As you know, I’ve been working on my new short story, “The Green Cross,” for the past month or so. Lately I’ve been struggling with it and I haven’t made as much progress as I had hoped. I had previously given myself a deadline at the end of this month. It doesn’t look like I’m going to meet that deadline.

I have been reading up on some World War I material that I hope provides some insight for my story. Chief among these is Poilu, the memoirs of French soldier Louis Barthas who fought in throughout the entire war. I’ve been enjoying it so far. It reminds me of Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried, another book I’d definitely recommend reading if you haven’t already done so.

As for when I might finish “The Green Cross”, I don’t know. I hope to complete the first draft by the end of August.

Until then, stay tuned.

Martin

Hey everybody,

Just dropping by to let you know that I’m working on my new short story, “The Green Cross”, which I’m hoping to complete by the end of the month. I announced the story last week and I said I would give updates before I finish the story. Well here goes…

“The Green Cross” is a literary historical fiction story set during World War I. I graduated from Baylor University with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and a minor in Creative Writing. This story is a blend of two of my favorite things, and since the First World War is perhaps my favorite historical subject, I hold a great degree of interest in this story.  I feel that there isn’t a whole lot of media surrounding WW1, which is especially disappointing for me since WW1 started 102 years ago. This past week was also the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, which is one of, if not the, most devastating battles in human history.

Chemical warfare was prevalent during this war. Both sides used different forms of gas to attack their enemies. The Germans would mark their artillery shells that carried gas with crosses of varying colors, with each color representing a different type of gas that would target a specific part of the body. Green Cross shells would typically carry gas that targeted the lungs.

I don’t want to spoil everything, so that’s all I’m offering for today. “The Green Cross” is a literary historical fiction short story set during World War I, perhaps involving the use of chemical warfare in some shape or form.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more info.

Martin

Hello everybody!

It has been a long time since I’ve worked on my writing. I apologize for that. But now I’ve decided to get back to doing what I love doing the most: writing, writing, writing.

But first, I need to plug something. The last time I posted on my blog, I announced that my first completed short story, “Four Firewoods”, was available to purchase and download for the Amazon Kindle for $0.99. If you don’t own a Kindle, don’t worry since you can download an app for your PC, Mac, iOS, Android, or whichever platform you want to use. Four Firewoods is available here.

And on to other news, I’ve started work on my next short story! I’ve tentatively titled it “The Green Cross”. I don’t want to reveal too much right now, as I’m still working on some of the details, but I can say that it is a piece of “literary” fiction, much like “Four Firewoods.” I hope to complete the first draft by July 15th, so stay tuned for more updates until then.

Thanks for reading,

Martin

I am excited to announce that as of 4:55 tonight, I have uploaded “Four Firewoods” to Amazon. However, it can take up to 72 hours for it to be fully available for purchase on Amazon Kindle, so it isn’t quite ready to be purchased just yet. The moment I learn that “Four Firewoods” is ready to be purchased, I will let you know.

Thank you so much!

Hey everybody!

As I promised earlier this week, I’ve come by to provide a short sample of “Four FIrewoods” ahead of its release on Amazon next week. So without further ado, here is the sample…

A cold front came through Langston that afternoon. The brisk northerly winds changed the soothing cool air of the morning into something harsh and daggerlike. When Amber gasped for air, it attacked her, suffocated her. She finally reached her little green car, the key shaking in her cold hand and scratching the door around the keyhole. Amber stabbed the key into the lock and twisted it with enough force that had her hand not been numb, she would have felt a considerable degree of pain. She instantly turned on the heat. She knew the heating wouldn’t fully kick in until she returned home, but maybe she could be lucky this time.

The Langston Elementary School parking lot looked deserted when Amber finally exited onto Langston Avenue. She taught at the school, though she didn’t particularly like her job. It paid her bills and kept her mouth fed, but she drifted through the day, assisting students here and there with spelling or science. When she was done, she moved back to her desk and rested her cheek in the palm of her hand. By the day’s final period, Amber had given up. She popped in a movie about wild cheetahs in Africa to the cheers of her second-graders.

Later that afternoon, Mr. Quinn held her after students were dismissed for the day. The principal asked Amber why she deviated from her lesson plan. Instead of leading an engaging discussion about cheetahs with her students that would have led to a writing exercise, she resigned to showing the movie. He claimed to have witnessed Amber leaning back in her chair, the lights off, her eyes nearly closed, and the blue light from the TV illuminating the children’s entertained faces. He said he saw her through the black crisscrossing on the slim window panel. Amber saw his beady, black eyes peering through the glass. She imagined Mr. Quinn lining up his vision with one of the many X’s in the frame, positioning it over Amber, wishing to cross her off. Join the club, Amber thought.

Amber stated she didn’t feel well, that the cool weather gave her a cold. It wasn’t true, even the cold part though it could have been. Mr. Quinn nodded in understanding, and taking a few steps back, wished her a good day and a happy weekend. Those words rang false for Amber, but she wished him the same regardless and departed.

So what did you think? Are you excited to read the full story next week? Let me know in the comments section or on my Facebook page.

Hello everybody!

As I mentioned on my Facebook page recently, I have decided to self-publish “Four Firewoods” on Amazon. I needed to take care of some issues before I did that (editing/reformatting/etc.). One of the things I needed was a cover. And now I finally have one…

Special thanks goes to Kristie’s Unique Covers for this amazing cover!

In addition to today’s cover reveal, I can also announce that I will post a short preview of “Four Firewoods” on Friday!

Thank you for all of your support!

As I promised yesterday, I am posting one of the three flash fiction stories I submitted to NANO Fiction for the 2015 NANO Prize. Unfortunately, I did not win. The story I post below is titled “The Sun Around Angel Wings”. I hope you enjoy.

The Sun Around Angel Wings

I grab the spine and tear it away from the shelf. The book falls into my palm. It’s the wrong character. I throw it on the ground. I grasp another—same result.

And so I continue. I empty the shelf once filled with X-Men titles until only a few remain. Characters glare up at me from their covers with their battle-ready poses. I search for my Holy Grail.

Years ago, my mother gave me an X-Men book of which I have regretfully forgotten the name, but not its cover. Angel, dressed in his classic blue-and-yellow, dives toward the reader with his fists pressed forward. The sun blazed around him and outlined the hero in a partial silhouette. The sunlight burned its way through the gaps between his feathers, the image forever imprinted among my memories.

“I don’t read these anymore,” I told my mother when she gave it to me. I threw it away unread.

My comic fascination revived. I keep at it. I claw away at the books on the shelf. I picture my mother’s near-perpetual grimace. I see sunlight fray the edges. I hear store clerks ask what the hell I’m doing. I persist.

The books lie on the floor—no Angel. The guilt that built for years finally clutches my throat. I cannot breathe. An employee pulls me up from my hands and knees.

“I’m sorry,” I say. “I would like to read it now.”

THE END

So what did you think? Please let me know in the comment section below or on my Facebook page.

Hey all,

I just received word today that none of the three stories I submitted to the 2015 NANO Prize over at NANO Fiction were accepted. While I certainly wish that was different, I understand that I just need to pick myself up, brush myself off, and keep moving forward.

So what’s next for me when it comes to fiction writing? Well, I’ve recently been struggling with writer’s block so it is quite difficult to say. Before “the Block” managed to maneuver its way back into my life, I had been working on what might be described as a Sci-Fi/Romance story of a length I have yet to determine. I need to revisit and revise what I want to do with that story.

Also, starting tomorrow, I will publish one of the three stories I submitted to the 2015 NANO Prize. I haven’t decided which one yet, but the entirety of the story will be posted here on this blog, so stay tuned for that.

Thank you for your support.

About a month ago, I announced I had been working on some incredibly short flash fiction stories (<300 words) that I planned on entering into a contest at NANO Fiction for the 2015 NANO Prize. I submitted three stories not ten minutes ago.

“The Sun Around Angel Wings” deals with regret.

“The Incongruity” deals with fixation.

“Mr. Brock Meadows” is a faux-letter to a pest control worker.

I am incredibly proud of these stories. I wish I could share them with you, but posting them on here would jeopardize future publication.

Thank you all who have supported me!

Hello everyone! Today I just wanted to drop by and list a couple of my favorite books. Most of these I read while in either high school or college (maybe you read them too!). I just wanted to share.

The Beginner’s Goodbye by Anne Tyler

The first one on my list is one I read in a college class. We read something like 10 books in there, and this one was everyone’s favorite–probably because of its comparative short length. Besides that, it follows a man who suddenly loses his wife in an accident. The story is touching, yet the characters are quirky. Tyler’s solid and brief prose illustrates the poignant emotional journey for the characters. Also, there is a character with “Rust” as a last name, so there’s a definite plus for me.

Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut

Probably Vonnegut’s most famous novel, Slaughterhouse-Five follows Billy Pilgrim as he has become displaced in time and space. Pilgrim survives the bombing of Dresden in World War II. This semi-autobiographical story combines sci-fi, war, and Vonnegut’s signature dark humor. This book made me a Vonnegut fan. So it goes.

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood

It seems that every list featuring anyone’s favorite books must have at least one dystopian novel. This list is no exception. It is set in a future in which women have no rights under a theocratic, far-right Christian regime where fertility rates are horrendously low. Offred, the book’s protagonist, is one of only a few women who can bear children in this oppressive society. Always a must-read for me. Now where is my copy…?

What Was She Thinking? [Notes on a Scandal] by Zoe Heller

Oh… this book is good. Barbara, a schoolteacher, becomes obsessed with a colleague after she has an affair with one of her students. Heller brilliantly manipulates the reader’s emotions in this thriller. The final few lines never fails to send chills down my spine.  Go forth and get a copy for yourself!

Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar (and several illustrators)

*gasp* A graphic novel/comic book graces my list? That’s right. One of my favorite comic books ever, Superman: Red Son tells the story of an alternate universe in which Superman didn’t arrive in Smallville, Kansas, but in the Soviet Union. The story features other alternative takes on other iconic characters like Batman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and the Green Lanterns. The art is magnificent and the story is even better. If you like comics, or are willing to give them a chance, please give Superman: Red Son a try.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

You’ve probably seen the movie, but have you read the book it’s based on? If you haven’t, you really need to read the book. I’m not saying the movie is a bad adaptation (in fact, I would say it is one of the best book-to-movie adaptations I have seen), but reading the book is great experience. I have already blogged about the novel here, so go and check out that post and then get the book after that!

Thank you for reading my list of favorite books. These are only a few of them, but they are at the top of my favorites list. Please take time to read some of them if you get a chance. If you have any comments, please don’t hesitate.

Later.