Notes on punishment

So after a very satisfying first novel draft, what does a tiny scrum like me do to unwind from the constant weave and buckle of making a super long story? Make much shorter stories.

"Machines"

Below the jump I've posted an early draft of a science fiction story called "Machines". It's in the same setting as the novel I just finished. The scope and locale is vastly different, giving us a snapshot of the men who keep the world clean after the end.

This is one of eleven (11) stories I plan to collect someday in my first short story collection. Enjoy, and if you want, let me know what you think!

Return to

Here's the plan. I'm going to share a story a week here in the dark-outlined-with-white-center abyss. In the interim I post links to interesting things and my friends stuff and muse randomly.

I read this editorial yesterday from a small publisher and I found myself smiling a lot and saying "Yes that's it":

Editorial: Yuugen Goes Without Saying, by Quentin S. Crisp

Makes me want to read the books this guy writes/publishes.

So I'm off to submit some weird fiction short stories. Be back later with one I didn't!

All Shapes, Chapter 4 - The Wedding

Here's a chapter from a novel I'm finishing and submitting for representation soon-ish:

The Manipulator's Knock - Chapter One

Unedited, unadorned. First chapter of The Manipulator's Knock