New "Nameless, Texas" Novella coming soon!

Dear Reader-Friends,

Way back in 1999 or 2000, I started my very first cozy mystery about a fiber artist who lives in a small Texas town. This was several years before I wrote LONE STAR DEATH, my historical Texas mystery. Now, 14 years later, I've decided to revisit my first book, polish it and publish it as a novella.

Back then, I had an idea for a sleuth who was a weaver. I'd written a lot about the fiber arts, had a degree in textiles, and was an internationally known "expert" in the field. I had wanted to do some fiction writing for a while, and figured that I'd combine my two interests. This particular story involves natural dyeing with plants---specifically, indigo---in the story line. I had written several how-to books on the craft and grew an extensive dyer's garden of my own.

One of my how-to books written under my previous name, Bobbi A. McRae

Thing is, back then, the popularity of the "occupational" cozy sleuth hadn't come about just yet, and  although publishers were intrigued and somewhat interested, they weren't sure they could sell this idea. I have to laugh at that concept now, because we all know those types of books are very popular.

Lots has happened between there and here in my writing life, and when I finally sat down to revise the story, it seemed  like visiting with some old friends I haven't seen for a while.

Thing is, they aren't old friends. Once I started revising the text, I realized they are the same folks who inhabit my current "Nameless, Texas" short story series.  You'll find Aunt Jewel, Kendra, Jeremy and more. There are a few new ones and some of the relationships have changed, but in general, it's the same place. That tickles me. :-)

I kept the original idea of the story and changed it a bit to fit my Nameless story world. A few  things surprised and amused me--especially the pay phones and film cameras used in the story. They definitely added to the time the sleuth spent chasing around town and waiting for film to be developed, but was easy to fix. 

And since I've been writing a lot of short stories and prefer the shorter length, I decided to make the novel a novella, coming in around 30,000 words. I hope it will appeal to the many readers who like my short story series and the quirky folks who inhabit Nameless, Texas.

So keep an eye peeled for DYE, DYEING, DEAD---coming by the end of July!

(And yes, it's spelled that way on purpose.) :-D

Happy trails,

bobbi c.

Ghoulies and Ghosties and The Woman in Black

I've been reading lots of classic ghost stories lately and decided to finally read THE WOMAN IN BLACK novel.  I saw the movie (with Daniel Radcliffe when it first came out) and loved the story.  I kept hearing rumors that the stage-play version and the book version had different endings, so that intrigued me.

I finished the book last night and sure enough, the ending is different than the movie.  The horror was subtle, but effective, and it was written almost like a Victorian novel. No spoilers, sweetie!  I will say that the book left me with a more upbeat feeling. Now I'm looking forward to getting the stage play and reading it and perhaps seeing it performed someday.

Who's that, sneaking up behind you?

Why all this interest?  I've always loved what I call "light horror" and decided that one of my newest projects will be a ghost story, maybe a novella or in the least, a long short story.  I have written a few short comedy ghost story/sketches, but  nothing as ambitious as a novella.  Let's just say that moving into an old house with strange noises has inspired me. :-)

bobbi c.

May is Short Story Month!

Dear friends,

Those of us who write short stories are glad to see a whole month devoted to them.  We like to think that the short story is undergoing a bit of a renaissance.  In the past, as Anne R. Allen mentions in her blog post from yesterday, The New Golden Age of Short Fiction: 12 Reasons to Write a Short Story This Month, authors have used short stories as practice runs for longer works, such as novels.

But some of us write short stories predominantly, and there are even online groups for authors who do so.  Like the Short Mystery Fiction Society, for example. I'm a proud member of the group.

 One of our members, author Susan Oleksiw, is writing on the SMFS blog today about her experiences in writing short fiction, and the differences in writing short crime fiction vs. the crime novel.

You can read one of Susan's short stories, The Secret of the Pulluvan Drum, free online.

Other members of the SMFS have stories free to read online:

Ben Solomon, The Hard-Boiled Detective, has a story,  No. 3: Simeon Von Runk, here.

Georgia Ruth, has a story titled The Blue Ridge Wreath over on Stupefying Stories.

Other online stories to read or listen to were written by SMFS member Rob Lopresti.

Shanks on the prowl (podcast)
Shanks holds the line
Snake in the Sweetgrass (podcast)
Crow's feat

And here are two dramatizations of his stories by the Midnight Mystery Players:
Crow's avenue
Crow's feat

And a story by Jan Christensen, Why I Quit Jogging. You can find more of Jan's mystery stories on her website.

With the ease of publishing digital e-books now on Amazon for the Kindle and for other devices, many authors are taking matters into their own hands and publishing their own collections of stories.  Many small presses are popping up and publishing anthologies of stories, too.  From science-fiction/fantasy, to mystery/suspense, action-adventure or horror---no matter what you love to read, you can find numerous short story collections out there now.  And many of the classic pulp authors are being re-published, too.

There are lots of new online 'zines that publish short stories, way too many to mention here.  Over the past few years, some of my stories have been published online, free for readers. And many public libraries have special sections for short story collections. Check 'em out!

If the last short story you read was something back in high school, give it a chance again.  They are great for filling in all those "waiting times"---take out your smart phone or Kindle and read a short story.

A few of my short stories that have been published over the past few years are listed through the "Free Macabre & Mystery Short Stories" link above.  I hope you enjoy them!

I  have also published a series of "Nameless, Texas" short mystery stories for sale over on Amazon.

Happy reading!

bobbi c.

Longest short story ever!

Dear friends/fans of mysterious fiction,

Back in 2008, I had a published mystery novel, LONE STAR DEATH, that weighed in around 85,000 words. I wanted to write short stories since I really enjoyed them when I was much younger. I started out with flash fiction and came up with a story of 500 words.  Writing a short story is sometimes harder than writing a novel (yeah it is) because you have to encompass the entire story line in such a small space.

At that time, I thought I'd never be able to write a longer short story.  I wrote a lot of poetry, and of course, it's much shorter.  Over the years, though, I started reading voraciously---collections of mystery and macabre short stories.  I read them online, in older library books, new e-book collections/anthologies I purchased through Amazon for my Kindle and haunted used bookstores for sometimes rare volumes.  Reading those was a huge education for me, and eventually my brain started seeing how I could write longer stories, too.

Eventually, I wrote several stories in the "Nameless, Texas" short story series. These were longer, but not nearly as long as this new one.

So I did.  Yesterday, I finished  a new story that is around 8,550 words.  I did it in four drafts, adding a bit more each time.  And it only took me a month, in addition to all the other writing I'm doing (volunteer work for the local Art Guild, editing friend's work, blogging, e-mails, bits and pieces of my novel in progress, etc.) 

I'm really proud of the story.  I think (and friends agree) that it's the best thing I've written--so far.  "The Passing of Big Mama Mayhall" is a macabre, strange story that could mostly be categorized as Southern Gothic. And maybe a bit "Hitchcockian."   I love it when people tell me my stories are Hitchcockian! :-D

So, writing the story was the FIRST step.  Now I have to decide what to do with it.  I tried not to worry about this while writing the story---that's something I frequently get all jacked up about. Sometimes I write to themes or specific Calls for Submissions, sometimes a line will come to me.  This time, the first line came to me as a bit of dialogue.

"Elsie, honey. I'm so sorry . . . Big Mama has done gone and passed."  From there, the characters started speaking, and the story emerged.

Happy trails from Texas!

bobbi c.

LITTLE RED RIDING BOOTS is coming!

Dear friends,

I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of new scripts of my LITTLE RED RIDING BOOTS & COOTER COYOTE, MASTER OF DISGUISE play from Brooklyn Publishers.  This one-act play (great for competitions) was a long time coming, and was based on a children's book I wrote back over ten years ago.  And they say I have no patience.  LOL

(By the way, this play is in NO way associated with the children's picture book that came out last year with the SAME title.  I hate that this happened, but apparently the editor didn't search to make sure the title wasn't already taken.  GRRRR.)

In other news, I ran across a school performance of ANNIERELLA that jazzed me big time.  In Nebraska, this time.  Take a look at the awesome cast photos!

http://southplatteschools.com/one-act.html

Looks like the kids won some One-Act-Play awards for it, too.  Love that!

Yeehaw!

Happy trails from Texas!

bobbi c.

Setting writing goals and a progress report

Dear friends,

I don't usually do a whole "what did I accomplish last year?" thing, but I was prompted by that insanity over on Facebook, where they do a Timeline thing for you. And one of my playwriting groups posts numbers of items subbed and accepted. This is not meant as a brag; I hope it's encouraging for some of you who don't think you have time to write. :-)

Make your own list; you might be surprised. And it might spur you on to doing more in 2014.

I've been a bit down because it feels like I did nothing last year.  Well, other than remodeling the Old House from Hell, participating in the local Art Guild, and tending the garden, that is. I mean, WRITING stuff.  I'm VERY scattered and indecisive. I think I would have done better if I'd been focused. And maybe if I'd set some real goals--that's one thing I didn't really do.

Progress report: last year, I submitted 10 stories/plays/poems and had 3 accepted, including one new play that will be published (ongoing income).  One story is still out. I also had my first mystery story accepted to a "mystery" publication.

I published two novellas (illustrating one of them) and four short stories, launching my "Nameless, Texas" mystery story series. Both of the novellas started out as plays that were written a few years ago.

I finished another new play, it premiered and an older one had four productions.

I wrote over 65 blog posts/articles (most with original photos), thousands of e-mails and several blog interviews for other authors.

It just shows what you can accomplish when you just basically KEEP AT IT. Unfortunately, it also shows how much stuff you actually have to submit to get anywhere.  This doesn't include the bits and pieces of stories, plays and ongoing novels that aren't finished yet. And it doesn't include all the PR stuff.

This year, I'm setting goals, and we'll see if it gets me farther.

Onward, and Happy Trails!

bobbi c.

We are "Hardwired" for Stories

They say that when you're ready, a teacher will come.  I love how events come together sometimes in my research.

I've been trying to learn how to get more emotion into my writing. I've been watching lots of Hallmark Christmas movies and taking notes, through the tears. :-) I've been reading samples from hundreds of books all over the spectrum of genres--romances, science fiction, suspense, thrillers--you name it.

I've had the book Wired for Story, by Lisa Cron, on my shelf for months now.  I finally picked it up, started reading, and immediately learned why some of my stories feel flat and emotionless.  Not only is this a book for writers on how to hook readers, but it also explains the hard brain science and chemistry behind WHY people get hooked into a story, and what makes for one of those "un-put-downable" books.  It also explains why some of those "not very good" books are so wildly popular with readers.  Fascinating stuff!

http://www.amazon.com/Wired-Story-Writers-Science-Sentence/dp/1607742454


The author also has a website with links to other articles discussing this idea:

http://wiredforstory.com/

Then, this morning, out of the blue I got an e-mail from the Greater Good Science Center (at Berkeley) with a link to an article by Paul J. Zak, "How Stories Change the Brain."  It's all about how stories shape our brains physically and make us more empathic and generous. And it also explains WHY we love stories so much.

http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain

The good stories, the ones that engage the reader's emotions, are those that show us something about human nature. 

It's all fascinating stuff, and I'd urge any author to take a look at the book, and read the articles. I'm certainly going to try to use this knowledge in my writing.

Happy trails,

bobbi c.

Author of LONE STAR DEATH
PRINCESS PRIMROSE & the CURSE OF THE BIG SLEEP (for MG kids)
The "Nameless, Texas" short story series
All available on Amazon.com for the Kindle

Free Halloween treat for my friends!

A free Halloween treat for my friends!

A nostalgic, heartwarming small town Texas short story, Best Halloween Ever, 1965.  Free on Amazon from today through the 24th. 3,900 words. Based on true events.

http://amzn.to/16oh2c6

Annabelle, Jupie and Little Sister LOVE Halloween!  Nine-year-old Annabelle is a fiend for Halloween and spins fantasies of parties, costumes and food. Back in 1965, it was all about the costumes, Trick-or-Treating, and being seen (but not recognized). When Annabelle gets sick and can't get out with her brother and sister, she's miserable.  This is a tale of what happened on that cold, dark, stormy night and how it turned into the Best Halloween Ever.

And remember, if you don't have a Kindle, no problem!  You can download a FREE reading app from Amazon for almost any device, including PDF (to read on any computer). 

Thanks for reading, and please, share this with a friend!

Happy haunting,

bobbi c.
Author of The Journal of Mina Harker
Now a 20,000 word novella e-book;
Lone Star Death & the "Nameless, Texas"
short story series
http://amazon.com/author/bobbichukran

Halloween Stories, Galore!

Dear friends,

Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays for all sorts of reasons---the (hopefully) cooler weather, the pumpkins, the displays in the stores---and all the classic monster movies they show on TV channels such as TCM.  I grew up watching and loving the classic shows---from The Blob, to the original Night of the Living Dead, to The Day the Earth Stood Still. I was also a fan of shows like The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Night Gallery, The Twilight Zone, etc., and still am.

It's probably no wonder that now and then all things creepy show up in my short stories.  This month, I've had three Halloween stories published so far.

Over on Amazon, I have a new short story e-book published,  "Best Halloween Ever, 1965".  It's more of a heart-warming fiction story based on real life, a sort of coming-of-age story, set back when Halloween was a little more innocent and was all about costumes, trick-or-treating and candy!

Then, my novella, THE JOURNAL OF MINA HARKER, has been published, also as an e-book on Amazon for the Kindle. This story started out as a stage play I wrote three years ago and published as a script.  It's been lengthened (to 20,000 words) and has a nice bright new cover (shiny!).

Follow the links to get your copies, and be sure to leave a review if you enjoyed them!

 And last but not least, one of my mystery short stories recently was published in the amazing Kings River Life Magazine.  The flash fiction story, "Mistaken Identity" is actually a true story.  Yep, seriously.  Spooky, huh? :-)

http://kingsriverlife.com/10/12/mistaken-identity-a-halloween-short-story/

All of these e-books and stories are inexpensive (and actually, the story on the Kings River Life magazine website is FREE to read!)  Why not pick one up (or all three?) for some good, spooky Halloween reading without TOO much gore.

Thanks for supporting an independent author!

bobbi c.

Congratulations, Alice Munro, Nobel Prize Winner!

Dear friends,

Many authors were overjoyed to hear that Alice Munro has just won the Nobel Prize in Literature for her short stories.

First, we are glad because Alice is a woman.  We get excited any time a woman wins a big award in literature. :-)

And second, those of us who write short stories are especially glad because we hope it will bring about a "renaissance" of sorts in readers, and the publishing world.  Yes, there are people who read short stories (thank goodness!), but the general feeling is that people don't really know how many there are out there.

There are numerous on-line literary magazines that publish short stories (many free to read), and many genre stories, too.  No matter what kind of stories you like to read---whether they're horror, humor, nostalgia, memoir, mystery, romance, westerns, etc.---there are lots of new short stories being published these days.  You can buy them in anthologies (a group of stories written by different authors on a common theme), or in collections (stories written by the same author, sometimes on a theme), and as short e-book  singles on places like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc.

I love reading and writing short stories because they take me into a different world that I can visit for a short time.  They don't require a huge investment of time (well, writing does, but reading doesn't), and I can finish one while I'm waiting at the doctor's office, waiting for water to boil, during lunch, etc.

If it's been a long time since you've read a short story, why not try some new ones? Let's kindle a spark (heh heh) and get a whole short story renaissance started!

bobbi c.
Author of
mysterious tales--tall and short,
Lone Star Death, 1880s Texas murder mystery,
"Nameless, Texas" short story series
-->

http://amazon.com/author/bobbichukran

New Halloween Short Story E-Book

Dear friends,

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  So that's why I've written a story that's part memoir, part heart-warming fiction, set in a small Texas town.  Only the names have been changed; the spirit of the story stays intact. 

It's all about choosing and buying costumes, Halloween candy, trick-or-treating circa 1965, and the anticipation surrounding the holiday for a certain young girl and her brother and sister.  And it's about what happens when she gets too sick to participate.

"Best Halloween Ever, 1965" is available now for the Kindle (and other devices, using the free Kindle reading app available on the Amazon website) for only 99-cents (introductory price).

And yes, I did make that jack-o-lantern on the cover. :-)

Happy haunting!

bobbi c.
http://bobbichukran.com

First story published in Mysterical-E mystery magazine!

Dear friends,

I'm honored to announce that one of my new short stories, Good Neighbors, was published yesterday in Mysterical-E, an awesome online mystery magazine.  This is my first publication in a bona-fide mystery magazine.

Mysterical-E is always packed with short stories, book reviews, comments, essays, etc.  And it's FREE to read! Click here to read:

Good Neighbors short story by Bobbi A. Chukran

Take a look, and feel free to Tweet about it, Facebook it and generally spread the word around.  Thank you!

By the way, Good Neighbors was inspired by true-to-life events, but *of course* the ending was changed---a bit. ;-)

Happy trails,

bobbi c.

http://amazon.com/author/bobbichukran

New Short Story -- Aunt Jewel & the Poisoned Potlikker

Available now, on Amazon.com!

Aunt Jewel and the Poisoned Potlikker

Number Three in my "Nameless, Texas" short story series!

A new 4,800 word cozy mystery short story from Bobbi A. Chukran. . .

When Kendra Louise Harper's Aunt Jewel decides to make a traditional "mess" of turnip greens to take to the annual Giving of Thanks community dinner and gathering in Nameless, Texas (population 2,354), little does she know that her special dish will become the source of widespread illness and even a death. The disaster comes a bit too close to home when Kendra's best friend, Jeffrey, becomes violently ill after he eats a "healthy" amount of the greens.

Question is, who would poison the potlikker, and why?  How did it happen?  Why was Aunt Jewel's dish targeted?

What exactly DID Bertha Smithton see early that morning at Aunt Jewel's house?

What would motivate someone in the little community to take such desperate measures?

Filled with quirky characters, this latest cozy mystery in the "Nameless, Texas" short story series will delight those who love tales of small town murder.

Includes free recipe for "Aunt Jewel's Slow Cooker Turnip Greens with Potlikker" and a free chapter from LONE STAR DEATH.

Also in the Series:

Aunt Jewel and the Purloined Pork Loin

Dewey Laudermilk and the Peckerwood Tree

I read short stories. Lots of short stories. And learn something new from every one of them.

Dear friends,

Since I've decided to focus on writing short stories, I've been reading a lot.  Yesterday I made a trip to the library and came home with 13 collections of stories---some old, some new. Every time I read a short story, whether it's fantasy, science fiction, supernatural, mystery, crime---I learn something new. 

Last night I raced through most of the stories in Joe R. Lansdale's BUMPER CROP collection.  His short story "Chompers" was hilarious, twisty (and chilling), and reminded me of those old science fiction shows I used to watch on TV when I was a kid. It taught me that *anything* can be the subject of a short story. Joe is one of my favorite writers because he really GETS that East Texas thing---the language, mannerisms and quirks of the people who live there---and the settings in his stories live and breathe like characters. Each of his stories teaches me something new about writing.

Later, I read from a completely different collection, BLOOD LITE II: OVERBITE (edited by Kevin J. Anderson), humorous horror short stories by HWA members. The "Dead Clown Seance" story, by Christopher Welch, taught me that there's a place for ALL kinds of stories, no matter how crazy. Since my stories tend toward the comedic, I love seeing how horror and comedy can be combined.

I'm also a big fan of Henry Slesar, the author who penned many of the short stories that eventually became Alfred Hitchcock TV episodes. In HAUNTED AMERICA: Star-Spangled Supernatural Stories (selected by Marvin Kaye), I read "The Return of the Moresbys" which was fun and twisty (Slesar was a king of the twisty story). From it, I learned that a crime story can be funny, ironic, and based on an interesting idea like transmigration (where the soul passes from one body or being to another at death).

Reading these stories confirmed to me that there's a place for humor in mysteries and horror and that any subject can be turned into a great short story. And not only that, but after reading these, so many new ideas for stories came to me. 

I hope that you'll take time to read some short stories.  The cool thing about short stories?  They're short.  LOL.  They don't take a lot of time to read, can be inhaled on a break, or during lunch, or right before bed just before dozing off. There are many authors these days writing lots of excellent short stories--seek them out, read them.  And have fun!

Mysteriously yours,

bobbi c.

When an author hits a snag...

What does an author do when we hit a snag in our projects?  Some of us might take a vacation, some might moan and pitch a fit about being blocked, and some might do other things to take their minds off their stories for a while. 

That's me.  I find something completely different to do.  Like decloaking a 1930s cottage.  Read all about that here, on my Earthly Gardener garden blog.  Enjoy!

http://earthly-gardener.blogspot.com/2013/08/decloaking-cottage-and-more-pergola-pics.html

Removing the 1950s aluminum siding from our 1930s cottage

Happy trails,

bobbi c.

Oh my gosh! It IS a murder mystery. And a bit of a western romance! And suspense. And action-adventure!

On finding the right audience for our books. . .

Dear friends,

Authors around the ‘nethood are conversing daily about how we can get our books into the hands of those readers who’ll love them and hopefully recommend them to their friends (no matter how they do that-—by tweeting, Facebooking, Goodreading, Google+ing, blogging or whatever.)

Did you think we just sit down, open up the laptop, and go?  Afraid not. I WISH we had the luxury of doing that. Writing is a business, and increasingly, a lot of our time is taken up with the promotional aspects of being an author. One thing we talk about a lot is finding the perfect audience for our book. The problem with that is that many of us write books that can be categorized in more than one genre.

My novel, Lone Star Death, for example, is basically a historical murder mystery, set in central Texas in the 1880s.

There is a murdered man (victim), a murderer, lots of suspects, a sleuth (Samantha Slater, the editor of the local newspaper), a method of murder (no spoilers!) and a sidekick (Tom Hill, her printer’s assistant).  I include several real places and people that lived in Austin during that time period, and researched the book for a year before sitting down to begin writing it. 

So, it’s a murder mystery, right? Well, yes, BUT, there’s also a whole lotta action/adventure. Think bush-whackings, a runaway horse, an overturned buggy,shootings—-you get the picture. So, my book is a murder mystery/action-adventure novel.

 

Most readers assume that anything written about Texas in the 1880s is a western. I have a wonderful, high-spirited horse, I have cowboys, a train station, a beautiful ranch, a rural small town outside Austin, a “house of ill repute” and the women who live there, market days, a school teacher with a great Victorian wardrobe, a general store, a great pearl-handled pistol, etc. And I’m eligible to join Western Writers of America based on this book. So, my book is a murder mystery, action adventure AND western.

And last, but not least, I have a love interest for Samantha—-Tom--who is plumb smitten with her, an older lady (mentor) who tries to nudge them into a relationship--and a handsome rival! (Ah yes, the doctor!) Not to mention the cowboy who’s impressed with Samantha’s horse riding ability. And, finally, there’s one of those happily-ever-after-moments (after the murder mystery is solved, of course). And there's the promise of a stronger future relationship.

Not to mention the nail-biting suspense. :-)

So—if you’re mostly a western romance book reader, would you give this book a chance?  If you like historical mysteries, would the fact that there’s also a bit of light romance turn you off?

Why all this analysis, you might ask?  Because, if I write another book in this series, it will be very important for me to position it for the right market.  And yes, some of those decisions come during the writing.

For now, I’m calling the book a historical murder mystery/western romance. And I hope readers who like "all of the above" will enjoy it.

Happy trails, and happy reading!

bobbi c.
http://bobbichukran.com

Where DO those story ideas come from, anyway?

Dear friends,


I think every author has been asked this question at least once -- where DO those ideas come from? Of course, being the wild card that I am, I'll make some smart-ass reply.  "Oh, I dig them up in the yard," or "I get them from the cat, he's really good at spinning tales."  Something witty like that.

Truth be told, though, most of my fictional stories are based on true-to-life occurrences.  Some might call me nosy; I prefer to think of it as being aware, paying attention, and being a good listener.  Nothing wrong with that, is there?  There are thousands of story ideas out there.  The key is to take something and make something else out of it.  Give it a different spin.  Start with a snippet of conversation, then imagine what might come after it. (Otherwise, you're writing non-fiction.)

For example, my newest e-story, Dewey Laudermilk and the Peckerwood Tree, (second in my new "Nameless, Texas" short story series) was inspired by true events.  I was sitting in my backyard under the shade tree, after a horribly hot day of gardening.  I heard someone rev up a chainsaw, which isn’t that unusual, given that we live in a ‘hood that’s covered with ancient pecan trees.  I could see the house catty-corner from us, a rental full of rednecks.  (I can call them that since I’m kin to rednecks, and have actually been called one myself.  For some of us, it’s a thing of pride.  Just sayin’.)  

Photos can be inspirations for stories, too.

Anyway, I noticed that there were quite a few of them, all standing around an ancient pecan tree—a perfect healthy one, by the way. And they were hacking at it to beat the band.  One was at the top, waving the chainsaw around like it was a popsicle stick.  I kept waiting for him to cut his head or some other appendage off, but he didn’t.  Over the course of an hour or so, he and his buddies cut the entire tree down, but not without a few mishaps along the way.  And this was not a tiny tree; this tree was at least three-stories tall.

Since I’m madly in love with these trees, it made me heart-sick to see the tree being cut down. I won’t even cut the dead ones unless I'm forced to do so, because there are so many bird families that live in them. Woodpeckers, for instance.  Thus the “peckerwood” in the story.

In my mind, I saw the elderly lady next door come out onto her porch, shake her head, look sad, and go back inside--and in my imagination, she turned into Dewey's grandma.

Badda bing, badda boom!  Story time!  I loped inside and grabbed a pen and piece of paper.  (I should know by now to keep a pad/pencil in my pocket, because lots of my story ideas come when I’m outside, slaving away in the sun.) I scribbled a few notes – “pecan tree, lady next door, idiots, telephone pole.”

I came inside, thought about it for a while, put the notes on The Pile, and took a shower.

That night, I sat down and launched into it.  I visualized the guys cutting down the tree, and it wasn’t long before the characters took off on their own.  A few times, I gave them a nudge, thinking, what’s the WORST THING that could happen here?  What would a group like this be saying to each other, or doing?

Since the theme of REVENGE figures a lot in my stories (I don’t do it on purpose; it just happens--really), I used that for my motive. I won’t say anything more, because I hate spoilers, and it would ruin the story for you. :-)

Here’s the lesson from all this – pay attention to what other people are doing.  Because people ARE stories.  Eavesdrop if you get the chance, and don’t ever dismiss everyday happenings as inspiration for stories.  Some of the best stories might come from a comment you overhear at the Dairy Queen. "I knew he was trouble when I first laid eyes on him." 
 Hmmm--now that has story potential. By the way, until they moved out (finally!), this crazy group was the inspiration for at least two more stories. Stuff I couldn't make up if I tried!

If nothing else, you’ll be amused, and you might even get a story out of it.

Oh, and the photo on the cover of the story?  That's a log from the pecan tree next door to me.  It was also cut down because the homeowner "got tired of picking up twigs in the yard."  Perhaps there's another story in THAT one.

Happy trails from Texas!

bobbi c.

Another New Nameless, Texas Short Story Published

The second in my Nameless, Texas series of short stories...

Dewey Laudermilk and the Peckerwood Tree

Now available on Amazon.com (introductory price of 99-cents!) 

for the Kindle & other devices using the free reading apps available there.

A short story inspired by true events (unfortunately)! :-)

The second short story featuring the quirky characters of Nameless, Texas, population 2,354.

When Dewey Laudermilk decides that his grandma’s old pecan tree has to come down, he won’t take no for an answer. Pretty soon, his hilarious redneck network is on hand to help with the process.

Dewey's Grandma is heartbroken because she remembers when she and her husband planted that old tree, home to a family of woodpeckers (called “peckerwoods” by Mr. Laudermilk).

After a series of unfortunate accidents, and a mysterious illness, Dewey is reminded that sometimes it’s best to leave well enough alone.

This short story comes with a Bonus Recipe for Grandma Laudermilk’s Brown Sugar Glazed Pecans.

Thank you for supporting an independent author!

Happy trails from small-town Texas,

bobbi c.

Interviewed by Ann Marie Meyers in The Allure of Fairy Tales

Dear friends,

This morning I was honored to be interviewed by Ann Marie Meyers, author of the upcoming children's book, Up in the Air.

 The interview is all about "The Allure of Fairy Tales" and I talk about how my new middle grade novel, Princess Primrose and the Curse of The Big Sleep (and my other plays and stories based on classic tales) came to be.

 She asked some tough questions, but it was a joy to answer them.

Please read it when you get a chance.

http://www.annmarie-meyers.com/2013/06/the-allure-of-fairytales.html?spref=tw

Happily ever after,

bobbi c.

Now available for the Kindle! A new short story...

The first in my Nameless, Texas series of short stories...

Aunt Jewel and the Purloined Pork Loin

featuring Kendra Louise Harper

A Nameless, Texas Short story of 5,600 words.

With a Bonus Recipe for Aunt Jewel's Sweet 'n Tart Homemade Cranberry Sauce!

by Bobbi A. Chukran

Available NOW on Amazon.com for the Kindle, for only $1.49.