Review by Charla White
@ wordsaplenty.com
“David Pyle has created a southern world filled with familial ties, supernatural beings, action, mystery, voodoo and even the walking dead!
Between Life and Death has something for everyone.”
Full review at – Words-a-plenty
You just completed your first novel! What next?
When looking for a reputable publisher / self-publisher, the list of available outlets is immense!
How can you tell the reputable from the scam artists? Do you really want to turn over months of work to someone that will cause you unrecoverable loss? If you don’t have time to search the Better Business Bureau Database, here is an excellent alternative.
Caged Minds
By David Pyle
******
Select Excerpts from Caged Minds, pp. 337-340
******
Jasper casually slid over one of the stacked folders, leaving it closed as he constructed his thoughts.
“The viral specimens I’m speaking of are the sort used in biological warfare. I’d like to tell you a little story if I may and then we can discuss Mr. Hanner when we’re through.”
Art felt his stomach seize. Jasper might already be insane.
“You look a little pale, Mr. Butcher. Perhaps you’d like something a little stronger to mix with your coffee?”
Art shook his head, took a sip of carefully roasted caffeine, and remained silent.
“Quite some time ago, I learned of a desolate little village about twenty miles south of Algiers. Are you familiar with the area?”
Art nodded slowly, still listening, and more than a little apprehensive.
“Of course you are. Very simple people, innocent, despite the egregious terrorist regime they labor under. Most of the natives live out their entire lives never knowing anything other than the immediate area in which they were born.
“It seems a terrorist cell accumulated a group of willing biologists and opened a clinic in the region several months ago. It was there under the auspices of helping the local impoverished people with the usual medical humanitarian generalities.
“At the same time, these medical scientists were given three male subjects which were in the final ravages of this awful disease. You see, unfortunately, syphilis is still quite common in third world countries.
******
“As a blunt primer on the disease of syphilis, in its final act it penetrates and destroys the blood-brain barrier. This is the filter which prevents harmful pathogens from entering your most defining organ.”
Jasper tapped the side of his head for emphasis.
Art took another sip if coffee to clear his clotting throat, “So they’re working on some super STD?”
Jasper continued without answering, “These good gentlemen managed to isolate the activities of the most aggressive stage of the syphilis virus while enhancing its properties with another highly contagious derivative.
“In summation, what they created is an airborne version of a pathogen, which has a twenty-two hour incubation period. Do you remember the Ebola outbreak last summer?”
“Who doesn’t?” replied Art. “Wait…, that nearly took out the entire west coast of Africa.”
Jasper nodded, the crinkles of sadness spreading across his brow, “Yes, we were less fortunate in our intelligence gathering efforts back then.”
Jasper opened the folder in front of him and displayed several grainy photographs of test subjects, taken at an extreme distance with a telephoto lens. Inside some sort of metal containment area behind a large brick building were two men who looked like garden variety zombies. Bloodshot eyes, emaciated, haggard, with bloody scratches all over their bodies from attacking each other.
“This isn’t Ebola. You want this virus?” asked Art.
Jasper stared with pursed lips, “It’s critical that I have it.”
******
“In twenty-two hours or less, you have these results.”
Art felt the coffee in his stomach churn. The same telephoto lens had captured the entire population of the village going at each other like rabid pit bulls in a dogfight. He’d never seen so much carnage in one place, captured in the photographs before him. Men, women, and children were attacking each other out in the open dirt streets of their little village; scratching, clawing and biting one another to bloody lifeless pulps.
******
…………
First Stanza of “Blood On the Wall“
A teen psyche-ward patient fighting for what’s left of her mind…
i weep at the light of the moon
i scream by the sound of its tune
they talk in my head
while tied in my bed
as i scratch a deep notch in the wall
More from Hells Bells: http://amzn.to/2pHt3hc
………..
Facts About Your Characters
*partially from NOOK Press
An addendum of books easily picked up on Amazon which will be instrumental in your quest as a budding writer!
Five more needful items for your Fiction Writers Library:
More info here: Helpful Books
The Time Thief
I’ve heard almost every excuse given for not reading, most boiling down to their packed daily schedule.
When in actuality reading anything beyond the mandatory daily regimen can be:
* Time consuming
* Intimidating
* Considered Nerdy
and Considered a waste of time.
Even the busiest of entrepreneurs, graduate students, and housebound moms read.
Reasons to read:
* Mental Stimulation
* Stress Reduction
* Vocabulary
* Memory Entrainment
* Exercising Analytical Skills
* Improved Focus
* Improved Concentration
* Better Writing Skills
* Better Understanding of Others
* Increased Social Skills
Books published this year (as of November 2016): 2,218,018
Current number: New Books Published This Year!
Finding Time:
* Media Regret – Open Facebook or Twitter for “ten minutes” and an hour later you’ll rub your eyes and wonder what happened. Social Media has ripped out the very souls of those caught in its trance. It takes, but gives nothing in return, usually leaving its audience tired, frustrated, and alone.
* An Audiobook can fill the void during the morning and afternoon commute to work or class. It may even save you an expensive ticket if you find yourself caught talking on your cellphone in a school zone or after an accident!
Remember, you’ll never know if you like a particular genre of novel unless you open the pages and try. You’ll never know how reading will bless your life until you start.
Pick up a good book today and read.
…..
“I am the wrath of God. Your sins must be great, for if they were not, God would not have unleashed a plague such as me upon you.”
—Genghis Kahn
Making Time to Write
suggestions by David Pyle
The first thing you should settle in your mind once and for all –
Am I a Writer?
If there are any doubts about where your passions and talent’s lie, writing will always be a struggle for you. However, if you have that minor hurdle behind you, then there are many easy prompts you can add to your daily routine to help solidify your productivity.
Make writing the first thing you do.
I already hear the excuses ejecting from you. I have a life, I have children, I have a demanding job, I have home chores, I have bills to pay, I have…
For those of you who have other demands – Bravo. You fall into a category many others who have-not would trade you for. Daily life only adds to the treasure and quality of your personal resources. Don’t see these demands as hindrances, because without them, your fictional characters would have no substance or link to reality.
Choosing the right time for you to apply yourself is critical. Many writers choose to place themselves before a laptop or computer late at night, after all the other items have stopped nagging for attention. Face it, you’re tired. All the creative mini-bursts you enjoyed throughout the day have faded into a dreamlike vapor. You consider a fresh pot of coffee at midnight just to rekindle the dozens of ideas you tried to take note of during the day.
If midnight is the only time you can claim, then be a note taker – literally. Also, take note of those nudges and when they occur – an idea to spice up a character, a plot detail that will cause your story to explode, a location, a scent, a sound. Those nudges could be an indication that you should schedule that very portion of your day as your quality creative time to write.
Speaking of fictional characters (above) – choosing the correct subject and genre for your efforts can be just as important as the muse you entertain. Think back to when you were a child and were allowed a trip to the school or public library. Which sections did you run to immediately?
Fiction Adventure History World Events Nature
What you currently love to read is likely the spark needed to open the floodgate of your creativity. That floodgate will inspire time to write and cause your writing to be inspired.
Final thoughts – Set goals, keep a writing journal, read, and never settle for second best.
Write on…
