31st Short Story Completed!

Just completed my 31st short story 'Virtue's Villainy: The Flaccid Depths of Decay'. Just like every one of the others before this one, I put every ounce of my very being into it. And just like most of my other ones as well, this one was essentially based on previous myth. I feel that myths, american or otherwise, that are not developed into a full fledged story almost erode with the coming of future generations because each generation has a different version of them to a degree. So, by expanding on them to meet my own creative needs its almost like I'm keeping the purer version of them alive. For what is story telling without proper appreciation of myth?

Forward from 'The Road to Nowhere'

'Sometimes it isn't the best and brightest among us who can inspire a story worthy of mention. Sometimes it is those who dwell in the subterfuges of society and are hardly noticed by the general population who can, from their own terrible experiences, beckon the imagination. That can especially be true with regards to Horror. This story was much different than my previous works not only in terms of length, but also of content. Never before was I evoked to craft a tale inspired by someone whom society had no knowledge at all. When one considers that, It's difficult to fathom how many untold stories from unsung lives there must be. As a story teller, I believe it is a trait of our craft to be able to take the most overlooked and mundane aspects of life and add certain twists, if you will, to cause new perspective. For each life, no matter how it is perceived, truly is a story....'

End the Cliche!

Lately I have seen a sort of pattern in regards to film making, and Hollywood in general. There is nothing original being bestowed upon the public. It is all regurgitated ideas from cliched formulas that are so antiquated as far as modern story-telling methods go. And the reason for all of this mediocrity is simple: belief in profit. Because many film makers have become so obsessed with profits, they have flat out refused to take any chances at all on material that may be considered original. This narrow view point brings me to ask a simple question: Would any of the great classics exist if the same people who run the entertainment industry today(movies, music and literature specifically)called the proverbial shots back then? I think the answer is beyond obvious. I may not know for sure, but my observations have concluded that the public has grown rather weary of the same old, same old. You can only show something, anything for so long before something original must take its place and that is where the major dilemma begins. I can't tell you the last time I read a truly inspiring ghost story from a modern author and all of the decent horror films I have seen recently I could count on my fingers. Ironically, I believe that if profit is all that these control mongers are interested in, they could definitely increase their chances of making more of it if they gave the public more originality on a frequent basis and put to rest the same tired, cliche-style entertainment.

Excerpt from 'The Loss of Heaven'

This is an excerpt from my most recently completed story, 'The Loss of Heaven'. Again this story has the Wicked angel E'ferries as the main protagonist.

'For times unknown, they had been ignored. Waiting and preparing themselves for the precise moment. The fallen cherub E'ferries and his legion of demons had obsessively observed their celestial overlords every move. Channeling their rage and feelings of oppression, the darkened angel meticulously waited for the time when the defenders of the Heavens were at their weakest point...'

Excerpt from 'Innocence Lost'

The following is an excerpt from a story I completed last year entitled 'Innocence Lost'.

'....Opening the chest, she was surprised to see that it was almost bare except for a few contents on the bottom. A small portrait of a beautiful girl in a nuns' habit, a mummified rose, and a leather-bound book, the kind most people wrote their memoirs on. Being that Francesca was a well-read child for her age, seeing the book infatuated her in much the same way toddlers are excited when seeing toys.Taking the book, she then duly cleaned the dust covered rocking chair. Making herself comfortable, she opened the book and lightly blew the dust off the pages...'

Write what you feel

When it comes to revising your work, all I can say is to never let others influence what you are creating. Many times I have seen people get rejected from big publishing firms for whatever reasons and then they wind up believing that if they alter their work, then they'll finally be accepted. That shouldn't be the case. A true writer writes because it is what they feel, not to have everyone love their work. The black magician Aleister Crowley did not believe in revising his writings in the slightest as he thought they represented the holiness of what is the humanistic creative process. I follow a similar belief simply because I have a tremendous amount of faith in my abilities. People either accept you, or they don't. One thing I definitely have noticed about most of them is that they are extremely fickle about what exactly they 'like' and what they don't.

Love of Forests

I love walking through forests. When I lived briefly in both Washington state and Idaho, the forests there were simply serene. When I visited Europe all those years ago, the forests there definitely had a certain feel to them. In the ancient days, people believed that a spirit of the forest existed. I really don't know if I disagree with them. Modern day druids and pagans love to conduct their rituals in forests. To me, they are a major source of inspiration, especially when they have a haunted history. The Carpathian forests, for example, are said to be very haunted and I really hope that one day I'm able to go there.