My cup runneth over today it seems. I’ve got a couple things to talk about all of a sudden, so let’s start here …
I’m pretty stoked to announce that Fiction River’s Stolen, which includes my short story “Look Safe,” has now seen publication. It’s an anthology of stories that all have something to do with out reaction to theft of one kind or another. “Look Safe,” my entry herein, is a bit different for me–a step away from speculative fiction and into a more contemporary setting, complete with baseball. Given that, I’m pleased to note that this particular story sits in the lead-off slot for the entire anthology. That’s where it belongs, I figure. This is a story that makes me smile. It’s a story about a guy who can get on base, anyway. And a guy who can steal a base.
Excerpt:
It’s gotten to where Carlos doesn’t feel the ring in his back pocket anymore.
In quiet moments he’ll tell you how good it is to be past all that. He’ll say it’s good to be seventeen and have a job he loves to do and that pays at least enough to eat and live by himself in a one-room flat toward the center of town, toward the Basilica where the proximity to tourists keeps things fairly safe. He’ll say there are worse places to be.
But this is neither a quiet moment nor a particularly good one. His team is behind, 2-1. They are “on the road,” playing in Punta Cana, which is just far enough away that the team paid for a bus. It’s the top of the eighth inning, and he’s standing on first base.