Constance Burris's Blog, page 4
October 19, 2016
Halloween Flash Fiction: The Bucket List
The Bucket List
Josephine lifts her arthritic knees up the steps of the small Japanese tour bus and stares past the rows of empty seats before she settles her gaze on a middle-aged woman with a curly afro.
When the woman turned and smiles, that is all the invitation Josephine needs. “May I sit,” she asks after she wobbles her wide hips through the tight aisles.
“Of course,” the woman says.
“Thank you. I’m Josephine from Texas.”
“Nice to meet you. I’m Keisha from North Carolina.”
“Are you traveling alone?” Josephine asks.
“Yeah, are you?”
“No. My no good husband is at the hotel in bed. He ate some bad sushi or some shit.”
The woman blushes. She must be from the suburbs, Josephine thinks. Suburbanites are always blushing over curse words.
“Are you looking forward to seeing Mt. Fuji?” Josephine asks the girl once the bus starts moving.
“No, I’m getting off at the Aokighara forest.”
“The what?” Josephine asks.
“The suicide forest at the base of Mt. Fuji.”
“I’ve heard about that place. It’s where people go to die.” Josephine shakes her head. “I wonder why so many go there?” Josephine asks. “I suppose they’re all unhappy.”
“They can’t all go there because they’re sad,” Keisha says. “Maybe some are just finished.”
“Finished with what?” Josephine studies the woman. She’s too pretty to be so morbid.
“With life. Maybe they’ve crossed everything off their bucket list.”
“Well, then you create another list. Believe me; I’ve started over more than a few times. You can always reinvent yourself and create a whole ‘nother bucket of lists.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right.”
“You’re not thinking about going there to die are you?” Josephine asks suddenly concerned.
Keisha laughs. “Of course not. I’m just curious.
Josephine brings her hand to her chest. “Oh my goodness. You about gave me a heart attack.”
“You don’t have to worry about me. I have a husband and a little girl at home. I would never leave them.”
“Good. Good,” Josephine says as she stares at the woman, looking for any sign of depression.
“I promise. It’s just a weird curiosity of mine. I’m not going to kill myself.
“Well if you’re sure,” Josephine says, finally at ease.
#
“Ms. Josephine,” the Japanese tour guides says with an almost flawless American accent “We’re here.”
“Oh my. I didn’t even know I was sleep.” Josephine looks over to Keisha, but the woman’s seat is empty except for a folded sheet of paper. Josephine glances around the bus for the woman, but she is nowhere in sight. All of her belongings are gone. Satisfied she has done her due diligence and no one can call her nosy, Josephine unfolds the paper.
Keisha’s Bucket List
Graduate High School
Go Ziplining in Costa Rica
Go To College
Get a passport
Make love under the night sky
Visit Canada
Write a book
Fall in love
Get married
Have a baby
Travel to another country
Visit the suicide forest
All but the last one was marked out.
October 17, 2016
Author Interview: N.D. Jones
Next up in the Black Speculative Fiction Author Interviews is ND Jones!
Speculative Fiction is an umbrella term for Science fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, et al. What is your genre of choice and why?
I write paranormal romance. I love the sexiness of a straightforward romance, but I also like a book to have a plot beyond the main couple meeting and eventually falling in love. Integrating paranormal aspects into my novels gives me a little more to work with. It forces me to be creative in a different way.
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories? Why?
Honestly, I used to never read fiction, no less romance books of any genre. But a few years ago I heard Marvel was going to have Storm and Black Panther marry – an unprecedented move by the comic book company. As an African American woman and fan of X-Men’s Storm, I was intrigued enough to buy all the comics leading up to their marriage. Well, from there, I fell in love with comics with romantic relationships, especially those with African or African American characters.
When Marvel dissolved the marriage between Storm and Black Panther, I was so disappointed. Worse, there was no comparable comic I could turn to to get that particular enjoyment fix. That’s why fanfiction is so popular. I truly get why fans turn to writing fanfiction. For some, they want to have a certain level of power over their favorite characters, writing what they would like to see in the actual comic, book, movie, or television show.
Thus, I write what I see as a dearth in the romance genre – African/African American love with a paranormal twist. I spend a lot of time developing the mythology of my stories, as well as the execution of the paranormal element. If I write a book with witches and shape-shifters, I think it’s important to actually show what it means to be a witch and shape-shifter. That’s one thing a reader of my books can look forward to. The paranormal is not a sidebar in my novels. It’s center stage and critical to the plot.
As a reader, what would you like to see more of from black speculative fiction authors?
I would like to see more mythological creatures, characters, and stories from the breadth of the African diaspora. There’s so much historical and contemporary material from which to generate engaging and entertaining plots and characters.
Author Bio
N. D. Jones lives in Maryland with her husband and two children. At heart, N.D. is an educator. After earning her M.A. in Political Science, she went on to become a high school teacher and department chair at a public high school in Maryland. Currently, she is a doctoral candidate in a community college doctoral leadership program.
N.D. is the founder of Kuumba Publishing, an art, audiobook, eBook, and paperback company. Kuumba Publishing is a forum for creativity, with a special commitment to promoting and encouraging creative works of authors and artists of African descent. A desire to see more novels with positive, sexy, and three-dimensional African American characters as soul mates, friends, and lovers, inspired the author to take on the challenge of penning such romantic reads. She is the author of two paranormal romance series: Winged Warriors and Death and Destiny. N.D. likes to read historical and paranormal romance novels, as well as comics and manga.
You can find more info about N.D. at https://www.ndjonesparanormalpleasure.com
Of Fear and Faith
A thriller of a paranormal romance with mystery, mythology, and suspense.
Before trust and love can take hold, grow solid roots, and blossom into a reality larger than self, fear must be conquered and faith embraced. Yet fear of an ancient prophecy, of burning magical power, and a broken heart, Sanura Williams, psychology professor, is unprepared when Special Agent Assefa Berber enters her life, hunting a preternatural serial killer. Assefa’s intelligent, chocolate eyes and intoxicating aura signature stirs her fire spirit but frightens the woman. In a world where all is not as it seems, Sanura and Assefa must battle the gods’ first creations – vile predators who threaten the safety of humans. Each confrontation, each bloody clash, will bring Sanura and Assefa closer to fulfilling the prophecy of being the Fire Witch and Cat of Legend – the ones who will save humanity from the Water Witch of Legend. Death, godly magic, and physical attraction draw Sanura and Assefa to each other, but fear and faith will determine their destiny. <>
October 14, 2016
Author Interview: Marcus Haynes
Next up in the Black Speculative Fiction Author Interviews will feature Marcus Hayes!
Speculative Fiction is an umbrella term for Science fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, et al. What is your genre of choice and why?
My genre of choice will always be Fantasy. I love the idea of being able to join characters on an epic adventure and see how people create their own unique worlds.
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories? Why?
To be honest I was inspired to write my own stories because of TV. I grew up watching superheroes, anime, and action cartoons so that played big part in me wanting to create my own world(s). But the actual author who probably inspired me the most in those early years was K.A. Applegate of the Animorphs series.
As a reader, what would you like to see more of from black speculative fiction authors?
Personally I would like to see more authors who aren’t afraid to play with characters. I love to see complex and distinct characters, so the more authors start to play with character archetypes and stereotypes to create ones that represent ALL of the Black community the happier I’ll be.
Do you think we need a black speculative fiction month? Why or why not?
We need Black Speculative Fiction Month just as much as we need Black History Month, Black Pride, HBCUs, and so on. Day in and day out the world constantly diminishes our accomplishments and it becomes harder and harder to see our success in our everyday lives. We need these months and shows of pride to affirm, inspire, and promote ourselves and our work.
Do you remember the first time you encountered your first black character in a work of speculative fiction? How old were you? How did it affect you?
I was in college when I was put in contact with Geoff Thorne, who is a novelist and comic book writer who went to high school with my Dad, and they’re still friends online. It was extremely cool to see another black author/nerd doing his thing and making a living out of the fine arts. I still look up to him to this day.
Author Bio
Scholar and author Marcus Haynes believes strongly in the transformative power of literature. With English degrees from Alcorn State University and University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and a degree-in-progress at Clark Atlanta University his scholarship and creative writing have led him to the Black Speculative Arts, a field dedicated to changing narratives through speculation. He is also the author of the Elemental series: novels designed to change how people of color are perceived in fantasy works. Through his writing and his teaching he hopes that he can revolutionize how the world, our youth in general, view Blackness.
You can find more info about Marcus at www.mhaynes.org
Legend of the Orange Scepter
What would you do if you had the power to control the elements? Teenagers De, M, Rod, and Mo already have an answer to that question: save the world. When the evil android A.G. begins her takeover of the planet Colorius they, along with the engineering prodigy Don, take it upon themselves to bring down A.G. and her army of androids before it’s too late. Their journey takes them all over their home of Redd Continent and pits them against several different foes as well as each other, but only by banding together can they truly earn the title of Elemental heroes. Can they do it? Or will the Age of Redd end with them?. <>
October 12, 2016
Author Interview: Mia Mitns
Next up in the Black Speculative Fiction Author Interviews will feature Mia Mitns! Before I start with the interview, I want to point you guys to her Amazon Page so you can gush over her beautiful book covers.
Speculative Fiction is an umbrella term for Science fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, et al. What is your genre of choice and why?
I don’t have a favorite because I like the differences in genres. I like seeing what could be from the imagination in science fiction, or brand new/altered worlds, various creatures, and wish list abilities from fantasy. I like how horror draws me into the unknown. I also like to see them merged. Science Fiction Fantasy, the horrors of science fiction, etc.
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories? Why?
Well, my first stories that I wrote were the much shorter type in the form of poems and songs, so a variety of lyricists and Maya Angelo and Nikki Giovanni inspired me to write. I liked that their works had a lot of emotion and power behind what they were saying. Some were uplifting, and they influenced me to express what I was feeling. The lyricists helped with expression and by telling stories about an/their emotion(s) or situations. If they were also a singer or instrumentalist, I loved to hear them express the story through their voice or the notes/music that came from their instruments.
As a reader, what would you like to see more of from black speculative fiction authors?
This doesn’t really have to do with the type of story, but an easier way to find all of them online. (category for them on retail sites please) Or maybe we should collectively make up a key word (one that’s not in use from any language) and tag all of our works and websites with it.
Do you think we need a black speculative fiction month? Why or why not?
I think it’s great to have one to recognize that there are many black speculative fiction works out there. It can also help people find out or learn more about black speculative fiction.
Author Bio
During school, Mia dreamed the idea for her first novel, Tea Leaf: What Hides Beneath. After school, she returned to writing to complete the story and found out she had more to tell. When Mia is not writing or reading, she enjoys listening to music, going to concerts, art, and trying to play guitar.
You can find more info about Mia at http://miamitns.com
Fallen + Marli & Lalo: A Fallen Mystery (Fallen Invasion Book 1)
Marli has a few problems. The first involving an alien who fell from the sky. These things hadn’t scientifically been proven to exist yet. How could she communicate with Lalo without making him upset? Fortunately for Marli, Lalo is kind. When Marli uncovers a better way to talk to Lalo, she finds out he has a problem— he can’t remember why he is on Earth. Lalo only knows he needs to protect Marli.
October 10, 2016
Author Interview: Kyoko M
Next up in the Black Speculative Fiction Author Interviews will feature Kyoko M!
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories? Why?
Jim Butcher. I love the way he weaves a story and creates characters that really resonate with me, make me laugh, make me cry, and make me want to spend time with them no matter what they’re doing.
Do you think we need a black speculative fiction month? Why or why not?
Yes. It’s always good to cast the spotlight on those who could use a turn in the daylight instead of hustling in the dark.
As a reader, what would you like to see more of from black speculative fiction authors?
I love seeing people of color in the urban fantasy realm because all too often, the popular stories are copy/pasted and nearly identical to each other.
Do you remember the first time you encountered your first black character in a work of speculative fiction? How old were you? How did it affect you?
I was in college when I was put in contact with Geoff Thorne, who is a novelist and comic book writer who went to high school with my Dad, and they’re still friends online. It was extremely cool to see another black author/nerd doing his thing and making a living out of the fine arts. I still look up to him to this day.
Author Bio
Kyoko M is an author, a fangirl, and an avid book reader. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Lit degree from the University of Georgia, which gave her every valid excuse to devour book after book with a concentration in Greek mythology and Christian mythology. When not working feverishly on a manuscript (or two), she can be found buried under her Dashboard on Tumblr, or chatting with fellow nerds on Twitter, or curled up with a good Harry Dresden novel on a warm central Florida night. Like any author, she wants nothing more than to contribute something great to the best profession in the world, no matter how small.
You can find more info about Kyoko at http://shewhowritesmonsters.com/about-the-author/
The Black Parade
Jordan Amador. 21. New Yorker. Waitress. Mild alcoholic. Murderer.
Jordan accidentally shot and killed a Seer: a person who can communicate with ghosts, angels, and demons. Worse still, she did so on the eve of her own awakening, making her the last Seer on Earth with no one to guide her. As penance, God gives her two years to help one hundred souls with unfinished business cross over from Earth to the afterlife or she will go to Hell. Just as she approaches the deadline, Jordan finds her hundredth soul: a smart-mouthed poltergeist named Michael whose ability to physically touch things makes him distinct from her usual encounters with the dead. However, the deeper she delves solving his sudden death, the more she realizes something sinister is on the horizon.
With time running short, Jordan stumbles across a plot that may unravel the fragile balance among Heaven, Hell, and Earth. Her life is plunged into chaos as she is hunted by demons that want to use her valuable Seer blood to bring about the end of the world and discovers that these creatures have a frightening connection to her family bloodline. Plus, the budding romance between Jordan and Michael makes it harder for them to let go of each other so he can become part of the eternal black parade.
If you don’t want to wait for the results of the giveaway, you can purchase <>
October 7, 2016
Author Interview: Dormaine G.
Next up in the Black Speculative Fiction Author Spotlight is Dormaine G.!
Dormaine was born in Long Island, New York where she lived most of her life. She may be a nurse by profession but her heart has always belonged to writing. As a young child, she spent many Saturdays in the library nurturing her love for books. There she discovered her fascination for the paranormal genre through reading and watching movies.
After many years of working in hospitals and travel nursing, she took time off to pursue a career in writing where she likes to push the limits of the imagination and delve into the world of the unknown. When she is not on her computer, she loves to spend time with her husband and two feisty dogs.
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories?
I love just about anything paranormal, but I especially love to write paranormal horror. Pushing the limits of the imagination is so wonderful. Writing new characters can be so amazing and developing a personality is fulfilling.
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories?
My English teachers have always suggested it, but the author that really inspired me was L. A. Banks. The characters in her story and the flow of the story line thrilled me. Banks inspired me to finish my novels and publish them. I too wanted characters the affected a reader as her’s did me.
Do you think we need a black speculative fiction month? Why or why not?
Yes we do. As a black female author, I know how hard it is to get recognized.
Do you remember the first time you encountered your first black character in a work of speculative fiction? How old were you? How did it affect you?
Being young, I remember seeing black characters on television or in movies but they never seemed to get the main role or their character was the silly one. It bothered me, once I realized the pattern, and decided that I wanted main characters of color throughout my novels.
You can discover more about Dormaine at her website: http://www.dormaineg.com
Giveaway
October 5, 2016
Author Interview: Lynn Emery
Next up in the Black Speculative Fiction Author Spotlight is Lynn Emery!
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories?
Ernest Gaines
Do you think we need a black speculative fiction month? Why or why not?
Yes. Any means to raise the profile of authors via cross promotion is fantastic.
As a reader, what would you like to see more of from black speculative fiction authors?
Mysteries set in future worlds!
Do you remember the first time you encountered your first black character in a work of speculative fiction? How old were you? How did it affect you?
I don’t recall when or what age. I read Delaney not even knowing he was Black. I only recall loving his work. However, I loved speculative fiction starting when I was 9 or 10 years old. Going to new worlds, or seeing how people reacted in fantastic situations helped me deal with a hostile world, being a little brown girl I mean.
Author Bio
Mix knowledge of voodoo, Louisiana politics and forensic social work, and you get a snapshot of author Lynn Emery. Lynn has written twenty-two novels so far, one of which inspired the BET made-for-television movie AFTER ALL based on her romantic suspense novel of the same name.
Lynn’s recent titles include murder mysteries set in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana featuring a Creole psychic and a Cajun deputy. The titles in this series are: A Darker Shade of Midnight (#1), Between Dusk and Dawn (#2), and Only By Moonlight (#3). Into The Mist (#4) continues the harrowing case files of LaShaun Rousselle and Deputy Chase Broussard. Into the Mist will be released in October 2016.
You can find more info about Lynn here: www.lynnemery.com
Giveaway
Sultry New Orleans seethes with over 300 years of grim secrets. No one knows this better than psychic sisters Charmaine and Jessi Joliet.
In That Awful Sound, they take on the case of an old moneyed Garden District resident. Something supernatural is creeping around her grand nineteenth century mansion, and she wants it gone. On the outside, she’s the picture of respectability and decorum. Yet within those stately walls lurk generations of dark secrets. Charmaine and Jessi find themselves caught in twisted plots, betrayals, and murder. They’ll need every ounce of their paranormal skills to solve a grisly murder and stay alive.
Read Smooth Operator, another Charmaine and Jessi Joliet story. Charmaine has to outwit a couple of deadly scam artists to avoid a murder charge and get Jessi out of serious trouble.
If you don’t want to wait for the results of the giveaway, you can purchase <>
October 3, 2016
Author Interview: Lori Titus
October is Black Speculative Fiction Month. To celebrate I’m hosting a giveaway with 19 other #BlackSpecFic authors. I’m also doing some author interviews for some of the participants.
First up is Lori Titus. (BTW I highly recommend connecting with her on Facebook cause she’s cool like that). She is a Californian with an affinity for dark fiction. Her work explores mysticism and reality, treading the blurred line between man and monster. She thrives on coffee and daydreams when she isn’t writing or plotting out her next story.
You can find more info about Lori here: https://loribeth215.wordpress.com/
Which author inspired you the most to write your own stories?
Early on I was very inspired by Poe and Shirley Jackson.
Do you think we need a black speculative fiction month? Why or why not?
We definitely need a spotlight on these works of fiction. I often hear people say they don’t know how to find black spec fiction writers.
As a reader, what would you like to see more of from black speculative fiction authors?
I would love to see more stories that explore romance and family life between black people. More diverse offerings from writers across the African diaspora would be great.
Do you remember the first time you encountered your first black character in a work of speculative fiction? How old were you? How did it affect you?
There were a few, but the one that had the biggest effect on me was Tananarive Due. It made me feel good to know there were other people out there who loved the same kind of stories that I did.
Hunting In Closed Spaces
Marradith Ryder appears to be an ordinary teenager, living in a small Texas town with her parents and younger brother. Everything changes the night that she is abducted from her home. Can she trust the man that says he was sent to protect her? And what do the powerful members of The Circle want from her?
If you don’t want to wait for the giveaway, you can purchase Hunting in Closed Spaces here
July 3, 2016
Win a Signed Paperback Copy of Coal in Huge YA Sci-Fi and Fantasy Giveaway
Coal will be part of a 23 book YA Sci-Fi and Fantasy giveaway ending on August 1st. You should definitely enter for your chance to win the awesome book bundle as well as a $115 Amazon Gift Card.
!!!Enter Here!!!
!!!Enter Here!!!
June 16, 2016
I Have A New Baby!
I have a new baby and it’s an audiobook, yo!
I want to say thank you to Kila Kitu for contacting me and narrating the story. You Rock!
And Oh my gosh, guys, Kila does such a great job of sounding beautifully creepy! If you don’t believe me, you should so listen to a sample on the following links: iTunes, Audible, and Amazon. And then after you check it out, you can totally buy it!
