"Cormac Brown" is my pen name. I'm an up-and-slumming writer in the city of Saint Francis and I'm following in the footsteps of Hammett...minus the TB and working for the Pinkerton Agency. A couple of stories that I've stiched and stapled together, can be found here.
I was raised a baptist and to my knowledge they don't have any Saints, but they do quite a bit of missionary work despite their anti-dancing stance.
I only learned of Saint Dismas from an old movie on Turner Classic Movies. The was a film about a Catholic priest that worked very hard to help convicts and in his chapel was a crucifix, not of Christ, but of Dismas, the good thief at Jesus's right side.
I stored this away for several months as I contemplated how to incorporate the Saint of Reformed Thieves into a tale, as thieves aren't really my style, but more along your line. Most of the stories that I write are personal tales from my boyhood or more recent tales of drinking beer.
Occasionaly I indulge my readers in some short fiction, but mostly, I just try to write something mildly funny, but my short fiction is another story.
I find something that crosses my path and I can envision a story in it. The things are as random as a fortune cookie, and the Saint Dimas story is no different.
The idea was in my draft file for seven months.
Then a buddy of mine had a run in with the law and had to do thirty days in jail. I thought about him as I drifted off to sleep one night and St. Dismas occured to me.
The entire story, from begining to end, ran through my brain that night, and as I sat down to the keyboard that morning it returned as it came to me before.
With one exception, the ending.
When I had dreamt it, Bill tells Tony and walks Debra home, and he still has a chip in his neck. At the last minute, I thought of "Clockwork Orange". I don't want people to think I've ripped off a thirty-year old movie. I want to twist the tale and make it my own. I am a storyteller at heart.
There is some of my dream that I left out, as I am not known for my brevity, but for my "Year End Best Of" I will include the shotgun story, just for you.
This is the first short story that I have ever written that I didn't need to edit. It was written as it came and the dedication is sincere old friend. I am not the slightest bit ashamed that I have learned a thing or two from reading your contributions. When your first novel hits the New York Times Best Seller List and you are looking for people to write you a glowing review for the first, third, and one hundred and sixty-eithth pages, look me up. I have a honey of a review for you!
3 comments:
To tell the truth, it came to me in a dream.
I was raised a baptist and to my knowledge they don't have any Saints, but they do quite a bit of missionary work despite their anti-dancing stance.
I only learned of Saint Dismas from an old movie on Turner Classic Movies. The was a film about a Catholic priest that worked very hard to help convicts and in his chapel was a crucifix, not of Christ, but of Dismas, the good thief at Jesus's right side.
I stored this away for several months as I contemplated how to incorporate the Saint of Reformed Thieves into a tale, as thieves aren't really my style, but more along your line. Most of the stories that I write are personal tales from my boyhood or more recent tales of drinking beer.
Occasionaly I indulge my readers in some short fiction, but mostly, I just try to write something mildly funny, but my short fiction is another story.
I find something that crosses my path and I can envision a story in it. The things are as random as a fortune cookie, and the Saint Dimas story is no different.
The idea was in my draft file for seven months.
Then a buddy of mine had a run in with the law and had to do thirty days in jail. I thought about him as I drifted off to sleep one night and St. Dismas occured to me.
The entire story, from begining to end, ran through my brain that night, and as I sat down to the keyboard that morning it returned as it came to me before.
With one exception, the ending.
When I had dreamt it, Bill tells Tony and walks Debra home, and he still has a chip in his neck. At the last minute, I thought of "Clockwork Orange". I don't want people to think I've ripped off a thirty-year old movie. I want to twist the tale and make it my own. I am a storyteller at heart.
There is some of my dream that I left out, as I am not known for my brevity, but for my "Year End Best Of" I will include the shotgun story, just for you.
This is the first short story that I have ever written that I didn't need to edit. It was written as it came and the dedication is sincere old friend. I am not the slightest bit ashamed that I have learned a thing or two from reading your contributions. When your first novel hits the New York Times Best Seller List and you are looking for people to write you a glowing review for the first, third, and one hundred and sixty-eithth pages, look me up. I have a honey of a review for you!
In short: thanks.
Doc
P.S.- The story is yours. If you find someone who will take it, do so. Should they offer money, it's yours.
Doc
P.P.S- my word verification is liesol.
Doc,
You're welcome, I love it when a story just flows, don't you?
It's your story, man. You got to submit it and let people know your name as an author.
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