April 2023 Notes
Notes from the Fiction Factory - Month in Review
Salutations, dear reader. New England is finally starting to get some nice, warm weather, which means no more winter blues, which also means I’m beaming with energy, which also means I’ve got big plans this summer. I spent a lot of my time in April reading, studying, and planning my long-term vision, not just with this newsletter, but for my ambitions to become prolific in the coming years. So please forgive me if I keep this short - I want to get back to the writing chair.
Let’s dive in.
Words Written
Today, The Soaring Twenties Social Club published a short-short story of mine, This Last Stand. It’s a quick and dirty tale of fantasy flavor in less than 1,000 words.
You can read it below:
Last Friday, I took a quick trip to the archives and unearthed a short story I wrote back in October 2022. I said to myself, “Meh. What the hell?” and published it in the Fiction Friday section of this newsletter for your reading pleasure.
It’s a fun little read in less than 3,000 words. Read below.
Stories Read
A quick overview of the short stories I’ve read the past month with a quick 1-5 scale rating. I picked up Harlan Ellison’s short story collection Shatterday and should be done with it this week. Having written over 1,000 short stories in his lifetime, you’re bound to find some pretty gems, lumps of dirt, and a few truly incredible diamonds that will stay with you forever. That’s the beauty of being a storyteller - you never know the impact your story will have on a reader. This attitude is ingrained in me as I continue to learn, write, and put my stories out there. The magic is in the making.
When Auld's Acquaintance Is Forgot - Harlan Ellison (4)
The Answer Box - Frank Kidd (4)
How's the Night Life on Cissalda - Harlan Ellison (3)
Flop Sweat - Harlan Ellison (4)
Would You Do It For A Penny - Harlan Ellison (4)
The Man Who Was Heavily into Revenge - Harlan Ellison (3)
Shoppe Keeper - Harlan Ellison (4)
All Lies That Are My Life - Harlan Ellison (3)
Django - Harlan Ellison (4)
Count The Clock That Tells The Time - Harlan Ellison (3)
In the Fourth Year of the War - Harlan Ellison (4.5)
Fun Stuff
There is something truly special about “B-movie”, cheap exploitation films made to entertain a massive audience for easy money. But I find equal pleasure in learning about the people who make B pictures. I shouldn’t be too surprised since that type of filmmaking attitude is almost identical to the Pulp Work Ethic.
Last month, I watched a 1986 short film, The Last Moguls, following Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus, cousins, producers, and owners of Cannon Films. Throughout their careers, they made hundreds of movies, many of which became cult classics. Their passion, energy, and love of movies really struck a chord with me and for that alone, I’m sharing it here.
If you made it this far, then I want to say THANK YOU for reading these silly updates.
I’m truly grateful when someone takes the time out of their busy day to read my stuff. Last week I discovered I’ve written about 17 short stories since spring 2020. That may not sound like much, but I’m proud to have made it that far in my young career. Years of study and practice are starting to pay off and I’m not slowing down. As I said before, there are big plans this summer that I’m excited to share at a later date.
‘Till next time.