What is WRITERS ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD?

by . . . KAREN COTE

Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road - We took away the rules and let them write whatever the hell they liked: This is what we got, and there's more inside...

[NOTE: A winner will be chosen by lot from the comments at the end of this article, and he or she will receive a free personalized electronic copy (e-Book) of this collection from the publisher.  Please provide your email address and the e-format you prefer.]

 

 What’s on the back cover (be sure to take a peek at some of the partial reviews listed from Amazon).

HOLD-UP by Lucille Robinson

A rapist learns why crime doesn’t pay—will he survive the lesson?

Partial Review on Amazon: This story is thoughtful and well-written. I liked the premise a lot, but would have liked to have read more. The ending was justifiably abrupt, but it did leave the story feeling somehow incomplete. Nonetheless, it's a good, short read.

JUDGMENT DAY by Angelika Devlyn

An injured woman falls into the hands of a psychic psychopath.

FOR ART’S SAKE by Elizabeth Coldwell

Just what is Danni prepared to do for Art’s Sake?

Partial Review on Amazon: I don't claim spanking as one of my turn-ons, but I enjoyed this erotic piece all the same. The story is well-written and cohesive and moves to a satisfying ending.

SIMON SEEKS by Nathan L. Yocum

Gotta find someone, go to Simon Craig. But don’t get on his bad side.

Partial Review on Amazon: This story is executed beautifully, offering creative visuals and awesome depth to details other authors might leave mundane. The only disappointing part is the ending, which seems far too abrupt for such an otherwise meticulously laid out story. I wanted to read more.

THE BAREFOOT HERO by Tim Fleming

Grieving man stumbles upon a remarkable form of heroism.

Partial Review on Amazon: The Barefoot Hero" brought tears to my eyes. The story is bittersweet, tragic, and brilliantly written. The characterization is deep and thoughtful, leading to a conclusion that is as painful as it is gratifying. A lovely story.

THE JOURNEY by Megan Johns

A complex woman—wife and mother, has a most surprising secret.

TRIONA’S BEANS by Casey Wolf and Paivi Kuosmanen

Teenage girl saves a world between first and last dinner call.

THE MEAL by Mike Brecon

Reality TV at its ugliest and most brazen.

SEVEN DEADLY SINS by Karen Cote’

He won’t stop. There must be seven to forgive his own sins.

THE SMILE IN HER EYES by John B. Rosenman

Can a young girl and an old man find love in an intolerant society?

Partial Review on Amazon: Very well-written and creepy on many subtle fronts, "The Smile in her Eyes" reads like Lolita in The Twilight Zone. Pay attention to every little detail when you read this story or you'll miss out on its full brilliance.

SLUMFAIRY by Tonya Moore

A jaded mercenary is enlightened by her strange world.

TAKE TWO by Kit St. Germain

MALPAS (Novella) by Marion De Sisto

Her invisible & insatiable dream lover wants things his way. Not likely!

The Dangers and Unfairness of Gender Stereotyping . . . by Megan Johns

                                                         

by Megan Johns

Gender stereotyping has long been a personal bugbear. It can have a negative influence on so many aspects of a woman’s life, both in the workplace and at home. The inspiration for my two short stories in the anthology Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road was born out of this frustration.

By stereotyping, we are saying that particular characteristics apply to all members of a group. Yet are all blondes dumb or all women bad drivers? Of course not! Worse are the bucket loads of stereotypes tipped over a woman’s head the minute she becomes a mother. This type of generalisation can be a great disservice and result in prejudice.

We are told that stereotypes help us to simplify a complex world. In my opinion, however, they often do more harm than good. They can lead to simplistic assessments, which are fundamentally flawed.

In my first story,‘The Journey’, a wife and mother tries to break into a spontaneous conversation in a train carriage. The stereotyped perceptions of the group of young singletons leads to her exclusion. Dismissed as irrelevant by them, she starts to assess her own life and measure it against theirs. The results lead to some surprises...

Excerpt 1:
 

‘Melody shrank back in her seat, instantly deflated. It was as if her own experiences had been devalued without uttering a word. She peered across the short dividing gap. It might as well be a hundred miles, she was so far removed from their world, and she knew her presence didn’t even register on their collective radar. Had time and life really made her appear so banal, she wondered?’

Manic Readers review: 4 stars  While Stay-at-Home-Mom listens to the conversation of Thighs, Nerd Guy, and Strappy she seethes, justifying her choice to herself and experiences a gamut of emotions from indignant to smug. The end comes completely out of left field, but instead of wondering “what the frill?” I read with wicked delight. Well done.

My second story ‘A New Leaf’ features a recently divorced woman trying to move on with her life. The only thing holding her back is her family. Surely she will never manage on her own? Or will she?

Excerpt 2:
 

‘I watched the progress of her red Fiat from the bay window of the sitting room until it disappeared down the hill. A grating of gears confirmed her right-hand turn at the junction. Poor Sarah. She tried so hard. All the family did. That was the trouble. If only they could see that they tried too much.’

 Manic Readers review:  4 stars Can you really find new life, after a divorce, via a rural cottage garden? I loved this little golden nugget about moving on, in spite of those around us. The narrator is my kinda woman.

To read the reviews on the other stories in the anthology go to http://bit.ly/JK76iL Better still, buy a copy of Writers On the Wrong Side of the Road and read the stories for yourself.
 
BUY links: Publisher Chase Enterprises or Amazon  Available in paperback and Kindle
Megan Johns  Website      Blog

NOTE: A free e-Book, personalized by the editor, will be sent to a commenter chosen by lot.  In your comment, be sure to include your e-mail address and the e-format you prefer.  

Please Greet My Next Guest, Marion Webb-De Sisto!

Notice: A free e-copy of Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road (personalized by the editor) will be chosen by lot from comments at the end of this blog. PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS!  Buy Link: http://shop.claytonbye.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=58&product_id=65

As an author included in this collection, I can testify that Marion's novella is perhaps the most dangerous, ground-breaking tale of all.  Read it at your peril, and be prepared to have your inhibitions challenged.

Marion Webb-De Sisto Wednesday, June 6 Marion Webb-De Sisto <facetfound@aol.co.uk>

<< Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road - The most dangerous rule-wreckers from Alternative-Read.com have written stories for this ‘adults only’ anthology. It’s a ‘must have’ book, covering different genres, all speculative fiction and great reading for those times when you want to get lost in the world of “What if?” There’s something for everyone within the pages, no one’s preference has been neglected. The anthology contains seventeen short stories and one novella, entitled Malpas. This is a Fantasy tale written by me, Marion Webb-De Sisto. A modern-day librarian and a demon come together in erotic dreams. Can these two very different individuals, who are drawn together by lust, eventually find true love? For one reviewer, who described this story as an “erotica beauty and beast,” it was her personal favorite.

Creating the story Malpas was a venture into something new for me. Although my previous novels have both angels and demons in them, the stories are not erotic. I’d been giving some thought to writing in that genre, but it wasn’t uppermost in my mind. Then I heard about the proposed anthology and I realized I was being offered the opportunity to try my hand at what is known as erotica. To my surprise the storyline developed easily and I enjoyed exploring my new genre. I guess this becomes obvious when I say I’ve written two further erotic stories since completing the one for the anthology. I’ve discovered a new path and am wandering down it. >>

Please Welcome my Guest, Elizabeth Coldwell!

Notice: A free e-copy of Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road (personalized by the editor) will be chosen by lot from comments at the end of this blog. Buy Link: http://shop.claytonbye.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=58&product_id=65

                                             
THE FINE ART OF TAKING A RISK by Elizabeth Coldwell

http://elizabethcoldwell.wordpress.com/  

     When was the last time you took a risk when it comes to fiction? Deciding to pick up a book by an author you’ve never heard of, rather than choosing the latest bestseller that’s been advertised with fifty shades of hype? Walk into the majority of bookshops, at least here in the UK, and you’ll be confronted by piles of books by familiar names on very familiar themes. It’s all chick lit, Scandinavian crime thrillers and werewolf/vampire love triangles, with publishers relentlessly playing follow my leader in search of sales. Walk past those towering piles, the ‘three for the price of two’ offers, towards those neglected shelves at the back of the shop and you’ll find interesting books by unfamiliar writers, but how many people bother to do that? The way books are marketed, it’s no surprise the industry is now dominated by no more than a couple of hundred authors, and it’s becoming ever harder for new voices to be heard unless they fit into the narrow slot of what publishers want this season.

     As writers, we take risks all the time. When we send a manuscript to a submissions editor, we run the risk of having it rejected. If we present it to a critique group, we risk harsh appraisal, even from people who know and like our work. So what should we do? Stick the story in a drawer and run the risk no one will ever read it?

     Writers on the Wrong Side of the Road appealed to me as a project because it was designed specifically to take risks. Mashing up genres that don’t often find a home together, giving authors free rein to explore unusual and possibly controversial topics, offering an opportunity, above all, to have fun… Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?

     The lead character in my story, "For Art’s Sake," also finds herself taking risks, forced by circumstances to step out of her comfort zone. First, when her secure teaching job comes to an end and she has to reinvent her career, going into the house clearing business with her brother. Then, when she meets a man who offers the romance she’s been craving, spiced up with something that appeals to her more adventurous sexual tastes. Not to mention that he’s taking something of a risk himself, by revealing needs to her that some women find peculiar or even distasteful. Can they find happiness together? You’ll just have to pick up a copy of the anthology and find out, won’t you?

JUST RELEASED, FUTURISTIC SF, INSPECTOR OF THE CROSS

For immediate release

John B. Rosenman

jroseman@cox.net

6229 Auburn Drive; Va Beach, VA 23464

PN: 757-424-9632

Just Published -- Inspector of the Cross

What happens when a man outlives his great-great-great grandchildren in the pursuit of a noble but desperate cause that costs him everything he ever loved?  This is the case with Turtan in Inspector of the Cross, a futuristic science-fiction adventure novel published by MuseItUp Publishing.  Turtan travels in suspended animation to distant worlds in order to find a weapon that might turn the tide against the Cen, vicious aliens who have brought humanity to the brink of ruin.  Nearly 4,000 years old, Inspector Turtan is the Cross’s oldest and greatest agent, and his quest leads to a stunning climax when he finally discovers a device that can save mankind from annihilation only to find that a dangerous and seductive woman stands in his way.

Author Penny Ehrenkranz says “Rosenman is a master storyteller, and Inspector of the Cross will keep you riveted from the first page to the exciting and unexpected conclusion.  With exquisite attention to the smallest details, the reader will travel across the universe with Turtan as he journeys on his quest to right the wrongs of the world he lives in.”  The novel features a brilliant, evocative cover by the acclaimed artist, Delilah K. Stephans, who depicts the hero gazing out a porthole into space, perhaps contemplating his next exciting, mind-stretching adventure.

John B. Rosenman has published twenty books and over 300 stories in the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres.  Recently, his science-fiction short story, “The Blue of Her Hair, the Gold of Her Eyes” won Preditors and Editors Annual Readers Poll.  Some of his fiction has appeared in Weird Tales, Galaxy, Whitley Strieber’s Aliens, Starshore, and the Hot Blood erotic horror anthology series.  His other novels include Dax Rigby, War Correspondent and Dark Wizard (MuseItUp Publishing); A Senseless Act of Beauty and Alien Dreams (Crossroad Press); and Beyond Those Distant Stars and Speaker of the Shakk (Mundania Press).

ISBN  978-1-927361-74-0

To place orders for the book, contact:  

MuseItUp Publishing

BUY LINK: http://tinyurl.com/d3hbm8g

Ebook - $5.95

MUSA PUBLISHING BLOG HOP!

FREE E-BOOK GIVEAWAY CONTEST: I am giving out two e-copies of my time-travel story "Killers" to two visitors who comment below.  Winners will be chosen by lot from the comments.  In order to receive an e-book, please provide an email address and the format you prefer.  Winners will be announced Tuesday.  ISBN: 978-1-61937-216-0  -  BUY LINK FOR "KILLERS": http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6&products_id=267/

To get back to the blog hop: HTTP://MUSAPUBLISHINGBLOGHOP.BLOGSPOT.COM/

<<<God bless our service men and women past and present -- thanks to their courage and sacrifice, we owe our freedom.>>>

Blurb from "Killers": What comes first, love or duty?  Diana, a 24th century Supervisor of time travel, learns that Dero is taking unauthorized trips into the past.  She knows she should arrest him, but she loves him too much.  Obsessed, she follows him repeatedly into the distant past to save him from the machine-like killers that police the timelines.

One day he goes too far, threatening the delicate fabric of history itself, and Diana must make a terrible decision.

 

Excerpt 

                                                                                                                                                           They look just like everybody else, except to me. Even when they move, they’re fixed islands in the sea of time, their false human faces following me even if they’re looking elsewhere. Somehow I always know their cold eyes are watching, that they don’t belong in the world I find myself in either.

In whatever time period I send myself to.

As for the current period, it’s Vienna, 1782. Time travel is an imperfect science, but the Chroneton has landed me exactly where it was supposed to: in an empty, musty alley off a busy cobblestone street near the heart of the city. Unobserved, I suppress a sneeze and venture out into the ferment of a vital land.

Men move about in white powdered wigs and fancy waistcoats, wearing tricorn hats and lace at their wrists and throats. A shopkeeper shouts, and a woman laughs. A fancy red carriage rolls past, pulled by matching bay horses. One of them snorts at me and flicks his tail as if he knows I don’t belong here.

A young woman barely thirty, I clutch the parasol I snatched from Wardrobe and try to look older so as not to attract attention. I feel swallowed up in petticoats, which makes it hard to navigate the street, and the fact that one of my heels is loose doesn’t help. The smell of the place is decidedly bad—raw sewage in a gutter, the smell of unwashed bodies beneath the perfume. I remember from my research that even higher-class people bathe only a few times a year. Hopefully, it won’t take me that long to get through decon when I return.

The odds of running into Dero are slim, and I’m even less likely to find Amadeus, the reason Dero tripped to this place and time. Vienna may not be a modern city, but it’s spacious and labyrinthine. Mozart frequented this particular quarter, which boasts high-end shops selling assorted sleaze and a perversion for every palate.

Odds, as they say, are made to be broken, and I spot Dero five minutes after I almost trip on a jagged cobblestone. Six foot three and muscular, Dero stands out in this runty, malnourished era, but he carries himself with such careless pride, he dissolves suspicion even as he encourages it. His handsome face flashes with smiles, and he laughs in a rich baritone that proclaims him to be a Lord of Earth, at home in every century. Maybe in the Pleistocene, he would strike you as being a tad out of place, but five seconds wrapped in his spell would douse all doubts, no matter how heavy.

Of course, I’ve time-tripped here instead of reporting him because I’m madly in love. Despite my secret shame, I cannot resist pursuing him into the past like a smitten bloodhound. I feel degraded by my passion, but without him life would be tedious.

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