FSF Challenge - Moments

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Writers! Share the best blog post, story, or poem you've written in 2013 here: Best of 2013

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This week's writing challenge from Five Sentence Fiction ( Lillie McFerrin Writes ) is based upon the prompt:  Moments

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie posts one word for inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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This is sort of a prose poem, and I dislike prose poems. They're not really poems, in my opinion. So this is just a weirdly formatted story. So don't tell anyone about this...

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Never Enough

     He needed a moment to hide his fear when she said "yes" to the prom.
     Then he hesitated a moment before his first kiss.
     A few years later, he took a moment to stare into her eyes when she said she would marry him.
     And he said he wanted a moment as he stood by her bed when they told him she hadn't survived the birth of their child.
     But there weren't any left. 

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Original image source: http://lilliemcferrin.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/moments1.jpg

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

The End Is Near!

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Update: See the best of 2013 by various writers HERE!

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The end of the 2013, that is.

And since the year is rapidly coming to an end, I thought I'd give a chance for others to spread the word about their writing. If you have a favorite blog post, or link to something special you've written that's on the web (or even published), pass it on in a comment and I'll put a link out here for it. This way, all my readers (or those just passing by) will have some interesting reading material to wart off the new year. There's no time limit on this, so if you don't get to it right away, send a comment when you can!

I have to admit, I've stolen this idea from Rum Punch Drunk's blog, so you should visit there, too.

Have a Happy New Year, and I look forward to any posts you want to share!

P.S. I stole this image from Bethanne Strasser's website until I can get one of my own... hmmm.... I've stolen the idea for the post and the image... I should make a resolution to be more honest next year!

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Merry Christmas!

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No news or story - just Merry Christmas!

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Image "Merry Christmas Word" courtesy of jannoon028 FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

FSF Challenge - Silver

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This week's writing challenge from Five Sentence Fiction ( Lillie McFerrin Writes ) is based upon the prompt:  Silver

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie posts one word for inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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One for the holidays... 

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Jingle Bells

     "I know you miss her, but I'm sure that wherever she is, she's alright," he said, putting his arm around wife as they sat in front of the packages they feared would never be opened. "You shouldn't do this to yourself every year."
     "But what else can I do when I have no idea if she's alone or hurt—or worse."
     "She's very strong, you know," he said, as much to reassure himself as anyone.
     In silence, they nestled together, holding on to each other and what was left of their lives, when the small, silver bells hung over the kitchen door jingled ever so slightly, and a tiny, unsteady voice asked, "Mom?" 

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Original image source: http://lilliemcferrin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/silver-bells-1024x570.jpg

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Week's Free Photo - Sunrise Over The Ocean

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A little change of pace this time around. Instead of snow, think summer. Summer along the ocean, to be exact. These are from a few years ago, but I thought it might be nice to see some pictures that would warm people up instead of making them shiver that much more during the shortest days of the year.

I happened to be up and about on a morning when the air was fairly clear over the Atlantic and the sun was visible as it popped up over the horizon. Quite often, there is a layer of clouds that prevent you from seeing this. Also, the ocean was very calm that morning.

By the way, that little fin out there is a dolphin (Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, T. truncatus), not a shark... they're quite common along here. So are sharks, but they don't seem to cause any problems.

You can click on the picture to see a larger version. And if you do use it, the red text below can be used for attribution. I also have a larger version (2160 x 1440) should you wish to use this for a project.

Stop back again! I'll have another photo for you next week!

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Top image "OC SUNRISE 2006_1.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution.

Bottom image "OC SUNRISE 2006_2.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution.

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Is Twitter Useful?

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I saw a tweet from Bethanne Strasser yesterday asking about the usefulness of Twitter, especially from an author's point of view.

I see maybe 3-5% of what's on twitter, but still post hoping others will see what I post. #notconvinced twitter is a great social medium
— Bethanne Strasser (@Bethanne_writes) December 20, 2013

I sometimes have the same question. I do get some good info from other's tweets, but it's hard to find it among the garbage that comes in, especially when some of those you follow seem to retweet everything that comes their way. Just a hint: it's not always interesting to everyone else.

What I've found is that I don't look at the main Twitter feed, but review tweets from various sources, like Duotrope and Horror Tree, and those from a handful of followers, and ignore much of the rest. I don't have time to read every tweet sent my way. I often wonder if others do the same. And seldom do I get useful feedback from more than a handful of followers.

So....

I've put a little poll on my site that will be up until the end of the year. It's not a scientific poll; I'm just curious. If you have an opinion and would like to cast a vote, please do so. You can always leave a comment, too!

Thanks in advance!

Note: The poll is now closed. If you would like, you may still leave a comment on the subject!

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Zombies And Steampunk - A Natural For Haiku

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I have two new submissions - just for fun...

Both are to Dreamscape Press, a small publisher (as if I submit to any other type), and both are haiku. The subject matter? Zombies and steampunk. "That seems like a natural match," he said while rolling his eyes.

Anyway, they are on their way to the editor for consideration.

That's all for now - except that you may want to check out the book below. Just a thought...

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

FSF Challenge - Alone

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This week's writing challenge from Five Sentence Fiction ( Lillie McFerrin Writes ) is based upon the prompt:  Alone

What it’s all about: Five Sentence Fiction is about packing a powerful punch in a tiny fist. Each week Lillie posts one word for inspiration, then anyone wishing to participate will write a five sentence story based on the prompt word.

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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A resourceful mind can adapt and survive... 

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A Crowd Of One

     Billy was rather depressed about his new home in the country as there weren't any other children his own age within miles and he desperately wanted a playmate. He decided to walk to the pond, if for no other reason than to kill time until lunch, and as he did, he began to talk to himself, having a discussion with no one in particular about his plight. He eventually took the other side of the argument to keep the conversation going, enumerating all of the interesting places there were to explore, and to provide a little variety assigned his second voice to an imaginary friend he hadn't conjured up in years. Not much farther along, another voice joined in, and then another, all walking in lockstep through the autumn leaves. Before getting halfway to his destination, he was strutting and high-stepping, leading his own little parade down the trail, the trees standing tall on each side to applaud. 

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Original image source: http://sha-1.deviantart.com/art/Alone-115613573

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Give A Christmas Present To A Library

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...and make an author happy in the process!

One of the writers I follow, Lisa Shambrook, is part of a forty author effort to help the Mount Rose Elementary School Library in Reno, Nevada through sales of a Christmas / holiday season anthology. It's called Tales By The Tree, and it's quite a diverse selection of stories (75 in all), with everything from angels to zombies! There's something in it for all ages and interests.

Lisa with a copy of Tales By The Tree

It's available through Amazon for the Kindle or in paperback—just in time for Christmas! Here are links to the Amazon site:

Tales by The Tree amazon.co.uk

Tales by The Tree amazon.com 

From the Amazon page:

Gather Around The Tree With a Collection of 75 Tales From 40+ Authors

Welcome to Tales by the Tree, a collection of holiday stories brought to you by a group of authors whose imagination knows no bounds. No matter how you enjoy your holidays, our collection features something for everyone. Included are Traditional Tales, Family Friendly, Holiday Humor, and Noel Nightmares.

Grab a cup of cocoa and settle in for a long winter's night with Tales by The Tree, an amazing way to discover new talented authors, many of whom are published and can be found on Amazon.

All royalties benefit the Mount Rose Elementary School library in Reno, Nevada.

Take a look at it and let your friends know about it (it would make a nice gift).

And, yes, I have a copy!

When I opened it I got a surprise as two other writers I follow, Jeffrey Hollar and Lizzie Koch, have stories in it, too!

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Week's Free Photo - Snowy Pines

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My last photo, Canadas, was supposed to warm you up a little. This week's photo (yes, I know it's a little early) is going to cool you down a bit. A snow storm blew through yesterday, so I have a number of snowy pictures that I'll be posting over the next few weeks. So get used to seeing that white stuff...

This image is a little larger than most I post out here, but I thought it needed the detail. It'll also take a while longer to download. It could be used as a book cover or other background, and is free to use as long as attribution is given (see notes on this below). This is a stand of white pines (pinus strobus) in Gunpowder State Park, Maryland, USA. If you're in England, you'll know these as Weymouth pines.

Pines with snow

You can click on the picture to see a larger version. And if you do use it, the red text below can be used for attribution.

Stop back again! I'll have another photo for you next week!

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Image "PINES_WITH_SNOW.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Week's Free Photo - Canadas

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It's getting cold around the area and some ice and snow storms are on the way, so I thought I'd try to bring a little summer back with my blog, maybe warm things up a bit.

Just a couple of Canadian geese swimming on a pond, looking for something to eat on a lazy summer day...

Update: I found another picture I thought I'd throw out here, too...

He's just doing a goosestep down the road...

Feel free to use the images, or any part thereof, as is or modified, so long as attribution is given. You can use the text below for that:

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Image "CANADAS.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

Image "GOOSESTEP.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

FSF Challenge - Highway

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This week's writing challenge from Five Sentence Fiction ( Lillie McFerrin Writes ) is based upon the prompt:  Highway

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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The adventures of Ralph and Wanda, my favorite couple...

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Ms. Direction

     "Gosh, Ralph, isn't it just so great that they've finally opened the new highway interchange?" Wanda asked as they made their way up the entrance ramp, her voice bubbling over with enthusiasm. "We can go anywhere in the state without dealing with a million stop signs, traffic lights, or speed bumps on some winding side road."
     "I suppose," Ralph replied, tapping his fingers impatiently on the steering wheel as traffic slowed.
     "Well—where would you like to go first?"
     "Home." 

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Image source: http://lilliemcferrin.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/highway1.jpg

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Submissions Update - December 5, 2013

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This is just another brief update on my submissions...

The Fisherman and His Wife: (Short story - humor/fairy tale) Accepted a long time ago, but I'm still waiting for something back from Fringeworks about a more concrete schedule. Is anybody home?

Skarett's Treasure: (Short story - humor/horror/pirates) Also accepted a long time ago by Fringeworks (for the KnightWatch Press imprint). Mellissa Black, the latest editor, tweeted back to me that the stories for this anthology were being edited, but it feels like Dead Men's Tales project has dropped off the face of the Earth. I hope to hear something soon, but I'm not counting on it...

Dance (Short story - fae/horror) was rejected by World Weaver Press / Rhonda Parrish. At least they were quick about it. I may rework the story and try elsewhere, but not right away.

A Matter of Personal Taste (Short story - horror) was submitted to Penumbra - actually a re-submission of a slightly reworked version of what was posted on The Were-Traveler. This is a long shot, but why not try?

I'm working on another entry for The Were-Traveler (Lovecraft/Poe issue) with a January 15, 2014 deadline.

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Image "Feathered Quill And Ink Pot" by Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

FSF Challenge - Human

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This week's writing challenge from Five Sentence Fiction ( Lillie McFerrin Writes ) is based upon the prompt:  Human

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Shameless plug section!

The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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Putting some real-life experiences to work here on FSF... 

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A Sign Of The Times

     One after another, they passed by, briefcase in hand, on their way to work in the Emerald City of corporate and government offices that covered blocks of the city center, never giving so much as a glance to what surrounded them along their journey. Bernie knew those people, if not personally, at least in spirit , for he was once one of them, on his way up the ladder to bigger and better things. He held a sign that said, "Please help," but was about toss it in the trash for all the good it did when one man, seemingly no different than a hundred others who had passed, stopped in front of him. Their eyes met as he pulled a couple of dollar bills from his pocket and put them in his cup. There were no words spoken between them, and none were needed, for they both understood so much more than they wanted to know. 

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Image "Homeless Man" courtesy of Mantas Ruzveltas FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

New Short Story Submission - Dance

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I have just submitted a new horror short story for consideration in an anthology to be published by World Weaver Press. The anthologist, Rhonda Parrish, has published before, so we'll see how this goes. They had a deadline of 11/30/2013, so I submitted just in the nick of time.

It's another fairy story, but unlike my story The Fisherman and His Wife that I hope will SOMEDAY be published by Fringeworks, this is a bit darker. It's not that I have a thing for fairy stories, it just happened to work out that way...

Until I hear further on my submissions, there are always these to read!

A Tinker's Damn  ( sort of dieselpunk flash fiction  )

Going Home  ( Werewolf  )

A Matter of Personal Taste  ( Mummy  ) 

Please stop by and give them (and the other stories) a read!

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The horror anthology, Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition  by Burial Day Books, includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack. Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Week's Free Photo - Big Gunpowder River

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I promised a while back to put up a few pictures from the the Big Gunpowder River area, and so I shall. Right now, in fact. Not only one, but three of them!

This first shot is just to give an idea of what the river looks like for those who may have never seen the river. This would include most of the population of your irrelevant little planet. Did I say too much? Just ignore that last remark...

This area used to be populated with a number of small farms before about 1900, and there are quite a few old foundations and walls throughout the valley. The following photo is from an old foundation I pass by on one of the trails. It might make a nice texture image or background. The stones are weathered and quite covered with greenish-gray lichen and moss.

And I can't possibly pass up the chance to post a picture of some fungi. As a horror writer, anything that feeds off of the dead is fair game. Instead of tree mushrooms, perhaps they should be called tree ghouls. In addition, they can be quite interesting with the various colors and patterns they display.

No, I don't know which mushrooms are safe to eat, but I've heard they're often found in small cans or shrink-wrapped packages. I haven't run into any of those yet during my hikes.

Feel free to use the images, or any part thereof, as is or modified, so long as attribution is given. You can use the text below for that (in order as they are displayed):

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Image "BIG_GP_RIVER_9238.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

Image "ROCK_WALL_9298.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

Image "TREE_MUSHROOM_9298.JPG" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

I Gotsta Get Paid (My First Paycheck As An Author)

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I know a lot of beginning writers are out there sending their work off to some e-mail address to people they've never seen hoping their work will be published. And if any compensation was promised, hoping they'll actually get paid.

Well, Burial Day Books kept their word, so I thought I'd let any aspiring authors out there know. They published my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack, in their anthology Gothic Blue Book III. It's just as important to mention the publishers who help us out as it is to promote our work.

@Thee_Undertaker So if anyone asks if Burial Day Books pays, here's the proof. And fairly fast, too! Thanks again! pic.twitter.com/xynbPa9ah5
— K R Smith (@WOKRSmith) November 22, 2013

@WOKRSmith @Thee_Undertaker You made our night! Thank YOU!
— Burial Day Books (@BurialDayBooks) November 22, 2013

I'm supposed to be smiling in that picture, but it looks more like I'm constipated. I really am smiling. Hey, I'm a writer, not an actor...

@WOKRSmith @Thee_Undertaker The books are on their way!
— Cina Pelayo (@cinapelayo) November 22, 2013

The books are part of the payment, too.

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The horror anthology,
Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition by Burial Day Books,
includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack.

Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

FSF Challenge - Pieces

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This week's writing challenge from Five Sentence Fiction ( Lillie McFerrin Writes ) is based upon the prompt:  Pieces

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The horror anthology,
Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition by Burial Day Books,
includes my poem, The Ballad of Drunken Jack.

Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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This one's dark and short. I've been trying to cut the length on some of my stories. I've always been envious of those who can do these challenges in just a few words.

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Special Delivery

     The flash lasted but for a split-second, the sound barely longer. Now only smoke lingered as a reminder of their brief existence. Those still standing wandered about in shocked silence. The unfortunate ones, their lives as shattered as the glass that shredded their bodies, were scattered among the debris. It was a message, but no one understood its meaning or knew the intended recipient.

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

This Week's Free Photo - Dragons!

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Every now and then, a writer needs to get away from the computer (or pad and pencil) and get out into the real world. It refreshes the mind and provides a bit more exercise than sitting at a desk. So, off into the nearby woodlands of the Big Gunpowder River I went, hiking up the hills and breathing in the crisp autumn air. But wouldn't you know it, there must have been some fantasy writers nearby because I was overrun by dragons. Huge, man-eating, fire-breathing dragons! And here I was without my sword. My mother always warned me about that.

Okay, perhaps they weren't quite so fearsome as I've made them sound, but they were, nonetheless, very interesting. I think the first one is an Eastern Red-backed Salamander even though it doesn't have a lot of red on the back. I thought it might be a Northern Dusky, but it didn't have the ridged tail, so I'll stick with the Eastern Red-backed variety. But don't quote me on that—I'm not an expert. I don't even play one on TV.

I think this next one is a Northern Slimy salamander. No offense, little fellow. I wasn't the one that named you.

There were a few other photos I took along my way that will eventually make there way here as a weekly photo. Some might even be useful as backgrounds or book covers. But if you plan to take any hikes along the Gunpowder, don't forget your sword! There are dragons out there!

Feel free to use the images, or any part thereof, as is or modified, so long as attribution is given. You can use the text below for that:

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Image "ERB_or_ND.jpg" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

Image "Northern_Slimy.jpg" ©2013 K. R. Smith - www.theworldofkrsmith.com - may be used with attribution

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

FSF Challenge - Letters

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This week's writing challenge from Five Sentence Fiction ( Lillie McFerrin Writes ) is based upon the prompt:  Letters

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Gothic Blue Book III - Graveyard Edition by Burial Day Books

Available on Amazon for Kindle or in paperback.

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Veterans' Day was just a few days ago, and I wanted to write something for this, but couldn't come up with anything meaningful. Then Lillie's serendipitous prompt provided the way. It's not exactly fiction; it is based upon the events of my father's life.

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Man of Letters

     He never quite completed his education in the normal way; indeed, he was graduated early from high school so that he could begin basic training. It was his first time away from the small mountain town where he was born, the Army sending him first to Georgia and then to California, and once deemed ready to fight, directly into the Ardennes offensive—what most would come to know as the Battle of the Bulge. There was little chance for direct communications with those back home, but there was the mail, irregular and unreliable as it was from the battlefields of Europe. As the dark shroud of war covered the world, those brief notes were the only tangible evidence he still existed to friends and family. Despite his poor spelling, and having never attended a single day of college, he became a man of letters. 

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© 2012-2013 K. R. Smith All rights reserved