The Magic Pencil

So, a couple weeks ago I was asked to participate in an Author's Tea event at my daughter's school. This was the third year they've had one and it's always been a good time, so I said "sure", I'd love to. The kids had all written their own books for a school project and just had them published, so it was an exciting time.

I've done my fair share of public speaking before, talking about writing, the process, and getting published in today's market. But with the prospect of speaking to a group of elementary school students, I wanted to be on my best game. They are our future after all. So I gave it some extra thought and tried to come up with a few topics that would be relevant, at least I hoped, to kids that age, and tied it into my presentation.

I talked about growing up reading comics and the literary impact they had on me, devouring which-way books where you made choices at the end of the page and turned to a certain page based on your choice, and even taking classes on Shakespeare and how his work still shows up in movies todays, pointing out a few examples. I think it went well. No one threw anything at me, that and I had some help in the form of one Gina Jones, another local writer and motivational speaker, who had the kids on the edges of their seat.

So I had thought about how to end my talk, to give the kids something to remember about writing and using their imaginations. Maybe I could spark the future of the next great novelist of our generation? The night before I'd had an epiphany to buy the whole student body a pencil, their own wands to create magical adventures all their own. A quick stop at the local dollar store and I was set for my grand finale.

When I'd reached the end, I told the kids I had something for each of them and, of course, their eyes lit up. I produced a pencil from the box I'd brought with me and showed them all. Some of the smiles went away but curiosity kept most of them. I told them it was no ordinary pencil. This was a magic pencil! Why was it magic? Simple. Inside every one of the pencils that I'd brought with me was a story hidden inside, just waiting to be let go. Some of the kids' face lit up and I'd figured I'd hit the mark and I felt pretty good as I was passing them out to all these eager young writers. I even got a nod from Gina, saying it was a pretty cool idea.

Afterwards, I was still at the school, stuffing my face with some delicious cake that was provided for the event, and my daughter came up to me. I asked her how I did and she said very genuinely that I was great and everyone enjoyed it. That made me feel even better. But then she paused and said there was only one thing that was bothering her, so I asked her what was wrong. She said some of the kids in her class were cracking open their pencils to find the magic and there was none. I told her to tell them to sharpen both ends and they could still get a short story out of them. Now, she's old enough that she understood where I was going with the pencils, so did the pencil crackers, but kids will be kids, and I still think it was a good idea. Though maybe next time I'll go with stickers.

Last Zombie Standing Snippet #2

Hi all and welcome to another Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday – the best kind of Saturday’s there are. Last week, SFFSat turned four and had a great turn out of writers and authors displaying their wares. I decided to put a short story I’ve been working on out there, Last Zombie Standing, and I’m continuing with it this week, so if you want to catch the first part, just hit last week’s link on my site. Make sure that you  stop over and visit the main site by clicking here - SciFiFanSat and visit all of the great offerings by some equally great writers. Enjoy the weekend and I hope you enjoy this snippet. Please feel free to leave a comment afterwards, feedback for writers is like tipping your waiter. ______________________________________________________________

           “Zulu-2’s already falling apart,” the general barked through Zulu-2’s suit mike. 

          “Sir?”  Kingston’s voice crackled from Zulu-1’s shoulder mike.  “I think his ear became dislodged while taking off the helmet, otherwise they seem to be withstanding the atmosphere.”

           “It ripped its own ear off?  What kind of zombies did you get me for this mission?” the general growled.

          “They’re both Z.G.I. rated, sir,” Kingston answered.  “They adhered to all mission specs, no missing parts and an acceptable stage of decay.”

          “The blasted things better keep it together.  Lose those suits, soldiers.”

          Following their commands, the necronauts stripped away the remaining bulky space gear to reveal a more conforming lunar camouflaged jumpsuit underneath.  Zulu-1’s blond hair had been trimmed into a military style flattop with several clumps missing from his scalp.  Blackened pupils offset his pale flesh as darkened veins strayed haphazardly from the creases around his mouth.  There wasn’t enough hair to give Zulu-2 a proper military cut and his pale head shimmered against the backdrop of space, a scar ran from his missing right ear along his cheek and chin.  They hungrily sniffed the air around them.

And there you have it – this week’s contribution. Nothing like a couple zany necronauts out for a stroll on the moon. But what is this mission and why are we using zombies for space exploration? The answer may surprise you.  Thanks for reading and expect my next novel – Maxx Fragg, V.P.I. out this September from Ink Smith Publishing. See you in seven!

Last Zombie Standing Snippet #1

Happy 4th Anniversary to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. This is a great site with some truly remarkable people that I've been lucky to participate in for the past few years. When I saw the post, I wanted to make sure I contributed this week. Here's a short story WIP I've been tinkering with tentatively titled Last Zombie Standing. Special thanks to Laurel Kriegler for starting and running the site and her continued support of its authors. It's definitely appreciated. Hope you enjoy the snippet and make sure you stop over at the main site - SciFiFanSat - to check out all of the fantastic authors contributing this week.
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          A man’s voice crackled from the tiny speaker bracketed to the ship.

          “Let’s crack this egg.”

          Dust flared as the landing ramp touched down into the gray sod surrounding the lunar module and the seal of an outside hatch hissed as foreign atmospheres met.  Two explorers stepped down the ramp to the surface, their over-sized suits plodding away from the landing site.

          “Okay cowboys, strip off those helmets.” 

           A second voice, sounding nervous and lacking the authoritative tone of his counterpart, cut into the transmission and said, “Cease..desist…I mean, disregard that order.”

          “This is an authorized only channel,” the first man barked.

          “It’s Kingston,sir, with Research and Development.” 

          “Kingston, get off the mike!”

          “But, general, we don’t know if they can withstand the pressure.”

          “I want those helmets off…now!”

          The two men obediently snapped open the hinges on the necks of their suits, slowly pulling their protective headgear away. The robotic scout following behind captured their movements with a top mounted relay camera. One of the men looked up at the surrounding stars, the decayed flesh pulling away from his cheek bone in the lowered gravity landscape. The other necro-naut watched as his ear floated listlessly in front of his face as he made a clumsy grab for it before it floated out of reach.

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          And there you have it - I hope you enjoyed it. I'll try to follow up with this short and post some more snippets from it. As always, comments are appreciated. I'll have a new novel out this September and will post from it closer to the release. Thanks for reading and have a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Maxx Fragg - SciFiFanSat - 02/07/15



Another weekend – another Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. A place where writers of fantastical places and people come together to share their stories – one snippet at a time. Don’t believe me – well just click on over to the main site SciFiFanSat and find out for yourself. Got a story of your own? Share some of your own writing and get some feedback along the way.  This week, I’m still sharing from Maxx Fragg, V.P.I. as Maxx and Tane set up the final act before their surprise guest arrives. Flip back and visit my previous posts from Maxx Fragg if you want to stay caught up. Thanks and enjoy.

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“Okay, Tane, set up the call.”

Grabbing a black box from his bag, Tane positioned it on the ground next to the stone fireplace.

They both agreed that attention to detail was crucial to pull off jobs but Tane took it to an O.C.D. level at times. Maxx turned to a set of patio doors and the lights of the city below them. Row after row of neon skyscrapers lined the landscape stretching out to the horizon under a dull purple evening sky. The streets below pulsed with endless lines of traffic, diverting and streaming along paved circuit boards, individual bits of data following personal programs. At times, staring into its expanse, it was easy for Maxx to forget it was all fake, a virtual world built out of memory bytes and data chips. Like the advertisements said, within the world of Other Syde, your only limits were your own imagination.

Maxx realized Tane was still fiddling with the cube and snapped, “Anytime this life?”

Tane adjusted it again and stepped back, only to bend down and move it once more. “Ready.”

Maxx’s pulse quickened. His heart thumped against his chest as he braced the modified water cannon against his shoulder, flipping off the safety. Three blue targeting dots zigzagged across the room.

Maxx leaned into the sights and said, “On your call.”

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Who’s got their money on what’s answering that call? Telemarketer? Avon lady? Door to door encyclopedia salesman? Stop back next week and follow along. Thanks for reading and please leave a comment along the way – it’s like tipping your literary waiter. Take care and see you in seven.

Maxx Fragg, V.P.I. SFFSat snippet - 01/31/15

Welcome back to another edition of everyone’s favorite weekend read along episode of Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday. It’s a place where writers of sci-fi and fantasy get to share some of their writing snippets and hopefully a few fans of the genres can check out some cool excerpts. Make sure you make your way over to the main site by clicking here – SciFiFanSat – and enjoy all the site has to offer. You’ll be glad you did. This week I’m continuing to share from my work Maxx Fragg, V.P.I. as Maxx and his partner Tane are setting up to perform an exorcism for a young couple who’ve hired them to extricate an unwanted visitor.

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Debbie raised her hand and asked, “Would it be okay if I just darted to the lady’s room first?”

“The process has already started,” Maxx said.

“But…” Debbie persisted.

Maxx secured the detecting rod in his bag and withdrew a long barreled shotgun with a plastic cylinder attached to each side. “You can put your hand down now.”

Pumping the stock, a neon gel flowed through the tubing running the length of the barrel. Maxx hit a button and the liquid energized, bubbling as it flowed the course of the weapon. The couple simultaneously pulled their feet off the floor.

It was time for Maxx to set up the final act.

“You’re entirely safe as long as my partner and I are here,” Maxx said. 

“They’re professionals, babe.” Travis reassured her with a half-hearted smile.

Debbie dug her nails into the couch.

They needed to get through the rest of this job without any more hitches. Debbie was on the verge of crying and Maxx knew Tane’s concentration shattered at the sight of a girl’s tears.

Will they get more than they bargained for? Are Maxx and Tane up to the task? Tune in next week for another round of Sci-Fi snippet goodness and find out. As always, comments are not only welcome but truly appreciated. Enjoy the weekend and see you in seven.

SFFSat Snippet - Maxx Fragg - 01/24/15

Welcome back to another Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday – a place where writers share snippets of their ongoing and published works with the internet community at large. Make sure you stop over at the main site by clicking this link SciFiFanSat to check out all the ultra-cool writing happening over there. This week my contribution is from Maxx Fragg, V.P.I., following Maxx and his partner as they set up to perform an “exorcism” for a young couple who’ve called upon their services. Enjoy!________________________________________________________________________________

Maxx pulled a metal rod from his bag. Standing next to the couple, he flipped a switch on the base, holding it high over his head. The staff hummed and vibrated like a radioactive tuning fork sending palpable energy out into the air around the room. Maxx swung it over Travis and Debbie’s heads and they both instinctively ducked. They were like two kids watching their first fireworks display and Maxx was the guy lighting the wicks. There wasn’t much furniture in the apartment, a sign they hadn’t lived there long, and Maxx read the digital display on the club’s handle.

Satisfied, Maxx brushed his hand over his spiked hair, trying to express some concern. “You’ve definitely got a presence here. Readings are off the charts.”

Pulling a notepad from his tactical vest, he scribbled down some notes. Maxx drew a smiley face with a frown and tears streaming down both cheeks. Underneath his sketch he wrote Travis.

 

Think the job will go off without any problems. Yeah, me neither. I hope you enjoyed the read and come back next week as things heat up. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. It’s always appreciated. Have a great weekend!

#SFFS - Maxx Fragg - 01/17/15

Hi and welcome to Science Fiction Fantasy Saturday - a place where authors of their respective genres get together to share snippets of their work and exchange a few comments along the way. Make sure that you stop at the home page and check out the links to all the great writing contributed by a group of really great writers.

Way back when, okay September, I started sharing snippets from my work, Maxx Fragg, V.P.I., and kind of left off after the first one. I'm picking up from there and this week we find Maxx and his partner in the apartment of a young couple who called on them for their unique services.
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          “Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea?” Debbie’s hand twitched against her boyfriend’s knee.

Travis brushed his hand through her hair. “We contacted him, honey. They say he’s the best.”

She sighed. “It’s just not what I expected. It’s all so…clinical. They didn’t even draw a pentagram.”

Everyone had their own pre-conceived notions of how to get rid of a ghost. Maxx heard them all, séances, sprinkle salt along the door, burn sage, hire a bunch of meddling kids, craft some pottery together. He’d probably find it all funnier if he actually believed in any of it.

Travis and Debbie wanted to leave as soon as Maxx and his partner arrived at the apartment but Maxx convinced them to stay. There was no showmanship in coming back to a ghost free home based just on his word and some lines arching across a digital readout. No, they needed the full hands on experience and Maxx made sure they had front row seats.

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Well - that's this week's snippet - I hope you enjoyed it. As always, comments are not only welcome but eagerly awaited. Have a great weekend and thanks for reading.