Joseph Carrabis, Author Blog – Page 16 – Quite the Life (and all in Times New Roman 10pt!)

James Rumpel’s ‘The Power Gem of Ortraz’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology

I asked fellow The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey anthology contributors to share some things about themselves prior to publication and those generous enough to do so will be appearing here for the next week or so.

Each entry gives a taste of their contribution, a little about them, how to contact them, how their story came about, and definitely a link to The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey (which you should purchase because it would make each and every one of us happy.
you do want to make us happy, don’t you?
i mean, considering what we wrote, you want us to know you’re a good person, right?).

Let’s start with an introduction to the anthology as a whole:

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Emerson’s point has been echoed by many, but in the Land of the Weird the question arises, “A journey to what destination?” At the same time, you might ask, “Is the journey therefore the destination?” The journey may well be an individual’s destination, because it will define them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And in the Land of the Weird, that journey can take twists and turns that amuse, sadden, or horrify.
This trip into the Land of the Weird offers you 39 unique trails to follow, assisted by 35 different guides, each leading you down their own singular paths, manifesting their own view of journey as destination, some laughing, some weeping, and some, eyes wide with fear, shaking as they point out the spectral footpath for you to follow on your way down The Rabbit Hole.

A Writers Co-op Production
Stories by: Chere Taylor, Brian R. Quinn, Arthur M. Doweyko, Donna J. W. Munro, Tom Howard, Kayla Whittle, Leslie Muzingo, Pete Barnstrom, Emmie Christie, Thomas Nicholson, GD Deckard, Richard DeRobertis, M.C. Schmidt, James Dorr, Rosalind Goldsmith, Margaret Karmazin, J.W.Wood, James Rumpel, Bill McCormick, v.f. thompson, Fran Tabor, David K. Slay, Joseph Carrabis, Jane Frankel, Alice Baburek, Susan R. Morritt, Bobby Rollins, Lee Clark Zumpe, Denice Penrose, Stephen McQuiggan, H. Donovan Lyón, Anna Ross, Michael Pudney, Beth Gaydon, and Tom Wolosz.

James’ contribution is The Power Gem of Ortraz. Here’s the opening:

Miles Outland sat alone in the booth, sipping his ginger ale. He should have known better than to accept the invitation from Joe and Mike to join them for a drink. Those two had picked on him relentlessly when they were in high school and hadn’t talked to him in six years. Yet, when they showed up at the museum, acting like he was some sort of long-lost buddy, Miles had been taken in by the moment and said he’d come along.

How the story came about:
I came up with the idea of someone pretending to be an alien in an attempt to get a nerd to help them commit a crime and the story just wrote itself after that.
Continue reading “James Rumpel’s ‘The Power Gem of Ortraz’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology”

James Rumpel’s ‘Climbing the Intergalactic Ladder’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology

Let’s start with an introduction to the anthology as a whole:

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Emerson’s point has been echoed by many, but in the Land of the Weird the question arises, “A journey to what destination?” At the same time, you might ask, “Is the journey therefore the destination?” The journey may well be an individual’s destination, because it will define them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And in the Land of the Weird, that journey can take twists and turns that amuse, sadden, or horrify.
This trip into the Land of the Weird offers you 39 unique trails to follow, assisted by 35 different guides, each leading you down their own singular paths, manifesting their own view of journey as destination, some laughing, some weeping, and some, eyes wide with fear, shaking as they point out the spectral footpath for you to follow on your way down The Rabbit Hole.

A Writers Co-op Production
Stories by: Chere Taylor, Brian R. Quinn, Arthur M. Doweyko, Donna J. W. Munro, Tom Howard, Kayla Whittle, Leslie Muzingo, Pete Barnstrom, Emmie Christie, Thomas Nicholson, GD Deckard, Richard DeRobertis, M.C. Schmidt, James Dorr, Rosalind Goldsmith, Margaret Karmazin, J.W.Wood, James Rumpel, Bill McCormick, v.f. thompson, Fran Tabor, David K. Slay, Joseph Carrabis, Jane Frankel, Alice Baburek, Susan R. Morritt, Bobby Rollins, Lee Clark Zumpe, Denice Penrose, Stephen McQuiggan, H. Donovan Lyón, Anna Ross, Michael Pudney, Beth Gaydon, and Tom Wolosz.

James’ contribution is Climbing the Intergalactic Ladder. Here’s the opening:

Robert Umbright III sat in the waiting rooming, sizing up his competition. He was far from comfortable. His chair was clearly not designed for human beings. The seat was much too low and the armrests were much too high. The stirrups he assumed his feet were supposed to go in were at an awkward angle. He would be more comfortable if he leaned his head back but the row of spikes at the base of his neck made that impossible. He must have looked like some Russian folk dancer frozen in mid-kick. He considered climbing out of the torturous contraption but did not want to do anything to upset his interviewers. No doubt, they were watching his behavior.

How the story came about:
Climbing the Intergalactic Ladder began as a quick look at what it would be like for an Earthling to interview for a job with an extra-terrestrial company. I thought the juxtaposition of a traditional interview with alien technologies and cultures could prove interesting and, hopefully, humorous.
Continue reading “James Rumpel’s ‘Climbing the Intergalactic Ladder’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology”

The Alibi (A John Chance Mystery) – Chapter 31

Still sharing what I’ve already written before inundating you with yet another set of edits…which I’ll be starting some time today…promise…

The Alibi – Chapter 31

Naomi listened to her new floor manager go on and on and on and…on. A young, overweight, balding man whose greatest daily physical effort, she reasoned, was lifting his pants up after he shit, replaced the ignorant sac-o-shit woman who thought a maroon jacket bestowed power like the Green Lantern’s ring or Thor’s hammer. This idiot had the same maroon jacket – okay, larger. Much, much larger – and same sense of power.

She nodded as he droned on and on and…on about how things were going to be different and how she needed to change her attitude and how jobs were not as plentiful as she might think and how she still hadn’t been with the company long enough to warrant benefits and she glanced periodically at the big screen TV over in Electronics broadcasting the news.

“Naomi!”

She stepped across the aisle, out of the traffic of shoppers pushing carts and baby strollers, and left him ranting on the other side.

“Naomi!”

People pushed their carts and strollers down other aisles rather than pass him.

He strode across the aisle. One hand held a tablet and he stood in front of her, hands on hips. “Naomi!”

She blinked and stared up at him. “I’m sorry. Were you talking to me?”

“God, woman. Don’t you know your own name? Do you have another name you’d prefer me to use?”

You think anybody would know if I followed you into the can and killed you? She pointed to the big screen. “Do you know anything about this?”

He glared down at her. “I know about Cleaning Supplies in aisle 13. You – ”

She raised a finger to her lips and her focus returned to the broadcast. “Shh. I’m listening. The TV showed a drone’s-eye view of Innovation Square. The top of the screen had a white-on-red flashing “Breaking News” logo. On the screen it occasionally blocked out what the drone picked up. “Jesus. That’s an awful lot of equipment for an accident or fire.”

He moved to block her view. “Naomi!”

She stepped around him to watch the news.

He tapped his tablet. “I’m taking this to HR!”

She stepped away from her manager and squinted at the ticker at the bottom of the screen.

She glanced at his retreating form and noted his face almost matched the color of his manager’s jacket.

News teams were on the scene interviewing people. The view switched to a reporter holding her mike up to some talking head. She couldn’t hear what she said.

She scanned the crowds. Her eyes popped when she saw on a civilian walking in the background.

Just walking, not paying attention to anything in particular, coffee cup in hand, just another civilian watching the show and enjoying the chaos.

Obsidian?

Letting himself get caught on camera?

Must be damned important for Obsidian to risk being caught on camera in public.

Her young, overweight, balding manager strode back and stood in front of her. His voice held hints of gleeful sweetness. “Naomi, would come with me to HR, please?”

She didn’t think she’d get any more from the broadcast, turned to stare at him and blinked a few times. “Who do you bet keeps their job today, you or me?”

Previous entries in The Alibi (A John Chance Mystery)

Rick DeRobertis’ ‘The Saga of McKADE the Sailor’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology

Let’s start with an introduction to the anthology as a whole:

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Emerson’s point has been echoed by many, but in the Land of the Weird the question arises, “A journey to what destination?” At the same time, you might ask, “Is the journey therefore the destination?” The journey may well be an individual’s destination, because it will define them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And in the Land of the Weird, that journey can take twists and turns that amuse, sadden, or horrify.
This trip into the Land of the Weird offers you 39 unique trails to follow, assisted by 35 different guides, each leading you down their own singular paths, manifesting their own view of journey as destination, some laughing, some weeping, and some, eyes wide with fear, shaking as they point out the spectral footpath for you to follow on your way down The Rabbit Hole.

A Writers Co-op Production
Stories by: Chere Taylor, Brian R. Quinn, Arthur M. Doweyko, Donna J. W. Munro, Tom Howard, Kayla Whittle, Leslie Muzingo, Pete Barnstrom, Emmie Christie, Thomas Nicholson, GD Deckard, Richard DeRobertis, M.C. Schmidt, James Dorr, Rosalind Goldsmith, Margaret Karmazin, J.W.Wood, James Rumpel, Bill McCormick, v.f. thompson, Fran Tabor, David K. Slay, Joseph Carrabis, Jane Frankel, Alice Baburek, Susan R. Morritt, Bobby Rollins, Lee Clark Zumpe, Denice Penrose, Stephen McQuiggan, H. Donovan Lyón, Anna Ross, Michael Pudney, Beth Gaydon, and Tom Wolosz.

Rick’s contribution is The Saga of McKADE the Sailor. Here’s the opening:

There was a brave sailor I knew,
Named McKade who was feeling quite blue
“A sea serpent’s at large,
Eating ship, boat and barge,
And smacking his lips when he’s through.”

How the story came about:
A college professor told me that “Ring around the Rosies, pocket full of posies, ashes, ashes, All fall down” was from the Black Plague (roses and posies were charms to ward off disease, ‘ashes’ was meant to imitate coughing), and ‘all fall down’ speaks for itself. Then Tolkien showed how “Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle” was just a contracted version of an old Hobbit song. Therefore, I figured that there was more behind “Rub a dub dub, three men in a tub” than a nonsense rhyme. That always sounded kind of fishy to me and was convinced it was referring to a small boat. I just could not understand why three craftsmen with nothing to do with the sea were out at sea in a stupid little tub. Then I met someone who once knew McKade the Sailor and it all came about.
Continue reading “Rick DeRobertis’ ‘The Saga of McKADE the Sailor’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology”

H. Donovan Lyón’s ‘Bruja’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology

Let’s start with an introduction to the anthology as a whole:

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Emerson’s point has been echoed by many, but in the Land of the Weird the question arises, “A journey to what destination?” At the same time, you might ask, “Is the journey therefore the destination?” The journey may well be an individual’s destination, because it will define them physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And in the Land of the Weird, that journey can take twists and turns that amuse, sadden, or horrify.
This trip into the Land of the Weird offers you 39 unique trails to follow, assisted by 35 different guides, each leading you down their own singular paths, manifesting their own view of journey as destination, some laughing, some weeping, and some, eyes wide with fear, shaking as they point out the spectral footpath for you to follow on your way down The Rabbit Hole.

A Writers Co-op Production
Stories by: Chere Taylor, Brian R. Quinn, Arthur M. Doweyko, Donna J. W. Munro, Tom Howard, Kayla Whittle, Leslie Muzingo, Pete Barnstrom, Emmie Christie, Thomas Nicholson, GD Deckard, Richard DeRobertis, M.C. Schmidt, James Dorr, Rosalind Goldsmith, Margaret Karmazin, J.W.Wood, James Rumpel, Bill McCormick, v.f. thompson, Fran Tabor, David K. Slay, Joseph Carrabis, Jane Frankel, Alice Baburek, Susan R. Morritt, Bobby Rollins, Lee Clark Zumpe, Denice Penrose, Stephen McQuiggan, H. Donovan Lyón, Anna Ross, Michael Pudney, Beth Gaydon, and Tom Wolosz.

H. Donovan Lyón’s contribution is Bruja. Here’s the opening:

There was no other explanation for the two-headed albino piglet that squirted out from between the hams of Ramón Trujillo’s filthy and promiscuous sow!

How the story came about:
There’s an element of truth in “Bruja” as there is in virtually all of my New Mexico themed short stories, and various iterations of the tale have been whispered into eager ears in countless homes across the land.
Continue reading “H. Donovan Lyón’s ‘Bruja’ in Writers Co-op Production’s The Rabbit Hole Weird Stories Destination:Journey Anthology”