Bug

Only a few days until Halloween, and I have a treat in store for you.  I just published a flash fiction story on Smashwords.  It is brief, but appropriate for this time of year.  Best of all it's FREE!
Check it out, when you have a few minutes.

An excerpt from Bug:

I found a minute insect in my sugar bowl today. It was brown and moving, so I determined that it was not a grain of sugar, though it was that small. I scooped it up and washed it down the drain. I wondered if I should dump out the rest of the sugar, but I don't like to be wasteful, besides how much harm could one little bug cause? I don't see any others, though I really didn't check.

Download the rest of Bug for FREE at Smashwords.

It has been about 13 hours since I published it.  There have been six downloads and one review.  Everything always seems better when you get a good review!

Review by: Gabion on Oct. 28, 2014 :  
A nasty little tale which is very well written. I honestly think it should have been much longer so as to develop a greater sense of unease. Good grammar and well structured. Three stars is very good for me - especially for a flash fiction tale. I'll have to explore more of Murphy's work.

PS. I would like to say thank you to Gabion. I don't know who you are, but I appreciate you taking the time to read and review my story, it makes it all worthwhile.

My love, my light

The great beast raised his massive wings, "And thou shall not pass."
"We shall see."
He stared down upon me with his fiery red eyes, gazing at me, seducing me.
"And what stand beyond you?  My love or my light?" I questioned.
"Come and see."
"Doth not matter, for each I will fight as equally."
"So you would fight just as well if you knew your only outcome were death?"
"Yes, you see.  Because my love is my light, and if she were to be taken from me then my world is filled with darkness anyway."
"I do see."
"So make your choice," I begged of the beast.  "Step aside or fall at my sword.  If I fail to overcome your treachery, then at least I know I am loved."
"Goodnight, sweet prince," and with that he spoke no more.

Ebola Hits the East Coast

Ebola Hits the East Coast

Presidential Press Conference
10/15/14 5:45 pm

Another medical worker, from Dallas, has been diagnosed with Ebola. The problem is that she is flew on a commercial airline twice in the last week. On October 8th the health care worker, Amber Vinson, flew from Dallas-Fort Worth to Cleveland. On Monday, October 13th, she took a return trip back.

Vinson is one of two medical workers who treated Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan, who now have the Ebola virus themselves. The other employee, Nina Pham, is reported as being in an “improved condition” according to the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Tom Frieden.

The CDC is contacting passengers that were on flight1143 from Cleveland to Dallas/Fort Worth on Oct. 13th. They want to interview all 132 passengers. Since Vinson was not showing any symptoms at the time, they say that the risk of them contracting the disease is minimal. However, Dr. Frieden claims that she had a fever of 99.5 before she boarded the flight.

Pizza Hut

Rarely do I review food or restaurants, which I actually find funny because I love a good meal. However, I felt compelled to post this in the hope that at least one person reads it and makes a responsible decision.
I live in NY, so there is no shortage of good pizza places around.  In fact, where I live, there must be at least six pizza places.  I do not normally go to Pizza Hut, because no matter how much they boast about it, it really is sub-par when compared to a real pizza.
If you live down south, and have not experienced Pizza Hut, it is comparable to Little Ceasar's. If you are in a hurry and just want something to satisfy the growling in your stomach, then Little Ceasar's is great.  It is hot, ready, and only 5 bucks.

Annabelle/ IT

I went to see Annabelle this past weekend.  It was good, suspenseful, and it had a good ending.  The characters were interesting and it had a good pace.  (7/10)  What may be more interesting than the movie itself is the fact that it was based on a true story.  The real Annabelle was a Raggedy Ann doll acquired in the 1970's.  Ed and Lorraine Warren now have the doll stored in their museum in Monroe, CT.
As always, the drive-in has a double feature.  The second film I saw was A Walk Among the Tombstones with Liam Neeson.  This was a dark story with strong subject matter.  It was also suspenseful with a good ending. (8/10)
I also started reading IT this past week.  I have seen the movie, it is one of my all time favorites.  I may post a review or some comparisons between the book and movie when I am done reading it, but I may not finish it until Christmas, of next year.  It is over 1100 pages long.
Anyway, as we go into the Halloween season, which books or movies are you looking forward to?  What are some of your favorites that you revisit each year?
Other than IT, I have always liked The Shining, another Stephen King classic.  Some of my new favorites are last years The Conjuring, which was a lot better than Annabelle, and also Trick 'r Treat released on DVD in 2009.  Looks like Trick 'r Treat 2 is going to be released next year.  You can read more about the new T 'r T on Entertainment Weekly's website.

Ebola Outbreak

Sometimes real life can be much stranger and shocking than fiction. After reading a news article today about a man who came to the US, infected with Ebola, it seems clear that it may only be a matter of time before the gates of hell open open and engulf every one of us. How fitting it should happen upon us in this, our Halloween season.

I believe that once we get through this scare, if we do, that the zombie movies and books will now take a back seat to more real life drama. Think about it, what a great story, albeit it fictional at this point, but why not let someone like Stephen King take a crack at writing the aftermath of what happened once the disease spread throughout the states like wildfire.

Hopefully there are some of us still left around to read the tale, or maybe even tell it, but if you really want to spark some conversation try going to the grocery store and while on line cough and sneeze a bit. When people start looking at you because your cart is filled to the brim with canned goods and bottled water, try explaining to them that you feel a bit down, but surely it is nothing to worry about.

How long until the government and the pharmaceutical companies start cashing in on the outbreak? An offer of hope, and everyone starts running to the ER. Bold promises and misguided intentions lead us down undeveloped, unimagined, and previously undiscovered paths. How long do we wait until we take action? Do we stand by and let the disease fester inside each of our loved ones or do we put them out of their misery?

They will have you believe that you can not catch it. Only, and only if, you come into direct contact with an individual that has the virus. But if you were one of the people that were on that plane with the Ebola sufferer do you take comfort in the fact that he didn't rub up against you? Or are you sitting in a waiting room right now, knowing that you may be diagnosed with an incurable disease?

If you are a religious person you may want to start praying now. Not only for your friends and family, but for the entire world population. By simple mathematics, this disease could have spread to thousands, if not tens of thousands of people, already.

If you are someone who has stock piled ammunition and a year's worth of food and water in your basement, all I can say is good luck and you better get your ass down in the cellar now.

WLM 10/2/14

Ebola virus

The Confession by John Grisham

John Grisham is a thorough author. He writes his characters so well, and completely researches his material to make it very realistic. The Confession is no exception.

The protagonist, Robbie Flak, is a small town lawyer in Texas who is always fighting for the rights of the little guy. When his client, Donte Drumm, is convicted of murder and sentenced to death, Robbie does everything he can to put a stop to the execution.

The book leads you to a series of different emotions and the characters are well received, whether you love them or hate them. It also brings up the real life issue of the death penalty. No matter which side you stand on, you will enjoy this book. In the town of Sloan, where the story takes place, the residents are divided by the trial. It encompasses not only questions about the law, but also real issues of race and religion too.

The book is very well written, it is engrossing, and when you are finished, you will want to go out and pick up another story by Grisham. (4.25 out of 5 stars)

Visit Grisham's website to learn more or purchase your own copy of The Confession.

Also, check out John Grisham's homepage to win an autographed copy of his latest novel, Gray Mountain, and the chance to win an entire hardcover collection of all 33 of his novels.