A Blast from the Past, Dreams of the Future

Three years ago this week, Bernard Schaffer and I came together to begin the Kindle All Stars. Hand in hand, we produced an anthology (Resistance Front) with the intent of paving the way for new, independent authors to find a place to showcase their work. Some have continued to write and enjoy much success; others have chosen to take different paths.

Many of us who continue to work in publishing, be it as writers, editors, or small scale publishers, also continue to keep in touch via social media. One of those writers, possibly the most impressive, is Natasha Whearity.

When I read Natasha's submission to the Resistance Front* project, I demanded that Bernard find a way to use her short story. She was a seventeen-year-old high school student from the UK whose talent, in my opinion, surpassed every other writer whose work I'd seen. There were other brilliant, creative minds who also became part of the group and have thrived, but Natasha stood out as the youngest.

So how could I not invite her to talk to you about Amazon and its affect on her as a young writer as well as her own anthology compiled for charity? This is how the Kindle All-Stars pay it forward.

We Are Such Stuff . . . is available on Amazon

You hear a lot of negative things about independent publishing platforms such as Amazon. A lot of people believe that it is ruining the publishing industry because anyone can publish anything they want to. But for me, Kindle Direct Publishing is a fantastic platform for writers, especially emerging ones, such as myself. What is great about Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing is that it gives aspiring writers and editors the opportunity to say that they have been published.

I’m not saying that publishing houses aren’t fantastic at what they do, because they are brilliant. But there is nothing wrong with Amazon allowing writers the freedom to publish their own work themselves – which is something they might not be able to do through a publishing house if their work is tossed onto a pile of no’s.

If it weren't for Amazon, I would never have had my first short story, "Endgame" published in the Kindle All Stars anthology: Resistance Front, which raised money for a charity supporting missing and exploited children. If it weren't for Amazon and that opportunity, I would never have been able to publish We Are Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On, which is the anthology of work I have just published.

Through publishing We Are Such Stuff, I have had the opportunity of not only raising money for a charity extremely close to my heart (all the proceeds made from the anthology are going to the charity Epilepsy Action UK) but I have been able to use Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing as a platform for my writing, editing, formatting and publishing skills.

If it weren't for Amazon and the opportunity I was given by Bernard, Laurie, and the Kindle All-Stars, I would never have been able to publish work, not only by myself, but by some really fantastic and innovative writers. I have learned so much from publishing this anthology, not just about how important it is to support emerging writers, but how much I love creating and making books. I hope that this project is the first of many.

You can buy a copy of We Are Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On for only £1.53 (or $2.57) and all of the proceeds go to Epilepsy Action. Not only will you support an amazing charity, but the work of some brilliant and blossoming writers.

*Resistance Front and its successor, Carnival of Cryptids, are both still available on Amazon. All proceeds benefit the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

Happy Reading!

How I Got Infected (Book Review)

I was working on the Kindle All-Stars Project (I had been for about a month at that point) when one night I received a cc on an email welcoming this kid, William Vitka, to the team. I thought our fearless leader, Bernard Schaffer, was going to pee himself. He seemed so excited because B's a tough editor and this short story was the first submission that Bernard had deemed publication-ready with no editing. I was all, "dude must be really good." Little did I know... 

Anyhow, I sent Vitka the whole welcome packet that we sent to every new author accepted to the project and the standard "welcome to the team" email (which, by the way, is a personalized email, not just a form letter). Next thing I knew, I was emailing back and forth with this guy for like an hour. None of my other authors had done that. It actually kind of became a thing. You see, I'm a night owl and V's day job is actually a night job, so we were both online at the same time. We quickly became close friends.

By the way . . . I usually address my dear friend William Vitka as "Vitka" or "V" rather than "William" or "Will" because his twitter handle is @vitka. I've simply gotten use to thinking of him by his last name rather than his first.

I was thrilled when he sent me Infected to read. I knew it wasn't perfect. He was still in the process of editing the manuscript and would welcome my feedback. I couldn't wait to sink my teeth into it. 

As is my curse, I found a few typos in pages I knew he'd already edited. (I can't help it; I can't turn off my proofreading machine.) I told him I'd send him a list of what to look for and where to find it when I was done reading the manuscript. I ended up making a couple of minor editorial suggestions, which V loved. I also ended up doing the final proofread.

You'd have thought I had saved his life! At the time I didn't realize that Infected was Vitka's first novel because it was so well written. He already had a well developed style which is pretty rare in a first-time novelist. In fact, when another author was struggling with "voice," I sent that writer (with permission) a copy of the Infected manuscript as an outstanding example of an author using a voice that suits the character rather than himself. To contrast that and show how the same author can use vastly different voices in vastly different narratives, I also told him to read "In a Mind" which was Vitka's contribution to the Kindle All-Stars first anthology, Resistance Front. 

Anyhow, those minor suggestions led to V's asking me to edit his second novel, Emergence (a title I suggested, by the way). I was all over that because by that point, I was quite confident in my ability as a fiction editor and I couldn't wait to read Vitka's next novel. 

So there you have it, the story behind the story. 

And here's my official review:

cover art by sean vitka
reproduced by permission

My rating:  (R) for language, violence, gore

Almost perfect *****

While reading this book, I've been in the midst of the most challenging proofread of my life! It's a 526-page anthology involving 39 pieces by 32 authors from 6 different countries. Infected was the brain candy that helped keep me sane through the first half of it.

I needed to read about zombies taking over New York.

Actually, calling this piece "brain candy" cheapens it. It's not that at all. It's an easy enough read to keep you entertained if that's all you want, but William Vitka gives you enough to think about if you're looking for more.

Funny, Vitka's treatment of the Church as state reminds me of Voltaire (Candide) and his disdain for Church and State.

Vitka's main character is a young, cynical, pissed off atheist living in a porn-obsessed, media-saturated, over-churched New York City. It's the worst of all possible worlds.

I think what I like best about the cast of characters he's assembled is they're not perfect. They're not heroes. They're just trying to survive against all odds.

From page one I was hooked. I really love the way Vitka writes. His smartass, sarcastic, ironic sense of humor takes you on an adrenaline- and alcohol-fueled roller coaster ride that could almost happen. 

I've read little pulp and I haven't read horror, real horror, in about 20 years, but I am so happy I grabbed this book. I can't wait to attack his next one. 

Infected is well worth your time and so worth every one of those five stars.

Happy Reading!

[Added in the wee hours of 10/15/12] My apologies, gang. This post was pre-programmed because the book was supposed to be live this week. It will be available through Amazon in both ebook and print format as well as other outlets. While I have not been given an exact date, I've been told it will be before the end of October and I will post links when it is live. In the meantime, you'll find a bit of William Vitka's work on Amazon and his serialized novel, Kulture Vultures, at Curiosity Quills.

[Added 10/28/12] We have a sighting! Infected is now available, in print, directly through Graveside Books. I will let you know when other sources become available.

[Added 11/12/12] The electronic version of Infected is now available through Amazon!

Cover Art Contest for KAS2

Last year's cover was designed by Glendon Haddix of Streetlight Graphics

Do you have the skills to design the next cover for the Kindle All-Stars?  

The contest is open to any and all participants, and the winner will be announced on November 1st, 2012.  SUBMISSIONS ARE OPEN NOW until October 31st.  

Email your submission to: KindleAllStars [at] gmail [dot] com

The rules are as follows: 

Your cover must include only artwork to which you own the rights. 

It must pertain to the theme of the anthology:  Cryptozoology.

You agree to donate your cover to the project, as all profits will be earmarked for a predetermined charity.  

The winner will be prominently featured in the book as well as all KAS literature and websites.  

The Kindle All-Stars donates all profits from its various projects to charity. 

Teens, Sex, and Relationships

You've all heard me talk about the terrific writers of the Kindle All-Stars and I'd like you to meet another of them today. I first introduced you to my buddy Matt Posner (aka Cat's Pajamas) back in April via his poems "Vampire Poet" and "Famous Fathers." His work goes far beyond poetry and he's here again today as my guest. Teen Guide to Sex and Relationships is co-authored by Matt along with his writing Partner, Jess C. Scott. Matt was gracious enough to answer a few questions for me about the book and about Jess.

Teen Guide to Sex & Relationships
is now available on Amazon

LAURIE:   All of my readers know I love being a Bostonian, but I fraternize regularly with New Yorkers. Please assure me you're NOT a Jets fan and all will be just fine. (Feel free to lie if you must.)

MATT:  I don't care about the Jets at all. No one from Miami likes the Jets. I've been to Boston twice so far and consider it a great place to vacation. The whale-watching tours are cool. Julie and I also like to go over to Cambridge and shop at the Harvard Coop. There is no Boston/New York rivalry that I'm involved in. I'm from Miami originally.

LAURIE:  So what's in this book? Who's the target audience and what should they expect?

MATT:  This book is written for teenagers of both genders and all sexual preferences. They will find separate sections for questions and answers about sexuality and about relationship issues. Jess and I write separate answers to every question from our own distinct points of view. Jess is a cool young woman with a nonconformist view, and I'm an older teacher of conservative personal habits. Jess and I agree on all matters to do with young people's safety and happiness, but our advice isn't always the same, as we are from different generations. We explain topics about love, lust, and anatomy, and we talk about how to begin, maintain, and end relationships and how to recognize feelings for what they are. We also explain unfamiliar or partially understood terms and we shatter a lot of myths.

LAURIE:  Many advice books are written by only one author. Why two in this case?

MATT:  When I envisioned this book, I thought I should have a female to counterbalance my very male point of view. I know some things about the female heart and female anatomy, but a female should mentor a female just as a male should mentor a male. Also, readers would, I think, want to know what the other gender is thinking!  

LAURIE:  Why is your book different from other books on this subject?

MATT:  Our book is designed to read like a conversation with an older friend. We aren't therapists or doctors or social workers or theoreticians:  we're just people who've been around whom you can trust to be on your side and do their best to advise you. Like your older sister who just came back from college with fresh ideas, or your uncle who tells you what he thinks and doesn't judge you like your dad does. That kind of people.

LAURIE:  How was it to work with Jess C. Scott?

MATT:  We've turned out to be a good team. We rarely disagree, and if we ever have disagreed, we've settled it so cordially that neither of us could even be sure there was a disagreement at all! Jess is super prolific and works on many projects at a time; I also work on many projects at a time, and I write fast, too, when I'm actually writing; however, I don't write every day, so to keep up with her, I had to go on vacation! So I wrote about a third of my share of this book during a couple of days holed up in my house in North Carolina.

LAURIE:  How did you guys come together as a team?

MATT:  When I was new in the business, in November 2010, I saw her request for reviewers of Other Side of Life and answered on a whim. What a good decision! She proved to be very business-savvy and gave me some good advice to get me started. We kept in touch sort of in the background of having separate careers, but although I thought it would be nice to team up for a project, I didn't have one in mind, because she was working on Elven Trilogy (and still is) and I was and still am committed to School of the Ages. About a year and a half later, it finally occurred to me that my dormant Teen Guide project was the right collaboration. I suggested as much, and here we are now. We are talking about co-authoring several more projects.

LAURIE:  Thanks for appearing on my blog.

MATT:  No, Consigliera. THANK YOU.

Samples available online:

http://www.jessink.com/teenguide.htm

http://schooloftheages.webs.com/apps/blog/show/14770008-from-teen-guide-how-do-you-tell-the-difference-between-love-and-lust-

Your comments are welcome and I'm happy to forward any questions my readers may have to Jess or Matt.

Happy Reading!

Stranger Than Fiction

I have a difficult time saying no to people. Especially Kindle All-Stars people. So when David Hulegaard, my "brotha from anotha motha," sent me an email asking whether he could take over my blog for a day, how could I refuse him? David's latest book, Strangers has just been released and the KAS folks are all over it. Some acted as beta readers and Tony Healey designed the cover. What can I say? We're a fairly close-knit group. Anyhow, read what David has to say about his latest labor of love then pop over to his website to download a sample story from the collection.

Happy Reading!

Humanity can be ugly.

I toyed with several options for a tagline, but in the end, that's the one I felt represented my new book the closest. I didn't necessarily set out to write an uplifting collection of short stories when I started, but all cards on the table, Strangers took many twists and turns that even surprised me.

My original concept was pretty simple. In all my years of traveling, I had met some rather intriguing characters and amassed an impressive collection of too-crazy-to-be-true stories. At business dinners I was constantly being asked to entertain clients by sharing the latest and greatest of my experiences. Without fail, someone would say to me, "You have GOT to write a book of these stories!"

So at long last, that's what I've done. I sifted through years worth of my compiled notes and selected some of my favorites to share in this book. Some of the stories I experienced first-hand, and others were events retold to me by complete strangers as we traveled together. The things that people will tell you thinking that they'll never see you again would astound you.

Strangers contains eight twisted short stories and is available on Kindle now for $2.99. You can download "Chicago" for free here, but be warned... humanity can be ugly.

Laurie Laliberte

One of the contributors this month (I'll resist the temptation to name names) sent me a poem at the 11th hour because s/he had sent the piece to several people to read it before it appeared. S/he wanted to make sure it was "good enough." It was delayed in getting to me because only half the readers actually read it and responded. When s/he told me this, I sent the response you'll read below. I thought it relevant. Besides, you all pretty much know who I am. I'd feel silly introducing myself.

"My philosophy, for want of a better description, about poetry is pretty simple. If it truly comes from your soul, from you, if there's a part of you in it, it's beautiful. Poetry written for the sake of writing poetry is the best kind.

"One poem I wrote years ago, called "Altar" (originally titled "Altars") stemmed from a magazine article about how we tend to build altars in our lives, often without even realizing it. And I had this image in my head of how, for months after my father died, his headphones still hung on the arm of his favorite chair. They were big headphones; the Walkman hadn't been released yet. Nobody but me sat in Dad's chair after he died. When I moved out of the house, I took the chair with me.

"One afternoon, right after reading that magazine article, I happened to look at the chair in the corner of my living room. There it sat, with my roommate's headphones hanging from the arm. I don't know, don't remember, which of us had left them there, but it was comforting somehow to see that same image again. It resonated with me just the way that article had done. That was my altar to my father.

"I sat down and wrote that poem, about 8-10 lines. It's on my blog somewhere I think. Anyhow, I thought the poem was too short, so I added two more stanzas. One as a tribute to my mother and one of my own. They didn't work because they were forced. They didn't come from my heart. They came from a writer's need to round out the body of the poem rather than a writer's need to write. So I scrapped the two added stanzas and ended up with a short, but beautiful, work of literary art. And if it appeals to only me, so be it. I wrote it for me, not for anyone else.

"That, in itself, is poetry. You don't need beta readers to tell you your poetry matters. You just need to trust your own instincts."

Eros and Thanatos will be available on
Amazon as soon as I finish writing it

Twice Shy

Old wounds.
Filthy. Festering. Painful.
Reminders of what once was.
What never was.
Healed scars.
Until you call. Or text. Or email.
Bloodied gauze.
Tears on my pillow.
You don't deserve this power.
You don't deserve me.
But I deserve so much better than you.
There is no room in my life.

 

 Quick Crochet for Kitchen and Bath
will soon be available on Amazon

No room in my heart.
I've moved on.
But I weep.
Because for one short moment
One flicker in time
I was yours.
But you were never mine.
You never wanted me.
The real me.
The me who actually exists.
You loved the illusion
You could pretend I was.
I refuse to fit your mold.
So I nurse my wounds.
Again.

  Resistance Front is available
on Amazon for 99 cents

And I leave you to your delusions.
This time for good.

To borrow a favorite adjective from a fellow All-Star (Courtney Cantrell), this month has been cramazing. I want to extend a huge thank you to all of my colleagues and my readers for joining me on this journey. Next year's poetry slam already promises to be just as special.

My short story "Fear of the Dark" (the clean version) appears in the Kindle All-Stars first charity anthology Resistance Front. All proceeds go to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The extended version of "Fear of the Dark" is part of my anthology of erotic shorts, Eros and Thanatos, which will be available in time for summer reading. And my first crochet pattern book, Quick Crochet for Kitchen and Bath, will be available for Kindle devices and in print very soon.

[ed. The extended version of "Fear of the Dark" is NOW available on Amazon as a 99 cent single.]

Namaste.

Courtney Cantrell

What more can I say about Courtney that I didn't tell you in her last post? How about The final book in her Demons of Saltmarch trilogy will be available very soon? Or she's the acquisitions editor for The Consortium, a group of writing professionals that is reinventing the way writers get published? Or, and this one's my favorite, her favorite exclamation is, "Cramazing!"

blueberry beer, u2, and a fedora

Find Shadows after Midnight
right now on Amazon

i stand at the bar 
a lifetime away from the stage as 
thoughts about my identity flood through me 

but i do not struggle to remember who i am

this time, i don’t need to know
because a brown fedora rests on the end of the keyboard. 

the singer claims he still hasn’t found
what he’s looking for 
but i say he’s discovered a rhythm to 
move my blood 
pulse my heart and
throb my core. 

i step forward 
into the open space at the foot of the stage
where the crowd does not dare tread 
in spite of their weizen, their vodka, 
their long island ice tea. 

to my name i have only blueberry beer
it hasn’t replaced my blood 
only infused me with delight 

no eyes on me
i walk on strains of melody 
and my toes tap a syncopated beat. 

at the foot of the stage
i look up 
into the keyboard player’s soul-questioning eyes
i reach up 
and do not blink as i pluck his brown fedora
from where it waits 

with his smile and nod in time to the song
he answers his own question as i step back 
yes 
behind me i feel the crowd’s shocked anticipation 
yes 
and i slide that fedora onto my head 

i let go

and i dance

my hands sweep down my every curve
my lips part to exhale joy 
my body undulates, intoxicated 
by nothing but passion. 

oh release.
how i have missed you. 

with the wondering eyes of the crowd on me
at the foot of the stage 
i dance 
i dance shake rattle and hum

i make love to life
wearing the keyboard player’s brown fedora 

that is how i think it could happen anyway 
as i stand a lifetime away at the bar 
and imagine. 


Courtney Cantrell is a writer of high fantasy, low sci-fi, and medium horror. The making of things and the sharing of those things with others is her passion. She enjoys chocolate and coffee and tries to keep these from making her sentences unnecessarily complicated. http://courtcan.com

Douglas J. Lane

I'll be honest; when I first began reading Doug's submission to the Resistance Front anthology, I rolled my eyes and maybe whined a little. I seriously thought I was going to be stuck reading another 20 pages of oh-my-God-I-can't-take-any-more. The last few pieces I read before "Exhuming Harry Truman" simply didn't make the cut. It happens.

I just realized that makes it sound like I hated the beginning, which is not the case at all. It just took me a page to fall into the story. I was so happy I soldiered on because it was well worth it. Although I firmly believe every piece in the book belongs there, that memory makes Doug's a truly special story for me.

Doug's short story "Exhuming Harry Truman"
appears in the Resistance Front anthology

The Girl On The Bench At Hudson Park


Soft eyes, once;
Tender brown tunnels
To the soul, grown steely;
Too much of the world watched
From strangers' arms
Behind ragged blinds, past midnight.


Red lips washed to pale quivers
pout back from the glass,
forgetful of the warmth
an honest kiss can bring.
No coin in this realm for such
pleasantries.


The embraces are harsh;
probing hands do not
caress, but grope,
voices with hollow words,
no capacity to bear the weight of
wanted words.


Black night, empty with the
fullness of another offer accepted --
for the bench is as cold
as the light from the bare
bulb in the ceiling of the room
around the corner.




Doug Lane is a writer of multiple sorts. Today was poetry day.
He's a transplanted New Yorker who makes his home in Houston, TX.


Find Doug on twitter @finderdoug
More of Doug's work can be found on Pure Francis.

Bernard Schaffer

When Bernard pulled "Wait and Wait" from his youtube channel he told me he would send me another poem to replace it for this event. I thought he had, but I was mistaken. (We've both been really busy.) So I swiped this one from his Knife Fights collection because I really like it. (How could I not? It begins with a football reference!)

Meh. He probably won't even notice. And if I smile pretty he'll forgive me almost anything. He's good like that.

Anyhow, if you click on the title, you'll be able to see Bernard himself read his words. Check out the tat while you're at it. That's one reason Courtney Cantrell and I call him SGTB.

A NIGHT AT THE FIGHTS

Knife Fights is currently available
on Amazon for kindle 

It is always fourth and inches

always knee deep in the mud

always lost somewhere behind enemy lines

always a bill collector calling

always the ex-wife demanding more.

Every day a new dictum from on high

based on whim

based on fragile, vicious egos.

It is always too late

too much to ask and too soon to talk about it

always nobody who wants to get involved

or losing heart and abandoning ship.

So there you are

alone again

steering into choppy water

crashing into rocks with wind and hail that blinds you

binding yourself to the ship's helm

so that if it overturns

you go down with it

and if it doesn't, somehow,

you live to fight another day.

It is always the final round

and you are always down in the judge's scorecards

none of it is easy

stop wishing it was

none of it is fair

don't expect it to be.

When I arrive at my destination

I'll have lost no little amount of blood

and all of my scars

will map the road I traveled to get there.

It is always someone else's turn

their destiny

their fated time to shine

but while those anointed ones

are patiently waiting for their hand-out

we'll be running them over

in diesel trucks made of iron will and sweat-soaked effort.

While you wait for it

we'll take it.

People ask me if I ever sleep

well I don't

I paste pictures of my enemies' faces

to black painted walls

in windowless rooms and

I stare at them for hours on end

and I get ready.

I get ready.

I get ready.

Bernard J. Schaffer is the bestselling author of Superbia, Superbia 2, Guns of Seneca 6, and Whitechapel: The Final Stand of Sherlock Holmes among others. He is also the founder of the Kindle All-Stars, a royal pain in the ass, and one of my favorite people on the planet. Follow him on twitter @apiarysociety or visit his website www.apiarysociety.com.

Keri Knutson

I thoroughly enjoy working with Keri. She's truly a team player who is always around when you need a pair of hands, a piece of advice, or just someone to make you smile.

I never in a million years expected this whole KAS thing to blossom into a network of friends and colleagues around the world. I think we've all been blessed with each other's company.

Director's Cut is currently
available on Amazon

To Lochlainn, On the Occasion of his Birthday


How wonderful our little child,
A baby once so soft and sweet;
We've catalogued each little smile,
Each step, each laugh is ours to keep.


And now it seems you're not so small,
Your shadow long upon the grass;
The world is waiting, after all,
To watch as you run, laughing, past.


Keri Knutson is a writer and editor currently living in New Orleans, author of the novels Darker By Degree, Director's Cut, Running Red, and the forthcoming Lost Things.
http://thespectralobelisk.blogspot.com
http://publishingyourself.blogspot.com
http://keriknutson.wordpress.com
twitter @KeriKnutson

Matt Posner

My initial intent with this project was to post one long poem or two shorter ones from each poet. Matt sort of messed that up. I fell madly in love with this poem the first time I read it, but instead chose to borrow "Famous Fathers," the one I posted earlier this month. Still, I couldn't get this one off my mind. My decision to post each poem separately had a lot to do with this particular piece. I really hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

Vampire Poet

You'll find Vampire Poet, along with
Matt Posner's other books, on Amazon

(with respect to A.E. Housman)

When I was one-and-twenty

I heard a vampire say,

Give nuts and guts and gullet,

but not your poems away.

Give veins away, and arteries,

But not your words for free.

Oh, I was a youthful poet,

No use to talk to me.

When I was one-and-thirty,

The vampire said again,

The words given forth from spirit,

Will draw you down to pain.

They yield you shame and misery.

You know not what you do.

Now I am one-and-forty.

The vampire's words are true.

Originally from Miami, Florida, Matt Posner is a New York City based novelist and special educator. Matt is the Dean of School of the Ages, America's Greatest Magic School.  Matt's poetry, featured in this post, is part of his participation in The Exploration Project, New York's premiere avant-garde improvisational band. Talk to Matt at his facebook fan page "School of the Ages Series" and at his website http://schooloftheages.webs.com.

Tony Healey

I'm a firm believer that every girl needs a brother, even if he isn't related by blood. Thanks to the Kindle All-Stars, I have about ten. Tony is the one who teases me the most. And I'm okay with that. As I write this, Tony and I have recently finished one project; we're working on a second; and a third is already on the horizon. I may complain a bit about "my writers," but the truth is I wouldn't change any of them.

I'm sharing this with you so maybe you'll better understand why this particular poem, and the email to which it was attached, hit me hard.

Laurie, 

Find pasted into the body of this email my second poem. I wrote this for my brother Danny, who passed away nearly 25 years ago now.

WISH YOU WERE HERE

The Honeycroft Series is available on Amazon

Decades drifting downstream,

But no more than a day,

Since you were taken away

Old scars pull at the seams

Every time you rise within my thoughts,

My heart aches,

I wish you were here with me, with us, around

To see how we’d have loved you

But the tide took you; caught

I need you, I want to see you,

Just one last time, hold you,

Against my breast to hear

My heart-song,

I want you near

A higher power,

Says its right to take you from us,

Brother, and the Brother next door,

But regardless I’m still wishing

I have lived a lifetime of conversations unspoken,

Empty, hollow sadness rolling down cheeks,

A pain in the walls of my heart,

Anniversaries of yesterday and what was

And what might have been

If only I could forget about you,

Let the river take you,

Carry you far away to the valley before the dawn,

To eternal night

And are you there,

Somewhere,

Beneath the great wheel,

The big dipper, the belt of Orion?

Looking where I’m looking?

Feeling what I’m feeling, perhaps,

And knowing how I wish you were here?

Haunted ‘till the very end,

When we will meet again.

Tony Healey is the author of The Honeycroft Series, The Stars My Redemption, and others including a collection called Double. By the way, he also designs all his own covers and he's done a few for other KAS authors as well. (As we speak, he's tweaking a design I came up with for one of mine.)

Visit Tony's website:  www.fringescientist.com