C.L. Swinney's Blog, page 3

Good Riddance

Good Riddance

Most of me wanted her to go.

Take the pieces of my soul she’d crushed.

What remained were emotions I

was not prepared for, nor wanted.

The door shut loudly this time,

confirming the ink had dried and this was final.

The view from the weathered window,

brought tears, but not the sad kind.

He waited there for her, younger and

what she wanted. My hands began to ball as

the fancy car roared away.

Minutes later the feeling returned,

and a wry smile danced across my face.

The beer is colder tonight, and the pizza has

anchovies. Not because I like them, but

because she never let me. And

when my appetite returns, I may just eat one.

C. L. Swinney (c) 2015

The Charleston Shooting and the Potent Symbol of the Black Church in America

C. L. Swinney:

well said and certainly needed

Originally posted on The Junto:

Last night, Dylann Storm Roof entered the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, sat through an hour-long meeting, and then opened fire on those in attendance. Reverend Clementa Pinckney, a state senator, was among nine individuals who were killed. Many are shocked at not only the grisly nature of the shooting, but also its location. “There is no greater coward,” Cornell William Brooks, president of the N.A.A.C.P, declared in a statement, “than a criminal who enters a house of God and slaughters innocent people engaged in the study of scripture.” Yet this experience is unfortunately, and infuriatingly, far from new: while black churches have long been seen as a powerful symbol of African American community, they have also served as a flashpoint for hatred from those who fear black solidarity, and as a result these edifices have been the location for many of our…

View original 1,036 more words

Crushing Tin chap book Release! http://o

Crushing Tin chap book Release! http://ow.ly/O29GT June 22, 2015. How many cops do you know writing poetry?? Get yourself some…

WRITING CONTEST!!

Writing contest for Mystery / Thriller stories “ Fated Paradox ” Inkitt’s latest contest is open for submissions!

What is Inkitt?

Inkitt is a free writing platform that helps authors reach their full potential. Users collaborate with fellow writers and readers to give each other feedback and improve their work. Inkitt’s vision is to help writers get the exposure they deserve and the publishing deals they covet, without having to jump through the fiery hoops of traditional publishing or wade in the shark-infested waters of self-publishing. They are opening a new writing contest for entries in June.

Mystery and Thriller – Fated Paradox

The theme for the contest is “Fated Paradox: Tales of gripping suspense”. They want you to keep them on the edge of their seats with your best mystery and thriller stories. Submit accounts of murders and red herrings, or have them biting their nails over stories full of adrenaline and espionage. Leave them breathless with your tales of unmatched suspense.

What are the guidelines?

They accept original fiction stories of any length. Entries must be posted on the Inkitt contest page to be considered eligible. The contest opens on June 4th and closes on July 4th. The contest is completely free to enter, and authors will retain all rights to any and all works submitted in the contest. The top 10% based on reader votes get the chance to be picked by the Inkitt staff for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.

What are the prizes?

1st Prize: $50 cash, 5 printed copies of the winning story with custom Typography (created by Inkitt’s designer).

2nd Prize: $40 cash

3rd Prize: $20 cash

All entrants will have the chance to show their work to a rapidly growing community of authors and readers hungry for high-quality fiction.

Contest URL: www.inkitt.com/fatedparadox

Twitter Handle: @Inkitt

Hashtag: #FatedParadox

What I Saw Before It Was Too LateNormally clear eyes sti...

What I Saw Before It Was Too Late

Normally clear eyes sting then blur.

Pedestrians scamper dodging siren echoes

smashing off buildings. Radio waves disappear,

my head flutters with life’s thoughts:

the dog needs her teeth pulled, my

wife is mad at me, the kids

start school soon, my cover car

is miles away…Calm down, you’ve

got a matter of minutes to save her.

She’s trapped in a burning vehicle

and I’m queasy. I’m there, she is not.

Tiny hair stand up on the back

of my neck. Is someone in

the shadows? What the…boom! It’s

over for me. A second Boom!

It’s over for him. Two

dead bodies, no answers, no purpose.

Justice Shall Be Served is live!

Justice Shall Be Served, an anthology.

You ever get tired of seeing things going so bad that you make a stand? I did. And I’m happy I did. You guys know I’m a Deputy Sheriff and I am proud of my profession. Hoping to shed some positive light on law enforcement, corrections, and our military, I developed a plan to collect/write short stories in these professions and put them together in an anthology. The proceeds will be used to help the families of fallen officers and military members.

The political and public image of what law enforcement and our military is and does in the United States is under continual scrutiny. It will likely always be this way. Certain recent events such as what occurred in New York, Ferguson, Florida, and Arizona, have ignited passionate and heated discussions, violent protesting, and in some cases, rioting and the loss of life. When the President of the United States forms a committee to provide insight as to what needs to be changed within law enforcement, everyone, including cops, should to take notice.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of the people who distrust the police, are irritated by police, and sadly, hunt and kill police, have no idea what the job entails. We can’t afford to hand out badges and a gun, pat you on the back, and send you on your way…those things are earned, just as respect should be.

In this collection of short stories, both fiction and non-fiction, the reader will read first-hand accounts of what we do and why we do it. The stories are candid and are meant to promote thought. Just as I have no idea what it takes to be a school teacher, trucker, or computer programmer, most of you reading this currently have no idea what it means to work in law enforcement. That’s to be expected. However, keep an open mind and read the stories. They provide a glimpse into the profession you might not ever thought possible. Change is certainly needed, but not just by law enforcement, but from all of us.

You should know we love our profession and the people we serve. The majority of men and women serving our communities are caring and strive to do right each and every shift and deployment. We care about life and swear to protect and serve our communities.

Bold writing requires bold readers. This body of work will not be easy to read at times, but, should you have the courage to forge on, allow the words to be digested, you may find an inner peace. After all, we bleed red just like you.

-C.L.Swinney

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XFXCGWY

Paperback: https://www.createspace.com/5489889

Anthology Release

Hey everyone,

I just launched an anthology collection of short stories (non-fiction and fiction) entitled, Justice Shall Be Served. The stories are from current and retired law enforcement and military members. The release was a few days ago and it's already on two amazon best-seller lists. The proceeds will go to families of fallen officer and military folks.

It's here: http://www.amazon.com/Justice-Shall-S...

Thanks,

Chris

My first officially published poem!

Super stoked right now. Chiron Review published my poem, Free Parking. It’s based on a murder I witnessed many years ago. Please check it out :-)  -Chris

http://www.chironreview.com/current-issue

On Citing People, Part One

On Citing People, Part One

I’m in vehicle sixteen and parked in

plain sight. Words-with-Friends may

be open, but I still study an intersection.

A tiny green “Smart Car” roars through

the limit line and I grin.

My cell phone hits my duty

bag as the accelerator is smashed.

The stares and mouths agape never

gets old. Within moments, I’ve tracked

my prey and call it in cautiously

checking for hazards. Patiently, I wait

for my gut and eyes to

digest what’s in front of me.

Ticket or warning? The egregious

violator pulls over. Cautiously, I creep

along his mini vehicle, tapping my

gun handle and peering  into the

cab, searching for the driver’s hands.

I start my spiel… anger and

saliva are his rebuttal. Geez

guy, it’s just a ticket…verbal

Judo fails, a soft smile fails,

hands conveying peace fails. I consider

a hasty retreat, walking away since

it’s not worth it, but I’ve

seen this routine before. Ah ha!

Now I smell it, the “medicine”

that causes some people to act

imbecilic. I’m into the car now,

sniffing and searching like a canine.

I find his stash, the reason for

the deflection, his attempt to throw

me off my game. Now he’s

in handcuffs, and I smirk.

I impound the “Smart Car,” which causes

the tow truck driver, a mean,

gruff, and burly man, to point

and chuckle at the accused…judging

him without a robe or wig.

Badge Bunny

Badge Bunny

Stranded alone, submerged within concrete walls,

amidst squabbling voices, it finally strikes

me that an ulterior motive is

at play. Instantly, a room choked

with bodies is nearly empty-it’s

just me and her. Gold strapped

around my finger tightens and becomes

too heavy to carry. Puppy-dog

eyes continuously bat and she flutters

closer. Lust in her eyes smacks

me in the face like a

two-by-four. I retreat, she

advances. I’d been warned before, but

my age and inexperience drowned the

cautionary, unbelievable tales. She’s up against

me now, gyrating, moaning, and whispering

unmentionable things. My face flushes. Slowly

her hand travels from my shoulder

toward my gun-belt. I take off

like a rocket, up through flights

of stairs, and find the door.

Clean, pure fresh air pierces my

skin. A gaggle of co-workers roar

and point as I flee to

my patrol car. Drenched in sweat,

I reach for the air conditioning

button, then look up to notice

a senior deputy shaking his head

at me. I’ve failed the initiation.

I’m not one of them. A

career shroud in speculation, based on

being honorable, with integrity, is my

punishment, what defines me with them.

-C.L.Swinney 2015