Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year

    100% profit (12/1-12/20) from Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales was donated in the form of gifts to Primary Children's Hospital on Christmas Eve.

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Here are some of the many gifts that were donated:

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We wanted to thank everyone for being part of this.  We're looking forward to the next anthology.  You can find out more about that HERE.

Monday, December 17, 2012

Now Accepting Submissions for the Myths & Legends Anthology

Myths & Legends Anthology

Ever wished to be like Zeus so you could live forever, lounge around all day, send your demigod kids to vanquish monsters, live through a boat ride down the river Styx?  Isn't it a bit annoying how flawlessly good-looking the gods are?  How Aphrodite just happens to have everything: beauty, love, A JOB?  Poseidon always get the girl.  Ares still wants warafter centuries of it.  Hestia would never dream of burning a homemade meal or eating fast food!  Pandora is as nosy as an aspiring reporter and Hades continues to be 'the next best thing.'
    Well, that's all about to change. . . .

     In November 2013, Wayman Publishing will release Open Doors: Monstrous Myths and Legends in which authors write their own hilarious, unique, or even tragic versions of myths and other well-known legends. 

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If you'd like to submit a 2,000 word (or less) story or poem for this YA/Adult project, please send it in the body of an email to Charles at waymanpublishing(at)gmail(dot)com no later than 8/2/2013.  Please put "Mythological Anthology" in the subject line.

We're looking forward to this project.  If you have questions about our other anthologies, please visit THIS LINK.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Featured Author: Deb Claxton

Deb Claxton

Deb Claxton grew up reading the humor columns of Erma Bombeck who inspired her dream of finding a husband, living in the suburbs, and having three annoying children.  When that didn’t work out she became a humor writer/newspaper reporter/ photographer instead.
   What do zombies, the Mayan Calendar, deathbed confessions, and Christmas all have in common? They’re just some of the subjects Deb Claxton tackles with her unique brand of humor in, “It Ain’t Heavy –It’s The Lite Side.” For three years Claxton wrote a weekly humor column called “98% Fat Free – The Lite Side.” At the request of her fans, she took her most popular columns along with a lot of new material and published it in her book which takes a humorous look at taxes, sharing too much information, back to school shopping, holidays, movies, music, and much more.
   She is also the contributor to a new Humor Anthology, “My Funny Major Medical.” They say laughter is the best medicine especially since there’s no co-pay. “My 
Funny Major Medical” gives everyone something to laugh at with a variety of stories by some of today’s funniest writers.
   Claxton retired from the newspaper business but she continues to spread her wacky view of the world through her blog, which can be accessed via her Website/Blog at www.debclaxton.com. She’s also on Facebook and Twitter @calendarday.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Being Practical By Kimberly Kay

Being Practical 

Kimberly Kay

I've been writing since I was fourteen, and been published a handful of times between there and here, but there still remains that age old question: What do I do to get published?
    People have sought different remedies, and tried everything under the rainbow. But the answer is really quite simple--so simple, most people overlook it. 
    In order to get published you have to do... what you love.
Don't roll your eyes. Passion, from my experience, IS the key to success. Of course, that implies the old cliches everyone knows (if you work in what you love, you'll never work another day in your life). But I really think writing about what you love, and then sending your work to people who love the same things as you... that's when you can get published.
    For example, take my short story, "Being Practical" that was recently published by Wayman Publishing in Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales. When I wrote that piece, I didn't do it because an anthology was looking for fairy tale pieces. I didn't even know that the anthology existed. I wrote "Being Practical" because earlier that week, I was doing what I love: sitting on a couch, watching old fairy tales with my friends (including Rosie Hendrickson, whose short story can also be found in this same anthology), and making fun of bad acting and impractical movie bits that all good old 80s films have. My friends and I joked so much about the impracticality of Cinderella (Why is the carriage always white when made from an orange pumpkin? Why doesn't Cinderella freak out when a strange lady appears in her house? Why can Cinderella never find her own way to the ball?) that I decided to write about it. I wrote the first draft of "Being Practical" for the enjoyment of my friends, and most especially because I knew I would love writing a spoof of Cinderella (I'm a sap for fairy tales). When my friends enjoyed my short story, I began searching for contests/anthologies to enter "Being Practical" into, and stumbled across one Fractured Fairy Tales Anthology. After a great deal of editing (I was 2000 words over limit) I submitted my fairy tale to Wayman Publishing. It was accepted.
    Talent will take you far enough, desire and dedication will too. But if you really want to be published, you  must be passionate about what you write, and then find other people who are passionate about what you write. Simply put, getting published is about... being practical...


About the Author

Kimberly Kay was born and raised in North Salt Lake, Utah, as an avid lover of horses, words, chocolate, and puns. She’s had a recent obsession with fairytales, especially the ones with happy endings. Currently she’s attending Utah Valley University to complete her BA in English while seeking to get her young adult novels (which, to match her obsession, are fairytale retellings) published. Kimberly has previously been published at Stories for Children Magazine (http://storiesforchildren.tripod.com/).

Monday, December 10, 2012

Featured Author: Robert G. Ferrell

Robert G. Ferrell

Robert G. Ferrell is a lifelong computer geek and amateur radio operator (KF5SAR) living just outside San Antonio, Texas who also exhibits avid interest in writing, history, quantum physics, music, art, and ornithology. He was a finalist for the 2011 Robert Benchley Society Humor Writing Award and has been a humor columnist for ;Login: Magazine since 2006. He has several dozen publications to his credit, the scope and range of which can only be described as eclectic. Or possibly, dyslexic.

Links:  Site, Twitter, Blog, 8baud Blog

Thursday, December 6, 2012

University of Utah Signing--"Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales"

Signing at the University of Utah

 So far Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales has gotten amazing reviews.

Wayman received this email the first day the anthology came out:
 
"I just read The Little Red Hen Moves to Beverly Hills. I LOVED it!"

Here's a review left on Linkedin:
"The third story in this anthology might be the best short story I have ever read. I have got to find out if the author has written any other stories, so I can read them. If this is the first story the author has had published; I'm begging him [if you haven't started writing your next story yet]; wtf are you waiting for!? Get started already!"  

5-star Reviews on Amazon:
"I especially liked Hanzel and Gretyl: A Boomer Fairy Tale. Kudos to author Timothy Hurley, M.D.
Fairy tale meets modern suspense thriller combining Brothers Grimm, Abbot & Costello and an iPhone."  --Deborah S. Marcus

"Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales is an eclectic compilation of clever, funny & imaginative (& sometimes, even a little scary) takeoffs on well known nursery rhymes & fairy tales. Give yourself and/or your friends a treat & buy this book. It was an absolute joy to read!"  --Fishducky  


"All I can say is, wow! I had no idea there would be this many stories combined into this book. And what is even more impressive, is all are top notch. There are a ton of different writing styles, which allows for everyone to find something they like. Fairy tales have never been so colorful. Add to your must buy list today!"  --Pat Hatt author of The Honk of Zagonk

"Fun book to read! Such fun, interesting variations to the fairy tales! Especially loved the story by Debra Kristi ;The Lonely Egg. Very good writing skills! Such a beautiful story!  Anyone would love these stories! Some made me laugh out loud! Loved the humor and other touching stories.  They warm your heart!  Highly recommend!"  --Veryl

If you'd like to read a sample of Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales, click the following picture:
   Remember that all profit from this book, from now until 12/20, will be donated in the form of Christmas gifts to the children at Primary Children's Hospital.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Christmas Book Fair--Discounted & FREE eBooks!


Welcome to the Christmas Book Fair! 

SCROLL DOWN

to find FREE eBooks
that you can download from Amazon right now!


We're proud to announce the publication of 
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Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales.

Much of the profit from this anthology will be donated to Primary Children's Hospital in the form of Christmas gifts we'll bring to the long-term patients staying there.


To celebrate this wonderful release, we've teamed up with many authors to bring you this weekend event.

 For three whole days--December 2-3-4--you can find these eBooks for great prices.



. . . And . . .
Enter to win great prizes!
 
  a Rafflecopter giveaway
 
Winners will be announced on 12/8.   
 
. . . Also . . .
 
Discover Newly Released Books!


Goodreads Book Giveaway

Sydney's Song by Ia Uaro

Sydney's Song

by Ia Uaro

Giveaway ends December 20, 2012.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads.
Enter to win


    

DOWNLOAD FREE eBooks
right now from Amazon by clicking on the books below: 


 


The hosts would like to thank everyone.
Wayman Publishing

VoiceBoks


We hope you've enjoyed discovering new authors and their stories
at our Christmas Book Fair.



If you'd like to share this post, 
please feel free to grab the following code:





Fractured Fairy Tales--FREE for today only!

Grab your FREE copy--available for today only!
 
16168564
 
Click the picture to download it now.

Friday, November 30, 2012

FREE eBook by Linton Robinson!

Linton Robinson

 
Linton Robinson has written humor articles for newspapers, syndicates, and national magazines since the first ice age, and gotten little more than awards and suspicion to show for it.  He currently resides in Mexico, which is a rich source of humor that nobody will read.  His cult Nineties humor column The Way of the Weekend Warrior,  has been converted to a widely-reviled novel and is available on amazon and www.adorobooks.com

The latest book he was published in, "My Funny Major Medical," is FREE for today only!

Click the picture to get your free copy today.


Please check out his phenomenal books.
 

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Featured Author: Jan Marshall

Jan is founder of the International Humor and Healing Institute established in 1986. She worked with board members Norman Cousins and Steve Allen as well as prominent physicians in promoting hope and humor in healing. As a long term cancer survivor, "Jan's Army" acknowledges and sends "Badges of Courage" to other heroes.
    Jan is currently the humor columnist for Senior Correspondents and writes satirical essays for several online magazines and newspapers.
Connect with her directly on 


Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Featured Author: R.K. Grow

R.K. Grow was kind enough to feature Wayman Publishing on her blog today.  You can read about that HERE.

She also wrote a very entertaining post where she's answered questions about herself.  Here's a sneak peek:

What does the R.K. in your name stand for?

My first name is Rebekah and my middle name is Kevin. Anytime I tell someone my middle name they are always interested in the story behind it. I was named after my Uncle Kevin who died when he was young. In fact half of my sisters have boy middle names and we are all named after male relatives in our family. I still to this day think it was a way for my dad to have boys in the family. :) 


For more info about this author, please visit her BLOG.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Featured Author: Barry Parham

Barry Parham

 
  
Barry Parham is the award-winning author of humor columns, essays and short stories. He is a recovering software freelancer and a music fanatic. Parham is the author of the 2009 sleeper, "Why I Hate Straws," his debut collection of humor and satire including the award-winning stories, 'Going Green, Seeing Red' & 'Driving Miss Conception.' In October 2010, Parham published "Sorry, We Can't Use Funny," another award-winning collection of general-topic satire and humor, and the more targeted "Blush: Politics and other unnatural acts." He followed up in 2011 with "The Middle-Age of Aquarius," a growing-old-but-not-so-gracefully vehicle for the award-winners 'Comfortably Dumb,' 'Snowblind' and 'The Zodiac Buzz-Killer.' "Full Frontal Stupidity" (2012) is Parham's 5th collection of humor, satire and observations, and features more award-winning stories, including 'Skirts vs. Skins' and 'Scenes From a Maul.' Most recently, his work appeared in the 2011 national humor anthology, "My Funny Valentine," and his essays are slated to appear in two more collections in late 2012.
Blog

Monday, November 26, 2012

Featured Author: U Z. Eliserio

U Z. Eliserio

 
U Z. Eliserio teaches popular culture at the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. He can be found at uzeliserio.blogspot.com and twitter.com/uzeliserio.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

Featured Author: Fran Fischer

Fran Fischer

Then . . .

. . . and Now
Humorous writer and editor, Fran can make anyone laugh. As her 74th birthday present, she flew in the same anti-gravity plane that the astronauts train in! She walks with a cane, but did one-handed pushups & flew like Superman--WHAT A BLAST.

For more information about Fran/Fishducky, please visit her BLOG.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Featured Author: Aimee Davis

Aimee Davis

Aimee was a writer long before she was born. Her hands know little else, and feel most comfortable holding things and tapping things with which ever-afters sing and stories breathe. She married her most favorite character of all time, a boy she met in high school with bedroom eyes and a reckless smile. Next year, they will celebrate 19 years of marriage and the end of his 20-year Army career. They plan on buying Harleys and moving to the beach. They are the parents of two beautiful little muses, their 15 and 17-year-old sons. Her day job is spent writing for doctors, but by night, she is the supreme ruler of infinite worlds created and destroyed with her toolbox of nonsense. She writes about her Earthly oddities at PleasantlyDemented.com, and her chimera daydreams hold sway at GoddessInTheMachine.com.

Friday, November 23, 2012

Black Friday--More FREE eBooks!

These eBooks will be FREE on Black Friday only.

Here are the direct links where they're free:

A Cat's Life: Dulcy's Story

A Cat's Legacy: Dulcy's Story

Just Nonsense

Open Doors


Additionally, Homeless in Hawaii has been released today.
Click the picture to find it for 2.99 on Amazon.
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Thursday, November 22, 2012

Featured Author: Diana M. Amadeo

Diana M. Amadeo

Multi-award winning author Diana M. Amadeo sports a bit of pride in having an excess of 500 publications with her byline in books, anthologies, magazines, newspapers and online. Yet, she humbly, persistently, tweaks and rewrites her thousand or so rejections with eternal hope that they may yet see the light of day.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Featured Author: Afobos

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My name is Afobos, and I'm originally from Greece. My family immigrated to the states in the late 60's ,and I've lived here since. I've always loved writing and have written quite a few things mostly for my own pleasure

Books by Afobos


I'm a massage therapist and have been practicing for the past 17 years--one day I'll get it right!
    I live 30 minutes south of Houston in League City TX with my 3 indoor cats. Outside I have possums, racoons, and lots of squirrels for company.
    I enjoy kayaking, riding sport bikes, the occasional windsurfing, and fighting the never-ending battle of the bulge. I used to be a bodybuilder back in the 80's and it kind of fizzled from there . . .
    I have worked in a lot of different fields ranging from pizza delivery driver to being a cook, teaching English as a foreign language, teaching Greek, being an interpreter, selling ladies' shoes, working private security, being a bodyguard, a delivery driver, etc. . . . Something about working for someone else though has never agreed with me. I guess you can't fire yourself, that's why I like working for myself.
    I speak fluent Greek, a bit of Spanish--which I learned from ex-wife's family--a little German, and you can catch my accent when I mispronounce words like sheets and sheep . . . . I'll let you guess what sheet sounds like when I pronounce it.
    In my line of work (massage therapy) I've learned to replace sheets with linens. Cuts down on stunned looks.

For more information about Afobos, please check out his books (above) or visit these links:

Massage Business

Facebook Author Page


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Inspiration for the Writing Life by Katherine Valdez

Inspiration for the Writing Life

by Katherine Valdez


“Writers live twice.”
—Natalie Goldberg

I was sipping a bottle of iced tea and glanced at the writing inside the cap: “Spend more time on what makes you happy.”
    Writing, reading, running, movies, spending time in nature, and visiting friends and family make me happy. What if I couldn't do these things? What would a character in a story think or do, and how would he interact with people if he's not truly happy? If he's unable to pursue his passions?

    Writing prompts are everywhere, and everything in life is material for your writing. These details will help you tell your story. What are you passionate about? What do you want the world to know?
    I like to read my horoscope once or twice a week as simple food for thought, although the astrologer can be eerily accurate. One day last month, my horoscope said “You will have a strong feeling and a connection to a physical item. It's OK to be unsure as to why.”

    I happened to see a small, inexpensive journal while I was at the store, and was drawn to the blue and green shiny butterflies on the black cover. I'm almost finished with my current journal, so I took this as a sign that I needed to buy it. I could write a story about a girl who is drawn to some butterflies she sees in a park on her way to school, and decides to follow one that circles around her head before heading toward a grove of trees.
    Your journal can be a great source of material. I'm reading Keeping a Journal You Love, by Sheila Bender, in which she shares practical instruction, writing prompts, and journals entries from 15 respected writers such as Pam Houston, Denise Levertov and Ron Carlson.

    One of the most intriguing prompts from this book is “Write about something someone told you during the day and what it makes you feel about life.” I was explaining a dilemma to a friend recently, and she asked, “What do you want to do?” I had to repeat the question in my mind. “What do you really want to do?” Without taking anything or anyone else into consideration, my decision became clear. I now had permission to pursue my own happiness, guilt-free.
    This same thought process could end up revealing something about a character that I might not include in a story, but is important to understand. Maybe that character is hesitating to make the right decision because she knows it will hurt someone she loves.

    Add details that provide depth to your protagonist. What quirk or tendency does he have? Maybe it's something that annoys another character. Maybe it's a flaw that will affect the story's conflict.
    I've overheard some funny and interesting portions of conversations over the years, while standing in line at the grocery store, sitting in a coffee shop, or waiting for a movie to start at the local theater.

    In the November/December 2012 issue of The Writer, Diana Abu-Jaber, author of Birds of Paradise, said: “When I'm starting a new book it seems as if everything inspires me. I think of that time as 'sticky brain.' Anything can set off a story: an angle of light through trees, an item in the newspaper or a bit of overheard gossip. Basically, I think you have to be sort of naturally receptive toward inspiration. Be open to being inspired by whatever comes your way – then you'll never run out of ideas.”
    A friend gave me Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul, by Melody Beattie. Just before finishing this blog post, I read the entry for today's meditation, about awakening to the storyteller within. “Each of us has a story to tell, a story to share with the world...Tell it with joy and flair. Commit to telling it with love and passion.”

    Good luck on your writing journey! I'd love to hear what inspires you.



About the Author
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Katherine Valdez writes short fiction and personal essays. She was a finalist in the Grey Sparrow Journal 2012 Flash Fiction Contest and her short story “Little Red Riding Hood Seeks Vengeance” appears in the anthology Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales. Contact her at www.KatherineValdez.com and find her on Twitter (@KatValdezWriter) and Facebook (KatherineValdez2012@gmail.com).

Monday, November 19, 2012

Featured Author: Timothy Hurley

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About the Author

Timothy Hurley is a writer, retired physician, and family man with four children and six grandchildren.  Coast-hopping between New York City and San Francisco Bay Area, he writes literary, speculative and humor fiction.  His heroes, M. Twain, E.A. Poe, and E. Hemingway, among others, are not returning his emails.  His works-in-progress include collections of New York and Mars short stories, The Grumpy Old Men’s Club, and a memoir of his medical career.  When not writing, he reads, and often walks the neighborhoods of New York searching for the perfect pizza.  Timothy and his wife, the architectural historian and author, live in Brooklyn.  They will celebrate their forty-fourth anniversary the day the Mayans bring the world to an end, but they’re not afraid.  Timothy blogs occasionally at The Lunatic Assylum, his name for Earth, and tweets at @timothyhurley3.  Email Timothy at thelunaticassylum@gmail.com.

Published work:

“The Book Report”, humorous book review of Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris at The Satirist, thesatirist.com September 2012.
“Being in the Box”, speculative flash fiction at Fiction and Verse, fictionandverse.com, October 2012.
“Hanzel and Gretyl: A Boomer Fairy Tale”, humor short story in Open Doors 2 anthology, eBook and paperback, Wayman Publishing, December 2012.

Sunday, November 18, 2012

FREE eBooks--A Tribute to EC Stilson's Angel Baby

Zeke Jackson was born on 11/18. At the end of January the following year, he died in my arms.
    Today, to honor my son on his birthday, three of my eBooks are available for FREE download. Here they are:
    
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Zeke would have been ten today. I'll never forget him or the lessons he taught me.


About the Author

Elisa spends most of her time taking care of four rambunctious kids who are better than green eggs and ham. They're pretty darn fun, but despite that, after she had kids, her boobs shrunk, she lost hair, but gained a greater sense of humor!
    When she's not scavenging through the vents, where her son--the Zombie Elf--likes hiding things, she's sewing, playing her violin, or writing.


Twitter: ECwrites

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Into the Void By Rayne Debski

Into the Void

Rayne Debski 


It works like this. You’re on dive boat in the ocean. The current is ripping at three to four knots. The wind causes the water to stand up in peaks. Your scuba tank is strapped onto your buoyancy
compensator which hugs your torso. You test your regulator to make sure your breathing apparatus works. You look over the side of the boat. Visibility in this chop is about one foot, and you’ll be diving down to eighty feet. Someone hands you your photographic gear. You turn and sit on the side of the boat, exhale, and tumble backwards into the void. Seconds later you’re in the deep blue, clearing your ears, descending slowly, and feeling the exhilaration that comes from entering another world. You don’t know what you’re going to encounter, or how the photo shoot will turn out. You’ve spent years taking underwater pictures that were over lit, under lit, spattered with sand you inadvertently kicked up, out
of focus, or just plain dull. But you’ve persevered. And by now you’ve done it so many times you know that when you spot a particular piece of coral, or a flaming scallop, or the sun shining through the water at a certain angle, you can use the knowledge you’ve acquired to compose a photo with elements others
have used but in a way that’s unique. And you have the awards to prove it.

    Writing fiction isn’t very different. There’s the knowing what to do and how to do it. And there’s the doing it. Several years ago I heard about a creativity experiment in which Japanese art students were divided into two groups. Both groups were given several days to complete their assignments. Group A’s assignment was for each student to make a single drawing, perfecting it as much as possible. Group B was told to produce as many pictures as they could in the allotted time. At the end of the experiment, researchers found that the students who did several drawings produced better, more original work than the group who used the time to create a single piece.
    A blank page (or an empty screen) is the writer’s void. Trying to write the perfect story is the writer’s nemesis. Jump into the void. Write. Learn the rules. Then learn when to break the rules. Use the tricks you’ve acquired to bring characters alive, to give your stories a unique voice, to use time and place to weave a fictional world where things happen. Write. As much as possible.


About the Author

Rayne Debski has been an innkeeper, a college instructor, an editor, and an organizational development manager. She now lives and writes in central Pennsylvania, where she shares her life with her husband and their enthusiastic yellow lab. Her award-winning short fiction has appeared in several online and print journals and anthologies, and has been selected for dramatic readings by professional theatre groups in New York and Philadelphia. She is the editor of Aftermath: Stories of Secrets and Consequences,
forthcoming from Main Street Rag Press in December 2012. Between hiking, cycling, and kayaking adventures, she continues to work on a collection of linked short stories.

Publications where her stories have appeared:

 
 



 
 

Friday, November 16, 2012

Featured Author: Mickey Hunt

Meredith Eugene Hunt 
(aka, Mickey Hunt)
 

My brother treated me to eight days in Rome, Italy a few years ago. We stayed at a private apartment half a mile from the Vatican and walked everywhere.  Imagine, he a “liberal” from Berkeley and me, a “conservative” from North Carolina, wandering the streets of that city museum of civilization together, napping in the Pantheon, climbing above the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, savoring chocolate gelato as a street-side lunch.   The talks we had!
    Much could be said about that marvelous trip, but for our purposes here, the most important part was barbecue sauce.  Stubb’s barbecue sauce.
     At a certain alimentaria (Italian grocery) in Rome, I was amazed to discover bottles of Stubb’s on the shelf, and all the way from West Texas.  Stubb’s was once the favorite at the dinner table with me, my wife, and six children, and it seemed so out of place in Italy.  I guess Stubb’s gets around.
     And it’s tasty enough you could slop some on roast possum and enjoy.  Possibly I exaggerate.
     A picture of Mr. Stubblefield is printed on every bottle. He’s a handsome older man in a cowboy hat.   We share a lot in common.  His most famous quote is “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m a cook” and   his second most famous quote is “My life is in these bottles.”  I like those quotes.  They’re inspirational.  So, following Mr. Stubb’s example, I will simply say “Ladies and gentlemen, I’m a writer and my life is in these stories.”
     Therefore, open up a bottle.  Read one of my stories, either true-to-life or speculative.  What they all contain, I hope, is fun entertainment that offers intriguing, maybe even unsettling perspectives.

Find me at
www.chaoticterrain.com.  Then, go to Short Stories.

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Myth in THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS By Roland D. Yeomans

Myth in THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS

Roland D. Yeomans

 
Charles Reed has graciously allowed me to slip in through the back door of this cyber domain to talk a bit about the hero of “3GOLDILOCKS & THE BEAR” and my Native American Lord of the Rings, THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS.
    Or rather about the meld of the world's myths that makes for the world of Hibbs, the bear with two shadows.  Why two shadows?
    Isn't there a duality of natures in all of us - a white wolf and a black wolf, both contesting for control of our spirit, the Lakota would say.  And the one who wins?  The one we feed.
    Ancient cultures were defined by their mythology, shaping the sacred stories to show their values, beliefs, and concerns.  Those myths expressed the spiritual and intellectual life of the people of those cultures.
    Those myths had superhuman beings such as Gilgamesh of Mesopotamia - not just a culture hero, but he was the founding father of a whole society.  Hibbs is such a character, more than what he seems, though less than what he yearns to be.
    In many myths, the discovery of knowledge is related to the human characteristics of curiosity and playfulness.  Such is the case with the ever-curious, ever playful Hibbs  -- much to the consternation of the mysterious Turquoise Woman.
    She represents several dualities common in myths :
Trickster -

The Native American tricksters often take on animal form such as Raven or Coyote.  That particular role is taken on by Little Brother, often seen as a hawk.  But rarely, and luckily so, seen as Chaos or the ThunderBird.
Goddess/Teacher  -

Estanatlehi, the Turquoise regally assumes this role, much like Spider Woman.  Though a helper and teacher, she can also be dangerous and unpredictable.  And that is to be expected as she is also :
Gaia -

The Turquoise Woman is the electro-magnetic consciousness that circles from pole to pole of our world.  She is, in fact, the mind of this planet, who can take physical form.  And because of that she leads to an important aspect of my novel :
THE MELD OF THE WORLD'S MYTHOLOGIES -

The Australian aboriginal aspect of the Dreaming flows into my novel, shaping the universal Great Myth of Hibbs' adventures.  Why universal?  Which of us does not dream?
    Hibbs' adventures in the Dreaming, the creation time, interconnects all the world's myths, turning the landscape of the entire world into a living body.  The Lakota see the world as one large web of life, each strand vibrating to the beating of the heart next to it.
THE MYTH OF THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS

Myths are not fixed truths.
    Rather they are ever-winding, ever-shifting paths to misty glimpses of possible answers to questions.  And each wanderer down those paths asks different questions, so their eyes and hearts whisper different answers.
    Sometimes those eyes are at odds with the hearts.  And considering the two shadows we share with Hibbs, should not this be so?
    Thank you for letting me draw back the curtain a bit for you to peek into the myths which live in THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS.

AUTHOR BIO


WHO IS THIS STRANGE MAN WHO WROTE THIS BOOK?

My family left Detroit when I was quite young so my last memories of Detroit are hub cabs and knee caps. The further south we went, the hotter it got. So I was glad when we stopped in Lafayette, Louisiana, because I was real sure the next stop would have been Hell.
    A year there taught me to say "sir and ma'am" and to pronounce David and Richard in really strange ways when they were last names. And it was not a pretty sight when I said Comeaux for the first time.
    Lake Charles was the next stop. I remember standing in the front yard of our new home, watching the neighbor across the street beating in his front door (his wife had locked it) with a fence post.
    I looked up to Mom and said, "You know, if I had a degree in Psychology, I would probably understand what's going on there."
    She ruffled my hair and said back, "Lot's of luck with that."
    And she was right. A master's degree in psychology hasn't unlocked the why's of the pain I see. It just helped me put fancy labels on them.
    I have been everything but a pirate, but since I once worked for a tax preparation firm, I guess you could say I've been that, too. I was a teacher for awhile. Then, a family counselor. My mother contracted cancer, and I emptied my savings, opening my own bookstore to give me freedom to go with her for her out-of-town treatments.
    Mother died. The reason for my store died with her. I saw an opening at Lifeshare Blood Center in the Product Management department. I applied and was hired. And the rest is infamy, ah, I mean history.
    I've been writing most of my life. Most of my old writings burned up when my home burned to the ground. But now, I have an e-book, THE BEAR WITH TWO SHADOWS, on sale at Amazon HERE.

Hibbs also appears to fend off the Twilight of the Gods in post-Katrina New Orleans along with the Lakota shaman, Wolf Howl, in END OF DAYS. Click HERE for more information.