What do I do with these silly stories I write?
Try to have them published, somewhere, so readers can see them. Why would I write silly stories and then sell them for the price of a beer (as I did with "Saint Max" to Phantasmacore)? Because, dear readers, the process of submission makes us all better. I could post this stuff on the blog, but no story will be it's best if it doesn't pass at least some publication muster.
Maybe that's what "Saint Max" is about. Becoming better. As always, there will be spoilers. Please read "Saint Max" if you'd like--it won't even cost you a beer--and head back for the story behind the story.
Ready?
Ready.
"Saint Max" started with a man digging holes in his backyard. He didn't know why. I didn't either when I started the story. He just dug. He did what he felt he needed to do. His son, Max, watches him. It's a strange thing which only grows stranger as every morning the yard looks normal.
Max grows in the story. He has to confront a bully named Caleb, and does so with violence. But nothing is solved for Max. His parents are dead when he goes home after confronting his bully. Why? You, dear reader, must decide. Maybe it was domestic violence (they do fight a lot). Maybe they just died. That's how death works. It simply happens.
And that's the hard part of this story. That's what might keep some readers at bay: sometimes life doesn't offer easy solutions. Sometimes bad stuff happens with no explanation. We want that explanation; we want to "know"--especially in fiction. But the real horror is not knowing. The real horror is the unknown, just like good ol' H.P. Lovecraft said. If a monster killed Max's parents, then the monster is the enemy. Max certainly believes in the monster, but it isn't a real thing. It isn't tangible.
I love this story and Max (both the fictional Max and my son), but it won't be accessible to everyone. Some people like the thrill of chase and death and everything else. But this is about Max surviving after his parents have died. This is about Max trying to figure out what to do with death. And... "A horror story cannot simply be about death."
Read "Saint Max" if you would--and if you do, please let me know what you think. Thanks to editor Jason Block for the future beer and giving my story a home.
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By: Aaron Polson,
on 4/17/2014
Blog: The Other Aaron (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: author's notes, Saint Max, Publication, Phantasmacore, Add a tag
By: Cate Gardner,
on 3/12/2011
Blog: The Poisoned Apple (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Short Story, Published, Creepy, Snow Globes, Buster Keaton, And the bride wore ashes, Phantasmacore, Add a tag
My story 'And, the Bride Wore Ashes' is now available to read at Phantasmacore.
It's my tale of a jilted Buster Keatonesque groom, a wedding dress made of moths and a snow globe.
I hope you like it and I also hope you'll comment over at the site if you do (or don't). It's my first story available to read online since last September. I need to pull my socks up.
By: Cate Gardner,
on 2/9/2011
Blog: The Poisoned Apple (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Acceptance, And the bride wore ashes, Phantasmacore, Is it March yet?, Add a tag
I'm certain today is Tuesday. I think I have sugar brain due to cake consumption--my friend's birthday; she is now very old as I told her many times during the day. I think she hates me a little now but then she did feed me cake and we all know that is a bad thing to do. I think I have whipped cream oozing from my ears.
So if it is Wednesday, then I should tell you all the wonderful things about my WIP - Of Wrecks, White Noise and Abandoned Beaches. It's a short story. It has a complete first draft that needs an injection of subplot. There are lots of seashells. There are not so many people. It is not as cool as the picture to the right. I must work to make it cooler. Is that even possible?
In other news, my short story 'And, the Bride Wore Ashes' has sold to Phantasmacore. Bride takes place inside a snowglobe (as all good stories must) and is populated by a girl, a jilted Buster Keatonesque groom and a wedding dress made of moths. It should be online in March.
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By: Aaron Polson,
on 4/17/2014
Blog: The Other Aaron (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: author's notes, Saint Max, Publication, Phantasmacore, Add a tag
0 Comments on Author's Notes: "Saint Max" as of 4/17/2014 11:37:00 AM
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By: Cate Gardner,
on 3/12/2011
Blog: The Poisoned Apple (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Short Story, Published, Creepy, Snow Globes, Buster Keaton, And the bride wore ashes, Phantasmacore, Add a tag
My story 'And, the Bride Wore Ashes' is now available to read at Phantasmacore.
It's my tale of a jilted Buster Keatonesque groom, a wedding dress made of moths and a snow globe.
I hope you like it and I also hope you'll comment over at the site if you do (or don't). It's my first story available to read online since last September. I need to pull my socks up.
19 Comments on Ashes, last added: 3/15/2011
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By: Cate Gardner,
on 2/9/2011
Blog: The Poisoned Apple (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Acceptance, And the bride wore ashes, Phantasmacore, Is it March yet?, Add a tag
So if it is Wednesday, then I should tell you all the wonderful things about my WIP - Of Wrecks, White Noise and Abandoned Beaches. It's a short story. It has a complete first draft that needs an injection of subplot. There are lots of seashells. There are not so many people. It is not as cool as the picture to the right. I must work to make it cooler. Is that even possible?
In other news, my short story 'And, the Bride Wore Ashes' has sold to Phantasmacore. Bride takes place inside a snowglobe (as all good stories must) and is populated by a girl, a jilted Buster Keatonesque groom and a wedding dress made of moths. It should be online in March.
15 Comments on WIP Wednesday - Cream Tea, Ashes and Shipwrecks, last added: 2/12/2011
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I commented over there, but it's awaiting moderation. Great story Cate. Distinctive and surreal as ever.
I seem to remember you tweeting about a wedding dress made of moths while you were writing this one.
I'm heading over now. :-D
Thanks for reading, Mike.
I guess I need to start calling you Tony now, Anthony. Or maybe not ;)
Great story Cate. You have a real talent for creating dream-like imagery. Very much enjoyed it.
Loved it, Cate! Will share a link on my next blog post!
That was great! I left a comment there as well. Quite creepy in a fun sort of way, Cate.
Thank you so much for reading, Richard, Lee and Joshua.
Loved it, Cate. I broke my only snow-globe recently. It had little black bats flying around in an underground cave.
The moths must tickle!
Wonderful, Cate (I commented at Phantasmacore). Poor Max broke a snow globe this Christmas; I'm glad wedding dresses didn't come fluttering out. ;)
Thanks for reading :D
You know how things come in threes? I'm now worried I'll break my Nightmare Before Christmas snow globe. Oh no--but at least Jack would be free.
Ha, yeah well...
I go by "Tony" in the real world. I like to use my full name for my pen name, I don't know why. Or maybe I do and I'm just not tellin'. :-p
Have been over and read and commented. Congrats on a great story.
Thanks, Danielle.
Many congrats Cate! I'll mosey on over and have a read.
Thanks, Simon
I commented there, but I thought it was magnificent, Cate.
Oooh, that was some fantastic lunch time reading! Well done (as usual)!
Barry & Katey, thanks so much for reading it. Much appreciated.