a_r_williams

Syd Fields





Dan Wells



For further reading: Story Engineering by Larry Brooks

Moses Siregar III has come up with an excellent idea for promoting Indie Authors. Each month six random writers are drawn from an available pool, and based on voting, one is selected as the Rockstar of the Month. If you're interested in learning more about the event check out its website, twitter page, or Facebook account.

I've also created a few banners for the occasion, feel free to download as many as you like:



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I wrote this for Chuck Wendig's Flash Fiction Challenge. I hope you like it!

Parallel Lives
by A.R. Williams



photo by dhannte

Alejandro clutched the tiny flag that the woman at the desk had given him, bundled up in his fist. The overly bright lights in the room cast a harsh glare against the windows, making it hard to see out. He perched on his toes, elbows digging into the grate of the A.C. unit, face pressed against the glass and stared both at the road that led to the building and the twinkling blackness of the night sky. They hadn’t started yet, there was still time. 

Alejandro nibbled on his lip and tightened his fingers about the flag. The officer at the door, ordered everyone to rise and form a line. Alejandro’s father stood, pulled him away from the window and into the group of adults. Trapped between them as they shuffled forward, Alejandro marched out into the humid night. 

Headlights shone over the horizon, white hot like the stars in the sky. The bus pulled up just as everyone finished exiting the building. It stopped in front of them, engine growling, brakes screeching. The doors hissed open. 

“Let’s go people, get on board,” the officer yelled. 

They bunched together and slowly began to board, one by one. Alejandro and his father were near the front of the line. Climbing the steps, Alejandro raced to the back, weaving between people. The radio blared in the background.

“Yankees versus Rangers, bottom of the ninth, and what could possibly be the last batter of the game making his way to the plate.” 

Alejandro jumped into the back seat and stared back at the building. The seat moved as his father sat down beside him. Was he too late? Did he miss it? 

A crack split the air like the sound of wood breaking. 

“It’s a home run. He’s going home! Rangers win! Rangers win.” 

The bus lurched forward, forcing Alejandro back against the seat. He kept his eyes glued to the sky, waiting patiently. Just as he was about to turn away, it happened. Fireworks burst into the air: Red, White, and Blue. Alejandro smiled and unfurled his flag, waving it from side to side. 

“Papa,” he said, pointing. 

His father looked and nodded, then turned back around.

 

(C) copyright 2011. A.R. Williams

l found this video via Jane Freidman's blog. It's about Elizabeth Gilbert's speech at TED concerning her thoughts on creativity and being an artist.

Late last month I published my first e-Book. Needless to say it was a work of love. It's now available for many different platforms and is awaiting the approval for the Smashwords premium catalog which will open even more distribution opportunities. I would like to thank darke_conteur, kmarkhoover, and quill_quirks for giving excellent critiques on the story. If you would like to learn more about "The Blessed and the Damned" just look below. I hope you will take a look at it.
The Blessed & The Damned

Main Content:

11,146 words/ about 45 pages.

Includes extra content:

Behind the Scenes, Kuwar, Character Interview, and Cover Evolution.

Genre: Fantasy/Dark Fantasy

Available: Amazon - US, Amazon - UK, Amazon - Germany, Barnes and Noble.com, Smashwords.com

Price: $ .99

When her twin sister kidnaps her daughter, Lorna Jassan must return to a city she hates in order to find the daughter she loves. Her mission forces her to seek help from a man she never wanted to see again. In the midst of her search, Lorna must keep a sixteen-year-old secret hidden, but the city has secrets of its own. Can Lorna unravel them in time to rescue her daughter and escape?

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In the wake of the destructive tornadoes which ripped through Alabama on April 27th, 2011, Southern Fried Weirdness Press is proud to present the charity anthology, Southern Fried Weirdness: Reconstruction. This collection of poetry and short fiction features 46 pieces from 40 different contributing authors. It spans multiple genres and presents an eclectic mix of voices. All profits will be donated to The American Red Cross to aid disaster relief efforts.

Now available at Smashwords in multiple formats. Here is the link to buy: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/59532.

Coming soon to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and most other online retailers.

The Table of Contents:

Editor's Note

1.) They Are Not Gone Forever by Stephanie Osborn

2.) God in the Sky by An Owomoyela

3.) Make Your Bed Downriver by Jens Rushing

4.) Live Bait Works Best by Brian Rosenberger

5.) The Music of Bremen Farm by Mike Allen

6.) Out of Natural by Jason Huskey

7.) In The Days When Blocks Were For Tires, And The Dusk Chose A Sideways Approach by Jason Huskey

8.) In the Ghost Hours by Jason Huskey

9.) The Old Man's Sweet by Jason Huskey

10.) Planting by Mari Ness

11.) Talking Alligator (Blues) by Sara Amis

12.) Sisyphus Explains by Sara Amis

13.) Lady Glory and the Knave of Spades by Nicole Kornher-Stace

14.) Meditation on a Deer at Night by Berrien C. Henderson

15.) Navel Gazing by T.J. McIntyre

16.) Directions by T.J. McIntyre

17.) Why by T.J. McIntyre

18.) The Fisherman's Tale by T.J. McIntyre

19.) Swimming in Old Spring by Eric T. Marin

20.) Giant Cicadas and Other Odd Indignities by Dr. Philip Kaldon

21.) Billy Anne's Box by Charlotte Jones

22.) Commander Perry's Mystic Wonders Show by Jaime Lee Moyer

23.) The New Elementals by Marshall Payne

24.) Judy and Norman by Darby Harn

25.) The Moon and the Stars by Marian Carcache

26.) Pride and Joy by Gustavo Bondoni

27.) Square Hills by H. Courreges LeBlanc

28.) The Wind by Marcia Gerhardt

29.) I Keep a Vine Woven Basket by the Front Door by Rae Bryant

30.) Up Above the Dead Line by F. Brett Cox

31.) Annabelle Tree by Carrie Cuinn

32.) Who Mourns for Washington by Fabio Fernandes

33.) Suffer the Rains by Craig Wallwork

34.) The Yearning of the Lighthouse Fairies by Brenda Blakey

35.) The Groundskeeper's Tale by Wendy S. Delmater

36.) The White Months by Christopher Woods

37.) Your Enemies Will Devour You by Richard Thomas

38.) The Sweet Song of Canaries at Midnight by Jude-Marie Green

39.) Nature Story by Walter Giersbach

40.) Alchemy by Michael Ray

41.) The Legend of Old Man Joad by Marsheila Rockwell

42.) Hanging the Woman in Blue by Monette Chilson

43.) Till Death Do Us Part by Kenneth Mark Hoover

44.) Neopolitician by Shaylen Maxwell

45.) Utnapishtim on Friday After Dessert by Danny Adams

46.) The Evidence of Things Unseen by Chuck Russell

Kristine Kathryn Rusch has an excellent blog post detailing weaknesses in the current Royalty Statements and Accounting methods regarding e-Books. If you're interested in getting published traditionally or through any means other than doing it yourself, this is worth a look. She talks about how publishing might be getting the numbers wrong because of the system they're using.

A moderator at Kindleboards posted this link to an excellent blog post. It talks about quite a bit more than the title of the post. It's got a lot of good things to say about art and about life. I highly recommend it.

My story "Demon Song" has been published in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. I am very excited about this as I love this story and H.F.Q. is an awesome e-zine that has been on my top ten magazines I would like to have work published in. If you like Sword and Sorcery this story has action aplenty and if you don't I hope you still stop by to take a look at it :)