The First Dollar I Ever Earned

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No, I don't mean that initial greenback I was paid in a previous century. 

I'm talking about a monetary milestone for on-line writing, Medium to be precise. While I've sold stories and poems for considerably more, breaking the dollar barrier for web content was a big thing for me.

I've been writing on Medium for a while now, mostly haiku and other poetry with a few flash fiction stories thrown in for good measure. For all my efforts, I had only earned a few pennies through the Medium Partner Program and I had just two followers. I wasn't exactly setting the world on fire. 

Then in August, Medium changed the rules. To stay in the Medium Partner Program, I needed to have 100 followers by the end of 2021. I had been on Medium since July of 2020 and had garnered only two. Doing a quick calculation, I determined it would require a bit over fifty years to reach that goal at my current pace. Although I figured this was the end of my time on Medium, I could understand their reasoning. It probably cost more than a penny to pay me that penny every month. My slow-and-steady plan was not going to cut it. 

Still, I wanted my pennies. I wasn't sure what to do. The chances of reaching 100 followers by year's end seemed slim and none. Then, two events took place, rather serendipitously. 

The first was the Medium Writer's Challenge. I'm sure the folks at Medium sent me an e-mail about it. I'm also sure I ignored it. It wasn't until writer Terri Deno mentioned she was entering that I decided to take a look. There wasn't a lot of time left in the contest, but I wrote articles for three of the four categories. I didn't get any new followers, but I did get a lot more people reading my stories and my earnings soared. By "soared" I mean that instead of pennies, I was up into nickel and dime range. All three of my contest articles had been selected for what Medium calls "further distribution." This means they promote the story to other readers. Without this, you're basically hoping someone stumbles over your writing and reads it. This limited success pushed me to write more articles and stories for Medium.

The second  event was a post by JL Matthews titled Who Needs 100 Followers? He said that if you had less than 100 followers to leave a comment on the article and he would follow back and encourage others to do the same. He was an interesting writer, so I did. 

That's when it all started to snowball. The people in the responses started to look at each other and follow other writers there. Within a few weeks, I had over 60 followers. I reviewed these and followed back almost all of them. There were a good number of interesting articles by these folks and I will need to go back and do a bit of reading!

My next step was to search for and follow writers who had similar interests. I found and followed them. Many of them followed back. And quite a few others followed me on their own. Some of these I followed back, too. I'm not on Medium to get into politics or to promote someone's personal cause du jour, so I didn't follow them all, yet I was soon above the Medium Partner Program cutoff number. I went from 2 to over 130 in a single month (I'm currently at 155). And I've learned a few things from the articles I've been able to read from my new followers (unless you're a paying member, you get three free reads per month). I think this will work out well.

Most amazing of all was that I not only earned my first dollar on Medium, but my second as well.

Whether or not I can continue (or perhaps increase) this earnings pace remains to be seen. But it is nice to know I have the chance. I'll have to keep writing there to keep up reader interest, but I've never had a case of writer's block in my life. So, I'll keep at it for a while and see how things go.

I don't know if Medium is where I need/want to be long-term, but now I have a reason to give it a try. Maybe in another year I'll have a better idea where to concentrate my efforts. I want to try Kindle Vella. And I continue to work on my flash fiction collection (albeit at a glacial rate). And I need to get back to doing artwork. And my guitar hasn't been picked up in how many months? 

So, yes, there's a lot going on. But it's nice to have options.

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Organic Gardening

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This story is for Miranda Kate's weekly flash challenge. She posts an image as an inspirational prompt for writing a story. This is from Miranda's post:

This week's picture prompt was a photograph taken by someone called @hasmodia on instagram. In the link to their IG page, it takes you the shot of the whole tree. It's quite extraordinary as the image has not been altered and it is exactly as they found it.  

Here's a link to the prompt image. It's been a while since I've had time to do one of these, so when the story popped into my brain, I quickly wrote it down before I was distracted by other obligations. Horror, for sure.

Please note that anyone can join in with a story up to 750 words. Mine has 659 words (not including the title) for those who are counting.

Organic Gardening

K. R. Smith

"So, tell me. What do you think?"

"Oh, Joshua, this place is amazing! I've never seen trees like this. Some of them even look like they have faces. And this glade! The moss, the flowers—it's so lovely."

"You know, Miriam, somehow I knew you would like it here. I suppose being an artist you can appreciate the forms, the shapes, the colors."

"I could spend months just drawing and painting them."

"Well, let me spread the blanket out. We can have our lunch here and enjoy their beauty. I have some bread and cheese," Joshua said, holding up a basket. "And a small bottle of wine."

With the blanket unfurled and the basket opened, the couple sat together. Joshua opened the wine and poured some for them both.

"I do apologize. I only brought paper cups. I didn't want to risk breaking glasses on our little hike."

"I'm sure they'll do."

"Not quite as romantic, though."

"I probably shouldn't drink at all," she said, taking a sip. "You know how it makes me sleepy." Miriam looked up at the branches swaying in the breeze. "Has this land always been in your family?"

"As far back as I can trace. But this particular spot is special. I try to take care of it as best I can. I only share its beauty with those who can appreciate it—and are beautiful, too."

Joshua brushed a dangling lock of coppery hair away from Miriam's face, leaned over, and kissed her.

"Perhaps you're the one who's had too much wine. You're getting a bit bold, aren't you?"

Joshua grinned and replied, "Perhaps."

"It does makes me wonder if I'm the first girl you've brought to this glade."

Joshua sighed and said, "I suppose I should be truthful. There was one other. But that was years ago. She really didn't understand this place. I don't think she could see the forest for the trees, if you know what I mean."

"I suppose. Were you in love with her?"

"I thought so. But I was young—and foolish. There was so much I didn't understand then."

"About what?"

"Oh, everything. The world, her, this land—even myself."

"But now you're all grown up?"

"Well, I'm older," Joshua laughed. "Still a bit foolish. I guess that's why I kissed you."

Miriam took another sip then licked her lips. "I didn't mind."

"Would you like more?"

Miriam blushed.

"No, I meant the wine," Joshua said, holding up the bottle.

"Oh, my!" Miriam giggled. "I think I misunderstood. Which means I've probably had more than enough." She paused for a moment. "Wine, that is."

"I could use something to eat."

"Yes, I think that would be a good idea." Miriam looked up into the branches again. "They almost look alive. More so than just trees, I mean. The wind makes them appear to be moving, doesn't it?"

"It does," he replied while cutting slices of bread from the loaf. "Perhaps they're as excited to see you as I am."

"You have had too much to drink, flattering me like that! I have to admit, though—this wonderful place—I could stay here forever."

"And so you shall."

Miriam looked directly at Joshua. "Did you just ask me to—"

Her sentence was cut short by the blade in Joshua's hand that had found its mark across her slender neck. As Miriam's life oozed away, he took a bite of cheese. The leaves above them shook. He walked to a tree a short distance away where a shovel and an axe where hidden, having been leaned against the far side of its trunk. He returned to Miriam with both. As he raised the axe over her body, the branches waved to-and-fro, and more than the gentle breeze could muster.

"All right, just calm down. We're all hungry here. I know it's been a long time since you were properly fertilized, but there's still work to do."

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

The Business of the Arts is Rebounding

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Perhaps you've wondered how the arts are recovering from the depths of the pandemic. Or, if you've noticed a rebound, were curious as to how much it has been able to spring back.

Fortunately, the U.S. government does gather some data on this. They are collected by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), a part of the U. S. Department of Commerce. The unfortunate part (if you're a writer or media artist) is that BEA groups arts, entertainment, spectator sports, and even gambling together. That makes it difficult to extract data for your particular area of interest.

From the BEA website:

Arts, entertainment, and recreation (71) includes performing arts, spectator sports, museums, and related activities (711AS); and amusements, gambling, and recreation industries (713). Establishments in this industry produce, organize, and promote live presentations; as well as operate facilities related to sports, recreation, amusement, gambling; and other amusement or recreation services. NAICS 711-712 are included in industry 711AS.

NAICS stands for the North American Industry Classification System which is used by U. S. Government statistical agencies to identify, track, and report activities by industry.

From the following graph, you can see that the gross output of arts, entertainment, and recreation has not yet matched pre-pandemic values, but have increased by about $100 billion since their low point and appear to be trending upwards. Nominal Gross Output* stood at $248.4 billion at the end of 1st quarter of 2021 (last date statistics are currently available). Chained dollars (orange line) are adjusted for inflation based on a base year, currently 2012.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, [“BEA Industry Facts,”] news release (Jun 24 2021 12:00AM), https://apps.bea.gov/industry/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?IndustryId=7.

You can use their interactive tables for GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to eliminate the gambling and recreational portion, but that is about as detailed as you can get. You can see, however, that the numbers are going up since the dark days of 2020. That's a hopeful sign. You can also see that this is smaller than the amount designated as gambling and recreational. Gambling is big business these days.

• Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, “Industry Economic Account Data: GDP by Industry,” https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm (accessed [August 25, 2021]).

You can also see that the Value Added* by the arts, entertainment, and recreation industries is recovering, though not as much as one might hope.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, [“BEA Industry Facts,”] news release (Jun 24 2021 12:00AM), https://apps.bea.gov/industry/factsheet/factsheet.cfm?IndustryId=7.

What does all this say to the small writer, artist, or poet?

It does show that the arts industry is recovering, but still has a long way to go. It is trending upwards by all measures, so things look to be getting better for those working in the arts. The numbers won't include everything, however. If you have a tiny income from the arts, it may not be reflected in the data as there are cut-offs where small businesses are not required to report. Some of this may be brought in through other channels, but it doesn't pull in all of the numbers from the gig economy. And that can be substantial.

The fact that the entire industry seems to be recovering should be looked upon as an optimistic sign. In a few months, we can check the number again to see if the trend continues.

Notes:

* Nominal Gross Output is defined as the value of the goods and services produced by the nation’s economy. It is principally measured using industry sales or receipts, including sales to final users (GDP) and sales to other industries (intermediate inputs).

** Value Added is defined as the gross output of an industry less its intermediate inputs. It is the contribution of an industry to gross domestic product (GDP). Value added by industry can also be measured as the sum of compensation of employees, taxes on production and imports less subsidies, and gross operating surplus.

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Just A Little Bit Of News

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Although I was hoping to have an update on the X6 anthology, I'm still waiting on the publisher. I have a story and a poem in this one, but I'm starting to have doubts it will see the light of day. I sent an e-mail to the editor asking if she'd heard anything about the anthology's status, but she hadn't. She did forward my e-mail to the publisher. I'm still waiting. Sadly, I have a tendency to submit stories to publishers who take forever to get a book together and finally published. Perhaps being a bit more prudent in where I send my stories might be good idea.

In the meantime, I'm working on a story for Kindle Vella, which is a serialized format that Amazon is trying out. Think of Vella as Wattpad on steroids. My tale will be a fantasy story about an orphaned girl searching for information regarding her parents. As curiosity often does, it gets her into bit of trouble when she asks an old woman for help—an old woman who some people think is a witch.

Part of this endeavor is to see if writing in a serialized format is something I can do (and like). It does have its differences from short stories or novellas. You have to keep the reader engaged at the end of each episode to bring them back for the next. 

At the moment, Amazon only has a dedicated Vella app for iOS (Apple), but you can also view Vella stories on your PC at the Vella website. And it's only for United States readers.

If you'd like to see how Vella works, you can try reading the new romance story by Terri Deno called Verses and Vows. She's just put the 6th episode out there with more to come. Disclaimer: I'm letting Terri go first to figure out all the problems when publishing on Vella so when I do it the process will be easier.

That's all I have for now. I'll try to post updates a bit more often if for no other reason than to let people know I'm still alive!

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Upcoming X6 Anthology (Wait for it...)

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Note: This is a re-post of a public Patreon post concerning a story and poem I have in an upcoming anthology. There are some folks who still check for my updates here, so I thought I'd add make it easier for those who do.

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Yes, that's what I've been doing for some time now. Let me explain.

If you've read my earlier post, you know I've had a story and a poem accepted for publication for quite a while now. And while the X6 anthology in which they will appear is not out yet, it is moving along. Slowly.

But the cover is now available! 

Allow me to pause here to give a woo-hoo.

WOO-HOO!

Okay, thanks.

So, without further ado, here is the cover.

Yes, this is the full cover - front, back, and spine. My name is on the fourth line where the authors are listed. I have to say, it is a step up in quality from previous Thirteen O'Clock Press / Horrified Press covers. I hope that's a good sign.

I'm not sure the stories 'defy definition' as the blurb states, however - they were just left over or didn't fit into one of the themed anthologies. That may not be a bad thing. There should be a lot of variety here, so the reader won't get tired of yet another zombie, vampire, serial killer, etc., story halfway through.

So, that's where it all stands at the moment. I'll let you know when it is available!

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Standing At The Crossroads

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Like many authors and artists, I have a presence on social media. And while the term social media may be an oxymoron, it's what we have to work with. 

And so, I'm here. And there. And wondering if I should be over that way instead. 

I have a Blogger blog. You already know that, of course, because that's where this is posted. I also have a Patreon account. And I do stuff on Medium. And Twitter. I also have a website. I would think that's more than enough.

The problem is that I can't seem to figure out which one people prefer. 

I had been posting to Patreon for a while with little success when I started up Medium. That seemed to be taking off like gangbusters. So, I concentrated my efforts there. Of course, the traffic promptly dried up. In the meantime, Patreon started drawing a (tiny) crowd even though I hadn't posted there for some time. Seeing that, I posted more on Patreon. Within days, of course, there was a slight uptick on my Blogger blog as Patreon visits waned. It makes no sense to me. Perhaps there's some weird quantum entanglement thing going on. Not that there are ever many visitors to my humble blog. But the increase was enough to notice. Unfortunately, it didn't last.

In addition, I have a website. Now I know it isn't a very exciting website, but I thought it might gather a few visits. As of the last time I checked, only four places on Earth registered as having visitors to my site. One was where I live. I expected that as I look at the site to see if updates went as planned. One of the other three was Wuhan, China, which is somewhat disturbing....

As for my Blogger blog, I can't say I've drawn a lot of interest based on the numbers I see. I have posted a few stories here lately. I want to keep the blog active as I try to figure out where I want to focus my social media efforts. I know it needs a refresh at minimum or, perhaps, a complete redesign. While I have tried to simplify the layout, neither of those other tasks are going to be completed in the near future (too much other stuff going on right now).

To summarize, there is a whole lot of mediocre going on here. If you have a suggestion as to which direction to take, pass it on!

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The photo on this page is by Javier Allegue Barros on Unsplash.

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved 

Northern Enlightenments

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This story is for Miranda Kate's weekly flash challenge. She posts an image as an inspirational prompt for writing a story. This is from Miranda's post: This image is from a Bookings.com website, advertising a holiday home called Bø Huset in Bø, Sortland in the Vesterålen Region of Norway - Fjords country. The holiday house is hosted by Michelle Edelman, who I am assuming (until she responds to my email) is the person who took this stunning shot. 

Here's a link to the prompt image. Please note that anyone can join in with a story up to 750 words. Mine has 602 words for those who are counting.

Northern Enlightenments

K. R. Smith

It was cold, perhaps the coldest night of the year. The sky was clear. The air was still. That was good—at least for Jake. With no wind, he could hear footsteps a long way off. 

Jake had followed the tracks before and knew where to be for a good shot. He nestled in as best he could behind a fallen tree to hide his presence. His rifle rested in the crook of a branch. Everything was in place. 

It was difficult to keep his breathing under control. The frigid air, the excitement, even his thoughts worked against him. One well-placed shot would bring fame and fortune. Most of all, it would bring respect. The doubters, the ones who had laughed, would be silenced. Jake knew his job and he did it well. It was only a matter of time—if he could a steady hand.

It seemed an eternity until his eyes spotted movement among the trees. He turned on his night-vision goggles. The heat signature was clear. This was not a bear or a moose; it walked on two legs.

Soon the target was close enough to see using the dim light of the stars and the auroras that slithered above. Jake strained to keep the quarry in sight among the brush. Then, it stopped. Had he been spotted?

He watched through the scope of his rifle, trying to breath slowly. The sight line was not clear; he couldn't risk a shot. 

The target began to move again, making its way to a small knoll. It couldn't be more perfect. Instead of standing, however, the target sat down, mostly obscured by brush. Jake cussed quietly under his breath and waited. 

After a while, all movement stopped. In the dim light, he couldn't tell what was going on. Was what he saw really the target or had his prey somehow eluded him again? Jake turned the night-vision goggles on again. The image was just a blob; there was nothing identifiable at which to aim. The target was there, but huddled too close to the ground.

Jake waited for a while longer, but the situation remained unchanged. He knew he had to make a move.

As slowly as possible, he got his legs under him, eventually reaching a kneeling position. He was in luck; the prey was facing slightly away from him. Jake prayed his target's peripheral vision wasn't very good. He raised his rifle, centering the crosshairs on the body. 

With his finger hovering over the trigger, he was puzzled that his target seemed to sit motionless, the head tilted back. It made no sense. Why?

Jake looked upward, just as his quarry was doing. Above him, luminous colors danced, weaving to-and-fro in a mesmerizing display. It was more magnificent than any aurora he'd ever experienced. When a huge burst of color brightened the landscape, Jake heard a murmur of approval from the brushy knoll. He watched the shimmering lights for a while, then studied his intended victim. He flipped the safety on and propped his rifle against a stump. 

He leaned back against a tuft of grass and lit a cigarette. The light startled the creature, which stood and faced him. Jake pointed to the sky. It made a grunt, shook its huge fingers towards the heavens in response, then sat back down to enjoy the glowing exhibition.

There was going to be a lot of crow to eat, for sure. The fame and fortune he'd dreamed of disappeared into the darkness. But whatever this thing was—sasquatch, yeti, bigfoot—it didn't matter; he couldn't destroy something that understood beauty.

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Leveraged Buyout

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This story is for Miranda Kate's weekly flash challenge. This is from Miranda's post:

This week's picture prompt was taken by Austrian photographer Ernst Haas. This is New York in 1952. 

Here's a link to the prompt image.

I went sort of semi-noir with this prompt. Miranda allows or 750 words; I used 472 of them. I decided to put this one on Blogger since I haven't posted much here lately. And I used an image from Unsplash for my post.

The ending may be ambiguous for some, but I'll let the reader fill that in as they like.

Leveraged Buyout

by K. R. Smith

 

Photo by Craig Whitehead on Unsplash            

 

As far as Malcom could see, there was only one other a man on the street. He sat in a chair on the sidewalk, his hat pulled down and his collar turned up against the chill of a January wind.

"How's it going?" Malcom asked.

The man on the chair looked up enough to show his eyes, but said nothing.

"I'm a friend of Charles. Are you James?"

"Maybe," the man said while glancing up and down the street. "And what does a friend of Charles want?"

"He said you might have some merchandise I'd be interested in."

"He did, did he?"

"Yeah, I'm redecorating. Thought I'd pick up some white stuff."

"Perhaps I can be of service."

"How much?"

"Fifteen."

"Fifteen bucks? I don't need it gold-plated. I was thinking half that, or a little more, at most."

"Maybe last year. This is nineteen and fifty-two, man. New year, new price. I got a lot of business expenses to cover."

"I'll bet."

The man shrugged. "That's the price."

"Well, I ain't got that kinda dough. I don't suppose you could spot me a few bucks?"

The man in the chair just gave him a stare that said no.

"Look, I need this bad," Malcom said through clenched teeth.

"You're free to shop around if you think you can get a better price."

"Yeah, sure. The cops have everyone else hiding in the sewers."

"Maybe you got a friend that could help out."

"Right—all my friends in their lofty social circles…"

The man in the chair turned away, unconcerned.

"Yeah, thanks," Malcom replied to his silence.

He walked away, his head bowed in disturbed thought. Others he passed along the street all seemed to have the same desperate look, their eyes following him, but saying nothing. Malcom ducked into a corner doorway to escape the wind's bite, shaking from the drug missing from his veins. A man passing by stopped in front of him.

"Malcom? Is that you?"

"Shorty?"

"Yeah, man. What are you doing 'round here?"

"I was hoping to do a little shopping, but it seems prices on this side of town are a bit steep. And, let me tell you, I need some stuff bad."

"Tell me about it. I know all your nasty habits. What are they asking?"

"Fifteen."

"Whoa! That's a jump. I guess all the cops performing their due diligence has scared away most of the competition."

"What am I going to do? I can't get that kind of dough. Not right away, at least. Any suggestions?"

"Negotiate."

"My supplier wasn't interested in negotiating."

"Everything's negotiable, man. What sorta leverage ya have?"

"Leverage? Nothing—unless being almost broke counts."

"Okay, then. Just how much cash do you have?"

"Twelve-fifty, total."

Shorty smiled. "That's plenty, Mal."

"How so?"

"I can sell you a revolver for ten."

Thanks for stopping by to read!

 

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© 2021 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Truths of a Shy Writer: The First Seven Days

This is an update from Terri Deno I thought I'd share (click the link to view)...

Truths of a Shy Writer: The First Seven Days:  My plan for 2021 was to move my weekly blog posts to Tuesday--it would work out better for many reasons, including the ability to get those...

Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol

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I have a new story coming out!

It's in the new horror anthology Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol by Burial Day Books. My story, Christmas Eve, is about a young woman, forced from her home, who makes a journey on a dark winter's night in hopes of finding help for herself and her tiny son. Will a mysterious stranger offering assistance be a godsend — or something much, much worse?

Partial cover image from the horror anthology
Gothic Blue Book VI: A Krampus Carol

Here is a list of the stories and their authors:

The Aspirant Heiress by Deanna Baran
The Night of Epiphany by Nico Bell
When the Leaves Go by Die Booth
Yule Log by T.M. Brown
Candy Cane by Jeff Carter
The Boy Who Tricked Krampus by Malina Douglas
Sugarplum by Kevin M. Folliard
A Creature Was Stirring by Samson Stormcrow Hayes
Black Lace Binding by Laurel Hightower
Letters to Krampus by Matt Jean
I Am a Fortress by Shane Douglas Keene
All Through the House by Amanda Cecelia Lang
Secret Santa by Gary E Lee
A Desk Fit for a Purpose by Madeleine McDonald
A Very Good Actress by Sarah Michelson
After Krampusnacht by Victoria Nations
When She Visits by Cindy O’Quinn
The Path by Kathleen Palm
The Last Noel by Hailey Piper
Queen of the Wassail by Jennifer Quail
The Wreath by Monique Quintana
All Quiet on the Northern Front by Kara Race-Moore
Cast Away Stones by Mary Rajotte
Hell’s Bells by C L Raven
The Holly King’s Spawn by Sage Ravenwood
Creature of Darkness by Lawrence Salani
Christmas Eve by K.R. Smith
Krampus by Austrian Spencer
The Dark-Eyed Boy by M.C. St. John
Here We Come A-Caroling by Angela Sylvaine
The Yule Cat by Sara Tantlinger

As you can see, it's sizable collection of tales! There should be something for everyone in this huge book!

It's available on Amazon (Kindle only for now).

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© 2020 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Human 76 - How Maeve Came To Be

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When I was asked by Lisa Shambrook if I wanted to write a story for a post-apocalyptic anthology she was developing, I jumped at the chance. Lisa had been a part of other anthologies that looked like fun, and this seemed to have even more potential. This offer came about because I had once asked her if she knew of any open anthologies like the ones with which she'd been involved.

Of course, it was only after I said yes that I stopped to think about what this actually meant. The original time-frame was short. I was already working overtime at my day job and had another story in process. On top of that, I'd never really considered a story of that genre (post-apocalyptic). And it wasn't as if I could just make something up that stood by itself. My characters had to have some interaction with Lisa's creations, Ghabrie and Nahria who were the central characters in what would become the Human 76 anthology. How could I do that without causing problems in another writer's story? How would it all tie together? Post-apocalyptic? What had I gotten myself into?

Still, I'd made the commitment, so I had to come up with something.

I came up with Maeve.

She's young, somewhere between fifteen and eighteen. She may not truly know how old she is. Being from the sparsely populated Northlands, she's had little social interaction, and is a bit naïve. Maeve doesn't have any special "powers" or skills. She can't leap tall buildings at a single bound—or even read. I didn't think there would be many schools left in a post-apocalyptic world.

In addition to being born into a disastrous situation, she has to deal with the stigma of having red hair. It seems a disease has targeted those with coppery curls sentencing most to an early death. Of those, the few who are still alive are mostly mutants, and they don't have the best reputation. Unfortunately for Maeve, people see her red hair and make that leap, deciding she's a mutant. And Maeve isn't very happy about that.

She's also a bit on the meek side, a giggly teenager who asks for nothing more than to spend time with her cousin making soap and growing herbs to sell. She's not someone with dreams of world domination or conquering evil empires.

Overall, other than the problems her hair creates, she's just a normal teenager.

Doesn't sound like much of a heroine up to this point, does it? Certainly not very exciting.

How did I see Maeve? What did I expect from this tale?

I wanted this to be a coming-of-age story. I wanted Maeve to have characteristics that the average person could relate to, meaning she just a young person working at store. Many teenagers get their first work experience in somewhat the same way by working at a small business, often a retail establishment. I also put her into a reasonably comfortable existence (or as much as can be expected in her post-apocalyptic world), then ripped her out of it, tossing her into a situation where she must grow and comprehend the true nature of the world, adapting as necessary. That is something we all do as we grow up. Well, we give it a good try. 

Yes, I've heard that starting a story where "everything is right with the world" doesn't grab the reader quickly enough, but that would leave me the problem of filling in the blanks through flashbacks or some other device. That could work in a novel, but with the length constraints of a short story, especially one that was running longer than requested by a considerable amount, using those methods would have taken too much space. Even if they were accepted by the anthologist, it wouldn't be fair to the other authors to take up extra space when they followed the rules.

So, what does Maeve bring to the story? How does she see herself?

She doesn't think of herself as brave or strong, but she does have an inner strength that comes to the surface, even if involuntarily, when required. And she's a determined young woman—she doesn't give up easily. Yet, even when forced, she's a reluctant warrior. In the situations that arise in The Song of Aiden, it is this contrast between her gentle persona and the harshness of her post-apocalyptic world that makes the story work. At least I hope it worked and that this contrast came through.

At this point, I have a character, but how do I work Ghabrie into the story? I can't just have her walk up to Ghabrie and say, "Hi!" I needed a situation to bring all the characters together. So, I decided on—romance.

What? Romance? Really? Me? I'm not a romance writer! I'm not a post-apocalyptic writer, either. I'm barely a writer at all! What was I thinking? I already had one sub-plot (the mutant / red hair thing). Would the romance be considered a sub-plot, too? How many sub-plots can a short story carry? What had I gotten myself into (again)?

All I can say is that's what popped into my head. I have no idea where all these silly thoughts came from. (Okay, I'm going to blame Beth Rhodes who, as a challenge, enticed me to write my first sort of romantic bit on her blog almost a decade ago.) Will it sound ridiculous? Unbelievable? Only time (and the reviews of the readers) will decide.

I can't tell too much more without giving away the whole story, but this may shed some light on how I developed the character Maeve. I can only hope readers enjoy the story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

In the years since Human 76 was published, the thought has crossed my mind (more than once) to write a follow-up story with Maeve, one that fills in the gap, picking up where she leaves Ghabrie and returns to the Northlands before re-entering the Human 76 world. I can imagine a few adventures she in which she might partake. What do you think? Would you be interested in reading it? Let me know!

Human 76 is available from Amazon.

Cover image: Human 76

 

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© 2020 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Two Spaces Or Not Two Spaces

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That, it seems, is the question.

Photo by MILKOVÍ on Unsplash

Not long ago, I was participating in a Skype session at work with a few other staff members. We were reviewing and updating a document. Once we had agreed on a particular change, one of us would make the change. I watched as a staff member (who will remain nameless) type in the new sentences, then dutifully return to put an extra space between them where only one space existed. This was not a formal document; it was an internal checklist of a process.

Interesting, I thought.

I had heard of this two-space thing, as I recall, long ago in some distant corner of my life. I had never seen anyone do this before. Was it a difference in schooling? I had never been taught there was a correct (or incorrect) amount of spaces to be placed between sentences.

Had I read writing with two spaces after a period? I was certain I had, though I couldn't say where or when.

My curiosity was aroused. I decided to research the subject. I'm almost sorry I did. Apparently, this is a sore subject among many in the writing and typography communities. The level of fighting makes the turmoil between political parties seem almost tame.

There are many reasons given on both sides, but I'll only mention a couple here.

"Only old folks used to using typewriters put two spaces after a sentence."

The term "old folks" generally refers to those over 40 years of age in these arguments. I can assure you I am over 40 in both age and IQ, although the second value is often questioned. I don't, however, use two spaces.

"It only applies to monospaced fonts. They aren't needed with modern proportional fonts."

This is summarily dismissed by the two-spacers.

There are other arguments, of course, and the issue has been discussed for at least the last few hundred years according to the articles I've read. I wouldn't be surprised to find the fossilized remains of two opposing tribes of prehistoric cave dwellers where one painted the images of their hands two hand-lengths apart while the other tribe preferred only one. In all likelihood, the very first war was started over this.

There have even been several (supposedly) scientific studies on the matter, all of which resulted in every possible outcome as to whether the one or two spaces made a difference in clarity or reading speed.

As I was thinking about all this (as an excuse to avoid another Skype session in work), I was wondering if those who use two spaces have a problem sending text messages. If you hit the space button twice on a smartphone it puts in a period—and a single space. If you want two spaces, you have to hit the space button again after an indeterminate amount of time. On top of all that, some folks don't use or like punctuation in their text messages. If you're a devout two-spacer and don't use a period between sentences when messaging, this could possibly drive you insane.

Do I have a preference?

No. I can't say I notice a difference when reading either format.

If you wish to use two spaces after a period, I won't mind. I probably won't even notice—unless you make me watch you do it.

When writing, I'll continue to use a single space, though not because I believe in its superiority. It's all I've ever done. I'm not sure I could change now if I tried. No one has ever asked why I only use one space, so it would seem it's not a major issue with everyone. For those it does bother, however, if thy right eye (or left) offends thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee. Just make sure it doesn't land on my keyboard. It might hit the space bar.

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© 2020 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Beth Rhodes Has A New Book Out!

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I got the newsletter today from Beth Rhodes - and she has a new book out. It's titled Counter Strike. This is number 5 in her Hawk Elite Security series. Beth writes military romance novels, and they're always good. 

And yes, I've already purchased a copy. Here's the blurb:

She buried her fighting spirit along with her father twelve years ago…

Marguerite Bellamy Fuentes spends her life hiding from the Mexican cartel, who murdered her family. She's terrified of their retribution should they find her and unable to commit to the man she loves for fear he'll suffer the same fate.

He follows orders, doesn't give them…

By the book operative for Hawk Elite Security, Jamie Nash globe trots all over the world at Hawk's command. But now he's tired of the rat race, and he's ready to settle down. He wants to marry Missy, and he's quite capable of keeping them both safe…if she follows the rules.

Then Jamie is taken hostage. Faced with losing him, Missy's fighting spirit awakens and with it her need to right the wrongs done to her family. Her life with Jamie might be safe, but she can no longer stand by and do nothing. It's time to stop hiding and face the enemies from her past. Jamie doesn't agree. He spent years making sure no one can find her.

Will Missy's determination to fight for justice drive away the man who has been her rock? Or will they learn to take on the world together?

If this piques your interest, please check it out on Amazon! Here's the link:

https://www.amazon.com/Counter-Strike-Hawk-Elite-Security-ebook/dp/B08BJB2VB3

That's all the news for now! Thanks for dropping by!

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© 2020 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Patreon Post On Freelancers

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Making a living as a freelancer has never been easy; it's been even tougher lately. I know a few who have given up trying. Many others are on the fence.

Free-falling Freelancers

I've put a short article on Patreon about this (free access for all).

If you know an artist, writer, or performer who is having a rough time, please help them out if you can!

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© 2020 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Mid-Week Flash Challenge - Week 159

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This story is for Miranda Kate's weekly flash challenge. This is from Miranda's post: This week's picture prompt is Jeannie Anne Numos aka i-am-JENius over on their page on DeviantArt, an artist based in the Philippines. They have some incredible pieces. I might have to use a few more. This one's titled 'Vanished Route to Demirville'. 

Here's a link to the prompt image. This is a very short story, even for a flash fiction. Please note that anyone can join in with a story up to 750 words. Mine has 747 words for those who are counting (not including the title, scene break marker, and byline). I've also placed the story on my Patreon site (free access!). There is also downloadable PDF version of the story there.

All That Glitters

K. R. Smith

The fog was thick. Brad almost missed the old man digging around the base of a large oak as he walked along the tracks. The man said nothing as he approached, but watched him as he picked his footing over the slippery, moss-cover ties between the rusting tracks.

"Hello," Brad said, waving his hand. Still, the old man remained silent. Brad introduced himself again, then asked, "Do you live around here?"

The old man took a moment before replying. "Not far. But I can tell you don't."

"Really? How?"

"Because you're headin' towards that deserted mine."

"You know about it?"

The old man laughed. "Everyone around here knows."

"I've bought the mineral rights, but I can't find any record of when the mine opened. 

Somebody had to dig it out. You wouldn't have any local knowledge on that, would you?"

   

"Nope. But I've heard folks say that dark hole was here as long as anyone can remember."

"You've been there?"

"Near enough not to want to go back."

"People say there's gold inside."

"People say a lot of things."

"I take it you don't put much stock in those stories."

"Don't know either way."

"So, what treasure are you searching for?"

"Ginseng."

"I can buy more ginseng with a few nuggets of gold than you can dig in a month."

"Gold don't do ya no good when your dead."

"Neither does ginseng."

"True enough. But I don't plan on dyin'."

"So, you're not interested in gold?"

"Not from that place. Folks around here are wise enough to know better," the old man said as he looked over the stranger in front of him. "Unlike some others."

"Look, I know mines are dangerous. I've spent my life working these old claims. Made a decent living at it. What's so special about this one?"

"There's something down there. Something that don't like sharing."

"Something? That's all you can tell me?"

"Never met it. Don't want to, neither."

"Does everyone around here believe this?"

"The smart ones do. Some say it's a beast of sorts. Others say it's spirits, like the Kachinas."

"Well, I don't believe in monsters or magic. And the Hopis are a thousand miles west."

The old man just shrugged. "It's what some folks say. Then again, it might be people's imagination, I suppose. Hard to figure, though, why so many folks would be imaginin' something like that."

"So, you're afraid to even go in?"

"Going in ain't the problem. Comin' out is. Especially if you're taken anything out with you."

Brad smiled. "Or the boogeyman will get you?"

"Or something. That's why it's closed. No one was willing to work there. These tracks ain't been used in years."

"I guess I'll have to take my chances then, won't I?"

"Or you could find another old mine somewhere's else. Up to you."

"If it's all the same, I'll take a look for myself."

"I can't stop ya, but ya might wanna think twice."

As Brad continued down the tracks, he yelled back, "I'll think twice about the gold."

The old man wiped his brow, shook his head, then returned to his task. After half an hour, he heard twigs snapping in the woods. His eyes squinted. There was movement, but he couldn't identify what it was.

"Johnny?" he called. "Johnny Redfeather, is that you?"

"Yeah, Jake. It's me." A man in a blue flannel shirt appeared from behind a stand of large trees on one side of the tracks. "I see you've gotten a head start."

"Not much o' one. I heard someone was comin' to nose around that damned hole. Thought I'd best get moving. He left a short while back. Anyway, glad you're here. I'm about wore out."

"I heard the news, too. After the gold?"

"What else?"

"Then we'd better gather all we can. Ginseng's the only thing that seems to placate whatever's in there."

"Placate?"

Johnny laughed. "Sorry. It means to calm down."

"Oh, okay. I can't understand half of what you say since you came back from that big-city college. Don't any of them smart folks know how to get rid of this thing?"

Johnny shook his head. "They don't teach about stuff like that there. Or even believe in it."

"Dang. Well, I hope there's enough ginseng left."

The sound of thunder echoed around them, but they could feel through their boots that the source was deep within the Earth.

Johnny glanced down the tracks. "Me too, Jake. Me, too."

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© 2020 K. R. Smith All rights reserved