Scrappy the Siamese Tabby will appear in “A Scrappy Start” in the ROAR10 anthology.
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12th Publication Credit: “A Scrappy Start”
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Norse Flashfic: The To-Do List
Odin was eating dinner with his wife Frigg at Fensalir. “Things would be simpler if we shared a residence.” Frigg said.
Odin grunted out, “Then we’d have to downsize our servants.” when he saw Frigg’s maidservant Lofn came into the dining room.
Lofn handed over the horn of mead that Frigg was serving him for dinner. He smiled at Lofn. “I’d hate for any of your maidservants to lose their job if we downsized.”
His comment kept Frigg quiet as they were being served. She didn’t want to say anything that would be binding.
Odin didn’t bother to notice the servants in Frigg’s hall too much. Except for Lofn, of course. He made sure he never promised Frigg anything if Lofn was present.
Lofn made note of the promises men and women made to each other. He knew the honeymoon was over when Lofn was used as a witness every time Frigg gave him his latest to-do list.
Though he discouraged Frigg from having Lofn present too often. All he had to do was play the same trick on her when she’d caught him the first few times.
Lofn took such maneuvers gracefully. Frigg and Odin’s behavior around her showed her the path to job security by widening the range of her supplicants. Her appeal need not be limited to only the young and romantic. She could get established couples to use her to notarize each other’s to-do list.
Publication Credit: “Canuck Commodities and Futures” will be in Amazing Stories
I’ve got my first publication credit for 2019. My scifi/humor short story “Canuck Commities and Futures” will be published in Amazing Stories.
Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny
4 out of 5
There is a war in Heaven to stop the Wheel of Karma that binds mortals. It’s an ambitious piece and its text matches it.
Stormbringer by Michael Moorcock
4 out of 5
The finale of the Elric Saga ends on somber note akin to a Norse Ragnarok. The only winner is the sword Stormbringer when it frees itself from its reluctant wielder. It’s well written but I can understand why some people prefer Tolkien’s saga to Moorcock’s.
Flashfic: “Mr. Gray”
Mr. Gray was very demanding. He had only one blue eye, but it was extra bright and sharp to make up for his missing eye.
“We have the package of prosthetic eyes you asked for in all the colors you wanted.” Dr. Rollins said.
He couldn’t understand Mr. Gray’s insistence on this order. He’d have expected it from a younger man trying to be fashionable. Not from someone who was older. However, Mr. Gray paid well enough for this eccentric request.
“I have customized them to fit your empty eye socket.” Which he’d cleared of its scars so there’d be a hole to place the prosthetics in.
He picked a prosthetic eye that matched Mr. Gray’s remaining eye and inserted it in.
” I want a mirror.” Mr. Gray said.
Dr. Rollins took a hand mirror so Mr. Gray could see himself. He nodded in satisfaction. Then he tried out the other eyes one by one. He’s living eye shifted its color to match each prosthetic eye.
Mr. Gray smiled as Dr. Rollins paled in response to this. ” This’ll do. It’ll give me more scope in how I present myself.”
Dr. Rollins told himself they paid him well enough not to ask questions. But his mind kept asking them in an endless loop he dared not say aloud.
The Bane of the Black Sword by Michael Moorcock
4 out of 5
This is an exercise in worldbuilding that overshadows its narrative. Elric serves as a vehicle to explore the multiverse. Moorcock has enough skill to make it work.
