Happy Blog Day Everyone!
This week I'm going to discuss my writing efforts on a not-completely-new genre, while offering an update on my steampunk story from last time! But first, let's see how Brennan and Riz are dealing with their situation...
The Comic Tales of Brennan and Riz
Well, to be fair, Riz did point out that it may be the wrong time! Things will heat up next week but will it be in the pairs favour? (Of course it won't!) Art suffered a bit more than normal here, so hopefully I can get back to my usual standard...Which isn't very good from the get go!
Phantom Dawn: Memories of a Rose
Last week, Rose had an encounter with Neal's grandson, Kurz, and a more unfortunate encounter with a thug named Mason! After dealing with the unwanted interest, Rose is finally ready for some answers...
(First posted 11th May 2021)
Rose gasped for air like a #jailbird gasping for freedom.
"Rose! Are you okay?" Neal asked from behind the locked door.
"I'm fine..." Rose answered, looking at the mirror. That dammed mask hauntingly traced over her face for a split-second.
(First posted 12th May 2021)
"I'm sorry, Rose, I used last nights events as a #scapegoat to avoid answering your question," Neal said sighing.
"Come to breakfast, and I'll answer everything you want to know, that I can tell you."
Rose was led by her curiosity downstairs...
(First posted 13th May 2021)
Rose asked something that had been bothering her since she arrived:
"What's the story behind the Phantom Dawn?"
"You're in luck!" Neal laughed. "My #Superpower is telling stories! And this one begins in the #penultimate days before the Fall..."
(First posted 14th May 2021)
"Stories passed down," Neal started to say. "Tell of sun glinting off the tallest structures, where long lost science held sway. #Lollygaging along, the world in our hand. But no matter how great the light, there is always darkness in the shadows."
(First posted 15th May 2021)
Neal cleared his throat before continuing.
"A man, a scientist. Put himself before the world with apocalyptic warnings, threats that had the edge of a #poleaxe. No one listened, they all laughed at him. Carrying the guilt for what happened next."
(First posted 16th May 2021)
"...What happened next, sources can't agree over how long it lasted, but they all agreed on the devastation as the world was torn asunder, all under the gaze of the #colossal phenomenon, they came to call the Phantom Dawn..."
(First posted 17th May 2021)
"...The effect of the Phantom Dawn was felt far and wide." Neal stopped, allowing Rose to take in the #conversation.
"It became a regular occurrence, and in the aftermath, new evils cropped up to take over, like Casparvian Finch and his men."
(First posted 18th May 2021)
"Casparvian Finch?" Rose asked.
"Yes, Finch, the latest in a long line of warlords. His enforcers make sure people work, adding to his overwhelming wealth. Others treat him like a twisted #idol, like the man you beat up, Mason." Neal explained.
(First posted 19th May 2021)
"The way you speak of Casparavian Finch. Is he really a monster?" Rose asked.
Neal lowered his head.
"The answer to that lies #perpendicular to something that haunts me and Kurz."
"Your grandson?"
"Yes, Finch took someone precious from us both..."
There's a little more to go with the flashback arc here but we'll save that for next week!
Writing Folk Horror
After my flirt with steampunk, I became aware of another short story submission window opening...with a pretty short deadline! How short? Try 6th August short (on publication of this blog, it'll be 2nd August). The subject for this short? Folk Horror!
Before I talk about that though? I should give an update on the steampunk story. Last week, I said I'd have it submitted by now...It isn't, and the reason why? I looked back at the email which gave the information about it and realised I had a whole extra month to edit it! It was HDP14 that needed the stories in by now, and I'd submitted mine end of June...thinking it needed to be in by then. I wasn't happy with the self editing I'd done for that particular manuscript, so having a whole extra month to tinker with Mr Sans (Who's that? The main character of course!) Is a godsend and allows to get work done on this new story.
So, yeah folk horror. An interesting sub genre within Horror. To those who don't know, I'll let Wikipedia spell it out:
"Folk horror is a subgenre of horror film and horror fiction that uses elements of folklore to invoke fear and foreboding. Typical elements include a rural setting, isolation, and themes of superstition, folk religion, paganism, sacrifice and the dark aspects of nature."
In film terms, think Wicker Man, Midsommar or even Stephen Kings' Children of the Corn (both short story and film series). If you care to delve deeper into it, you'll find loads of examples from across the world on screen, and on the printed page.
The interesting thing, for me, is the use of folklore in these stories. Anyone who has read my dribble will know that folklore is a passion of mine so I should be able to craft a tale of horror easily, right? Right? Wrong, and let me explain why.
You see, when I approach a piece of folklore, it's often in the context of Brennan and Riz. I try to adapt as much as possible to fit their world view without losing the spirit of the tale (not easily done). While their world may incorporate some horror elements, by and large it would never get that dark. Stick Brennan and Riz in the Wicker Man for example and the ending is going to be no where near the same, to say nothing of the mood!
As for writing pure horror myself? I dabbled with a couple of short stories, even shared one if them on this very blog (it's under the lost writings heading, I think it's listed as A Chaotic Order). I don't think they ever turned out ad I envisioned them in my head, I was always lacking something. However, that doesn't mean I've given up trying!
This plot of the short story I'm working on now comes from a tweet I did back in 2021 from the vssmurder hashtag, obviously adapted in order to meet the 3k target word length. The tweet was about a man lamenting about how he has no more neighbours to show off his bone instruments...I think you can guess where the neighbours went. Crafting a bigger story out of this was a seperate challenge which I'm still arguing with myself over. I'm not at liberty to go into more detail on the expanded story yet but hopefully soon (assuming that I get it finished!).
I've got 4 days to do it...let's see if I make it!
Till then,
Keep on writing!
Peter James Martin
Quick Links
The Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz Volume 1
The Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz Book 1: A Boy and A Rat
The Strange Tales of Brennan and Riz Volume 2
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