Scary Stories for a Good Cause: Crystal M. Romero on "The Relic"
Tell us a little about your story, “The Relic.”
The Relic was originally written for an LGBTQ anthology of flash fiction. This was my first encounter with the concept of writing a story with as few words as possible. I quickly discovered that it’s not as easy as I originally thought it would be. Hopefully I pulled it off.
By L.S. Johnson (https://traversingz.com/)
Tomes & Coffee Press
During her childhood, Crystal M. Romero fell in love with the horror genre. In addition to two novels, The Veil of Sorrow and Valley of the Dead, Crystal had five stories published in the LGBT 2008 flash-fiction anthology Chilling Tales of Terror and the Supernatural. Follow her onTwitter @Crstl_M_Romero or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Crystal.1a.
Tell us a little about your story, “The Relic.”
The Relic was originally written for an LGBTQ anthology of flash fiction. This was my first encounter with the concept of writing a story with as few words as possible. I quickly discovered that it’s not as easy as I originally thought it would be. Hopefully I pulled it off.
Even with its title, “The Relic” evokes ideas of artifacts and the cultures that created them. Was there a specific culture or mythology that inspired the story?
I wrote the story when I was a university student studying Meso-American history and culture. When I came across the myth of the Jaguar Goddess, which existed in both the Aztec and Mayan pantheons, I found myself intrigued by her many attributes. In both cultures the Jaguar Goddess is the protector of women, especially during childbirth. In addition to being a protector she is also considered both an earth and moon goddess.
What is your relationship to California, and does California influence your work?
Although I wasn’t born in California, I’ve lived in the Golden State since I was a year old. Owing to this I consider myself a Californian. My early years were spent in Chico, Redding and Oroville, respectively. My high school years were spent at Las Plumas High in Oroville. Oroville is a small town that sits below Table Mountain and in the shadow of Paradise. After graduation I relocated to the Bay Area at the time when it was first becoming known as Silicon Valley. Although my first novel did not take place in California, my second novel, Valley of the Dead, takes place almost exclusively in both Silicon Valley and smaller areas in northern California.
As writers, we constantly use our imaginations, sometimes in terrifying ways. But can you imagine a hopeful future for California? What might that future look like?
For me California has always been a beacon of hope for anyone looking for a place to belong regardless of ethnicity, religion or ideology. Even in the most dystopian vision of the world, I always envision California as a state that will always come through adversity with a positive outlook for our future.
Where can readers find more of your work?
Amazon.
NEXT POST ON MONDAY 10/28/19, SCARY STORIES FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Dana Fredsti on “You’ll Never Be Lunch in This Town Again
Scary Stories for a Good Cause: Anthony DeRouen on "The Patron"
Tell us a little about your story, “The Patron.”
I've always been fascinated by snow and how big of a factor it can play in stories. It can very much be your antagonist if the heroes of the story are caught unprepared. Such is the case in “The Patron” when a visiting family is caught in a blizzard …
By L.S. Johnson (https://traversingz.com/)
Anthony De Rouen has written three high-fantasy novels and is currently finishing the drafts on two supernatural horror screenplays. He turned one of the screenplays into a short called The Last Showing, which picked up a Silver Spotlight Award and was screened at the Halloween Horror Picture Show. In 2018 he founded the Death’s Parade Film Festival, which is happening October 5th, 2019 in San Jose, California.
Tell us a little about your story, “The Patron.”
I've always been fascinated by snow and how big of a factor it can play in stories. It can very much be your antagonist if the heroes of the story are caught unprepared. Such is the case in “The Patron” when a visiting family is caught in a blizzard. This can be all too real in some cases, but what happens after the blizzard passes makes for a chilling encounter with a nearby tavern.
“The Patron” has the structure—the feel—of a classic horror story. Why do you think some forms of horror keep frightening readers, generation after generation?
I grew up reading Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, then when I got older I watched re-runs of The Twilight Zone. Both mediums shared a common baseline: quick and efficient storytelling that made you think. These forms of storytelling can elicit reactions much faster, and thus give you the chance to experience more in the same period as you would traditional narratives.
What is your relationship to California?
I was born, raised, and still reside in the San Francisco Bay Area.
As writers, we constantly use our imaginations, sometimes in terrifying ways. But can you imagine a hopeful future for California? What might that future look like?
Any future can be hopeful if enough people are willing to stand up and make change.
Where can readers find more of your work?
You can find more of my work at http://anthonyderouen.blogspot.com/ and at https://www.deathparadefilmfest.com/
SCARY STORIES FOR A GOOD CAUSE will return 10/07/2019!
Scary Stories for a Good Cause: Chad Schimke on "Vivified"
Tell us a little about your story, “Vivified.”
“Vivified” is about second chances. I wanted to write a story about resurrection. Here is the blurb: When a young father doesn’t have access to his car, he decides to take a train ride. No biggie, he’s a successful businessman used to making hard decisions. But a deadly incident will force him to reexamine what’s truly important. Living his best life, and then … dead.
By L.S. Johnson (https://traversingz.com/)
Chad Schimke is the author of “Vivified”, “Behind the Walls”, “Picker”, “Weirder”, “Hallowseve” and “Midwinter”: a quirky gaggle of grotesque, bizarre and unsettling tales for your reading pleasure. He is a founder of the Alabama Street Writer’s Group, and a regular interviewee on radio shows. He is currently working on a novel series tentatively entitled Regenerates.
Tell us a little about your story, “Vivified.”
“Vivified” is about second chances. I wanted to write a story about resurrection. Here is the blurb: When a young father doesn’t have access to his car, he decides to take a train ride. No biggie, he’s a successful businessman used to making hard decisions. But a deadly incident will force him to reexamine what’s truly important. Living his best life, and then … dead.
In a sense, “Vivified” tells us two stories: one human, one animal. What inspired you to juxtapose Cliff’s story with the hare’s?
Cliff has everything figured out, and nothing new to learn. His success has made him cocky and arrogant. He’s a selfish jerk who only cares about the bottom line. He’s got a failed relationship and a kid he sees rarely. When he stops by a toy store to buy his daughter a present, he peers into a candy egg. The interior of a diorama, inside a candy Easter egg, reveals Cliff’s opposite: the momma bunny.
The momma bunny is on the other side. She’s utterly innocent and selfless, willing to risk danger to save her babies. She faces great peril but does what’s necessary anyway. She is free from the lure of material possessions or status, because nature gives her what she needs. In essence, she puts her kids first before her own life.
“Vivified” is also the story of transformation. The title means ‘restored to life’. I think that’s what happens, on multiple levels. Cliff is changed forever going forward.
What is your relationship to California, and does California influence your work?
I was raised in rural Northwestern New Mexico and came to California over twenty years ago. Somehow I made a life here in the big city so far away from my beginnings. I’m sad to see changes which have impacted San Francisco for the worse. But I still feel San Francisco holds great promise to effect change, locally and nationally. When I wrote about Cliff’s train ride, it was inspired by the time I took Amtrak to Sacramento on a business trip. I subdued the setting a great deal and changed the name, to keep the focus on the elements I thought were more important.
As writers, we constantly use our imaginations, sometimes in terrifying ways. But can you imagine a hopeful future for California? What might that future look like?
I think California has the collective resources and imagination to do great things, and be of service to the country and the world. I am sometimes disappointed by her shortcomings, but overall California is a force for good.
Where can readers find more of your work?
You can find everything you ever wanted to know about my writing at my website, my blog, and my Amazon page.
NEXT POST ON MONDAY 9/09/19, SCARY STORIES FOR A GOOD CAUSE: Anthony DeRouen on “The Patron”
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