Six Sentence Sunday: Chickens

My latest publication is another crime story: yes, that seems to be my groove now. I'm even going to the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival in July the better to network and immerse myself in the crime writing world. Should be fun, eh?

My story "Chickens" takes place in 1968, when a couple of Bakersfield irregulars decide to leave the farm behind and go mess with some hippies, the phenomenon they've learned about from watching the nightly news with the elder statesman of television, Walter Cronkite. Bonus appearance by Cal Worthington and his dog Spot!

I killed all the chickens the day I left. I'd have preferred to kill Maw but I wasn't ready at the time for a crime of such proportions and besides, I was looking forward to saying to Bud with a laugh, "I spent the morning chokin' chickens!" because I knew he'd laugh like he always does in that hee-haw kind of way. Maw always said he was half ass anyway (the only funny thing she ever said in her miserable life that I can recall) but I forgot to tell him because he was so excited about buggin' out to the smoggy wonderland.

"We're gonna get some girls," Bud said, hee-hawing a mile a minute as we pulled away from their farm. Dawn in Bakersfield, the most uninspiring sight a body can see anywhere in this great nation I am sure. The golden light just cast a beautiful glow on the stunted fields and ugly houses of mile after mile of failing farms and subsidized indolence...

Matt Hilton edited this monster-sized anthology -- nearly 300 pages of non-stop mayhem, including folks like my pal Mr B and Richard Godwin, Absolutely Kate, Col Bury, David Barber, Graham Smith and many many more. Chock full of action, just like it says on the tin -- er, cover. Vol 2 already in the planning stages. This is going to be big!

As usual, drop by to see all the Six Sunday offerings.

Know-vember: Paul D. Brazill

Welcome, Mr B, the bard of Hartlepool, the dazzler of Bydgoszcz, intoxicating scribe of darkly funny tales, like the mordantly funny but gruesome Drunk on the Moon. What's better than a werewolf PI? How about six more rip-snorting, can't-put-'em-down stories about Roman Dalton, all just a bargain at 99¢? Best of all, lucky number seven It's a Curse is by yours truly (more on that soon). You'll enjoy getting to know Dalton's dark world. Mr B and I appear together in the pages of the noir issue of Blink|Ink and in the premier International Noir anthology from Dark Pages, a new imprint from Trestle Press (out today!). I could go on, but let's have a few words from the man himself. I suggest you pour yourself a stiff drink first.

1. What's the first thing you do upon waking in the morning?

I never wake up in the morning. I need be up and about for at least three hours before I start to wake up. It usually goes downhill after that.

2. What's a song you might be persuaded to dance to?

Agadoo by Black Lace. Including the movements. Especially the dirty version.

3. Where in the world do you live?

Bydgoszcz. I discovered it after getting a really bad collection of letters when playing scrabble.

4. What's a great night out for you?

Something to do with boozing.

5. What's a great night in?

See above.

6. If you were offered an all expenses paid trip anywhere in the world, where would you go?

The Edith Beales' Grey Gardens.

7. What book do you wish everyone would read so you could talk about it?

Anything written by me. I'd never lose interest.

8. What movie makes you cry?

Terminator: Sarah Connor's fringe is tragic.

9. What makes you laugh?

Bono.

10. Are there fairies at the bottom of your garden?

Yes, but they're buried deep, deep, down.

You're a cruel man, but fair. Cheers.

Who is Kit Marlowe?