Frag, I really hate chapter 1s

Yes, I started chapter one over again. However, I finally have it started like I want. Decent hook (I think) that should get the story moving.

It's not quite done, but it's getting there. Although I suppose I could stop it where it's at and start another chapter.

Choices choices choices!
Once I see how long the next part is, I'll decide.

Dia Dhuit!

Newspaper article on beer tasting event

Yes, I do a little journalistic work on occasion, too.

http://ee.dominionpost.com/Repository/ml.asp?Locale=english-skin-custom&Mode=GIF&Ref=RFBvc3QvMjAxMC8wOC8xOSNBcjAxNTAw

For some reason the "link" tab isn't working, so you'll have to copy and paste.

Facebook Story -- Thursday after 8:00 a.m. -- The Ending

There are footsteps outside my office door... shambling, faltering footsteps...
Thursday at 8:57am


The whispering! The thrumming! It's growing louder! I swear I can hear snuffling outside my door. There's a green light shining from underneath it, starting to fill my office! Sweet merciful heaven, I can hear them out there!
Thursday at 10:13am


I have tried to barricade my door by pushing desk, chairs, and book cases against it. I've also made sure the door is locked. Whatever is out there is not giving up. The door is shaking. The hinges look like they're about to pop off! I can hear many noises outside. There is more than one 'thing' out there. A nameless dread has been filling my soul. I have nowhere else to go. I cannot run anyway.
Thursday at 10:29am


My time is nearly up. I don't have long now. The chair has been broke, the bookshelf bent. A nearly splintered desk is all that stands between me and my doom. My heart is clenched and my breathing ragged. I can see eyes through the crack in the door. Eyes that shine like the heat of a star, and look just as uncaring and unmerciful.
Thursday at 11:30am

I implore all those who read this. Flee the area! Run away. Take your loved ones and go. Do not let them become something else. Don't let your child or lover be taken by this... this thing. Do not look at them and see yourself reflected as prey to be devoured by the soulless things they've become.
Thursday at 11:31am


The desk is shattered! The door is open! I pray to the heavens above my end will be short lived.
Thursday at 11:33am


Sweet Mother of Heaven... I can't describe the horrific thing that is looking at me. It's here... it's here!
Thursday at 11:36am

Facebook story -- Thursday 7:00 a.m.

We didn't get in the lab until after three this morning. I nearly had to pry Mick out of his chair. Mandy stopped crying a couple of hours before that, and instead has reverted to a near catatonic state. She'll do what she's told, but won't verbally respond or do anything beyond.
Thursday at 7:08am


When we got there, we found Dr. Chapone furiously working at the equipment. He shouted at us to help him before it was too late. If anything, he seemed more frazzled than I. I have to give the old guy some credit, though, at least he wasn't giving in, either. He started to tell us what's going on.
Thursday at 7:10am


Instead of replicating the physical properties of an object, the "replicator" ended up creating some kind of bridge into other dimensions. Dr. Chapone started going on about how many dimensions there really were. He seemed very excited that this project gave him the data to prove how many there actually are, but felt responsible to collapse the dimensional bridge first.
Thursday at 7:13am

He knew something, or somethings, had come across. They had been following him as well. He became very worried when I told him about my experiences.
Thursday at 7:13am

While we were talking, Mick had sat down at his own desk. It seemed that being in a familiar area helped him, as he started to calm down considerably. Mandy had walked over near to the vortex and stood staring at it. Being this near, with its slight humming sound, was keeping the whispering out of my head. I had hoped it was helping her, too.
Thursday at 7:15am


It seemed that between the efforts of Dr. Chapone and Mick, the vortex was starting to slow down and the humming noise grew faint. We all started to become visibly uncomfortable, as the whispering and thrumming sounds returned to our senses, but hopefully it would all go away if we were successful. Within a few seconds, though, Mandy had dropped to her knees and started to scream.
Thursday at 7:19am


I walked over to see how she was doing. As I neared her, the hairs on the back of my neck bristled and I was suddenly seized with the same fear I felt with Dan's mutilated body was nearby. Mandy's head turned around, but whatever was looking at me wasn’t' Mandy any more. Blood dripped from her eyes and the smile on her face was more the rictus of a corpse. She hissed at me and leapt.
Thursday at 7:23am

I managed to get my arms up, but all she did was push me aside anyway. She jumped straight for Dr. Chapone and started to claw at his face and bite at his neck. He screamed and tried to bat her off, but wherever she was getting her strength, it was more than enough to overcome him.
Thursday at 7:25am


I couldn't move, but could only stare in horror and fear as she mutilated him. His cries became less frequent as she tore into him, until he finally stopped struggling, with only one of his hands jerking in spasms.
Thursday at 7:25am


Mandy turned around and I could see corded muscles dangling from her mouth like a bizarre Italian restaurant scene. She smiled at me then. My stomach clenched at the sight. It seemed half the grin of a stalking jungle cat and half the grin of a seductress. Nothing would persuade me to find out which was stronger.
Thursday at 7:27am


Mick had watched the scene in silent horror as well, but was now trying to sneak out through the lab door. Mandy turned on him and shrieked. She jumped up, clearing two desks, and landed in front of the door, blocking his exit. I could see a stain appear on the front of his pants, as he stood rooted in fear.
Thursday at 7:28am


Mandy started to walk towards him, licking her lips, fresh warm blood still dripping from them. With a strangled cry, he turned and ran away from her, straight towards the vortex. He stopped just before it and looked back. Seeing her casually walking towards him with that horrific smile, he turned and looked at me.
Thursday at 7:30am


There was no light left in Mick's eyes. I don't know if he was trying to say good-bye or that he was sorry, and I will never know. After just a moment’s hesitation, he turned back and leapt into the vortex. There was a hideous shredding sound and on the edge of hearing I swear I could hear him scream. Then there was a horrible silence. Then I could hear the sound of Mandy walking towards me.
Thursday at 7:32am


Blindly I reached out and grabbed hold of the nearest object. A large metal cylinder was behind me. It took all my strength, but with overdoses of adrenaline boosting me, I picked it up and hurled it at her, hitting her in the chest and causing her to fall backwards.
Thursday at 7:33am


She had moved slightly more to the vortex and a panicked plan came to mind. I continued picking up objects, as large as I could quickly find, and kept throwing them at her. None of them seemed to hurt her, but she was forced backwards a little more each time. Finally she was nearly touching the swirling bridge between dimensions.
Thursday at 7:34am


I picked up the next object which turned out to be a chair. I grasped it firmly and rushed forward, smashing it into her, pushing her into the vortex. The same ripping sound came through the humming, but instead of a scream of pain, there was a shriek of failure.
Thursday at 7:38am


I fell backwards and landed against a desk. Every nerve was on fire and I could see dots in front of my eyes from over-exertion. I wanted to cry, I wanted to sleep, and I wanted to believe that none of this was real. Then I could hear the laughing.
Thursday at 7:40am


Laughing, loud and shrill, came from the vortex. I could see a hand, red with blood on it, starting to wriggle through the maelstrom of colors. Another hand started to push through, and against all logic and reason, the vortex was pushed wider from the other side.
Thursday at 7:41am


Mandy's head started to appear. Her eyes were glowing and her mouth was smiling wider than humanly possible. My legs took over, overriding my brain, and bolted for the door. I could hear the laughter follow me as I ran down the hall.
Thursday at 7:47am


I have now been cowering in my office for over three hours. The whispering has come back to the edge of hearing and I can still hear the Mandy thing's laughter in my mind.
Thursday at 7:51am

Facebook story -- Wednesday evening

I've found Mick and Mandy. They've been hiding in Mick's office since the vortex opened. They ventured to the lab once, and found it still swirling, with everyone completely ignoring it. They've had the same things happen to them, as I've had to me. People staring at them, being followed, and hearing sounds. Mandy has obviously been crying and Mick just sits next to the window, peeking out from the drawn curtain.
Wednesday at 5:27pm


My heart is still nearly frozen, but I can feel it thawing. We're going to have to do something soon. I'm going to see if the two of them will help me get into the lab so we can try and make it go away. If they aren't willing to work the equipment themselves, I'll have to try myself; although that means using a blunt instrument instead of knowledge.
Wednesday at 5:29pm


I think I have them convinced. Tonight at midnight, we're going into the lab. Hopefully we can shut it down. I hope the other two can keep their courage up. Mandy is starting to sob again. She keeps whispering that she can hear it. Whatever "it" is, she hasn't shared with us. She's too scared. Honestly, right now I’m nearly too scared to hear what it is, too.
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Wednesday at 9:25pm

Facebook story -- Wednesday morning

I don't have long. Ever since I escaped, I've been followed. I can hear footsteps and breathing next to me wherever I go. Many of the university city's transients are following me around, their eyes empty and soulless. One of them even screeches as she gets close. I've done nothing but run. Right now I'm hiding under an overpass. At least my jogging has made me faster than the homeless.
Wednesday at 10:16am

I don't know if I want to share what happened as I escaped from the darkened room that held me trapped. The thing that was on the other side finally managed to open the door. As it swung in, the terror in my soul increased dramatically. There was a figure outlined in the noxious green light. Only man sized, but it was hunched over its arms were crumpled up. It let out a small moan and looked up into my eyes.
Wednesday at 10:18am

Heaven help me, but I had to make a break for it. Steeling myself the best I could, I took control of my body away from the fear that had been gripping it and ran forward. I caught the thing off guard and managed to push it into the door way. I slipped on some foul liquid and went sprawling on the floor, but thankfully I managed to go past the thing.
Wednesday at 10:19am

As I tried to get to my feet, I heard it scream at me. A horrible bird like call that pierced my ears. I looked up at it as I scrambled up off my knees. Its face had been torn into and was a jangled mess of flesh and muscle and bone. Jaw bone was showing through its cheek and its throat was a mess of gashes. Its arms had been broken in many places, which is why they were hanging so oddly.
Wednesday at 10:21am

But it was still alive! I could see the gleam in its eyes that spoke of pain and a desire for an end. I wish I could say I was brave enough to have given the thing the end it wanted, but I fled. My courage had been expended and I couldn't say. The final straw for me, that made me flee? It was Dan!
Wednesday at 10:22am

I can hear the breathing again... next to my ear... I'm so tired... but must run again.
Wednesday at 10:22am

Facebook story -- Tuesday evening

Trying to compose my thoughts and relax. What started out as a horrific day has become even worse. It started with campus security stopping by, noticing the blood stains all over the lab, and then completely ignoring it. All day long I've felt something staring at me. Whenever I turn around, there's a stranger staring at me, and it’s never the same one.
Tuesday at 1:58pm

There's also a thrumming sound in my ears that won't go away. It's a cross between ocean waves and someone pounding on a bass drum, but it's all barely perceptible. I also see small black shapes swimming across my vision.
Tuesday at 2:00pm


And I'm starting to hear the footsteps again... following me...
Tuesday at 2:00pm


I think I'm fine now. I managed to duck into a local pub, where it's nice and dark. Maybe that will help keep me from seeing dark shapes. I'm hoping the music will also drown out the thrumming in my ears. I really need this beer right now. At least the bartender hasn't been staring at me with soulless eyes.
Tuesday at 3:23pm


I didn't order a stout. Why is my blonde ale so thick and dark?
Tuesday at 3:27pm


Oh sweet merciful Mother in Heaven, what did I just drink? I think I'm going to be...
Tuesday at 3:28pm


‎...
Tuesday at 3:28pm


It's pitch black dark and I seem to be locked in a room. I've found a door, but it's locked, and there is no light coming in through the gaps in the seal, either. I have a headache, I haven't eaten in nearly a day, and I don't think that was a beer I had.
Tuesday at 4:39pm


There's something on the other side of the door now. I can hear it shuffling around. Its breathing is ragged and it seems to be sniffing. Loudly sniffing, as if it could breathe me in through the door. A cold fear, unlike anything I've ever felt, has gripped my heart. I can barely control my own breathing and my pulse is racing, although it feels as though my heart has been plunged into an icy tomb.
Tuesday at 5:35pm

A dreary dismal green light is starting to emanate from the other side of the. It's barely filtering in to this room that seems to be my prison. Not enough to illuminate anything inside, but it does send flickers of shadows from the other side of the door.
Tuesday at 5:41pm

The shuffling and sniffing sound isn't just continuing unabated, but it's growing in intensity. I can see a set of feet moving around just on the other side. My stomach is in knots and an icy sweat is forming on my brow, matting my hair down.
Tuesday at 5:42pm


I can hear the door knob beginning to turn! Whatever is on the other side is trying to get in. I don't know if I can make my limbs move, but I must. My heart is clenching in terror and I can barely breathe. The door knob has unlatched and it's starting to swing in. Heavens protect me, I must act if I can!
Tuesday at 5:43pm

Facebook story -- Tuesday morning

I don't know what that was that came out of the vortex, and I don't plan on finding out. Damn door finally broke open after slamming the lock with a metal bar. I'm not sure what happened to the others. I thought they were right behind me. I heard Dan scream as I rounded a corner in the hallway. I made it to my office on the fourth floor and there are footsteps outside the door right now.
Tuesday at 12:01am

Crud. The footsteps have stopped just outside my office door.
Tuesday at 12:01am


The footsteps were Mick's. He was afraid of making too much noise, but finally screwed up the courage to knock and whisper that it was him. Mandy was with him, but Dan was nowhere to be found. We started to talk about what had happened and what that THING was that came out of the vortex, until we heard footsteps again. Shuffling footsteps and deep breathing. Much deeper than Dan’s would have been.
Tuesday at 7:00am

So we all shut up. The footsteps stopped outside my office door and there was an odd wheezing sound, and what sounded like sniffing. Mick and Mandy curled up together in the corner. The footsteps eventually went away. We all fell into an uneasy sleep. I tried to stay awake, but once the adrenaline flushed out of my system, I crashed.
Tuesday at 7:02am

It's been daylight now for about half an hour. There should be other employees around. I'm being drawn back down to the lab to see what happened.
Tuesday at 7:02am


That was one of the most horrible things I've ever seen. The color red will now be imprinted forever, along with the spray patterns that were in the lab. Frag, Dan, what happened to you?
Tuesday at 9:41am

Facebook story -- Monday Evening/Night

Second trial was... interesting. Instead of the same pop and swirly colors, there was a frazzle of lightning in the containment area and what looked like a small vortex in the middle of it. Dr. Chapone has canceled further trials until he takes a closer look at the data.
Monday at 2:48pm

A couple of the other guys in the group have decided to come back later tonight and do their own third trial. I was still hanging around when they were talking about it, after Dr. Chapone left, and was invited back. I think it had more to do with me bringing beer than my math abilities, but as long as I get to hang out and see what happens, it’s worth a case or two of home brew.
Monday at 4:51pm

Enough time to head home and get a jog in, grab dinner, and get back to the lab. I'm assuming the beer is for celebrating and not for courage gathering...
Monday at 4:51pm

I was wrong. Maybe the home brew was for some courage. It has definitely loosened the guys up. I think, only one of them being a new PhD and the others just grad students, that they were getting cold fee. After a few bottles of doppelbock, though, that's not the case. I'm a bit uncomfortable drinking around all of this expensive equipment, so I’m going to hold off now. Looks like we’re on a 15 minute countdown.
Monday at 7:44pm

Wow... that was some really amazing stuff. I have no idea what the guys did differently, but the little lightning vertex came back even bigger and brighter than before. The weirdest part was that I swear I could see something looking back out at me... freaky. And I'm the sober one.
Monday at 8:53pm

Well, this can't be good. Mick and Dan thought they should try it again, too. Both of them saw something in the vortex as well, but they're disagreeing on what it is. I haven't shared my thoughts... and Mandy is freaking out. Fun! I think it's about time for me to head home.
Monday at 9:03pm

Holy hells. I have no idea what he did, but Mick fouled up the controls and can't get the machine to shut off. Dan's running around like a French revolution victim and Mandy won't shut up. Thanks to safety protocols, the door is locked so I'm stuck here. At least I was invited, so it's not my job on the line.
Monday at 9:49pm


At least the vortex thing is really cool to look at... getting kind of big, though.
Monday at 9:53pm

Oh crud... I swear there really is something looking out. Mandy's screaming about it, too. Mick, you douche.
Monday at 9:58pm

Oh, shi
Monday at 9:59pm

Facebook Story -- Sunday and Monday morning

Tomorrow should be interesting... I've been invited, as a stat/math geek, to check out this new replicator-type thing they're working on at the local university's engineering department. Really looking forward to it!
Sunday, August 8, at 9:54pm

Off to the lab... going to be sweet!
Monday, August 9, at 7:35am

First trial down... and it was sweet! Didn't reproduce, but did make a neat flashing effect with a neat pop. Second trial coming right up...
Monday at 11:46am

Facebook story

I was horrifically bored the other night, and so decided to start a little mini-story on Facebook, ala "War of the Worlds," where it starts out seemingly true and then becomes decidedly spooky.  Most people caught on within the first five or six posts, and thank you to those who kept responding even after you knew it was fiction. 

For those of you who thought it was real during the first few posts and responded, don't feel bad.  Everyone thought it was real at first, including my colleagues who have an idea of what kind of research goes on around here.

I'm going to try and put it all together so it can be read all at one time, and include the date and time stamps.  Not sure where I'll post it, but I'll let you know.

For those of you wondering why I spend so much time at work writing it, I didn't.  It was, for the most part, all planned out and written before hand.  Then copied and pasted at near predetermined times.  It did give me a chance to make changes as I went along, too.  And it's lunch time now, so I don't feel bad about quickly blogging.  Oh yeah, protein bar with chocolate and pretzels. 

I hope you all enjoyed it!

A salute to country girls!

Based on my very dim recollections of the girls I went to high school with, (all right, not so much dim, but more along the lines of rarely being around their parties), I've finally worked up the beginning of chapter one, after having written most of it already.

I can name a couple of girls who could out drink most of the guys when it came to bourbon.  They still probably can.

Anyway, if anyone wants to try to out drink Liza in the first chapter -- oh yeah, that's the protagonist's name -- you're welcome to line up a dozen shots and see if you can do it.

Cheers!

Midwestern Gothic now out for the Kindle

http://www.amazon.com/Midwestern-Gothic-ebook/dp/B003YCPM0O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1281057862&sr=1-1


Enjoy!

Midwestern Gothic also now on CreateSpace

A link to Midwestern Gothic on CreateSpace.  I chose this one as well, since they assigned a real ISBN number to the book (instead of the evidently fake one I spent $20 on a couple of years ago), and that they can also get me into Amazon.com. 

Here's the link:
http://www.createspace.com/3474681

And on a related note, the Kindle version should be ready to go within a day or two.  I'll let you all know.  Or, as they say in Indiana... y'all.

... but I hate starting Chapter One

I've written the beginning of chapter one now around a half-dozen times.  I'll write a few sentences or paragraphs (even got a page once), then read over it and File 13 it.

On the advice of a very wise and intelligent friend, I've decided to start a few pages in to chapter one instead.  I have the hook I want, including the character the protagonist meets which starts the whole thing off.

I'm excited.  Weeeee!

I love maps...

While writing some of the first chapter and doing some outlining for future chapters, I've worked up a sketch of the "other world" that will be in the book (I know, I haven't given a lot of information yet on what the book will be about... it can change a lot in the first few chapters).

I've always loved maps.  Reading them, making them, figuring out time and distances on them.  Old maps, new maps, slightly black and blue maps (whoa, channeled Dr. Theo for a moment).  Really, though, all maps are awesome.  I even enjoy looking at elevation maps and doing some orienteering.

I'll do my best to add the map bits as I do them, but that'll depend on how much time I have and how my tech is behaving on any given day.

Midwestern Gothic -- now an eBook at Lulu.com

Told you it would be soon!  I think the cover's a bit fouled up, but it'll be alright. 

Here's the link:
http://www.lulu.com/product/ebook/midwestern-gothic/12088508?productTrackingContext=search_results/search_shelf/center/1

Now go, my brutes!  Order away!