Hi everyone today I'm going to Blog about Pete's Diary, it's the online companion to Dream Raider, that we have on our Johnny Marsh website. The Idea was first put to me by Anthony, (Ant) my business partner. After getting the website off the ground he was looking for things to fill it up and pad it out. Ant wanted something unique and something that would grab the readers and keep them coming back. He put the idea to me and I loved it, so together we hatched which character should write the diary, what would it's content be and how much of the storyline we could give away without spoiling the book.
I really wanted it to be an authentic looking diary that a teenager would write so it should be scrappy, since no one else is supposed to read it. It doesn't matter about neatness or spelling or punctuation. So it's full or errors and missing words and bad spelling. It's not a stretch for me to write like that believe me. And while we're on the subject, yes I hand write them myself. We thought in the beginning that it was a good Idea and we have been proved right, it is the most popular spot on our website.
Ant also saw the potential and made sure it had a nice home, so he took time to craft a beautiful page for it with Pete's glasses resting at the top of the page, some tea cup rings, and a pen under the diary. Plus he used some scraps of paper to click on to go from page to page. They are also my hand writing. (It's very lucky that my own handwriting is extremely scrappy.)
We now have over twenty entries in the diary and it's growing. Because the story is centered around Johnny Marsh, people are finding it interesting seeing things from Pete's perspective. You get to see another angle of Dream Raider and the fans like that. They like it that Pete talks about a girl he likes, or of his own fears about a certain situation. I guess most of the readers also like Pete and feel he deserves more book time and this is a perfect way to enter his little piece of Dream Raider.
Showing posts with label Johnny Marsh. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Johnny Marsh. Show all posts
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 8, 2011
Touching Lives
I remember the excitement of putting my ideas down for the first time and wondering if I really had it in me to finish my first story. Johnny Marsh, Monster Hunter. Yep that was Dream Raiders first title. It started out as a project very much for myself, A hobby, after all it was only going to be about fifteen thousand words long. As I wrote, the characters and the story grew, then ran ahead of me, I was truly unable to catch up at times. It soon became obvious that these characters would demand another story, another book was in the planning stages, long before I had finished the first.
Something happened the day I became a writer. I changed, I had that moment, the moment we all hear about, the moment where you realise that you have just hit a major turning point in your life and you don't ever want to go back. At that stage of my life I was healing, writing it seems was my therapy. Fifteen years have now passed since that day and I had no idea at all about what was in store for me through all that time. I simply thought that I would write my stories, get them published and give up Construction work forever. WRONG!!!
It has been tough, exciting, fun and frustrating, but the one constant that made me push on, was the fact that I was touching lives. Everywhere I go and every chance I get I talk about my work...my real work. I can see the spark light up in peoples eyes when I talk about my books and the journey I'm now on. I can see them searching, looking deep within themselves. Wondering whatever happened to their dreams. Is that you? Do you ever wonder where your dreams went? Perhaps like most people these days they are buried, buried deep under your mortgage. Or more likely, buried under your day job.
I asked myself the other day, how many people have come up to me in the thirty three years I've been in construction, just to say, "The plastering you have done has inspired me to follow my dream."
Yeah Right! But my books are another story all together. I can make a difference, I can touch your very soul with my words. I have been told that Manjucus the soul stealer in Dream Raider is scary, creepy and downright nasty. Some people despise him. I think that is so cool, that a character I made up can evoke strong feelings in my readers. It means I'm touching them. Whether I inspire, or whether I instill mistrust, it means I'm touching lives and my stories will live on, to be discussed well into the future.
To live and work uninspired is a crime. A crime against you very soul.
Something happened the day I became a writer. I changed, I had that moment, the moment we all hear about, the moment where you realise that you have just hit a major turning point in your life and you don't ever want to go back. At that stage of my life I was healing, writing it seems was my therapy. Fifteen years have now passed since that day and I had no idea at all about what was in store for me through all that time. I simply thought that I would write my stories, get them published and give up Construction work forever. WRONG!!!
It has been tough, exciting, fun and frustrating, but the one constant that made me push on, was the fact that I was touching lives. Everywhere I go and every chance I get I talk about my work...my real work. I can see the spark light up in peoples eyes when I talk about my books and the journey I'm now on. I can see them searching, looking deep within themselves. Wondering whatever happened to their dreams. Is that you? Do you ever wonder where your dreams went? Perhaps like most people these days they are buried, buried deep under your mortgage. Or more likely, buried under your day job.
I asked myself the other day, how many people have come up to me in the thirty three years I've been in construction, just to say, "The plastering you have done has inspired me to follow my dream."
Yeah Right! But my books are another story all together. I can make a difference, I can touch your very soul with my words. I have been told that Manjucus the soul stealer in Dream Raider is scary, creepy and downright nasty. Some people despise him. I think that is so cool, that a character I made up can evoke strong feelings in my readers. It means I'm touching them. Whether I inspire, or whether I instill mistrust, it means I'm touching lives and my stories will live on, to be discussed well into the future.
To live and work uninspired is a crime. A crime against you very soul.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Edit
Apart from the horrendous natural disasters to hit Queensland this year, things do seem to be looking up. I am talking on a personal level here. The decision to independently publish our next book looks like a winner all round. We have embarked on the editing journey at the moment. With a huge part of the whole journey behind us, now we can look back and see further ahead. (I hope that makes sense) We have made some firm friendships along the way, that enable us to deal with people we know we can trust. That's a big thing when you step out into the big bad world alone.
Everywhere I turn these days I have good people watching my back. I know that if I do fall there will be many hands to help me up again, and even more encouraging words of support. I feel that the next book in the Johnny Marsh series will please the ever expanding group of readers that already have a copy on their bookshelves. I'm getting good vibes off it from people who are reading it in it's current form.
It's strange because it's been a while since I finished it. I remember at the time stressing about it being the follow up in the series and worrying whether it was worthy. I read it today with a confident eye. I must admit there are a couple of places where I think to myself. Wow! Did I write that? I'm not trying to sell anyone the book here and now. I just want you all to know that I write these as much for myself as I do for my readers. That's no lie. It's simply, the truth.
I was a late starter when it came to reading and writing. One of the thing's I remember thinking while reading other peoples novels, was, these books are great, but they're so predictable. I could see closed doors everywhere in the stories and wondered why the authors never opened them. In my stories there are open doors everywhere and I trust my imagination, so watch out for the next Johnny Marsh book, we hope to have it to you real soon. I promise you will be the first to know.
Everywhere I turn these days I have good people watching my back. I know that if I do fall there will be many hands to help me up again, and even more encouraging words of support. I feel that the next book in the Johnny Marsh series will please the ever expanding group of readers that already have a copy on their bookshelves. I'm getting good vibes off it from people who are reading it in it's current form.
It's strange because it's been a while since I finished it. I remember at the time stressing about it being the follow up in the series and worrying whether it was worthy. I read it today with a confident eye. I must admit there are a couple of places where I think to myself. Wow! Did I write that? I'm not trying to sell anyone the book here and now. I just want you all to know that I write these as much for myself as I do for my readers. That's no lie. It's simply, the truth.
I was a late starter when it came to reading and writing. One of the thing's I remember thinking while reading other peoples novels, was, these books are great, but they're so predictable. I could see closed doors everywhere in the stories and wondered why the authors never opened them. In my stories there are open doors everywhere and I trust my imagination, so watch out for the next Johnny Marsh book, we hope to have it to you real soon. I promise you will be the first to know.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Body Jump Prologue Revisited.
A couple of months back I posted the Body Jump prologue. Now I love this story and the characters in it. Since its first posting it has been worked and reworked again & again, so now I can put up the final edit, this is what you will read when it comes out in hard copy or E format. A big thanks once again to Maggie Anderson for her unwavering help and support with this, as well as her belief in Body Jump
Body Jump Prologue
By K.E.Vee ©
It’s the smell. It hits like a fist in the face. The pungent stench of death is overwhelming. Susan Claw braces herself. She’d mastered the stomach clenching phase a few years ago, but the sickening smell is the one thing she can’t get accustomed to. A uniformed Sergeant leads Susan to the apartment where Bryce is already working the scene. The cop hesitates at the open door. The putrid smell of rotting flesh wafting into the hallway is enough to turn his stomach, although he's a seasoned cop and has seen his fair share of murder victims, he doesn't want to see what’s waiting for the detective in that bedroom.
Susan had just opened a bottle of Shiraz and was about to step into a long, hot bubble bath when the call came through. She stared at the phone willing it to stop ringing. The caller ID displayed “Bryce,” and she knew she had to answer it and what it would mean. Susan could sense the desperation in the ring tone. Sighing heavily and wrinkling up her nose, she snatched up the phone.
‘What have you got for me, Jim?’ She tilts her head back and closes her eyes as he gives her news she’s been dreading. ‘Shit! I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
This memory plays out in her mind as she steps through the bedroom doorway. The bizarre sadomasochistic room screams depravity—one wall lined with sex toys and whips, while chains with a neck cuff and shackles hang from the ceiling.
Bryce is hunched over the body shaking his head. His eyes wander unsure of where they should rest. The rotting corpse of a young woman is tied to the bed like an X. Under his breath he mutters, ‘How could you let this happen to you?’ Several flies take flight as he leans closer to examine the mutilation. Their buzzing around the body is a real violation as far as Bryce is concerned. It sickens him. He looks over the disturbing scene and sighs heavily.
Movement catches his eye. Her top lip is twitching. He narrows his eyes in disbelief and stares at her mouth, which is encrusted with dried blood and saliva. A fly squeezes through her parted lips and zips away. Fuck! Bryce thinks. As if this poor girl hasn’t been through enough.
Susan approaches her partner. ‘Good God, Jim.’
‘I know. It just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?’ He exhales deeply. ‘Why would you ever have a need to flay someone…alive?’
‘Do we know that for certain?’
‘Forensics hasn’t arrived yet, but that’s what it looks like to me. Look at the bindings where she’s been tied to the bed, she’s pulled at them so hard the silk has embedded into her skin. I can only assume he removed her hands and feet for trophies. I’m hoping she was dead at this point. Lack of blood seems to suggest it. Could be the bindings acted as tourniquets.’
Susan looks intently. ‘It’s possible, but I sure as hell hope not.’
‘Is this our guy? I mean it sort of looks like his MO, but none of the previous victims were flayed. Body parts missing, yeah, but certainly not flayed.’
Susan is consumed with what she sees and doesn’t look up. ‘Not sure, Jim, it could be.’
‘Shit, Sue…it looks like he’s used a saw to take off her hands and feet.’
‘Yeah,’ she says, taking a closer look. ‘I’d go with a hacksaw. What was her name?’
‘Elizabeth Paula Jenkins, but everyone called her Liz. Age 32.’
Visions flash through Jim Bryce’s mind. The frantic scenes rush into his head, blindsiding him— Liz struggling, pulling at the red silk, restraining her to the wooden four poster bed. The glint of steel plunged repeatedly into her convulsing body. Bryce can only imagine this woman’s suffering. Thank God we can’t feel her pain. His thoughts return to the blood spattered walls and what forensics would make of it all. It wasn’t the same knife that opened her up, he notes. A long blade would have caught the internal organs. It was a short bladed knife, something more akin to a builder’s utility knife, the kind that has a disposable blade. That means the killer came prepared and it was premeditated.
Bryce hopes she was dead before she was cut open and hacked up. He could only imagine the thought of her being alive while the knife sliced through the skin and muscle of her stomach, cutting a trail to her sternum where it stuck in the bone. He winces, drawing air through his teeth, and tries to dislodge the thought. All of a sudden, he hears it, starting at the back of his mind and working its way forward, demanding his attention - he can hear the grating of a saw drawn back and forth through bone. He wants to cover his ears but it wouldn’t make any difference, the teeth-jarring sound won’t stop until the hands and feet drop off. It’s a horrible mutilation, one of the worst Bryce has ever seen. And he’s seen a lot of them.
There’s no sign of the knives or a hacksaw anywhere. Both cops try to come to terms with the gruesome scene. They can see this is a young woman, but with no hands, feet or eyes it is hard to register that right now.
‘How long do you think it would take to remove the hands and feet?’
Susan looks up not really wanting to. ‘Not long. Have you ever used a hack saw?’
‘No...I’m not what you’d call a handy man.’
‘A few years ago, I was on a similar case. It turned out to be a hacksaw job. The coroner cut through a pig’s foreleg to get an idea of how long it would take. I was invited along to watch the test. It took less than a minute to make four complete cuts through flesh and bone. I tried it myself, it was unnerving how fast the hacksaw blade ripped through the bones, in fact it was sickeningly quick.
‘Less than a minute? You’re shitting me.’
Susan nodded. ‘I know, scary isn’t it. To think a body can be cut up in less than twenty minutes.’
Bryce reckons he could do without that sort of knowledge, but understands why the research is needed. These days it appears to be more the norm, mutilated corpses stuffed into every corner and crevice. What the hell happened to the days when murders were clean for Gods sake. He concentrates on the blank eye sockets staring up at him. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, where is her soul now?
The detectives stand at the bloody bedside in silence, until Susan turns to Bryce and says, ‘Where the hell do we start?’
Body Jump Prologue
By K.E.Vee ©
It’s the smell. It hits like a fist in the face. The pungent stench of death is overwhelming. Susan Claw braces herself. She’d mastered the stomach clenching phase a few years ago, but the sickening smell is the one thing she can’t get accustomed to. A uniformed Sergeant leads Susan to the apartment where Bryce is already working the scene. The cop hesitates at the open door. The putrid smell of rotting flesh wafting into the hallway is enough to turn his stomach, although he's a seasoned cop and has seen his fair share of murder victims, he doesn't want to see what’s waiting for the detective in that bedroom.
Susan had just opened a bottle of Shiraz and was about to step into a long, hot bubble bath when the call came through. She stared at the phone willing it to stop ringing. The caller ID displayed “Bryce,” and she knew she had to answer it and what it would mean. Susan could sense the desperation in the ring tone. Sighing heavily and wrinkling up her nose, she snatched up the phone.
‘What have you got for me, Jim?’ She tilts her head back and closes her eyes as he gives her news she’s been dreading. ‘Shit! I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
This memory plays out in her mind as she steps through the bedroom doorway. The bizarre sadomasochistic room screams depravity—one wall lined with sex toys and whips, while chains with a neck cuff and shackles hang from the ceiling.
Bryce is hunched over the body shaking his head. His eyes wander unsure of where they should rest. The rotting corpse of a young woman is tied to the bed like an X. Under his breath he mutters, ‘How could you let this happen to you?’ Several flies take flight as he leans closer to examine the mutilation. Their buzzing around the body is a real violation as far as Bryce is concerned. It sickens him. He looks over the disturbing scene and sighs heavily.
Movement catches his eye. Her top lip is twitching. He narrows his eyes in disbelief and stares at her mouth, which is encrusted with dried blood and saliva. A fly squeezes through her parted lips and zips away. Fuck! Bryce thinks. As if this poor girl hasn’t been through enough.
Susan approaches her partner. ‘Good God, Jim.’
‘I know. It just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?’ He exhales deeply. ‘Why would you ever have a need to flay someone…alive?’
‘Do we know that for certain?’
‘Forensics hasn’t arrived yet, but that’s what it looks like to me. Look at the bindings where she’s been tied to the bed, she’s pulled at them so hard the silk has embedded into her skin. I can only assume he removed her hands and feet for trophies. I’m hoping she was dead at this point. Lack of blood seems to suggest it. Could be the bindings acted as tourniquets.’
Susan looks intently. ‘It’s possible, but I sure as hell hope not.’
‘Is this our guy? I mean it sort of looks like his MO, but none of the previous victims were flayed. Body parts missing, yeah, but certainly not flayed.’
Susan is consumed with what she sees and doesn’t look up. ‘Not sure, Jim, it could be.’
‘Shit, Sue…it looks like he’s used a saw to take off her hands and feet.’
‘Yeah,’ she says, taking a closer look. ‘I’d go with a hacksaw. What was her name?’
‘Elizabeth Paula Jenkins, but everyone called her Liz. Age 32.’
Visions flash through Jim Bryce’s mind. The frantic scenes rush into his head, blindsiding him— Liz struggling, pulling at the red silk, restraining her to the wooden four poster bed. The glint of steel plunged repeatedly into her convulsing body. Bryce can only imagine this woman’s suffering. Thank God we can’t feel her pain. His thoughts return to the blood spattered walls and what forensics would make of it all. It wasn’t the same knife that opened her up, he notes. A long blade would have caught the internal organs. It was a short bladed knife, something more akin to a builder’s utility knife, the kind that has a disposable blade. That means the killer came prepared and it was premeditated.
Bryce hopes she was dead before she was cut open and hacked up. He could only imagine the thought of her being alive while the knife sliced through the skin and muscle of her stomach, cutting a trail to her sternum where it stuck in the bone. He winces, drawing air through his teeth, and tries to dislodge the thought. All of a sudden, he hears it, starting at the back of his mind and working its way forward, demanding his attention - he can hear the grating of a saw drawn back and forth through bone. He wants to cover his ears but it wouldn’t make any difference, the teeth-jarring sound won’t stop until the hands and feet drop off. It’s a horrible mutilation, one of the worst Bryce has ever seen. And he’s seen a lot of them.
There’s no sign of the knives or a hacksaw anywhere. Both cops try to come to terms with the gruesome scene. They can see this is a young woman, but with no hands, feet or eyes it is hard to register that right now.
‘How long do you think it would take to remove the hands and feet?’
Susan looks up not really wanting to. ‘Not long. Have you ever used a hack saw?’
‘No...I’m not what you’d call a handy man.’
‘A few years ago, I was on a similar case. It turned out to be a hacksaw job. The coroner cut through a pig’s foreleg to get an idea of how long it would take. I was invited along to watch the test. It took less than a minute to make four complete cuts through flesh and bone. I tried it myself, it was unnerving how fast the hacksaw blade ripped through the bones, in fact it was sickeningly quick.
‘Less than a minute? You’re shitting me.’
Susan nodded. ‘I know, scary isn’t it. To think a body can be cut up in less than twenty minutes.’
Bryce reckons he could do without that sort of knowledge, but understands why the research is needed. These days it appears to be more the norm, mutilated corpses stuffed into every corner and crevice. What the hell happened to the days when murders were clean for Gods sake. He concentrates on the blank eye sockets staring up at him. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, where is her soul now?
The detectives stand at the bloody bedside in silence, until Susan turns to Bryce and says, ‘Where the hell do we start?’
Monday, November 1, 2010
Are Writers Broken? Part 2
I'm a bit melancholy at the moment and I'm not sure why. It could be the fact that I have no work for a few weeks, thanks to the GFC. It could be life or it could be the ghosts of the past haunting me again/still. I asked a few months back if all writers were broken and do we to try and mend ourselves with the soothing caress of the written word? I know from personal experience that this is true of myself. I haven't written for a couple of weeks and this could have something to do with my current state of mind.
It does seem that writing is an outlet through which I funnel my steam. Writing this blog right now is lifting the clouds. I sat down tonight not knowing what I was going to put up on my blog wall, but knew I had to write something. I must say I'm glad I have this blog here. I know that very few people read it but it is a comfort knowing it's here. So to those of you who do read this thank you, and know that I'm battling my demon's just like you are. So I guess that answers part 2 of the question. Yep still broken.
It does seem that writing is an outlet through which I funnel my steam. Writing this blog right now is lifting the clouds. I sat down tonight not knowing what I was going to put up on my blog wall, but knew I had to write something. I must say I'm glad I have this blog here. I know that very few people read it but it is a comfort knowing it's here. So to those of you who do read this thank you, and know that I'm battling my demon's just like you are. So I guess that answers part 2 of the question. Yep still broken.
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Body Jump Prologue
Well here it is, the Body Jump Prologue. This is an adult story so you have been warned. This is to set the scene and lead the reader into the story and not too gently I might add. Please enjoy and feel free to comment on this Prologue. I must give a special thanks to Maggie Anderson for her wonderful support and encouragement with this prologue, thanks Maggs.
Body Jump Prologue
By K.E.Vee 2010 ©
It’s the smell. It hits like a fist in the face. The pungent stench of death is overwhelming.
Susan Claw braces herself. She’d mastered the stomach clenching phase a few years ago, but the sickening smell is the thing that gives a sharp jolt and warns her of what she's about to witness. A uniformed cop leads Susan with hesitant steps to the room where Jim Bryce is waiting for her.
Bryce was still at the office when the call came in, Susan on the other hand had already left; She had a date and was ready for a night of passionless, animalistic sex.
Susan had just opened a bottle of Shiraz and was about to step into a long, hot bubble bath when the call came through. She stared at the phone willing it to stop ringing. The caller ID displayed “Bryce,” and she knew she had to answer it and what it would mean. Susan could sense the desperation in the ring tone. Sighing heavily and wrinkling up her nose, she snatched up her phone.
‘What have you got for me Jim?’ She tilts her head back and closes her eyes as he gives her news she has been dreading. ‘Shit! I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
This memory plays out in her mind as she steps through the bedroom doorway. The bizarre sadomasochistic room screams depravity—one wall lined with sex toys and whips, while chains with a neck cuff and shackles hang from the ceiling.
Bryce is hunched over the body shaking his head. His eyes wander unsure of where they should rest. The rotting corpse of a young woman is tied to the bed like an X. Under his breath he mutters, ‘how could you let this happen to you?’ Several flies take flight as he leans closer to examine the mutilation. Their buzzing around the body is a real violation as far as Bryce is concerned. It sickens him. He looks over the disturbing scene and sighs heavily.
Movement catches his eye. Her top lip is twitching. He narrows his eyes in disbelief and stares at her mouth, which is encrusted with dried blood and saliva. A fly squeezes through her parted lips and zips away. Fuck! Bryce thinks to himself, as if this poor girl hasn’t been through enough.
Susan approaches her partner. ‘Good God, Jim,’
‘I know. It just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?’ He exhales deeply. ‘Why would you ever have a need to flay someone…alive?’
‘Do we know that for certain?’
‘Forensics haven’t arrived yet, but that’s what it looks like to me. Look at her bindings where she’s been tied to the bed, she’s pulled at them so hard that the silk has embedded into her skin. He’s removed her hands and feet for what I can only assume as trophies. I’m hoping at this point she was dead. Lack of blood seems to suggest this or it could just be that the bindings acted as tourniquets.’
Susan looks intently, ‘it’s possible, but I sure as hell hope not’
‘Is this our guy? I mean it sort of looks like his MO, but there haven’t been any past victims that have been flayed before. Body parts missing, yeah, but certainly not flayed.’
Susan is consumed with what she sees and doesn’t look up when she answers. ‘Not sure, Jim it could be.’
‘Shit, Sue…it looks like he’s used a saw to take off her hands and feet.’
‘Yeah she says, taking a closer look. ‘I’d go with a hacksaw. What was her name?’
‘Elizabeth Paula Jenkins, but everyone called her Liz, she was 32.’
Visions flash through Jim Bryce’s mind. The frantic scenes rush at him, blindsiding him— Liz struggling, pulling at the red silk, restraining her to the wooden four poster bed. The glint of steel plunged repeatedly into her convulsing body. Bryce can only imagine this woman’s suffering. Thank God we can’t feel her pain. His thoughts return to the blood splatter around the walls and what forensics would make of it all. It wasn’t the same knife that opened her up, he notes. A long blade would have caught the internal organs. It was a short bladed knife, something more akin to a builder’s utility knife, the kind that has a disposable blade. That means the killer came prepared and it was premeditated.
Bryce hopes she was dead before she was cut open and hacked up. He could only imagine the thought of her being alive while the knife sliced through the skin and muscle of her stomach, cutting a trail to her sternum where it temporarily got stuck in the bone. He winces, drawing air through his teeth as he tries to rid himself of that thought. Then he hears it, starting at the back of his mind and working its way forward, demanding his attention. He can hear the grating of a saw drawn back and forth through bone. He wants to cover his ears but it wouldn’t make any difference, the teeth-jarring sound won’t stop until the hands and feet drop off. It’s a horrible mutilation, one of the worst Bryce has ever seen and he’s seen a lot of them.
There’s no sign of the knives or hacksaw anywhere. Both cops are trying to come to terms with the gruesome scene. They can see this is a young woman, but with no hands, feet or eyes it is hard to register that right now.
‘How long do you think it would take to remove the hands and feet?’
Susan looks up not really wanting to. ‘Not long. Have you ever used a hack saw?’
‘No....I’m not what you’d call a handy man.’
‘A few years ago, I was on a similar case. It turned out to be a hacksaw job. The coroner cut through a pig’s foreleg to get an idea of how long it would take’
‘I was invited along to watch the test. It took less than a minute to make four complete cuts through flesh and bone. I tried it myself, it was unnerving how fast the hacksaw blade ripped through the bones, in fact it was sickeningly quick.
‘Less than a minute? You’re shitting me.’
Susan nodded ‘I know, scary isn’t it. To think a body could be cut up in less than twenty minutes.’
Bryce reckons he could do without that sort of knowledge, but understands why the research is needed. These days it appears to be more the norm, mutilated corpses stuffed into every corner and crevice. What the hell happened to the days when murders were clean for Gods sake, thinks Bryce as he surveys the annihilatory scene beneath him. The worst has to be the blank eye sockets. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then where is her soul now? Jim Bryce and Susan Claw heave a collective sigh.
Susan turns to Bryce and says. ‘Where the hell do we start?’
Body Jump Prologue
By K.E.Vee 2010 ©
It’s the smell. It hits like a fist in the face. The pungent stench of death is overwhelming.
Susan Claw braces herself. She’d mastered the stomach clenching phase a few years ago, but the sickening smell is the thing that gives a sharp jolt and warns her of what she's about to witness. A uniformed cop leads Susan with hesitant steps to the room where Jim Bryce is waiting for her.
Bryce was still at the office when the call came in, Susan on the other hand had already left; She had a date and was ready for a night of passionless, animalistic sex.
Susan had just opened a bottle of Shiraz and was about to step into a long, hot bubble bath when the call came through. She stared at the phone willing it to stop ringing. The caller ID displayed “Bryce,” and she knew she had to answer it and what it would mean. Susan could sense the desperation in the ring tone. Sighing heavily and wrinkling up her nose, she snatched up her phone.
‘What have you got for me Jim?’ She tilts her head back and closes her eyes as he gives her news she has been dreading. ‘Shit! I’ll be there as soon as I can.’
This memory plays out in her mind as she steps through the bedroom doorway. The bizarre sadomasochistic room screams depravity—one wall lined with sex toys and whips, while chains with a neck cuff and shackles hang from the ceiling.
Bryce is hunched over the body shaking his head. His eyes wander unsure of where they should rest. The rotting corpse of a young woman is tied to the bed like an X. Under his breath he mutters, ‘how could you let this happen to you?’ Several flies take flight as he leans closer to examine the mutilation. Their buzzing around the body is a real violation as far as Bryce is concerned. It sickens him. He looks over the disturbing scene and sighs heavily.
Movement catches his eye. Her top lip is twitching. He narrows his eyes in disbelief and stares at her mouth, which is encrusted with dried blood and saliva. A fly squeezes through her parted lips and zips away. Fuck! Bryce thinks to himself, as if this poor girl hasn’t been through enough.
Susan approaches her partner. ‘Good God, Jim,’
‘I know. It just keeps getting worse, doesn’t it?’ He exhales deeply. ‘Why would you ever have a need to flay someone…alive?’
‘Do we know that for certain?’
‘Forensics haven’t arrived yet, but that’s what it looks like to me. Look at her bindings where she’s been tied to the bed, she’s pulled at them so hard that the silk has embedded into her skin. He’s removed her hands and feet for what I can only assume as trophies. I’m hoping at this point she was dead. Lack of blood seems to suggest this or it could just be that the bindings acted as tourniquets.’
Susan looks intently, ‘it’s possible, but I sure as hell hope not’
‘Is this our guy? I mean it sort of looks like his MO, but there haven’t been any past victims that have been flayed before. Body parts missing, yeah, but certainly not flayed.’
Susan is consumed with what she sees and doesn’t look up when she answers. ‘Not sure, Jim it could be.’
‘Shit, Sue…it looks like he’s used a saw to take off her hands and feet.’
‘Yeah she says, taking a closer look. ‘I’d go with a hacksaw. What was her name?’
‘Elizabeth Paula Jenkins, but everyone called her Liz, she was 32.’
Visions flash through Jim Bryce’s mind. The frantic scenes rush at him, blindsiding him— Liz struggling, pulling at the red silk, restraining her to the wooden four poster bed. The glint of steel plunged repeatedly into her convulsing body. Bryce can only imagine this woman’s suffering. Thank God we can’t feel her pain. His thoughts return to the blood splatter around the walls and what forensics would make of it all. It wasn’t the same knife that opened her up, he notes. A long blade would have caught the internal organs. It was a short bladed knife, something more akin to a builder’s utility knife, the kind that has a disposable blade. That means the killer came prepared and it was premeditated.
Bryce hopes she was dead before she was cut open and hacked up. He could only imagine the thought of her being alive while the knife sliced through the skin and muscle of her stomach, cutting a trail to her sternum where it temporarily got stuck in the bone. He winces, drawing air through his teeth as he tries to rid himself of that thought. Then he hears it, starting at the back of his mind and working its way forward, demanding his attention. He can hear the grating of a saw drawn back and forth through bone. He wants to cover his ears but it wouldn’t make any difference, the teeth-jarring sound won’t stop until the hands and feet drop off. It’s a horrible mutilation, one of the worst Bryce has ever seen and he’s seen a lot of them.
There’s no sign of the knives or hacksaw anywhere. Both cops are trying to come to terms with the gruesome scene. They can see this is a young woman, but with no hands, feet or eyes it is hard to register that right now.
‘How long do you think it would take to remove the hands and feet?’
Susan looks up not really wanting to. ‘Not long. Have you ever used a hack saw?’
‘No....I’m not what you’d call a handy man.’
‘A few years ago, I was on a similar case. It turned out to be a hacksaw job. The coroner cut through a pig’s foreleg to get an idea of how long it would take’
‘I was invited along to watch the test. It took less than a minute to make four complete cuts through flesh and bone. I tried it myself, it was unnerving how fast the hacksaw blade ripped through the bones, in fact it was sickeningly quick.
‘Less than a minute? You’re shitting me.’
Susan nodded ‘I know, scary isn’t it. To think a body could be cut up in less than twenty minutes.’
Bryce reckons he could do without that sort of knowledge, but understands why the research is needed. These days it appears to be more the norm, mutilated corpses stuffed into every corner and crevice. What the hell happened to the days when murders were clean for Gods sake, thinks Bryce as he surveys the annihilatory scene beneath him. The worst has to be the blank eye sockets. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then where is her soul now? Jim Bryce and Susan Claw heave a collective sigh.
Susan turns to Bryce and says. ‘Where the hell do we start?’
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Bloody Punctuation & Spelling
Regular followers of my blog will have noticed that I'm not the best with punctuation and spelling. Well I'm here to tell you that from this day forward, I'm not going to change.
Sorry, but to be honest, I can't promise something I just can't deliver on. My grasp of the English language is very weak and I'm painfully aware of that sad fact, it's pointed out to me on a regular bases. I'm no scholar and I've never professed to be. What I am is a trier, I try my best with everything. I excel at some things in my life but unfortunately fall short with others, punctuation and spelling are two that I fall down on.
So if after 47 yrs I have failed to understand it, I really don't think it's going to click into place anytime soon, much to the frustration of my family and friends. Now if they're frustrated then how do they think I feel about it?
What I can do is put together a great plot, with some wonderful characters thrown in the mix. So I can bake the cake but I can't do the icing, that I have to leave in the capable hands of others, thank goodness there are people in my life I can trust to do that. As for those of you I frustrate with my bad punctuation well I guess you had best not follow my blog, because it won't be changing any time soon. For those of you willing to stay, please enjoy the ride. I will be posting the edited prologue for Body Jump at my next blog post so keep a critical eye open for it.
Sorry, but to be honest, I can't promise something I just can't deliver on. My grasp of the English language is very weak and I'm painfully aware of that sad fact, it's pointed out to me on a regular bases. I'm no scholar and I've never professed to be. What I am is a trier, I try my best with everything. I excel at some things in my life but unfortunately fall short with others, punctuation and spelling are two that I fall down on.
So if after 47 yrs I have failed to understand it, I really don't think it's going to click into place anytime soon, much to the frustration of my family and friends. Now if they're frustrated then how do they think I feel about it?
What I can do is put together a great plot, with some wonderful characters thrown in the mix. So I can bake the cake but I can't do the icing, that I have to leave in the capable hands of others, thank goodness there are people in my life I can trust to do that. As for those of you I frustrate with my bad punctuation well I guess you had best not follow my blog, because it won't be changing any time soon. For those of you willing to stay, please enjoy the ride. I will be posting the edited prologue for Body Jump at my next blog post so keep a critical eye open for it.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Good News
I was mucking around on my iPad the other day when an email came in. Nothing too significant really, emails come in at all times of the day, but I don't normally hear them come in. When I looked, the email was titled, "Bad & Good." So I read on, it was from a guy I submitted three pieces of Flash Fiction to back in the early part of this year.
The email was to say that two of the three flash pieces had been selected and they were going into an anthology, along with the works of other Australian authors. I was overjoyed at this news, because as any other author will tell you, we rarely get acceptance letters. The letters we do receive are normally always rejections or just the normal bills from everyday life. I had even received conformation earlier in the year that the three pieces I'd sent were short listed and even this failed to move me towards excitement.
I guess after all this time I'm a bit jaded, because each time in the past I've gotten excited, the anti excitement police would bust down my front door and take no prisoners. Leaving me, to feel hollow once again. Ha! Not this time I can actually enjoy this moment and give myself a well deserved pat on the Back, all the while saying, it's about bloody time.
The email was to say that two of the three flash pieces had been selected and they were going into an anthology, along with the works of other Australian authors. I was overjoyed at this news, because as any other author will tell you, we rarely get acceptance letters. The letters we do receive are normally always rejections or just the normal bills from everyday life. I had even received conformation earlier in the year that the three pieces I'd sent were short listed and even this failed to move me towards excitement.
I guess after all this time I'm a bit jaded, because each time in the past I've gotten excited, the anti excitement police would bust down my front door and take no prisoners. Leaving me, to feel hollow once again. Ha! Not this time I can actually enjoy this moment and give myself a well deserved pat on the Back, all the while saying, it's about bloody time.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Critique
I have recently joined a writers group. For the first 14 yrs I had done and been alone with my writing. So being around a group of writers was a daunting prospect. I was really nervous about submitting a piece for critiquing as I had this vision of people looking over the top of their glasses, all shaking their heads with extreme disapproval at what they had just read. It's what school was like for me, so that's what I was expecting when my turn came for submission.
What I did find was a group of dedicated people who really care about the other people sitting at the table. None of them were condescending, or put themselves above the others. Basically we are all the same so that's how we are all treated. I submitted a piece of flash fiction it's a piece I posted here around Christmas time, called 'Long Haul' originally titled 'Why' also posted here. I got so much helpful feedback that once I got the time, I sat down and sorted through the comments.
I felt like I was opening a Christmas present it was that good. I sorted through all the comments and tweaked the story once again pulling it tighter together. I'm lucky, the writers group I belong to is generous and caring, but I have heard horror stories about other writing groups. So thanks to Andrew,Jan,Kelly,Maggie,Deb,Robin and our group leader Karen. I'm glad to be part of the team.
What I did find was a group of dedicated people who really care about the other people sitting at the table. None of them were condescending, or put themselves above the others. Basically we are all the same so that's how we are all treated. I submitted a piece of flash fiction it's a piece I posted here around Christmas time, called 'Long Haul' originally titled 'Why' also posted here. I got so much helpful feedback that once I got the time, I sat down and sorted through the comments.
I felt like I was opening a Christmas present it was that good. I sorted through all the comments and tweaked the story once again pulling it tighter together. I'm lucky, the writers group I belong to is generous and caring, but I have heard horror stories about other writing groups. So thanks to Andrew,Jan,Kelly,Maggie,Deb,Robin and our group leader Karen. I'm glad to be part of the team.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Incredible Journey
When I started writing all those years ago, I had no idea of where it was truly going to take me. All I knew back then was that I had finally found the one thing in my life that had always been lacking and was completely untapped, my creativity. I had never been so happy and so busy all at once. Every day was a new adventure in research and story direction. Each new fact screamed at me and told me that it was a perfect piece for the jigsaw puzzle that is Dream Raider.
I have been on this incredible journey ever since and I don't want it to ever end. I love escaping and hiding, running through my own worlds, breathing the air of my own creation. When I write that's where I go, I am totally immersed in my own world. I experience the world through my characters eyes. When I'm in the zone, well lets just say I can't type fast enough. Dream Raider has given me far more than I ever thought possible, it has provided me with opportunities I would never have otherwise had. It has also provided more pleasure than I have ever experienced before with anything else I have achieved.
I have met some truly wonderful people through this book and can highly recommend this journey to anyone also contemplating it. "WARNING!" It is not easy and can be thankless and sometimes soul destroying. But just like every other thing in this life, you have to experience the bad to truly appreciate the good. Take it from me though the good stays while the bad fades, and the incredible journey continues.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Eye's Open
I know I probably don't blog as much as I should, I struggle with this as I'm aware people like yourselves want to know and be updated regularly. Since my last blog things have really started to move. We have made significant inroads into major book chains where we are given some respect these days instead of being treated like something that is stuck to the bottom of their shoes. It's amazing isn't it how money talks, we proved ourselves in sales and the doors that were locked to us before were suddenly flung open.
The sad fact is that so many authors approach book stores today that they are tired of seeing them turn up. You are given a time and a date and expected to fail and go home, never to be seen again. Unfortunately this does happen all too often. I've been in this industry long enough now to see the train wrecks and the bodies strewn around the wreckage. I've been in a few myself, I certainly can't say I don't have any injuries or scars either.
This industry is just like every other, it's not glamorous or an easy ride. So many of us start out with stars in our eyes and blinkers on if you hang around long enough you start to realise that the stars are from the constant knocks your taking and the blinkers have been hiding the truth.
If you want your project to succeed then you have to make it happen, no one else is going to do it for you. Don't leave your work in the hands of others, they will let you down, no one will put as much effort into your work as you do. Third parties are the worst, things you can't do yourself and you trust others to do. They promise you the world and it all sounds great until they deliver, invariably late and to a sub standard. Frustrating is the word, when your heart and soul is there and others just trample all over it not caring.
On the other side of the coin you can also be lucky and find a few that are as considerate as you are. Hang on to these they are worth their weight in gold. We do have a couple like this and are grateful of it, but they are few and far between.
It's not all doom and gloom but I want you to be aware that it is important to go in with your eyes wide and your mind alert. Don't be fooled by someone shining you on, take everything said with a grain of salt. I don't want to see another train wreck.
The sad fact is that so many authors approach book stores today that they are tired of seeing them turn up. You are given a time and a date and expected to fail and go home, never to be seen again. Unfortunately this does happen all too often. I've been in this industry long enough now to see the train wrecks and the bodies strewn around the wreckage. I've been in a few myself, I certainly can't say I don't have any injuries or scars either.
This industry is just like every other, it's not glamorous or an easy ride. So many of us start out with stars in our eyes and blinkers on if you hang around long enough you start to realise that the stars are from the constant knocks your taking and the blinkers have been hiding the truth.
If you want your project to succeed then you have to make it happen, no one else is going to do it for you. Don't leave your work in the hands of others, they will let you down, no one will put as much effort into your work as you do. Third parties are the worst, things you can't do yourself and you trust others to do. They promise you the world and it all sounds great until they deliver, invariably late and to a sub standard. Frustrating is the word, when your heart and soul is there and others just trample all over it not caring.
On the other side of the coin you can also be lucky and find a few that are as considerate as you are. Hang on to these they are worth their weight in gold. We do have a couple like this and are grateful of it, but they are few and far between.
It's not all doom and gloom but I want you to be aware that it is important to go in with your eyes wide and your mind alert. Don't be fooled by someone shining you on, take everything said with a grain of salt. I don't want to see another train wreck.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Six months on.
It's been six months since releasing Dream Raider to the open market. As you will know if you have been following my blog. It's like everything else in life there's no such thing as an easy ride. My life is a testament to that, so the last six months although exciting have also been up and down. We have contacted various book shops, media outlets, and radio stations, without much success or recognition.
While in the meantime our Facebook site and our website have been steadily growing in followers. We get numerous comments to both sites regularly, from enthusiastic readers which is great. The power of facebook and twitter are not to be underestimated, use all these tools they are great to spread the word about your books or whatever.
On a whim I sent two copies of Dream Raider to the ABC Radio station where the breakfast team mentioned it on air, a week later they did a review of it also live. The same week we had three newspaper interviews. Another week later we had our first book signing at a book store which was a huge success. Perseverance is the key to all of this, yes we had some media exposure but where do you think that all came from? Of course it was us and our perseverance we contacted the media outlets no one else did it for us. We had plenty of knock backs and received the book back a number of times, with the obligatory thanks but no thanks.
Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns, when you get the opportunity pull out all the stops, and show them just what you do have and are capable of. We did and now more doors are open to us. Don't forget to enjoy the ride. Don't do what others do and close your eyes, take in everything around you and remember it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly, it makes all our lives what they are. Oh and I'm also aware that it can suck.
While in the meantime our Facebook site and our website have been steadily growing in followers. We get numerous comments to both sites regularly, from enthusiastic readers which is great. The power of facebook and twitter are not to be underestimated, use all these tools they are great to spread the word about your books or whatever.
On a whim I sent two copies of Dream Raider to the ABC Radio station where the breakfast team mentioned it on air, a week later they did a review of it also live. The same week we had three newspaper interviews. Another week later we had our first book signing at a book store which was a huge success. Perseverance is the key to all of this, yes we had some media exposure but where do you think that all came from? Of course it was us and our perseverance we contacted the media outlets no one else did it for us. We had plenty of knock backs and received the book back a number of times, with the obligatory thanks but no thanks.
Sometimes you have to take the bull by the horns, when you get the opportunity pull out all the stops, and show them just what you do have and are capable of. We did and now more doors are open to us. Don't forget to enjoy the ride. Don't do what others do and close your eyes, take in everything around you and remember it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly, it makes all our lives what they are. Oh and I'm also aware that it can suck.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Total re-write
Hi everyone it's been a little while but I've been busy with work and such. I sent the three short stories off and two are now on the short list for publication, and you read them here first. Anyway The third was sent back with a request for a re-write. I thought about it and I decided to give it a go. This is what I came up, with let me know which version you like better. The original, or the re-write. Oh it even has a new title as "Why" didn't seen to work anymore sorry Hayley. So here is "Long Haul."
Long Haul
By Kev Webb 2010 ©
Edited By Penny Springthorpe
We haul liquid diamonds from the gas giants in our solar system. It sounds glamorous, but living it is a different story. It’s tough waking up after each long sleep and remembering how far we are from home.
Every time I look at my watch I wonder what she’s doing now. I think about her, lying there in that king-sized bed. On more than one occasion she has sent me pictures via the ship’s mail system. In the shots, all I can see is one long, beautiful leg stretched out and resting on the bedclothes. How many times have I run my rough calloused hands over that leg? I always feel as though I’m touching one of the things in life I know I shouldn’t, even though I’m allowed to. With the touch come the soft croons and the softer touch of her lips on my ear as she whispers for me to be bolder with my caresses. Nothing has ever been this beautiful, or sensual.
My heart jumps as a spike of adrenalin rips into it with sudden impact; the touch of her fingertips forces me to catch my breath. My body quivers with anticipation as, in my mind, her breath caresses the nape of my neck. I don’t want these thoughts to ever end. The simple joy of a soft touch … Just the suggestion of tasting the forbidden fruit is enough. I don’t have to actually bite into it to taste the nectar; I taste it every time I close my eyes and think of her. It leaves its bitter sweetness on my lips; it leaves it there for me to taste and to savour.
Why do I deserve this wanton desire? Why is it directed at me? Why does she look at me in a way that no one ever has before? The kiss — the soft touch of her lips against mine, the heightened excitement of us both as our body heat rises in time with the urgency of our kisses. She’s got me again.
I can’t resist her; I want to be a part of her. I want to feel the silky velvet of her passion as she rises to meet me. The excitement in her low sighing moan weaves its magic as we work together to become one. I feel my heart hammering in my chest as she wraps her arms around me and pulls herself even closer. Her eyes close as she softly bites her bottom lip.
Excitement surges from her as a rapturous exaltation of breath; her eyes open and dilated pupils constrict as the light forces them to pinholes. She smiles as desire turns to shameless lust. It’s time – time to put it into overdrive, time to please her.
Oh God when will this end? When will I be able to go home to some semblance of normality?
They told us the technology was here to help. They assured us it was safe. Everything will be fine, they told us. Numerous studies into the effects of extended periods of hyper sleep dictated that a program had to be devised for the mental well-being and stability of the crew. Our minds needed constant stimulation or they would shut down. The company had lost dozens of employees over the years to hyper sleep sickness. They incorporated the program into the hyper sleep mode to keep us stimulated and to ensure that none of the crew went crazy from loneliness. Even though our bodies are in hyper sleep, our minds are still active.
The more cynical crew members believe it’s a company conspiracy designed to keep us in the job, and come to think of it, in the five years I’ve been doing this run no one has quit.
Empathic neurons … artificial empathic neurons that connect directly to our brains. Because the artificial neurons are empathic, they adjust completely to our genetic make-up. They are locked to our code and are completely sympathetic to our personalities, meaning that each person that is subjected to it gets the companion to match his or her needs and wants.
That’s all well and good, but where does that leave us all now? We can’t live without it. None of the other crew – not one! – has a family to go home to.
Through their studies , the company found out that sexual stimulation is the best way to keep the brain in perfect working order. Each crew member is asked to pick a virtual partner when he or she signs up.
Virtual … Interactive … Extension of … Empathic … Neurons.
VIXEN.
The virtual partners may look different but they are all the same, just ones and zeros creating the same pleasing algorithm to sooth us all. They said Vixen would be our saviour, but instead it’s our captor and we’re willing prisoners of its whims. They never told us about the addiction.
We all took this job because of the big money on offer, and Vixen, well, that was a bonus. It was comforting at first to have someone there for the long journey; we spend almost two years – ninety-nine percent of our time – in hyper sleep. So like lambs to the slaughter we go into our ‘coffins’ for extended periods of slumber. We can’t wait to have our neurons pumped full of Vixen. The point is, if we go we lose the thing that has become the most precious to us all. Vixen is always there, always eager to please. Vixen never says no to anything.
Will I ever be free to think of anyone else?
I wonder what she’s doing now.
Long Haul
By Kev Webb 2010 ©
Edited By Penny Springthorpe
We haul liquid diamonds from the gas giants in our solar system. It sounds glamorous, but living it is a different story. It’s tough waking up after each long sleep and remembering how far we are from home.
Every time I look at my watch I wonder what she’s doing now. I think about her, lying there in that king-sized bed. On more than one occasion she has sent me pictures via the ship’s mail system. In the shots, all I can see is one long, beautiful leg stretched out and resting on the bedclothes. How many times have I run my rough calloused hands over that leg? I always feel as though I’m touching one of the things in life I know I shouldn’t, even though I’m allowed to. With the touch come the soft croons and the softer touch of her lips on my ear as she whispers for me to be bolder with my caresses. Nothing has ever been this beautiful, or sensual.
My heart jumps as a spike of adrenalin rips into it with sudden impact; the touch of her fingertips forces me to catch my breath. My body quivers with anticipation as, in my mind, her breath caresses the nape of my neck. I don’t want these thoughts to ever end. The simple joy of a soft touch … Just the suggestion of tasting the forbidden fruit is enough. I don’t have to actually bite into it to taste the nectar; I taste it every time I close my eyes and think of her. It leaves its bitter sweetness on my lips; it leaves it there for me to taste and to savour.
Why do I deserve this wanton desire? Why is it directed at me? Why does she look at me in a way that no one ever has before? The kiss — the soft touch of her lips against mine, the heightened excitement of us both as our body heat rises in time with the urgency of our kisses. She’s got me again.
I can’t resist her; I want to be a part of her. I want to feel the silky velvet of her passion as she rises to meet me. The excitement in her low sighing moan weaves its magic as we work together to become one. I feel my heart hammering in my chest as she wraps her arms around me and pulls herself even closer. Her eyes close as she softly bites her bottom lip.
Excitement surges from her as a rapturous exaltation of breath; her eyes open and dilated pupils constrict as the light forces them to pinholes. She smiles as desire turns to shameless lust. It’s time – time to put it into overdrive, time to please her.
Oh God when will this end? When will I be able to go home to some semblance of normality?
They told us the technology was here to help. They assured us it was safe. Everything will be fine, they told us. Numerous studies into the effects of extended periods of hyper sleep dictated that a program had to be devised for the mental well-being and stability of the crew. Our minds needed constant stimulation or they would shut down. The company had lost dozens of employees over the years to hyper sleep sickness. They incorporated the program into the hyper sleep mode to keep us stimulated and to ensure that none of the crew went crazy from loneliness. Even though our bodies are in hyper sleep, our minds are still active.
The more cynical crew members believe it’s a company conspiracy designed to keep us in the job, and come to think of it, in the five years I’ve been doing this run no one has quit.
Empathic neurons … artificial empathic neurons that connect directly to our brains. Because the artificial neurons are empathic, they adjust completely to our genetic make-up. They are locked to our code and are completely sympathetic to our personalities, meaning that each person that is subjected to it gets the companion to match his or her needs and wants.
That’s all well and good, but where does that leave us all now? We can’t live without it. None of the other crew – not one! – has a family to go home to.
Through their studies , the company found out that sexual stimulation is the best way to keep the brain in perfect working order. Each crew member is asked to pick a virtual partner when he or she signs up.
Virtual … Interactive … Extension of … Empathic … Neurons.
VIXEN.
The virtual partners may look different but they are all the same, just ones and zeros creating the same pleasing algorithm to sooth us all. They said Vixen would be our saviour, but instead it’s our captor and we’re willing prisoners of its whims. They never told us about the addiction.
We all took this job because of the big money on offer, and Vixen, well, that was a bonus. It was comforting at first to have someone there for the long journey; we spend almost two years – ninety-nine percent of our time – in hyper sleep. So like lambs to the slaughter we go into our ‘coffins’ for extended periods of slumber. We can’t wait to have our neurons pumped full of Vixen. The point is, if we go we lose the thing that has become the most precious to us all. Vixen is always there, always eager to please. Vixen never says no to anything.
Will I ever be free to think of anyone else?
I wonder what she’s doing now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)