Well . . . It’s been a while

This was an endeavor I let fall way behind to the wayside. I could say that life was getting in the way of writing and I had to make decisions for the future but I think that would be a lie. I simply got lazy. I grew complacent. I stopped working hard. This is my attempt to change and rectify the situation that I’m in right now.

I am a third of the way through Wrath. It began a few years back and again, complacency and laziness got the better of me. For those of you that have supported in me and bless you, believe in me, I do owe an apology and I realize that I need to start getting my ass in gear and working towards what I want in life whether it be on the pages of my writing or out in the real world. I have absolutely no idea what may come forth on this little blog of mine and I would love for those who are just browsing to look at what I had wrote about a few years back. If you like it leave a comment or better yet share it with some people that might have similar interest. I must admit my biggest weakness is self-promotion so that would help me out big time.

I cannot promise that I will update this everyday. What I can say is I will attempt to fill in something here on the days where I do no work on Wrath, or my other fantasy/sci-fi story that I have started in the works and have been wanting to write since I was in high school.

So this was a quick check-up. I do not know what the future holds but I know that it’s not just going to fall into my lap. I need to work towards it and make it happen.

I really need to learn how to draw more than stick figures.

Been a week or two but I’ve been working hard on, well, working hard I suppose. I started up a Facebook page for my first book, and hopefully series, named “Agents of S.I.N” (original I know) to try and generate some buzz on Facebook for Gluttony.

Other than that not much to update other than I’m about a fourth finished with Wrath. The incoming surge of terrible weather has slowed me down but I think a change of scenery will help with that. As always I appreciate those who take the time to come and visit my little slice of the internet and those who have taken the time to read what I’ve put out there in book form. Wrath, I hope, will be out by next summer and for those that really have enjoyed reading Gluttony I can promise that Wrath will be bigger and better than my freshman venture into the world of fiction.

Thank you all once again for all the support and I will do my best to keep this blog updated on more than a weekly basis.

Sensations pt. 3

The metal walkway creaks underneath your knees as you pull yourself up from it. The light from above continues to illuminate only a scarce section of the twisted column that you’re stuck in. The grated path that spirals up only offers three paths: towards the light, back the way you came, and down into darkness. With heavy breaths each step feels heavier than the last and even the first flight of steel steps has your knees knocking together. The adrenaline pumping through your system was wearing off and fatigue began setting in and setting in fast. After that final step your body hits the cold, unyielding steel of the second platform and your eyes close for what feels like the briefest of moments.

Your eyes flutter open and the blackness that surrounded you has been replaced with a dull red glow. Your nose is hit with the horrendous smell of rot. The light above still shines bright but the area around you has drastically changed. The walls, once blackened with steel, show wet, pulsating muscles covered in blood. It drips onto the walkway and through the holes in the grate. You scramble to your feet and press your back against the now warmed steel. The wall in front of you starts to undulate with slow pulses and push more blood out from the wall. The pace of the pulsating tumor on the wall continues until it explodes in a spray of blood, nearly blinding you as a hand penetrates through and reaches out to pull you into the writhing mass by your shirt.

Your body jerks and your hands punch at the bloody appendage. After several strikes of your fist against that wet, squishy arm a piece of your shirt rips away and the force sends you stumbling towards the railing. You catch yourself and turn to run. The metal underneath your feet shakes and squeaks with every landing your feet make with the surface and as you bound up the stairs the wall grows more and more of those nasty tumors and hands jut out from every one trying to grab onto anything they can.

One hand almost catches your ankle but swiped just against your foot. It wasn’t that offsetting of a swipe but it was enough to slow you down. Regardless you’re able to avoid getting snagged again but a new sound catches your attention as you make that desperate attempt to climb higher.

The ringing and grating sound of steel mashing together fills the entire metal hallway. The gnashing and grinding is coming from below and you steal a glance downwards and you nearly freeze in terror. Rows upon rows of teeth as thick as your arm slam shut and open from below, devouring everything above it. It scrapes the lining of the wall and something wailed all around you, crying out in pain as the teeth continued to move up towards where you were running.

That light looked impossible at this point but your legs still pumped. The momentary freezing had faded and while still dodging those bloody arms bursting from the disgusting walls you come closer and closer to that blinding light. You can even feel the subtle heat from whatever is above hitting your flesh as the dull, red room turns pink in the glowing light. You’re almost there.

The massive maw speeds its pursuit. It tears away every single piece of platform from the wall you’ve been running on up until the point you feel your own area shaking from the devouring beast below. You stumble a bit but catch yourself on the railing and use your arms to pull yourself back to that sprinting pace you’ve been keeping up for what feels like forever. Foot after foot, yard after yard you continue to climb with that maw gaining on you but that light is so bright and so close. You can feel the heat even more.

Your head pops over the ridge and you feel a hot breeze hit against your forehead. You throw the last of your energy into diving into the light and outside of the column you were in right as the teeth gnash in the light. It doesn’t come through and you’re on your stomach on concrete. The concrete is warm, too warm, and the summer day above beats down on your back. Whimpering you roll over onto your side and see those nasty teeth still chomping, but unable to move further out. After a few moments the teeth descended back into the darkness of the square hole you popped out of.

Tired, yet again, you poke your head up and look around. The wind blew hot and there was not another soul in sight. Trees and bushes surrounded the concrete slab you currently lay on but the clearing around it was sizable. How you ended up there is still a mystery; one you’re unsure if you want to solve or not. You push yourself up from that slab with aching muscles and start to shamble into the woods.

Do you find salvation, or will the nightmare continue?

Sensations pt. 2

The massive bang shook you to the core. Your hands slipped from untying that knot for the slightest moment as another room shaking slam rattled the floor. Your fingers pry at the last bit of rope around your ankles and quiver at the mere idea of what could be causing such a racket behind the steel door that kept you inside of that god forsaken room. The idea of whatever is behind that door trying to break in, however, is far more frightening than the blood-soaked sacks and black goo that decorates the confines of that dank, dark room. The flames in the middle of the room illuminate just enough to show the steel door becoming more and more bent and splintered with every harsh slam from the outside.

The steel door splintered and burst open with the metal screeching against the floor. A dull light poured into the room but the shadow cast against the ground came from a beast of unimaginable horror. The black ichor on the ground skid towards the monster that knocked the metal door to the ground and became a part of the hulking mass of black muscle and sinew. The creature, in its hunched state, had no skin to it what-so-ever and jutting out from various parts of its body were sharp fragments of a reflective material which made the beast appear as though it was on fire from the pit in the middle shining off from that unique material.

The beast lunged. It’s claws and maw ripped into the nearest bloody sack that hung from the ceiling. It crashed, sack and all, near the fire where the black ichor crawled away from its skin. You watch from above, dangling from the very same rope and hook after the quick decision to climb up that bloody sack and up to the ropes above. That rusted hook threatens to break away at any moment if any more of your body weight is placed on it while you hang on for dear life.

You witness the creature tear into that bloody bag. Flesh and crimson are torn from the sack and no screams are offered. The body inside had been dead for days and the new smell overloads every sense. Even the sounds of its teeth gnashing on the broken and ripped flesh is enough to make your head spin. There are only two choices to make and staying put may just involve you passing out from the smell and sounds from below.

Carefully you lower your body down from the rope above. The creature is in front of you munching away without a care in the world. For a moment you can see yourself in the reflected shards in its muscular body and freeze. The realization that it is not the creature’s eyes sinks in and you lower yourself to the ground. The muscles in your arms strain against the rusted hook while you try to land without making a sound.

Unfortunately your heels make a splash in the blackness that feared the fire.

The creature’s head immediately spun from its meal. The hollow sockets where eyes would rest starred blank at your body. Your throat closes and your chest seizes before your legs kick back out of reflex and your body turns violently to the right, shifting around in one hundred and eighty degrees before your once silent endeavor becomes nothing more than thundering stomps to escape from that terrible, terrible room. The sticky ichor gripped your shoes and ankles, yanking back against your attempts to escape but did not impede your progress in getting out from that deathtrap. Your shoes tear through the blackness and your body lunges through the door. Your shoulder smacks painfully against the hallway wall on the other side and your head whips to the left and to the right. There is only one option, to your left, as there sat a single door almost an impossible distance away. Light bulbs attached to simple wires dangle from the dark ceiling above and lit the path to the windowed door nearly half a football field away.

A roar and snarl, powerful enough to be felt, echoed from the room you were just in. Your legs start pumping and your body is fueled with pure adrenaline as you dash to the door at the end of the hallway. There is a loud crash behind you but you don’t turn to look knowing that the creature could be right there inches away. Your legs cycle faster, each step feeling lighter than the last as your mind goes blank. All you feel is the sweat and the heat of breath on the back of your neck as you run faster than you’ve ever ran before.

You crash through the doorway and find nothing but blackness in front of you, but your waist hits something hard. You cry out as your body flips over a railing and your hands slip from the top of it. You grasp for dear life on the iron rods that hold the railing up when that black, muscular animal crashes over your head through the gate. Screams fill your ears again as you fall but your flailing leg wraps around another iron railing, twisting around in it and swinging your body back. Pain shoots from your back as your spine smacks against the steel platform. You’re upside down once again, dangling and watching that creature fall into the darkness below. Though it is not all darkness. You can see that the iron rail your leg is tangle in is attached to a spiraling walkway that leads down into nothing but emptiness. Above, however, is almost blinding. Actual light poured from the top of the spiral walkway. Your muscles burn and your stomach cries out in pain as you pull yourself up from being upside down again and fall to the walkway below. As you lay there breathing hard you know that the light above is the only way out.

Sensations

The first sensation you feel is the taste of the acrid, thick humidity around you. With every deep breath taken with parted lips the lingering taste of something metallic becomes more and more pronounced against the buds in your lips. Moments later the second sensation fires up through your nostrils. Something rotten lays close by. The strength of the smell is enough to make your stomach churn but the sudden, yet dull throb in the back of your head distracts from the bile building up inside. You reach up to feel but your limbs feel heavier. In fact everything feels heavier.

Finally your eyes open and the blurred environment around you looks wrong. A fire in the distance burns upside down and the smoke from the fire appears to be floating down towards the ground. The flames reach a few feet down and your mind struggles to comprehend what you are looking at. Though that is when you feel the sweat drip up from your lips and chin to your nostrils and over your eyes. Your hair stands on end and the pressure inside of your skull finally smashes all the clues together.

You are the only thing upside down.

Your blurred vision finally focuses and the fire in the room illuminates just enough space to show that the floor is tiled and covered in black pools in various areas. Finally the sensation of panic grips your chest, hugging tighter than any embrace of a loved one. You squirm in the air and you muster the strength to flex your abs and hips to bend upwards and see your feet bound by rope and hanging by a rusted metal hook before your muscles give out and you fall back and swing back and forth.

The momentum of your body swinging back and forth pushes your back into something hard, yet squishy at the same time. Something rubs against your back and sticks to your shirt before it peels away. With a grunt and a shift your body twists on that hook and you get a momentary glimpse of what you bumped against.

If it wasn’t for your parched, dehydrated throat you could have screamed. Nothing escapes but a whimper after your eyes captured the sight of a very bloody burlap sack that was on its own hook behind you. Fresh blood trickled from the bottom of the bag and dripped onto the ground. The sudden realization of what must be in the bag was enough to send your stomach over the edge. Craning your head the best you can nothing came from the dry heaves that overtook you. The force of your episode was enough to bump your body against that sack a few more times. Despite a million thoughts and fears racing through your head, instinct and survival smash through the rest. Your body rocks back and your hips turn again.

Your hand lash out and grip onto the bloody, slick sack and you pull upwards with all your might. You keep a tight, almost nail breaking grip on the sack with one hand and wrap your arm around the disgusting object and hug it tighter than ever before. Your muscles and lungs burn with the exertion and exhaustion of the activity but the goal is just within reach. Climbing slowly up that nasty bag your body is forming almost a perfect V and one arm stretches upwards, gripping onto the slick hook that held the bag. With every burning fiber of your being your other hand leaves the bag, stretching out to the hook that your feet are roped to. Slippery fingers fumble around the rusted hook but latch on, never letting go.

With a grunt and cry your hips arch and your knees contract. You fling your legs upwards and extend your knees and suddenly gravity becomes your worst enemy. Your hip and elbow cushions the fall to the ground but the pain is immense. Nothing is broken, thankfully, but the wind certainly was knocked out during that seven foot fall. Your hands slide against the black goo that the flames had shown earlier and nearly stick to the ground because of it.

Keeping them on the ground for a few moments longer you are finally  able to climb to your knees and finally your feet.  You place them near the fire to see what it was that had covered your hands and undoubtedly your front side. The black, ichorous substance felt like glue but when exposed to the fire it…ran. The blackness peeled itself away from your clothing and hands and slid back against the floor. There was a perfect circle around the fire where the blackness just ceased to venture any further. The ooze retreated into the shadows of the room that the fire did not dare to venture. That is also when you realize, in your shaking nerves, that your feet are still tied together by that rope which was long enough to allow you small steps to that fire in the first place.

As you kneel down to try and undo the knot something bangs in the darkness. The sound of flesh meeting steel echos through the room and it is clear that the nightmare has just begun.

Something light to get things started

Janey was a woman who was oh so sweet

Though she was always sending out a tweet

They were always so hollow

Until a person, a follow,

Started to meander down her street.

 

The moon that night shined so bright

So beautiful no one expected a fright

“OMG I’m so bored!”

Janey abhorred

Until a boom outside ceased the light

 

Her cell phone screen was a glimmer

The situation couldn’t be dimmer

Janey’s biggest fan

A psychotic woman

Invaded her home with a hedge trimmer

 

Janey hid in her closet so shaken

Her address, the authorities, had taken

Then up popped a tweet

“Hey I see your feet!”

The trimmer turned her insides to bacon.

 

 

 

Oh hey, Halloween is almost here.

Given the fact I’ve written a horror/thriller/mystery novel one would assume I would be on top of things when the witching hour approaches. This is not the case. I suppose Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel has eaten up a good amount of my time in the last week among other activities. I’d say going to the gym regularly is also a necessary activity that deserves to be added to my daily routine.

Earlier this month I had the opportunity to go and speak to several fourth grade classes about the importance of reading and writing, along with giving some general information about the writing and publishing process. Needless to say during the first three or four minutes I thought I was going to pass out and end up crushing a child as I felt so very, very light-headed but after that initial bout of stage-fright I was on a roll. I have to admit though, I was pleasantly surprised at how eager they were to talk about writing and I was blown away when one of the kids in the class wrote a twenty-three page short story. That is no small feat, especially for a fourth grader, and for comparison the longest short story I wrote back in the day was fifteen pages, I believe, and it was for a creative writing class that only wanted a four page maximum. It was an amazing experience and I would love the opportunity to do it again or talk to other classes as well.

It was, however, awkward when the children wanted details about my book. Thankfully one of the teachers had my back and informed them it was the kind of book their parents would read. Between you and me though I think I was watching and reading some screwed up stuff back when I was a kid and I don’t think that had any adverse effects. I watched “Dead Alive” when I was that age so bring it!

All in all it was a sobering experience. In the few classes I talked with I saw so much potential and imagination that I had no clue existed. The teachers were so welcoming and helped add to the discussion. It was a great time.

With any luck I’ll have something Halloween related here in the next coming days, maybe even tonight, so stay tuned!

Freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeedom!

Pending some potential legality issues I technically am now a graduate of college with two bachelor’s degrees. Hurrah! The last four years have been insane. Between college, doing my best to advance my career and even trying my hand in the book world, I have to admit they have been busy but worth it. I have learned a lot about the way I think, how I feel about certain issues in the world, and even if I am a hermit I am still living  fulfilling life on my own terms.

I wouldn’t say that I am drained, not in the least, but much like everyone who completes something worth celebrating I want to take a bit of a break, but that won’t be happening for another month at least and there is no real sense in trying to slow down. I’ll have to look into getting licensed when it comes to my first degree and also what positions I could bowl my way through with my second degree. If I have to go from a chubby, tall freak to a outright mass of muscle Tank ala “Left 4 Dead” then that will have to be my next goal.

Next month I have the privilege of heading to an elementary school to talk to children about reading, the importance of books, and writing in general. It’ll be a fantastic opportunity and I cannot wait. I hope they still have the Book-it program. Reading a book in order to get pizza? Hell sign me up for that right now.

I plan on getting back into doing some short stories over the next few weeks. I’ve been dabbling with ideas and “S.I.N Wrath is about 80 pages in. I should have more but college really put the grind on over the last few months. I cannot wait to get back into the game. See you all soon.

Exciting Times Ahead.

Well for one my shoulder is doing a lot better but never mind that shit, gotta man up. As mentioned previously I have two months to go before I graduate with a double bachelors in psychology and criminal justice respectively. It is an exciting time but that is not all. For anyone that may have picked up and read my first novel “S.I.N Gluttony”, which is still available on Amazon and other retailers online, I would like to say that I am coming right along on my next outing which will be “S.I.N. Wrath”.

It is amazing how much more fluid it feels on this second novel. Where there was uncertainty and immaturity in the past I feel like I have grown exponentially as a writer and I have the few people brave enough to give me some constructive criticism about my first novel. Writing is just like any other sort of skill or activity; it takes practice. It is like mentally lifting weights in that I need to tear down my ability and see where my weaknesses are before I can build upon and strengthen it.

After “Wrath” I might begin work on the elusive idea that has plagued me since my senior year of high school. It keeps itching at me right now but I don’t feel like writing two stories side by side would be prudent. Though we will have to see.

Displaced vertebra = inability to use arm.

The last two weeks have been so very, very exciting. I woke up in the morning a few Thursdays ago and found myself unable to look from left to right or up and down without some extreme pain through my neck and shoulder area. The stiffness of my neck and shoulder was nothing new since I have been dealing with a bum shoulder-blade for the last few years. The pain was entirely new.

Sitting, standing, laying down, it didn’t matter to this brand new stabbing sensation. I finally buckled down and went to visit the chiropractor. I would have gone to a normal doctor at first but I can’t really bring myself to go to the hospitals around my town. I had work to do after all.

So I get in and to my delight the chiropractor was a young practitioner. I did not catch when he graduated from his schooling but I thought it might have been 2010. In either case the years upon years of dealing with assholes like me had not taken its toll on the young doctor and his assistant and they helped out with information, describing to me what was wrong with my shoulder, and even started cracking and popping things back into place.

It turned out that a vertebra or something in my spine that should have been horizontal was more along the lines of diagonal and it was pinching nerves in my shoulder and neck area. It took three visits but the discomfort level every time I left was significantly lowered.

While they don’t have my facebook or any of my blog information I still want to give a shout-out to Dr. Trevor Tennant and Abigail Rose. I don’t put my faith in too many doctors of any sort with my past experiences but you guys are the best.