible. Is one ever, truly, ready?
It is only 336 hours away, but I feel the tightening in my chest. I dreamed of you…
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November 17, 2014
The Dark Net By Jamie Bartlett
The internet is, for most of us a place where we shop, interact with other like-minded individuals via social media and pursue a variety of other activities. We use search engines such as Google and even when our browser’s cookies are cleared they can, by a person with a fairly rudimentary knowledge of computers be restored enabling browsing habits to be ascertained.
In his book “The Dark Net”, Jamie Bartlett deals with the so-called dark net, a world in which anything is possible, however malign the intentions of the user. Guns, child pornography, all are available to those who know how to navigate the Dark Web.
Apart from criminals the Dark Web is also used by political dissidents wishing to avoid the attentions of authoritarian regimes. It is, in short the wild west of the internet. The Dark Web is, in brief a tool which can be employed for good or evil and is, like all technology neither good or bad, dependent as it is on the motivations of those who avail themselves of it.
For Bartlett’s book visit http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Dark-Net-Jamie-Bartlett-ebook/dp/B00K0M6JQC
November 16, 2014
Waves
Cars, like waves swish past.
Distant sound of engines forever passing, here then lost, tossed on the tides of time and space.
A horn sounds, a driver going somewhere perhaps.
My study. Books in cases stand. A poster on a wall, the dolphin swims, forever caught on paper.
The night is dark. Outside engines rev and die. In my room the dolphin looks down from the picture. A fish on a wall, how strange.
Thoughts travel with vehicles along endless roads, while I sit, the dolphin looking on, swimming perpetually on a wall.
