It was honoring and humbling to be asked to look at his work. He could be the next writer big writer and I could say "I knew him when". I am playing a part in his life as a teacher and a writer and he is teaching me in ways I don't even know yet.
This sparked some inspiration within me and in the time time between reading the 3rd Act of Hamlet and having class in the afternoon I decided I would work on the short story I finished but had not yet edited way back in July. I'm still working my way through the 3000 words of it but really liked some of what I had written. For those who have never read any of my works I would like to give you the opportunity to read the following paragraph.
"She has
made a list of liquors and their subsequent consumers. For thieves she serves a
finger worth of thin orange scented whiskey. For runaways, stowaways, and the
abandoned it is vodka spiced with cloves and catnip. Adulterers receive tannic
wine to stain there sin-soaked lips purple as the kings crowns. To pimps
she gives a dry gin that tastes of pine and cardamom and something like liquorish
rolled in rosewater. Malaria will not
suffer the likes of murderers in her establishment but the hospitality-tradition
decrees she is to serve all those who can pay. Therefore, those who have taken
a life are poured a glass of her special distillation. Beneath the ritually
clean counter is a crystalline vat and into it she has placed datura seeds and
aconite leaves, mandrake roots and hemlock stocks, oily keys made of mercury and
moonstones, and henbane flowers and nightshade berries black as the streets of
Tantrum. These and other organic terrors are covered in a grain alcohol and stirred
daily. Down into their hollow eyes Malaria glares and strains out a portion of
the glowing green liquid; it shines in the din and the dust of her bar bright
as life itself. She is an executioner; unveiled and unafraid of judgment
day. Before long these killers of
children and wives and the unfortunate bystander keel over; the bitter liquid
burning through them like a knife, like a bullet, like a harp string
oscillating its final mournful note. "
Yes it is long and rambling but I hope you found the imagery pleasant. If inspiration still moves within me after class I will go through and edit again and hopefully send it out to a beta-reader today!*
Also I recorded this paragraph and will up-load it to sound-cloud for your listening pleasure.. I've had experience with soundcloud before and sometimes I get it work and sometimes I can not! Hopefully this time it will all run smoothly. Keep an eye out for this and other recordings.**
*If you would like to be a beta-reader of mine. Please send me an e-mail to cjgrabuski@gmail.com and I can tell you what I'm looking for in beta-reader.
** If you have a specific story of mine you would like narrated let me know and I'll record and post it as well.
