Rob D. Smith's Blog, page 2
October 2, 2014
Dang Deleted Scene
When I started writing Dang, I planned for Cindy and Luna to play bigger roles in the story. But once Peggy entered the mix, her character took off and left Cindy and Luna in the dust. Below is a deleted scene from Dang: Episode 1 chapter 4. In this scene, Luna arrives at Cindy and Willem’s trailer with her four boys. This scene alludes to Willem and Cindy not being able to have children. In the final version, I cut the four boys from the scene, added more of Peggy and dropped the fact that Willem and Cindy can’t have children. Let me know what you think. If y’all like this deleted scene I may post more.
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“You watchin’ the news?” Luna yanked her 3-year-old and 5-year-old boys by their arms and forced her way into the trailer. “Jackknife! Noose! Git your asses in here!” she hollered over her shoulder. “They won’t even listen to me anymore if I don’t call’em by their rasslin’ names.” Once inside, Luna and her four boys occupied the trailer like an invading army.
Cindy hated being them. They were a constant reminder of the one thing she and Willem wanted the most but could never have. A reminder of the pain she and her husband experienced five years ago, and a reminder of all the strain, both emotional and financial, she had put on the both of them.
“You watchin’ the news or what?” Luna asked.
“Why does it matter?” Cindy filled a glass of water at the kitchen sink. She didn’t give a shit about Luna and her obsession with the TV.
“Cause Willem took Murven out to the barn to kill ‘em, that’s why!”
Cindy, used to Luna’s crazy assumptions based on the news, took a second to process what she just heard. “Willem did what to Murven?”
“Murven went collectin’ with Willem today. Or at least that’s what Willem said they was gonna do. Turns out Willem was gonna kill Murven and bury him in that shit pile o’ his.”
“The news said that?”
“Yep.”
“Exactly that? That Willem planned to kill Murven?”
“Yep. Basically. They found four bodies in that shit pile and Murven was gonna be number five.”
“That can’t be.” Cindy tripped over the four boys as she tried to get to the TV. “Noose, can you turn on the the news for me, hun.”
“I’m not Noose! I’m Jackknife!” one of the two 9-year-old twins shouted back. “That’s Chainsaw and that’s Gator Bunny.” He pointed to his younger brothers.
“Gator Bunny?” Cindy asked.
“He’s only three. He don’t know how to do rasslin” names yet,” Jackknife replied.
“Whatever. Please just turn on the news,” Cindy said, unable to make it between the three-legged coffee table and the boys to reach the TV.
Noose turned on the TV and switched it to the news. Cindy could see the burned down farmhouse on the screen behind the the reporter. Something clearly happened on Willem’s family’s property. The reporter walked past the farmhouse and to the barn, saying something Cindy couldn’t hear over Luna and the boys. “Quiet!” she shouted.
Noose and Jackknife stood up on the couch and started wrestling, while Chainsaw made chainsaw noises and ran around the trailer. Gator Bunny, not sure what else to do, picked up and threw everything he could get his hands. Luna sat down on the recliner next to the couch and leaned in to watch the news, ignoring all the ruckus. “Boys! Cindy shouted. “Can you please keep it down?”
“No! No! No!” Gator Bunny waved a hammer he had taken from Willem’s tool box on the kitchen floor.
Luna glanced at Gator Bunny, unfazed by his disrespect for authority, then turned and leaned in closer to the TV. Cindy caught a glimpse of Luna’s peek-a-boo tattoo that used to be either a beaver or a rabbit, but five pregnancies and too much fast food had turned it into what appeared to be a road kill tramp stamp.
“Shut up!” Cindy shouted, sending Gator Bunny into a hissy fit. He pounded the hammer on the TV screen, cracking it and killing the reception.
“Look what you made him do,” Luna said to Cindy.
“Luna, tell me what the hell is going on with Willem and Murven, then git your ass out of my trailer.”
“Damn, Cindy! It’s a good thang you can’t have kids! You’d be goin’ straight back to that mental hospital for two more years!
“What did you say to me?” Cindy reached for Luna’s frizzy blonde hair.
“Stop!” Luna started to cry. “I’m pregnant! I can’t fight!”
“If your boys weren’t here I’d kick your ass all over this trailer. How could you say that to me?”
Luna backed away and put up her hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. These pregnancy hormones got me on an emotional roller coaster. I’m not responsible for the shit that comes outta my mouth.”
“Whatever,” Cindy said, pulling her own hair. “Tell me what’s going on.”
“I will in a minute. Just before your TV broke the reporter said they was packing up and headed this way.” Luna stepped around Cindy. “I gotta run put the ‘for sale’ sign on Murven’s truck. Maybe somebody will see it on the news and wanna buy it. Watch the boys for me.” Luna waddled out the door and down the steps. “Hey, Peggy,” she said when she reached the bottom.
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September 11, 2014
Dang: The High School Years 4
Willem and Murven followed the crowd of students into the gym and up the bleechers. “What’s all this for anyway?” Murven asked.
Willem walked sideways to squeeze past the students sitting at the end of the row and twisted his head back towards Murven. “Terry Bristol’s coming to talk to us,” he said. “He’s runnin’ for mayor or county commissioner or sumpin’.”
“Why’s he talkin’ to us?” Murven said.
“Hell if I know. I heard somebody say he wants to talk to us because we’re future voters. He wants to git to us young.” Willem sat down next to CJ, who was holding his guitar between his legs, and gave him a nod.
Terry Bristol strolled into the gym, adjusting his tie and patting down his blond hair as it bounced out of place. He shook hands with the principal, checked his watch, and glanced up at the students.
“Damn, that boy’s pale.” Murven pointed to Terry. “I think I can almost see through his skin.”
“Might as well be a vampire or sumpin’,” Willem said, pulling his blue handle comb from his back pocket.
CJ strummed his guitar and leaned towards Willem and Murven. “I don’t know what the hell he’s thinkin’. He oughta know teenagers ain’t into pale ass vampires and shit like that. We like Baywatch and David Hasselhoff, not the undead.”
“You damn skippy,” Murven agreed. “I might vote for him if he had a better tan.”
Willem combed his mullet, chuckled and said, “Dang.”
September 5, 2014
Dang: Episode 3 Free Day
Thank you for reading! I will make Dang: Episode 3 free for at least one day after publication on Amazon. Subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter and/or Facebook to be notified of the free day. And please let me know what you think about Dang: Episode 1 and Dang: Episode 2. Enjoy!
September 2, 2014
Dang: The High School Years 3
Willem and Murven leaned against their lockers, each packing a can of Skoal, and watched as the other students went about their business. Handy trudged down the hall, carrying a stack of papers and looking over his shoulder. He leaned next to Willem and asked, “Y’all going to the career fair during lunch today?” Willem nodded and squeezed a pinch of dip in his lip.
Murven turned and spun the dial on his combination lock. “Can’t. Got lunch detention again.”
Handy bent forward and watched as Murven scooped up a stack of papers from the bottom of his locker. “You throwin’ those away?” Handy asked, stepping around Willem.
“Yep.” Murven shifted his eyes between the other two.
“I’ll do it for ya,” Handy stretched his arms out.
Murven arched his eyebrows and shrugged at Willem. “A’ight,” he said as he tossed the papers on top of Handy’s pile. “See ya.”
Willem gave Murven a nod and looked at Handy. “What the hell do you do with those papers anyway?”
“Nothin’.” Handy pushed his glasses up on his nose.
“I know what he does with all that crap,” CJ said as he moseyed off balance towards Willem. “He’s gonna give it to his deddy so he can make flyers for his trailer park.”
Handy looked at the ground and shook his head. “That’s not true,” he mumbled.
”Y’all oughta call that place Blows Bottom instead of Rose Blossom. That whole trailer park smells like a giant fart.” CJ slapped the papers out of Handy’s arms and laughed. Willem stepped in front of Handy and flipped CJ’s cowboy hat off his head.
“What the hell!” CJ shouted as he turned and bent over to pick up his hat. Willem lifted his right foot to CJ’s butt and kicked him forward, causing him to somersault over his cowboy hat. “Gimme my hat!” CJ hollered from the floor.
Willem picked up the cowboy hat and tossed over CJ’s head. As CJ reached forward, his underwear poked out of his jeans. Willem grabbed the waist band with both hands and yanked CJ’s underwear all the way up to his shoulder blades. “Stop it!” CJ whined, trying to squirm away.
Willem released the waist band and pushed CJ to the ground. “Git your shit and git, son.” He stood over CJ and pointed down the hall.
“Deddy’s gonna hear ‘bout this.” CJ scurried away, brushing off the brim of his cowboy hat. “I’m gonna write a song ‘bout it, too.”
Willem crouched down to help Handy, shook his head and said, “Dang.”
August 30, 2014
“Poetic Devices” Available on Amazon
“Poetic Devices” is now available on Amazon. Click or tap the cover below to check it out!
“Poetic Devises” is an expansion of the first short story I ever wrote entitled “Timmy the Poet.” Timmy is one of my favorite characters, and I’ve always wanted to find a way to release him into the world. When I was a graduate student in New Zealand, I wrote a short film script based on “Timmy the Poet.” In “Poetic Devices,” the scene in psych class and the meeting with Professor Greer are both adapted from the script. My favorite scene from the short film — Timmy serves as a witness in a mock trial for law students — didn’t make it into this version. Someday maybe I’ll find the time to tell more of Timmy’s story. For now, check out “Poetic Devices” on Amazon!
August 22, 2014
Dang: Episode 2 Free August 22nd and 23rd!
Dang: Episode 2 is free August 22nd and 23rd! These are the last 2 free days! Get it on Amazon now!
August 19, 2014
Dang Paperback Giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive 1 paperback copy of Dang: Episode 1 AND 1 paperback copy of Dang: Episode 2! Two books, one winner!
I’m running the giveaway through Rafflecopter. I will email the winner and make arrangements to mail copies of Dang: Episode 1 and Dang: Episode 2 directly from Amazon. Enter below!
August 18, 2014
Dang: The High School Years 2
Willem steered his 1980 Z28 next to Murven’s 1981 Trans Am. He gave Murven a wave, grabbed his backpack from the passenger seat and hopped out of his ride. “You cheated,” Willem said, looking over the roof of his car.
“Hell no, I didn’t cheat,” Murven said. “It’s called drivin’, son.”
Willem slipped his backpack over one shoulder and walked off towards the school. Murven, carrying only his spit bottle, caught up to him and said, “You need to come with me to Giblet’s. He’ll teach ya to drive so nobody can catch ya.” Willem adjusted the dip in his lip and kept walking.
As they approached the main entrance to the high school, the front door burst open and Sheriff Happy ducked under the door frame. “Murven!” he shouted. “Git your butt over here.”
Murven dropped his spit bottle and hauled ass for his car. Sheriff Happy leaned his bald head forward, swung his right elbow back and left elbow forward, and exploded into a sprint, raising his knees to his chest like a sprinter shooting off the starting block. He stretched his legs in long strides as bounded past Willem. The ground trembled and the students on the sidewalk jumped into the grass to clear out of the sheriff’s path.
A student from the parking lot shouted, “Go, Giant Lightnin’!” In his prime, Sheriff Happy was an all-state linebacker known for his combination of size and speed.
Murven pumped his arms and legs, straining to make it to the asphalt, as the sheriff closed the gap. In a matter of seconds, Sheriff Happy shortened his stride and grabbed Murven by the collar, stopping him in mid-step before he hit the edge of the parking lot.
“What I do, Sheriff,” Murven squealed. His feet dangled on the ground. Sheriff Happy slapped his cuffs on Murven and carried him by his belt into the school.
Willem adjusted his backpack on his shoulder, spit and said, “Dang.”
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August 17, 2014
Dang: The Serial Novel Updates!
I have a couple tidbits for you!
Dang: Episode 2 will be available for free again August 18th and 19th.
Dang: The High School Years 2 will be posted by August 19th.
Thanks again for reading! Don’t forget to tell me what you think, what you like and what you want more of in Dang: Episode 3. Serial novels work best when the readers participate. Don’t be shy. Dang!
The post Dang: The Serial Novel Updates! appeared first on Rob D Smith.
August 11, 2014
Dang: The High School Years 1
CJ clomped into the classroom holding his belt buckle and stepping heal to toe in his cowboy boots. He waved at Willem and Murven in the back of the room. Murven, sitting sideways in his desk and talking to Willem in the seat behind him, ducked his head to spit in his Coke bottle. Willem pulled a blue handle comb out of his back pocket and went to work on his mullet.
“Hey, y’all,” CJ said as he slid an empty desk next to Willem. He opened the saddle bags he used for a book bag and pulled out a cassette Walkman. “Wanna hear my new song I recorded?”
“Nope,” Willem said.
“You still think you’re gonna make it as a country singer?” Murven asked.
CJ adjusted the foam on his headphones and said, “It’s my callin’.”
Mrs. Walker, the eleventh grade English teacher, clapped her hands as she entered the classroom. “Attention, please,” she said. “We have a special guest today. She’s gonna be your teacher for the next six weeks. Please give a warm welcome to Peggy Vanderbilt.”
Peggy strutted into the classroom and sat her oversized purse on Mrs. Walker’s desk.
“What the hell?” Murven said over his shoulder to Willem. “Her last name ain’t Vanderbilt.”
“Mornin’, y’all,” Peggy said, picking up a piece of chalk. “I’m here to teach the journalism section of your English course.” She spun around and wrote “Jernalism” on the board.
“Y’all be sure to pay attention. There’s a test at the end of the six weeks,” Mrs. Walker said. She took the chalk from Peggy’s hand and corrected the spelling before leaving the classroom.
“I don’t need no writin’ lessons,” CJ mumbled. “I’m a country singer.”
“In the back,” Paggy shouted, pointing at CJ. “I got my eye on you.”
Murven spit in his bottle and chuckled. Willem combed his mullet, looked over at CJ and said, “Dang.”
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