
Shortcomings
by Ginger Simpson
Cover art by Delilah K. Stephans
Young Adult
Coming March 2011
Why E-books?
E-book sales are rising according to many reports such as the one on Newsweek
For those new to e-books here are some reasons why e-books are becoming very popular:
Invite a crippled priest, a jaded cop and a struggling waitress into your home this Christmas.
Meet Jay Farrell, a former wild youth on the rocket train to a lifetime in jail, injured during the war in Iraq, converted while in the hospital (a la St. Ignatius Loyola) and afterward ordained a priest in an impoverished church. He’s been housing homeless children in the underused rectory.
When his estranged brother, formerly his partner in crime and now a cop, brings him three more children, Jay must not only find room for the kids, but also begin to make amends with his brother. As the children take their place at the church community's heart, Jay and Kevin both witness how hope can transform the heart when a person is able to see the potential inside those deemed beyond saving.
Jess was like any girl: young, pretty, looking for a good time. But... a blind date, and on V-Day yet? Can you say loser?
Jess thinks she's sunk to the depths, but her date, Dylan, isn't such a bad guy. Better than his Facebook pic, actually. A little Kid Rock, a little Depp. Some tats. Hmm.
He thinks she looks better than her FB mug, too. Maybe, just maybe, things won't be as bad as she expected. There might be a chance to resurrect the night. She'll ignore the fact the party's at a day camp. After all, every girl wants to go to a party she'll remember... a Killer Valentine Ball, right?
Of course, things happen when we get our hopes up too high. Murphy's Law always seems to kick in.
Then there's the theme, Jess thinks. The axe in the sign. A twisted Valentine legend about a girl finding her boyfriend with an arrow stuck in his heart. Playing it up kind of big, aren't they?
Looking around, she soon realizes things aren't at all like they appear. The dancers... those ribbons on the girl's dress...
Excerpt:
As they walked into the shadows, Jess noticed that things weren't quite as they appeared. Sections of the room lightened for a moment before being cast again in deep shadow. What Jess thought she saw in that split second made her heart race. On the dance floor, the same three couples stood, clasped to each other. Jess stared. She swore they never moved.
The music played quietly in the background. When the shadows brightened, Jess caught a quick glimpse of one of the couples. The young man's mouth gaped open. His partner's gown glistened with streams of dark ribbons.
The light flashed again and Jess gasped. Those weren't ribbons! The girl's dress shone with dark glimmers. Like-like blood, she thought. No, it can't be! She looked back at Dylan, who shook his head and urged her on.
"Light tricks," he whispered. "It's not real. It's Halloween stuff, like the movie. Don't worry."
Okay, he had to be right. It wasn't real.
Nothing here was real.
Nothing... right?
** Christine Verstraete has written several short stories appearing in different anthologies and a children's book, Searching for a Starry Night, now on Kindle. Visit her at http://cverstraete.com or at her blog, http://candidcanine.blogspot.com.
Hi, I’m Myrna. Myrna Ashlin Watts. I live in Jacksonville, Florida, United States of America, Earth. You might think that’s a little extensive for an introduction, but after you hear my tale, you’ll understand. See, I don’t live there anymore. I don’t even live on Earth anymore.
Let me start at the beginning. I was born 18 years ago, September 16th, actually. That makes me a Virgo-- which explains my proclivities. I’m outgoing and driven, but anxious and super critical. I plan far in advance then get really pissed when my plans are screwed over, like a storm rains out my perfectly-planned picnic with my boyfriend. I’m also really protective of my younger siblings.
I have three. Quinn is a year younger than me. Or was, I guess I should say. He won’t be getting any older, ever… Then there’s Marcy who’s 14 and Jarrod is 11. That makes me the oldest, which sucks. I get all the babysitting. Well, I used to get the babysitting chores. They’re not actually babies anymore. I still can’t wait to get out of here and go to college in the Fall. I’ll probably have to go to UNF, the university here in Jacksonville, so I can save money by staying at home. But at least I’ll have a little more freedom. I haven’t a clue what I want to study.
Mom is an English professor at the community college, although I don’t think they call it that anymore. And Dad owns an advertising agency. It’s the biggest agency in Jacksonville and maybe the Southeast. All I know is he gets me out of traffic tickets and DUIs when I’m stupid. I think he knows everyone who lives here. Everyone of importance, that is.
You know how I said I’m not on Earth? Well, the group I’m hanging with where I am I never would have even spoken to in high school. I mean, they’re such a collection of nerds and weirdoes. I was one of the cool cats in my senior class. There were six of us girls who hung together, ate lunch or at least picked at the tray of crap the school served us, skipped classes, shopped… You know, hung out together. We called ourselves The Funbox Crew. And if you don’t get it, I’m not explaining it. I miss those cretins. These yahoos are fun and all, if you can call what we’re doing in Hellsville fun, but they aren’t the Crew. I suppose everyone has to grow up eventually and it seems now it’s my turn.
I suppose you’re wondering where exactly I am and what I’m doing. I’m wondering the same thing. I know this isn’t Earth. I haven’t seen the sun shining in so long I’ve forgotten what a blue sky looks like. The sky here is constant gray drab. Not cloudy, like a storm is coming—just gray, all the time. I’m told the sky used to be bright blue and the sun shone every day. The grasses were forty shades of green and flowers bloomed everywhere. You’d never know it by the looks of this place now, though. It’s all thick forests as dark as your closet at night and steaming desert as far as you can see. Except for the occasional inland sea or gulf, or swamp or massive surging river system – and not to mention the oceans surrounding this landmass. And did I mention there are sea serpents, double-headed poisonous snakes, zombies and a bunch more awesome attractions? Great place to be stuck in, huh?
Well, I suppose that’s about all the time I have right now. I see one of the demon-dragons flying this way and I need to find a place to hide my crew. See ya…I hope.