Heart Healthy

Heart Healthy

written as a Valentine in 99 words for Charli Mills’ epic https://carrotranch.com

by Kerry E.B. Black

 

Joelle gave up on Valentine’s romance long ago.

 

In grade school, when everyone exchanged cards, her lace-covered shoebox remained empty. As she grew, hers was the only locker devoid of tissue-paper flowers, and in college, no vases of flowers perfumed her dorm.

 

However, she refused to wallow. She didn’t tune to romantic movies, hum love songs, or read bodice-rippers.

 

Instead, she jogged. The world blurred into a sepia sunset as slush squelched beneath her trainers. She ran toward true heart-healthiness.

 

When she stopped for a smoothie at the local shoppe, she never dreamed she’s lose her cynicism concerning love.

Photo by JESHOOTS.com on Pexels.com

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Help

Charli Mills at https://carrotranch.com issued her newest challenge (write a story in 99 words about sea mist) while bringing a bit of information to her readers.

The US Veteran Crisis Hotline: 1-800-273-8255 (press 1). You can also text 838255, or open access help for those hard of hearing (and most combat veterans suffer hearing loss) 1-800-799-4889.

To participate, Respond by February 5, 2019.

 

Help

Written by Kerry E.B. Black

 

Mist floated above the water, ghostly aspirations undulating as the river swelled and dipped like lovers’ sighs. Transient by nature, it fettered fine tendrils around Erin’s poetic heart.

 

She plopped to the moist ground and beckoned the cloud. Perhaps within its obscuring she could find clarity.

 

Waves lapped the shore with the steadiness of a heartbeat. Erin’s own inner workings joined the pace as though engaging a dance. Delicate as dew, fog surrounded her until all she could see was the problem at hand.

 

Thoughts thick with worry, she stared into a luminous blank and surrendered.

 

“I need help.”  

Herd of Nightmares

Excited to announce the newest collection of my short horror stories is now available for purchase!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1948894025/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1548506627&sr=8-2&keywords=herd+of+nightmare&fbclid=IwAR0R5jdN01dh_rpOCMjHUzOUCPjkaoIOyuBzb_iDWBTO_lNYghqZ1Tkejk8

Fractal Features

Charli Mills at https://carrotranch.com challenged writers to come up with a 99 word story about shards. Here’s my take. What do you think? Also, why not stop by the Ranch and share your own fictional flash?

 

Fractal Features

Written by Kerry E.B. Black

 

After their argument, she retreated into the museum until she no longer heard the derisive laughter and tinkling of toasted congratulatory conversation.

 

Cold air buffeted from a neglected hallway. The percussion of her footfalls punctuated until the crescendo burst her dammed emotions. A torrent smeared makeup while suppression unknotted.

 

She beheld glass fingered with frost. Backlit, it reflected her amplified imperfection. Within the fractal features resounded his criticism.

 

Instead of accepting the carnival-mirror version of herself, she punched the unfair portrayal. The window shattered into a crystalline spider web. Pain shot through her wrist and left shards for remembrance.

Fortified Cocoa

I love the encouraging folks at https://carrotranch.com . The head Buckaroo Charli Mills issues a weekly challenge, to write a story in 99 words based on a prompt. This week, I’ve revisited Oma and her lovely neighbors. I hope you’ll enjoy!

 

Fortified Cocoa

Written by Kerry E.B. Black

 

Fragrant steam wafted from the pottery mugs Oma filled. “Have a seat, little dear. Help yourself to a biscuit in that tin.” Mugs made little thumps on the knotty-wooden table while Oma hefted herself into a groaning seat beside Melanie. “Now, what inspired you to shovel my walkway?”

 

In the cloud of cream within the hot cocoa, Melanie saw her mother’s smiling face.

 

“Ah,” said Oma, “you’re Heather’s child. Give your momma my best.”

 

Oma poured a bit of something pungent into her own cocoa.

 

“What’s that, Oma?”

 

“A bit of something to help old Oma through the night.”

Glass & Ashes

I’m excited to have a story in another wonderful anthology. This one is a group of speculative fiction re-imagining Cinderella. Glass & Ashes is available on 15 November, 2018 through OWS Ink and can be purchased through many outlets.

 

If the shoe fits …

 

This is from the Back cover:

“What if?”
It’s something people love to ponder. Now, OWS Ink has asked the question, “What if Cinderella was a little bit different?”
A different type woman? A different shoe size? A different type of hero? Or maybe a villain? What if she was never even a human?
And our authors answered. Prepare to read Cinderella stories like you’ve never imagined. Stories where Cinderella makes a different choice altogether, where she uses magic to make her own happy ending, and somewhere even magic can’t help her avoid her fate. So grab your drink and curl up with our new versions of this classic fairy tale.

 

 

Book Info:

Title:  Glass and Ashes

Author:  OWS Ink, LLC

Publication Date:  Nov 15

Paperback Price: 9.99

*3.99 pre-order

Digital Price:  3.99 

Pages: 320

ASIN:

Ebook ISBN: 9781946382504

ISBN-10: 1946382507

 

Print ISBN: 9781946382498

ISBN-10: 1946382493

 

Buy Links:

Amazon Kindle:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HMS43X4

Amazon Paperback:

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/897626

Draft 2 Digital https://www.books2read.com/u/4DlkEe

Universal link books2read.com/u/mBPRZD

 

The stories in the collection vary in approach. One of the contributors, Bryant Laslo, provided an insight into their story, and I hope you’ll enjoy this peek:

Who is Modiry The Forge?

Modiry is an enigma of a woman. She is legend to many. A fairy godmother who appears to grant wishes to the good little boys and girls. To others, she is a specter to be feared; something that is used by parents to make sure the little boys and girls are indeed good. The truth, as in most things, is somewhere in between.

Her age is unknown as her appearance has never changed, at least to anybody’s recollection. Appearing to certain people who find their paths in life facing a crucial moment, Modiry has an uncanny knowledge, not only towards events that she claims will transpire in the future, but what exists inside individuals: their thoughts and desires.

In addition to her apparent clairvoyance, she exhibits some ability to affect the physical world around her, causing objects to appear out of thin air.

However, her most potent trait has always been her ability to manipulate. Combining her insight into the future and individuals, Modiry is often able to sway a person into one choice over another, sending them down a road that perhaps they would not have chosen completely on their own.

What is her purpose? How does she choose who she will appear to and when? Is her intention solely to help a person work through a difficult time and better themselves, or is there a larger, darker agenda to her actions?

While far from the main character in Ella of the Cinder, Modiry The Forge is the catalyst which sets the entire story in motion. Read this short story in the upcoming Glass & Ashes anthology to find out more about Modiry and her true objective!

 

Book Spotlight – “Carousel of Nightmares” by Kerry E.B. Black

via Book Spotlight – “Carousel of Nightmares” by Kerry E.B. Black

Happy Equinox Birthday, King and Wells!

Happy Birthday, Stephen King and HG Wells!

written by Kerry E.B. Black

The Autumn Equinox is a good birthday for a writer, apparently.

Today, Stephen King, horror expert extraordinaire, celebrates. With over 50 novels and hundreds of short stories and non-fiction works to his credit, Stephen King holds such a special place in the literary world that he’s a household name. On 10 September, 2014, President Obama presented him with the NEA’s National Medal of Arts. Not a bad birthday gift, eh? Born in 1947 in Scarborough, Maine and raised by a self-sufficient mother, Stephen King credits his wife, Tabitha, for the completion of his first novel, Carrie. (He had thrown the beginning into the trash. Tabitha retrieved it and encouraged her husband to complete it.) His works have seen adaptions for big and little screen. He’s even acted within some of the adaptations. He published several works under the pen name Richard Bachman. Stephen King’s garnered prestigious awards and encouraged new writers. He said, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”

“Nothing leads so straight to futility as literary ambitions without systematic knowledge,” said another literary great. Also born on this day in 1866 was H.G. Wells, the Father of Futurism and Science Fiction. Herbert George Wells published such brilliant works as The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Invisible Man, and The War of the Worlds. Hundreds of essays, articles, nonfiction works joined this Londoner’s expansive body of fiction works. His writing explored issues of social class and economic disparity and predicted the rise of major cities and development of suburbs, economic globalization, and military conflict. Many of his tales inspired theatrical and silver screen productions. Most famous was the 1938 presentation of War of the Worlds by Orson Welles that inspired panic throughout America. HG Wells died 13 August, 1946.

Also born today were Chuck Jones of Bug Bunny fame (The Warner Brothers Halloween specials bring macabre glee to many) and Ghost buster Bill Murray.

*First published at Halloween Forevermore

Games Omniverse – Epic Workplace

You have to read Charli Mills’ latest piece at Carrot Ranch. What a fabulous campus! I must visit sometime. Her challenge is to create a 99 word piece about another Epic Workplace, so I mentioned Games Omniverse. http://www.gamesomniverse.com/  I love writing for them! (There are folks closer to my age but so much “hipper” and “with it” at Games Omniverse. They seamlessly blend in with the young culture.)

September 6: Flash Fiction Challenge

 

 

Games Omniverse – Epic Workplace

Written by Kerry E.B. Black

They’re all so much younger than me, but I find their Millenial energy invigorating. I know they look on me as the Grandma of the bunch. They turn eye-rolls when I’ve fouled another computer task and hide their smiles when I say something about “me me’s” instead of saying “memes.”

Yet somehow, I bring something to the group. I’d never be so vain as call it wisdom, and my experiences aren’t always helpful. However, it works. When they need copy, I pound on the keyboard until some small magic occurs, and the Angel in charge nods. “This’s good. Thanks.”