Friday, August 17, 2012

Some shorts

By Russel D McLean

I had a big post planned this week, but then something a little unexpected came up at the day job so I found myself short of time. Its okay. Nothing to worry about. Just some end of the world stuff.

However, if you think I haven't been busy, check out the new website.

And know that I'll hit you next week with some very cool stuff.

In the meantime, here's an old short story from Spinetingler Magazine that still chills me a little (first few paras, click to link):

I don’t even like Madonna. No seriously, never did. Not now, not back when all these pricks tell me she was actually a singer. She was never a singer. These days, she might as well be generated by computer. Except if she was, you might think she’d do something about the way she looked. So it’s bad enough to come home at night and hear this beat crashing down from upstairs. But for it to be her, singing in that robotic whine she’s developed in the past few years, it’s near enough to drive a man to tears. Some nights it’s more than enough. I want to go up there, tell him where to go. Yeah, tell that loud motherfucker where he can stick those CDs. But I can’t. It wouldn’t be right. No, you see I learned a long time ago that whatever life throws at you, you just have to take it. Grin and bear it like the old saying goes. Just keep grinning. I’m good at that. Comes with the job. They’re telling us all the time we have to smile at the customers, like we’re happy to be paid minimum wage, stuck in some goofy uniform and forced to take all the shit of the day from people who know nothing about common decency and respect for other people.

I'm thinking about collecting some of the standalone shorts together in another e-xclusive collection. After all, the ones from Demolition Mag are missing and there's a few interesting ones that I think some folks might have missed first time around.

 But if you want some already-collected shorts, check out this thing here. Its been nice to see that sales of it have been building since the new website launched. Maybe there is room for my short fiction, after all.

I'll see you back here next week when we'll start talking in earnest about FATHER CONFESSOR.

No comments: