Drown Melancholy news

 

Again, one of my stories in Cirsova Magazine made the Tangent Online Recommended Reading List - for 2025 this time: 

Reviewed by Seraph

“Drown Melancholy” by Stanley Wheeler

It is unclear whether this is a case of inspiration being found anywhere, or the result of a dare, but if you challenged someone to write a story purely on the basis of several recently popular sea shanties, it might look something like this. Don’t let that sound like criticism, it came out fantastic, and I confess to greatly enjoying the aforementioned songs. The speaker is a cabin boy on Captain Edwards ship at the height of the transatlantic era of exploration, and heard some things he wasn’t meant to. Like any good pirate tale, superstition and the supernatural abound, bordering cleanly upon madness, and even an accursed treasure is too difficult to resist. The concept that sins committed above the waves are punished beneath them is classic, but the author does a great job of cleverly weaving the shanties in throughout the story in a meaningful way. 

See all Seraph's reviews for Cirsova #24 here. 

 

For the record, that story was sort of the result of a dare: There was a call from an anthology for a story featuring a sea shanty. I wrote "Drown Melancholy" and submitted it (perhaps under a different title) only for the the publisher to delay the selection date by several months. Finally, the new date passed and the publisher failed to post any additional information or respond to requests about whether the anthology had been cancelled. After a year of nothing from that publisher, and it giving every appearance of having abandoned the proposed anthology, I submitted the story to Cirsova Magazine with good results. I had fun with  accents for a character or two as well as making the shanty intertwine with the plot. I started with nothing more than knowing which old shanty I wanted to use, and worked out the story and how the song figured in as I went along. Some would call that making it up as one goes along, but I prefer to think of it as plotting and development from the leading edge position.

Plotting and development from the leading edge was also how the story for Accidental Pirates came into existence. I knew it would feature the boys and pirates; the rest developed as the story grew. Coincidentally, the sequel, which I just completed, followed the same pattern. The sequel features the boys, kings, wizards, knights, and a plethora of fantastic beasts bent on the destruction of our heroes.

I have no idea how the sales are going for Accidental Pirates, but it was still in the double and low triple digits in the three categories in which it ranks best.

The bad grammar in the meme could be intentional, reflecting the frenzied mind of the storyteller pictured.

The sequel came out just a little bit longer than the original, but is filled with even more action and adventure. It's a rip-roaring adrenaline rush mingled with intrigue and magic.
 

 

Deborah Jarvis

 Interview with Deborah Jarvis

Author of

The Keyralithian Chronicles and Wolves Running 

 

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

Right now, I am working on a book called Wolves Running. It is not part of my first series, The Keyralithian Chronicles, but randomly came to be in January of 2021 when I was working from home and had some extra time. I had a dream, wrote it down, and the next thing I knew, I was two hundred pages in, and it’s two months later! It’s an urban fantasy (unlike The Crystal Pawn and The Ivory Queen, which are high fantasy) and is set in Colorado. The main character is a wolf shapeshifter and even though the understanding that there are shapeshifters living among the populace of the world has recently become common knowledge, she still is hiding the fact due to being a biology teacher at a high school. The problem comes where her ex is determined to get back at her for breaking up with him, and teams up with a group bent on the revealing of the “monsters” in their midst before the government can step in and protect the shapeshifter clans.

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

At this point, because it has been over 35 years since it first came into being, I really can’t say. I can point to parts and go “Oh, that was inspired by X and that was inspired by Y, but I can’t rightly say where it came from.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Mostly fantasy – high/portal and urban – but I dabble in horror now and again.

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

I am awesome at creating believable characters that people can identify with. I also think that my magic system in The Keyralithian Chronicles is one that makes sense and isn’t just off-the-wall and overpowered. My characters struggle to succeed. Things don’t just come easy for them. It’s also edited to a fare-thee-well, and it is clearly written. My editor and I worked very hard to make the books as good as they could be.

 

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

I think my childhood in the 1980s always creeps out through references in my books. I talk about movies and musicals a lot in real life, and my characters tend to as well. For Wolves Running, I am also a high school teacher, and a lot of things about schools really crept into my writing.

 

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

I’m an English teacher which means I tend to be pretty precise about language. I know mythology and biology/zoology really well, and that does tend to form a background for many points of my writing. I’m also crazy shy which makes me come off as perennially awkward!

 

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

I honestly really love The Book of the Dun Cow. It is a fantastic novel by the late Walter Wangerin, Jr. it does have some Christian overtones, which are not everyone’s jam, but the characters make up for any issues most people have with it. It was a pretty big part of my formative writing growth when I read it as a teenager, and I have used it in teaching mythology as used in literature in several courses.

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

Given that I only have two out at the moment, I have to go with The Crystal Pawn. It is the beginning of the journey, and the book is really tied into the personal relationships that the characters develop.

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

I think being forced to be at home for a year working remotely due to health reasons was a big step in me getting my writing out there. It was a way not to go stir crazy while being stuck inside. I can empathize a lot with Bo Burnham in some of his songs from his film Inside. Being home did bring up a lot of emotions and writing helped me deal with them.

 

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

“Where can we get your book?” would be a great one, but I think “Can you sign this?” is another one I like to hear, lol. Questions about my greyhounds are also always welcome!

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

“No matter where you go, there you are” I’m a fan of the Buckaroo Banzai movie from the 1980s and it always struck me that you can never escape yourself. No matter where you travel, you are there, and it is something that you always need to keep in mind.

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Thanks to Deborah for participating.

My short story "A Soldier's Bargain" was accepted for publication in Raconteur Press' Goblin Souk Anthology. The book is bound to be full of great tales of exotic and fantastic locales. Of course, that means I'll have to add another anthology on my website - at the bottom of the page.

 

Le Samourai

 For a short period of time, Le Samourai was available for free on Prime. It was a movie I had put on my watch list a long time ago. I came across it last week on some list. As soon as I finished watching, it was no longer available for free. I watched it over a three or four day period during my workout sessions on the M5.

If you really want to understand this film, take a look at the words above Alain Delon's hat. "There is no solitude greater than that of the samurai." Think about that. Now imagine a movie that conveys that sense of solitude of which there is none greater. Is that really the hook that's going to get the public all giddy with anticipation? "Come see this plenitude of solitude. You'll love it."

The shots from the film itself are even more exciting, if that's possible. Our samurai's apartment is a cheery battleship gray with added shadow for character.
 

This is not a shot of the grotto of solitude, but it is a nice angle that conveys the idea of a hideout or meditation resort for our hero or anti-hero. It's actually a garage where he takes the stolen car to get new plates put on it.

So what does our samurai do? Well, it appears he's a hit man. The exciting part of the film takes place over a period of about two seconds near the beginning when Delon confronts his target who asks him who he is and what he wants. Delon responds that his name isn't important, and "to kill you" to the second question. The target pulls a gun, but Delon-san is quicker and makes good on his reason for being there.

 It's possible I'm mistaken, but it seemed to me that he wore the hat and trench coat to commit the murder, was seen up close by one witness, and viewed leaving by several others at a distance. He had gone to the trouble to set up an alibi and ditched the murder weapon, but kept the hat and coat, knowing the cops were going to pick him up, and even wore the ensemble to the lineup. That seems like a bit of a flaw in his clever plan. Perhaps it was required by the code of solitude.

Anyhow, there's some interrogation at the police station. Delon-san doesn't get the payment he expected for doing the job, and the cops bug his place and threaten his girlfriend. There are some more things that use of the time (I won't spoil it for you by revealing them) and his solitude is broken by an intruder. It all leads to another car theft and new plates for an apparent murder at the site of the previous murder.

Let's just say that he reaches the point of maximum solitude, and the movie ends. Naturally, I've left out a lot of things that are important to the story because I didn't want to spoil it for you.

There's not much dialog in this film and it's easy to follow. I probably would've been fine to watch it without the subtitles. If you've got a hankerin' for a taste of samurai solitude, this is the film for you.

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I finished reading this gem:

 As you might expect, I highly recommend it.

Yesterday, I finished writing a story for submission to an 80s vice anthology. It's neon, and it's noir, and it's absent of gloire, wearing some tubular clothes.

 

 

M D Boncher

 Interview with M D Boncher

Author of

 Tales From the Dream Nebula, Akiniwazisaga, and more

 Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

Currently I’m working on several projects. Two short stories for an anthology, two novels I hope to have ready for publication for 1q next year if not 4q this year and a card game I hope to have a prototype ready in time in June to pitch to a game designer.

The novels are both sci fi. One is the 4^th book in my Tales From the Dream Nebula serial, and the other is a stand alone (probably) novel titled “Mech Family Robinson” which is a mashup of “Swiss Family Robinson” meets “Battletech” and “Appleseed”.

Where did you get the idea for this book or series?

Tales from the Dream Nebula was inspired by Flash Gordon. I was watching it one day and was really sad that there’d be another movie quite like that. I wanted another Ming the Merciless and so I decided to write my own version. But a funny thing happened on my way to writing it. Several ideas collided together over building my own evil space emperor who I named Xiao the Eternal. And the ideas created a really unique villain and backstory that I can’t wait to share more as time goes on in the series.

Mech Family Robinson was a joke title I said to my wife while we were driving someplace and we both went “Hey! That sounds really cool!” Then it was off to the races to figure out how to do it. It’s evolved a bit but remains true to the original concepts. I wanted to see a wholesome family story like those that used to exist. Not some broken, divorcing, constantly fighting “Simpson-esque” sort of thing. A family to aspire to be. Part of that came from watching how some friends of ours are about their children and how they’re raising them so I had some interesting examples and ideas to consider when writing my characters. It’s very loose, but you know how writers draw from everywhere.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Absolutely. Primarily Sci-Fi and Fantasy, but I’m a Blendtec blender for when it comes to genre. I have a few military style stories, post apocalyptic, classic boy’s adventure, some pulp ideas I’ve yet to write and horror. Often these things all seep into one another. Inspiration for me is like loading up your plate at thanksgiving with many different ideas. They tend to touch and mix as you pile it to overflowing. This ain’t no partitioned tray.

I try to remember that genre is a handle on a basket of concepts and promises I’m making to the reader. If it’s a sci fi story, then generally you have X amount of expectations about what that is. But since I mashup genres, it gets difficult. Makes it a little harder come marketing time, but leads to a richer, more unique story.

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

The biggest, probably most arrogant thing I can say is that nobody can tell a story the way I can. Then again, I can’t tell a story like anyone else. It was something I had to realize when confronting the idea of “writing to market”. I’m going to bring my own idea on how to satisfy any open call or writing prompt.

When writing a story, I try to remember that in the opening lines/paragraph/chapter I’m making promises to the reader about a story that by the end of our time, I best answer those to the satisfaction of the reader and myself. That, I think, grants me some authenticity and my reader’s appreciation. No matter what message may be tucked under the covers, the key question is going to be “Are you not entertained?” to steal a line from Maximus Meridius Decimus.

When you pick up a story I wrote, keep that in mind. I want you entertained. If you learned something more or found a theme. That’s a bonus.

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

I can’t say for sure. Every author infuses their stories with their own beliefs, values and experiences. I don’t deliberately write self inserts. It’s often a great way to betray the reader. With my dark epic fantasy, it’s the closest I come to “preaching” anything of my values, because it is rooted so hard into Christianity by it’s very nature. My faith means a lot to me and I want to be truthful about those subjects. On the other side, we’ve had so much message fiction out there where we get smacked over the head with a writer’s agenda we reject it. Spit the hook as I like to say. That’s why whenever I’ve talked with new Christian authors for example, I preach loudly “Story before sermon”! The concept is good for any fervently held belief that is underpinning a work of fiction. Recently I got into watching Yellowstone. Every episode that we slow down to deal with a list of grievances from the natives I darn near fast forward. Even when I agree with them on points. I felt the same way reading “Atlas Shrugged”, which I think is Ayn Rand’s second best book and most hated. The whole “John Galt Speaks” section I’m skimming because it becomes an infomercial for objectivism. Again, I agree with many things said but it’s BORING and it kills the story narrative. I stop skimming when we get back to the story action almost 75 pages later.

So entertainment first and foremost and keep any agenda or sermon you have under the covers. Show don’t tell.

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

I’ve got a lot of irons in the fire. Writing, artwork, music and even game design. It often feels like I’m getting nowhere fast, but then I turn around and see that all these things creep forward at their own pace. Me and the darling bride, are also improving our social media setup so it’s centralizing for all our benefit.

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

S. Kirk Pierzchala. Her writing style is like William Gibson and Tom Clancy had a baby. Her Cascadia series is phenomenal. You get sucked in easily and she’s easy to read. It’s not often that you run into an indie author that has both a distinctive voice but a good grasp of storytelling. She understands the pace and speed of entertainment. Either she works really hard at it, or it’s instinctual, I can’t tell which.

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

Depends on what you’re looking for. If you want some lighter fare, my Tales From the Dream Nebula series is that. It gives off a Guardians of the Galaxy meets Firefly/Serenity vibe. No superheroes, but you are in an ultratech environment, so lots of fantastical things happen.

On the other hand if you want something darker, and more introspective, you’d want to look at my Akiniwazisaga. It deals with much heavier things of personal worth, rejection, resilience, faith, trust, betrayal and righteousness. The original ideas that spawned it’s creation was to address a few thought experiments brought about by a D&D character I created over a decade before I started writing. I wanted to know if:
A- Could you have literal Christianity in a fantasy setting with all the magical fun of D&D?
B- What would a culture look like if they discovered steampower but not gunpowder? (Blame Civilization 1 for this.)
C- What if the vikings had discovered the great lakes and colonized the area?
D- Was there a way to use spiritual warfare, deliverance ministry and exorcism as a foundation for a magic “system”. I should note I hate the phrase “magic system” because I believe any magic that can be quantified, studied, made repeatable and safe is not magic. It’s technology by any other name in lines with the precepts of Clarketech.

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

Learning that the word “Networking” is adult-speak for “Making friends” and going to writer’s conferences. The first conference I ever went to was Realm Makers in 2018. It had the ironic twist of meeting my (now) wife there. But I looked at how much going was going to cost me and realized that I could not waste that money. I had to ignore my introversion and throw myself out there every chance I get. I learned quickly that the classes are for learning craft, but networking is done after hours in hotel lobbies, hotel room parties, banquet tables and quiet corners. It’s also not all about pitching your stories. It’s about you listening. Waiting to be invited to share by others and most importantly being ready to capitalize on the opportunity. It wasn’t till I went to Fantasci that my writing career started to really grow. The friends and associations you make at these events are invaluable.

The catch is figuring out if the event is going to help advance your career or is just there to take money from you. There are several, and I won’t name names that are more predatory than they are helpful. I will say any event “selling” you a system is a red flag.

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

I’ve read all your books and love what you’re doing. How can I help?”

I say this semi-tongue-in-cheek because being an indie, I have to do everything myself (okay I do have my darling bride to make a bunch of the business stuff happen because no… no I’m not built for business. I’m a creative.) I’ve always needed more help with promotion and social media and even having a person I can trust to give feed back. Indies don’t have editors to provide them with a circle of checks and balances to help hold them accountable, stay on target and then help scream to the world “The next book is out!” and celebrate that fact with them.

The good news for fans of indie authors is that you are living in a time where access to the people who create your entertainment. Your access has never been better. So if any author touches your heart, and they’re a new author, you best reach out and let them know you want to get involved.

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

I like to sign off by saying “vaya con Dios”. Go with God. It’s a nice way to send someone on their way.

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Thanks to M.D. for sharing.

I"m pleased to share this anthology cover and link - which includes my Whip and Truth story "Moonlight Fandango." (I believe M.D.'s wife also has a story in this one).

The introduction noted the inclusion of my story like this:

"One of our fan favorites, the wisecracking buddy team with the enchanted bandanas who constantly get into trouble, are back and in a tighter spot than ever."