What Have I Been Up To?

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Up to no good, it seems...

Well, I have been writing and have submitted a few stories. Just to prove I've been working a little, here are some link to my Medium articles , poems, and other stuff (as of September 2024)!

September 2024

• Found Art?  The hard part is hanging it on the wall…

• I’m Having a Squirrel Moment  It happens to the best of us — and me, too

• Spider, Spider  I may have ‘borrowed’ an idea here…

• Haiku for September 2024  There’s one in every crowd

August 2024

• It’s a Red-Letter Day!  Curious turns of phrase #9

• Haiku #2 for August 2024  Only the shadows know…

• I'll Be There in a Flash #1  Here's a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore

• Haiku for August 2024  As if from thin air

July 2024 

• Skink, Skank, Skunked  This happens to everyone, doesn’t it?

• On Which Side Is Your Bread Buttered?  Curious turns of phrase #8

• Haiku for July 2024   His (or her) majesty dines…

• Was it Something I Didn't Say?  A poem

June 2024

• Haiku on the Run  What did I see!

• Haiku for June 2024 - Hidden Pond  What didn't I see?

May 2024

• Haiku for May 2024  Should I look at them from both sides now?

• Native Arts Update  Sometimes we forget what we have right here

April 2024

• Haiku for April 2024  Everything’s better with bluebonnets on it?

• Death by a Thousand Briskets, Part III  Winding down?

• Death by a Thousand Briskets, Part II  BTW, there was an eclipse, too…

• Death by a Thousand Briskets, Part I    Oh, yeah. There was an eclipse, too…

• Ready or Not, Here AI Come!  So, we’ll soon have even more talking cat videos?

March 2024

• Haiku for March 2024  Did you hear that?

• An Indiana Story  Taking a peek into the past for inspiration

February 2024

• Haiku for a Frozen Night  Moonlight feels right?

• Haiku for a Winter's Eve  Warm colors in a cold sky?

• Haiku for February 2024  What station are you watching?

January 2024

• Snow Crows  It's all black and white...

• Haiku for the First Snow  The world goes on in a hushed tone

• Haiku for January 2024  This is the Internet; I post a cat picture now and then

I should probably post this again at the end of the year along with a summary of things not on Medium. But this is a start!

The photo used in this post is by bruce mars on Unsplash. 

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© 2024 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Tragic Darlings — Poetry By Terri Deno

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Terri Deno has a new book of poetry available on Amazon called Tragic Darlings!!

Terri's collection is "an exploration of identity and self--how the characters we play reflect onto the world, leaving many with our truest selves still hidden."

It's available in both paperback and as a Kindle version.


                                           


Here's a tiny sample of what's inside:

I hope that sparks an interest!

Again, available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle versions!

While your at it, click this link to take a look at all of Terri's offerings!

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© 2024 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Yes, Zombies Need Brains!

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Every year, Joshua Palmatier holds a kickstarter for his SF&F anthologies from Zombies Need Brains, his imprint. This year, times are tough and things are running a bit behind, pledge-wise. Please check out his Kickstarter page to see if there is anything that sparks an interest. There are lots of perks for pledging!

Here's a little bit about the project:

This project will fund THREE science fiction and fantasy anthologies, titled WERE-2, SKULL X BONES, and AMPYRIUM: MERCHANT WAR. Each anthology will contain approximately 14 all-original (no reprint) short stories from established SF&F authors in the field and new voices found through an open call. The books will be edited by S.C. Butler & Joshua Palmatier (WERE-2), David B. Coe & Joshua Palmatier (SKULL X BONES), and Joshua Palmatier (AMPYRIUM: MERCHANT WAR).

WERE-2:

It’s the night of the full moon, but there are more than mere werewolves skulking the streets. In WERE-2, we return to the back alleys in the dead of night to discover what other were-creatures might see you as prey. A were-raven? Were-squirrel? Were-octopus? You won’t know until you hear that rustle of feathers next to your ear or smell the brine of the sea in that gust from the window. Writers are asked to give us their most creative were-creature, with only one rule: No werewolves allowed!

Edited by S.C. Butler & Joshua Palmatier, WERE-2 will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each. Anchor authors include: 

• Randee Dawn, 
• Auston Habershaw, 
• Gini Koch, 
• Gail Z. Martin & Larry N. Martin, 
• Harry Turtledove, 
• Tim Waggoner, and 
• Jean Marie Ward.

SKULL X BONES:

Avast, ye scurvy dogs! It’s time to plunder! Pirates have enchanted and haunted readers for generations, from Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island to the ill-fated Firefly. Whether it’s Blackbeard, Mal, or Han Solo, we love our swashbucklers, our One-Eyed Willies, and our scruffy-looking nerfherders. In SKULL X BONES, we want writers to give us their best science fiction or fantasy pirates, whether they be on the sailing ships of the deep wide ocean or the spaceships of the black void!

Edited by David B. Coe & Joshua Palmatier, SKULL X BONES will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each. Anchor authors include:

• R.S. Belcher,
• Alex Bledsoe,
• Jennifer Brozek,
• C.C. Finlay, 
• Violette Malan,
• Misty Massey, and
• Alan Smale.

AMPYRIUM: MERCHANT WAR:

The city of Ampyrium is bustling with trade…in the midst of a Merchant War! In AMPYRIUM: MERCHANT WAR, we return to the city that’s the hub for eight portals to other worlds, where the streets are shadowed on the brightest of days, the wares exchange hands both above and beneath the table, and all of it happens under the Eyes of the enigmatic Magnum. In AMPYRIUM: MERCHANT WAR, we invite writers to come play in this shared-world city of magic and mayhem, saintliness and sin, established by the seven authors in last year’s AMPYRIUM. What nefarious plans will you perpetrate…or foil?

Edited by Joshua Palmatier, AMPYRIUM: MERCHANT WAR will contain approximately fourteen stories with an average length of 6,000 words each. Anchor authors include:

• Patricia Bray, 
• S.C. Butler, 
• David B. Coe, 
• Esther M. Friesner, 
• Juliet E. McKenna, 
• Jason Palmatier, and 
• Joshua Palmatier.

Backers of this project will essentially be generating the base funds needed to produce these three anthologies—including payment for the contributing authors, payment for the cover artist, production costs for producing the anthology, etc. There will be a special mass market Kickstarter edition produced for backers who help fund the project at the paperback level. This special edition will have a limited print run to cover the orders made by the backers and will not be printed again after the Kickstarter print run. After that, there will be a trade paperback edition issued to the general public that will have an unlimited print run. So get in on the Kickstarter now and get the special mass market Kickstarter edition!

I see Joshua every year at the annual Shore Leave convention. He also attends other conventions when he can. He is always willing to talk about writing and help other budding authors. Here is a chance to return the favor!

Click here for the 2024 Zombies Need Brains Anthology Kickstarter! 

 

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© 2024 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

May 2024 Update

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The weather is getting warmer, and that's not all that's heating up! Yes, I know it's already a bit further into June than I'd like and I should have already posted this, so here's what happened in May...

Shore Leave will be here soon. I have to get the giveaway books together—although I'm not exactly certain how things will work out with the new venue. They say they are having an art show, but the details of where in the hotel have yet to be announced. I'll stop by, but I won't be selling this year. Maybe next time. There is also a last minute guest addition: J G Hertzler. I'm not familiar with him, but I'm sure many others are. Here's a bit from the Shore Leave site:

In theatre, Mr. Hertzler appeared opposite Academy Award winning actress, Holly Hunter in a new Irish play, By the Bog of Cats at San Jose Rep. Earlier, on Broadway, he appeared opposite Irene Pappas in The Bacchae, directed by Michael Cacoyannis. He has appeared with the Oscar winning actor, Roddy MacDowall in the 1996 National Tour of Dial M for Murder.

Perhaps his best-known work for television is his General Martok on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Other television credits include, Seinfeld, Roswell, Six Feet Under, Touched by an Angel, Charmed, Dr. Quinn, Diagnosis Murder, Quantum Leap, The Highlander, Brisco County Jr., Lois and Clark, General Hospital and One Life to Live, and over 50 episodes on the New Zorro series, filmed in Spain. J. G. was featured with Jennifer Beals and Christopher Walken in the film, Prophecy 2. In the film Pirates of Silicon Valley he appeared as Ridley Scott. He has also appeared with Al Pacino in the Barry Levinson/Norman Jewison classic film, ...And Justice for All.

Currently J. G. is voicing the Drookmani Captain and General Martok on Star Trek: Lower Decks. Last Fall, his radical memoir, Confessions of A Klingon Linebacker, was released in several formats. Signed hard copies will be available at a ridiculous cost! He also co-authored the Star Trek duology The Left Hand of Destiny (2003) with Jeffrey Lang. A fourth book is rumored to be planned for spring of 2025. Stay tuned.

I've also posted my latest writing activities on my Patreon site. You can read about them there. I've also posted my short horror story Neersville on Patreon, It is for paid subscribers only.

In other news, Terri Deno has 9 episodes out now for her new Kindle Vella story called Making a Thief.

Miranda Kate's new book Blood River (Tricky's Tales Book 3) should be out on Kindle by the time this is posted. Might be giving out a three-book Tricky trilogy at Shore Leave just in case you were interested!

Mary Rajotte has her story The Call of the Carrion Crows in the reprint anthology Shadowed Realms. It is available on preorder now for Kindle.

And I'm working on another short horror story I hope to submit later this year. Think trains.

That's all for now!

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© 2024 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

Put a Little Mystery Into Your Life

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Yes, it's been a while since I've posted here, and that's my fault. But I do have some news to pass along!

Want to add a little mystery and intrigue to your life? Author Terri Deno has a new Kindle Vella story available. It's a tale of undercover police work called Making a Thief.

Here's a little about Making a Thief:

Detective Nolan Wells has had one case in his career that he just can't shake, and before he retires, he must figure out how to bring down the son of one of the most notorious diamond thieves in the world. He thought he would do anything to close the case, but when his daughter Zahara decides to go undercover to help out, Detective Wells is torn between getting the bad guy and keeping his daughter safe.

Do a bit of investigating yourself and check it out! Remember, the first 10 episodes are free to read on Kindle Vella now!

@terrideno check out my next #kindlevella story dropping May 2. First 10 episodes available free to read 📚📚 #booktok #readersoftiktok #writertok #kindle #thriller ♬ Detective - AShamaluevMusic

 

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© 2024 K. R. Smith All rights reserved

The Loft Gallery

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Just a shout-out for a local gallery...

There is a local art gallery I visit—and have purchased from—having its annual one-of-a-kind sale. The folks there are friendly and willing to talk to anyone about their art. There are lots of different artists (23!) who hang (or display) their art here and many different types and styles of art to view.

Their address is:

The Loft Gallery
313 Mill Street (Upstairs)
Occoquan, VA 22125

Website: https://www.loftgallery.org/

There are several rooms with art in every one. If you visit, take your time to look around. There is one room where you can pull up a chair and view the works—it does give you a unique perspective.

Note: This is in Occoquan, Virginia. Parking is at a premium, so a weekday visit (except for Monday when they are closed) is the best time. Also, the shop is at the top of a long, narrow flight of stairs. It's in an old building in an old town. So, unfortunately, it's not really good for access if you have trouble with a lot of steps.

Disclaimer: I have no association with The Loft Gallery other than being a customer.

 

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© 2024 K. R. Smith All rights reserved