Josef Matulich's Blog, page 18

Wordslinger Shootout Round# 12

This is what we’ve all been waiting for: my second appearance in the tournament. My gruesome story “Head Full of Worms” goes up against Mike Strom’s gruesome story “Severance”.  I’m encouraging everyone to pop over to vote so that I might win or lose by larger margins than the last time. Thanx and watch out for the worms!

http://kennethwcain.wordpress.com/2014/09/07/wordslinger-shootout-round-12/

Wordslinger Shootout Round# 11

I’m not sure what happened to round 10, but I blinked and I missed it. Number 11 is live with a competition between Peter Salomon and C. Bryan Brown. The secret ingredient is “curtains” and neither author took the easy route of a Wizard of Oz pastiche. So fans, pop on over and vote early and often. My second appearance in the tournament will be next week.

 

http://kennethwcain.wordpress.com/

Wordslingers Shootout Round# 9

This week is the first bracket pitting two Post Mortem Press authors against each other: Andrew Nienaber and KT Jayne. The secret ingredient is “cheese”. So, as before, pop on over and vote early, vote often.

 

http://kennethwcain.wordpress.com/2014/08/24/wordslinger-shootout-round-9/

 

Camp Arcanum Book Trailer

I’ve been told by those who should know that book trailers don’t make a lot of difference in sales. Only those who produce them for large sums of money seem to believe in their efficacy. But, I’ve had friends who’ve done book trailers and I wanted one of my own, so there!

Every expense has been spare. The soundtrack is royalty-free music, instead of “Witch” by The Bird and The Bee which would have required negotiations with Sony and a butt-load of money to secure rights. The images are either my own photos or stock images. All of it was compiled on Microsoft Movie Maker.

It’s a cheap thrill, but it’s mine. Enjoy.

Wordslingers Shootout Round# 8 (and a subtle victory dance)

Well, I survived the last round and will go on to compete against one of the other winners in the upcoming weeks. This round Scott Lange and Michael R. Strom do battle, inspired by the word “aircraft”.  Two very strange little stories that include brujas and flying purple dildoes. Check them out and as always, vote early and often.

http://kennethwcain.wordpress.com/

Wordslinger’s Shootout Round# 7

This is the week we’ve all been waiting for: I step into the competitor’s circle to take on Jacob Haddon. The secret ingredient is “mailbox”, which can mix up a poignant tale of loss, or just something horribly creepy. Read our stories to figure out which is which. Those who vote are eligible for fabulous prizes which includes a copy of “Camp Arcanum” or Lamplight Magazine. As always, everyone pop on over to vote early and often!

http://kennethwcain.wordpress.com/2014/08/14/wordslinger-shootout-round-7/

An Invocation of the Goddesses Who Kick Ass

When I was much younger and a different kind of silly, I wrote poetry. Succumbing to the romantic coffee-house image of the starving author, I wrote my gems on the back of Bernie’s Bagels placemats while nursing a single cup of coffee. Not much of that survives.

Thank God/Goddess.

Now, one of the central characters of my first novel Camp Arcanum is a witch and I feel compelled to dust off my poet’s laurels. Bay leaves, actually. Starhawk says in her books about modern Wicca that magick is harnessed poetry, used for the changing and focusing of consciousness.  I did my best to to come up with a few incantations that were both scholarly and evocative. To make the fall a little easier on myself, I made my mouthpiece character Brenwyn humble, even self-deprecating of her abilities.

The Invocation of the Goddesses Who Kick Ass was composed by her to gather the powers of the war goddesses and demon-slayers to oppose an opponent who summoned a demonic force the size of an apartment block. It may not be great poetry, but it might actually do the trick. If any of you out there find yourself needing to oppose a Qliphotic force older than Creation, I’d like to know if maybe this works out for you:

 

Sekhmet, Lioness of the Eastern Desert the One before Whom Evil Trembles, I invoke your power.

Inanna, Bringer of Sword, Plow, and Fire, I call for your gifts to smite my enemies.

Andrasta, War’s Raven, Scourge of Invaders, Patron of Queen Boudicca, guide my hand.

Durga, Born of the Light of the Triple Godhead Ten-Armed Slayer of Demons, I invoke your power.

Goddesses All—return this filth to he wh.

As I will it, so mote it be!

 

Wordslinger Shootout Round# 6

This time we pitch Dave Rahbari, aka Vincent Carcosa, aka Mordecai Saccades versus C. Bryan Brown using the writing prompt “Cows.” Both authors have created some truly creepy tales. Not to show favoritism, but C. Bryan Brown demonstrates how to do “Weird Western right. Pop over there to vote early and vote often.

http://kennethwcain.wordpress.com/2014/08/09/wordslinger-shootout-round-6/

Next week will be my bracket, so be ready to represent,

 

Wordslinger Shootout Round# 5

Another week and another pair of authors goes head to head. The competitors are Peter Salomon and Peggy Christie who turn in two very creepy stories inspired by the prompt: “depression”. Each is giving copies of their books as prizes to those who vote.

I will be in round seven and I’ve already gotten my flash story turned in. Be on the look-out

http://kennethwcain.wordpress.com/2014/08/04/wordslinger-shootout-round-5/

A Story a Week Update #31

I am such a bad author.

I got up to nine straight weeks of completing stories for each week, then I fell down like a drunk in an earthquake. I all sorts of valid excuses why that happened, but they don’t count.

As part of the Wordslinger  Shootout, I completed a story this week. I can’t promise that I will be able to catch up, I am still working on longer projects, but I’m not dead yet.

week 1: Tunnel Vision app. 450 words

week 2: Nightmare on a String

app. 1850 words

week 3: Ding Dong app. 275 words

week 4: Fly app. 480 words

week 5: abject failure and the lamentation of broken souls

week 6: Many Returns app. 400 words

week 7: Green Day

app. 1000 words

week 8: Faerie Story app. 1000 words

week 9: Deadly Preposition app. 100 words

weeks of abject failure and self-loathing.

week 31: Return Post, app. 975 words.

Keep writing, folks!