Mother Always Said – Update

For the month of September I will be writing ten 3000 word short stories for my Spring Death theme. That is about 2.5 stories a week. I wrote my first short story yesterday – Mother Always Said.

It is a tale of a religious mother who endures hardships at home with an abusive husband, and at church with a questionable congregation. Her son becomes part and parcel of her deterioration, and sets the stage for the rest of his life.

So the above image is the first rough cover draft, first idea that came to mind which I quickly put together before it escaped me. Carin Marais, a friend, writer and fellow Patreon, also sent through an amazing suggestion using the following image:

 

If you have any ideas, suggestions, comments, links or anything helpful, please let me know. If I use your idea, you will get recognition, as well as a PDF version of the final cover and short story (a reward usually reserved for Patreons). Thank you in advance! You can use the contact form if your idea is complex – I’m on my emails almost all the time (except weekends.)

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Earlier today I wrote a poem “Darker than Black” inspired by this tale, exploring the boy who is now a man. If you haven’t read it, please give it a look see. 🙂

 

 

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Darker Than Black

Silence pervades the hallowed sanctuary,

Downcast eyes stare from above,

Holy presence, divine love.

Thorns. Nails. Wooden burden.

Innocent Death – what a bargain.

Man on bent knee and clasped hands, unwary.

*

I grasp his neck, devotional beads against trachea,

“Forgive me father,” words spill

“But you have sinned.” the silence I fill

Choking gasps fluttering priestly robe

Thick fingers attempt to prick and probe

Long have I waited to instill this fear.

*

Head meets wooden pew with sickly crack.

Eyes roll back in their socket

I reach deep within my pocket

Zip locks for hands and feet

Head slips from the seat

I drag him off to a fate darker than black.

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It’s horror month here at AScribe To Describe – This week is serial killers:

The goal for the month is to write ten, 3000 word short stories, one of which will receive a sparkling macabre cover and PDF version for your enjoyment.

Patreons, feel free to send suggestions, ideas, and what-nots for your own personal creation. It doesn’t even have to be related to my Spring Death theme.

Non-patreons, you have an opportunity to own an exclusively written short story of your creation to show off from just $1.

 Patreon.com/NthatoMorakabi

Poetry Contest over at The Tattooed Book Geek

Friday Fiction: Self Improvement Friday

Image courtesy of: https://youngadultscifi.wordpress.com/2013/12/30/plots/

Happy Friday!

Sadly I don’t have a story for you today because my boss has been so gracious as to let us have self-improvement Friday today. So I have been spending my morning reading up on writing and editing, listening to podcasts, including one by Joe Hill (author of Locke and Key – I love this comic book!) and researching the Science Fiction genre. I love it!

Listen to Joe Hill’s podcast here: 10 Minute writer’s workshop with Joe Hill

I’m preparing to submit short stories to a whole list of publications and one of them has the space theme: Houston we have a problem. So I’m reading up on what is science fiction – well I know what it is but what is it? What makes a story science fiction? Is it space ships? Aliens? Half burnt men in black robes and breathing masks choking people with some metaphysical force? Surely not. So I’ve delved into it a bit more.

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If you have been on my blog in the last month, you know I have been raving about an amazing writing book – On Writing Well by William Zinsser. It will be my first non-fiction book review for the next Wednesday Book Review. My boss gave me more books to read on improving writing, one of which is Self-Editing for Fiction Writers by Renni Browne and Dave King. As a writer, you need to read a lot and not just books for fun but also self improvement books that will guide your writing.

“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.” ~ Samuel Johnson

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” ~ Ray Bradbury, WD

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Although I don’t have a story for you, let me give you some insight into my writing process. I doesn’t look like this every time but it’s one of the main ways I brainstorm:

The Prompt

Houston we have a problem.

Okay so what does this prompt bring to mind:

Crash (so obvious)

Propeller system isn’t working as it should (probably not even called a propeller system. Also. Obvious.)

Jammed space jam into the control panel lever that sends me home (okay some humour… also something about a malfunction seems to the main idea/theme)

An alien ship has attached itself to mind and is reeling me in (we’re in space after all it’s plausible – also note I said mind not mine – error or my brain being sneaky?)

I have flown too close to the sun (Icarus!)

I am being attacked (obvious too)

Running out of oxygen/fuel/food/energy (hmmm interesting premise)

Virus has infected the crew (ok Dead Space how did you sneak in here)

One of the crew is a serial killer with a penchant for blood and we cannot escape (over done? Probably)

The Research

I don’t want to be calling things incorrectly (like propeller system… I’m probably thinking propulsion) so I ask memory for some insight.

Memory recalls Star Ocean (I love this game!) and some of the themes it carries. It brings an image to mind of a long eared priestess in flowing blue robes. On the side I read something about religion and the following ideas came to mind:

Religion. Sect. Think Star Ocean priests in blue robes praying to some foreign god in space.

Prompt: Astronaut alone in his own ship. Houston we have a problem his statement before he crashes.

Story: They see a pod flying towards them. They think the prophecy is coming true of “a being from beyond the vale”

Religion adopt him into their sanctuary.

Yes I know I misspelled “veil” but this is inconsequential to the writing and brainstorming process.

Next I question the great and wise Google for some insight. She overwhelms me with insight.

I also remember I get emails from Wattpad Science Fiction group and this leads me to: How to Write Science Fiction. It is a great, insightful resource just to help me get my bearings on a couple of things. This is the list I compile:

Communication. Time/Age/Distance. Travel. Food. Energy. Fuel/Refuel. Resources

History. Where. When. How. Why.

Evolution.

Implementation

From here my mind has already started putting bits and pieces together and a story has formed. Here’s an excerpt from a very rough draft. You can see from the brainstorming where the story stems.

“Those nations were Samaria, Judea and the rest of the earth. But today we know there is more to nations than what we see here on earth. So I will implore you once again to heed my call to the word of God. The nation of Zeraiyus and the nation of Lweoyrigew and the nations in sector 01286 all need to hear the gospel. The good news. They need interplanetary missionaries.”

Space priests. That’s right. I’ve never heard nor read anything that dealt with this idea and in my particular way. So there’s my story. I don’t know where it’s going, but I at least know the setting.

Writing

So from here onward it’s putting words down and running with this idea. Who knows where it will lead?

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What is your brainstorming process? How much effort do you put into your research?

Friday Fiction: What Child Is This?

Title: What Child Is this?

Conflict: Man v Man

Character: A child born with a pig’s tail

Theme: Fate

Setting: a village cut off from the outside world

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“What child is this!?” The nurse cried. The babe, soft and pink and wiggling a curled tail, cried at the noise.

“Mayhap Father Dawkins be right, the world comes to an end sister.” The older woman stared at the thin tail with abject horror. If such a thing has occurred, what other horrors await them. Father Dawkins may perhaps be right after all.

“Call the father immediately. Alert him that the time nears.”

“Ay sister.”

*********
Father Dawkins paced the water storage tank, a smiled etched across his old face. The nurse had called claiming a babe had been born with a tail. Only years of self-control and discipline kept him from leaping in glee. Patience had proved indeed to be a virtue though he knew there was no virtue within him.

“Henry!” he hollered at the dark haired man limping out of the shed by the tank

“Yes Father?” The man’s hands had been bleached white.

“We no longer need additives in the water, our faith proves fruitful!”

“Truly?”

“Truly! A babe with a pig’s tail is born!”

“Aye Father, our faith lives.” The other man smiled too. For him it was time a man of science proved fruitful. Him.