She hurried down the hallway with the crystal in her hand. As she passed Melissa’s bedroom, the crystal began to glow brighter and brighter. Pausing just outside the door, she stopped and didn’t move. The crystal burned with such intensity that she could hardly look at it.
She held her palm flat, the object resting in the center. She was compelled to walk into Melissa’s bedroom. As she took a step inside, the crystal’s light became blindingly bright, reaching into the darkest corners of the room, filling every murky space with beams of shimmering light. She realized with a shock that she hadn’t turned on any lights; the object glowed more brightly with each step she took.
As she stood silently, watching the effects of the light against the blackest of the shadows. Something moved! Frightened, she wanted to run away but instead stood transfixed as a pair of long, bony arms reached out from under Melissa’s bed.
Somehow, she knew that the dark, shadowy figure was trying to crawl from some other place into this world. As she watched in silent horror, it slowly pulled its body upward from under the bed. A dark and menacing fog swirled and grew until it assumed the shape of a tiny human skull with two bulging eyes embedded in deep sockets, eagerly watching Barbara with keen interest.
Frozen in fear and unable to move or retreat, she stood perfectly still. The dark body changed, blending within the blackness in front of her—this thing was death itself.
Slowly, it rose from the floor and became erect— alive. The air in Melissa’s bedroom was becoming frigid, and Barbara shivered in the sudden cold. All she could do was to stand immobile and watch intently as the apparition came to life.
The body of the ghastly image was almost transparent, with dark, oily skin. Now that it was upright, Barbara could see that it stood close to six feet tall with a body as black as a moonless night.
The creature unfolded two broad, enormous wings; they stretched halfway across the room. To her horror, it opened its mouth wide and let out an ear-piercing scream as if it had just been wounded. Flinching, she clamped her hands over her ears.
Questions flooded her mind. Why is this creature here in Melissa’s bedroom? What can this all possibly mean? Only one thing mattered: How could she defeat this creature that threatening her life?
The answer to that question, she realized, was in the palm of her hand. As the dark demon fully materialized, the small object she held burned ever more brightly. As the entity grew in strength and magnification, the burning brightness in the room increased as well. Somehow, she understood that this object was inflicting the pain the creature felt. Was kind of weapon was it?
More importantly, if this small object caused this beast such enormous pain, how could she use it to defeat the monster?
The light restrained the creature, but it fought against it. In one final attempt to get at her, the creature stuck out its long, skeletal fingers; its razor-sharp nails tried to stop the incandescent light from penetrating its hazy body. Still, every time it drew closer to harm her, the shining brilliance from the crystal object became even brighter and held the creature back.
Inside herself, something suddenly changed; she would not surrender to her fears. She would show this creature no mercy or weakness. She stepped toward the being, holding the light before her. As she did, the creature’s menacing shape began to change. It was no longer the threatening being it once had been, and it began to draw inward. Its once proudly displayed wings collapsed into its body. Its form seemed to lower in submission; the strange creature looked as though it bowed before her.
The incandescent light from the small crystal penetrated deep into its dark body as it began to creep backward under Melissa’s bed, retreating into the world in which it lived. As it withdrew, it took on a much smaller form than before.
Her courage renewed; Barbara took another step closer. As she looked upon the inky body, it shrank to nothingness and disappeared from her sight.
She took a deep breath. It was gone. But she knew it had only been subdued for now. It had had no choice but to retreat to the abyss of its home, in that other world where darkness lived.
But it would be back?
The Book Junkie Reads . . .Reckless Dreams Interview with . . . Timothy Patrick Means . . .
How would you describe your style of writing to someone that has never read your work?
Exciting and adventurous. I do not wish to waste the little time I have in this life on unfruitful pursuits. I want believable realism. Not some kiddy ride storyline. If I write a book about pirates, then damn it, they have to be badass cutthroats, not someone from a Disney movie. If I write about a mother whose daughter had been kidnapped, then, believe me, that mother will do everything humanely possible to get her daughter back. She doesn’t wait around feeling sorry for herself.
Do you feel that writing is an ingrained process or just something that flows naturally for you?
As a child, when there was a movie and a sad scene played out. I felt the character's pain. I would cry, as they would. The most memorable was a movie about lost love. The graduate, starring Dustin Hoffman, whose character never gave up, even when it was wrong to continue.
What mindset or routine do you feel the need to set when preparing to write (in general whether you are working on a project or just free writing)?
I’ve been writing while working twelve-hour days, under pressure from no one but myself. It's so natural I just do it. I believe it's exciting to discover what will happen to my character, a fact I don’t always know until the end. It's like making something from clay and putting your hand into the mud and forming and squeezing. It's bitchin', that way.
Do you take your character prep to heart? Do you nurture the growth of each character all the way through to the page? Do you people watch to help with development? Or do you build upon your character during story creation?
Again, formalization is a process of events. First comes the event; next, how will this person respond or act. All of this was produced from the mean streets of Santa Ana, where I grew up.
Do you have a character that you have been working on for a long time that still isn't quite ready, but fills you with excitement to work on the story?
No, everyone has a job to do. My characters are always busy. The main thing is, I never worry about them sitting around getting bored. I put them to work.
Have you found yourself bonding with any particular character(s)? If so which one(s)?
Yes, that’s easy, Sterling. Although he faces life alone, he doesn`t have to deal with a broken heart, romance, or lost love. Unlike his creator. Who easily gives his heart away. LOL
Can you share your next creative project(s)? If yes, can you give a few details?
I’m trying to finish a pirate book called Pirates Blood Oath. However, these are exciting times, and finally, I see events moving forward. My favorite saying is when people would ask me, “Well, have you made your first million?”
“No,” I ‘d respond. “But imagine a man at the bottom of a rocket, there you see a long fuse and the man striking two rocks together, hoping for a spark.” That’s me; I know that these books will take off; I need a spark.
What are some of your writing/publishing goals for this year?
I’m doing all of this a second time. I had four books I publication but pulled them off the market. The only ones profiting from my work were the self-publish scammers. That was until I met Karen Miller from Open Door Publications. She’s the difference. Stay tuned to see what will be coming out, will blow your socks off, plus the artwork from Eric at Labacz Design, who makes it’s a reality.
Have you ever felt that there was something inside of you that you couldn't control? If so what? If no what spurs you to reach for the unexperienced?
Let me tell you, now, with my creative juices flowing, I cannot stop even if I wanted to. Yes, of course, I’ve been disgusted with past experiences from so-called publication companies. Do yourself a favor and hang up the phone when these charlatans call you and ask about your book, promising to increase sales, if you’d use their programs, again hang up. Not too long ago, I told my adopted son, Max, I was done. I am never writing again. His words to me were, “You can’t, even though you might want to, it's ingrained in your soul.” Damn it, you’re right, I admitted. Still, I tried to stop, but he would allow me to.
If you could have dinner/dinner party with 7 fictional character, who would they be? Yes, Barbara Harding, Sterling, Superman, The Joker, Legolas, Elrond, Sherlock Holms.
If you could spend one-week with 5 fictional characters, who would they be and where would you spend that time? Arwen, Wonder Woman, Ygritte, the Hound, Margaery Tyrell, Tyrion Lannister. Simple, in Maui.
Where would you spend one full year, if you could go ANYWhere, money is not a concern? What would you do with this time? On a deserted rocky shoreline. I would write and create. I would search my soul from past experiences, a lost love perhaps. Be connected with my inner self. Alone, all alone with nothing but my thoughts and imaginations.
For me, I’m already creative volatile; I need a spark.
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