​It’s been one long journey, but here we are, finally at the end of the road for the Freaky and Fantastical 500 (Words or Less).  It’s been a good, productive three months so there is plenty more to share and I’m actually happy to be finished with this reflection on my first trip into self-publishing.  So without further ado, here is the review of the last six pieces from my anthology.
 
“My Flesh and Blood” is a story I’ve had in my mind for some time.  I developed a full story but what is presented here is a single scene from that tale of humans surviving in a world overrun with bloodsucking and flesh-eating monsters.  I intend to have the full story told in visual form, either as a screenplay or comic.  I know, I know… vampires and zombies are overdone, but it’s just a matter of how the story is told…
 
“The Power of Words” is a pretty straightforward piece.  I can really say no more to add to the message of this story.  Enjoy!
 
“Unusual Tastes” is also rather straightforward, but there was a twist.  The story is meant to show how people can humanize an animal, or in this case an alien, but also have no aversion to consuming those animals.  We have certain attachments to pets, and people all over have animals of every kind as pets in their homes.  Pets can substitute for children in some homes. But there is a food chain, and one person’s “child”, could be another person’s meal.
 
“Seventh World Problems” is a story about limitless imagination, acceptance, and world peace.  Worlds without borders blend into a perfect world where the power of the spirit and mind create something special but also eventually destroy it.  It describes several universes that once existed as one but only remain as memories, myths, and legends that inspire future generations.
 
“Crafty as a Fox” is another favorite of mine.  This is my own original fable based on the tricksters of various cultures.  I may develop this story further one day in another form of media as well.  I think it is a great tale about competition between friends and rivals that can sometimes get out of hand and it demonstrates the roles of tricksters in every form.
 
And… as a bonus: the final piece in this book, “In Short: Think For Yourself” is a poem and a call to action.  There are enough problems, critics, and consumers in the world.  At least, that’s what I think. 
 
I think people were placed in the world to create new things and share experiences with each other, make legacies.  This book is just one of the things I want to add to my legacy.  It was only an experiment for me, but it is also a template for future works.  I hope that the ideas I’ve shared in only 500 words or less actually resonated with someone.  There are only 99 shorts in this book but hundreds of ideas rolled into it.  Sharing my ideas in words is one thing I do well, but that is not where my skillset ends.  And the last page of Freaky and Fantastical 500 (Words or Less) is not where my story ends…  There is always more to come!

Welcome back for the second-to-last installment in the Freaky and Fantastic 500 (Words or Less) review.  It’s been a long three months covering this so you should already know what it is by now if you’ve stuck it out and if you don’t then still feel free to jump in and see if my ramblings pique your interest in my book!

​“A Collector’s Price” is a story about a man who lies, cheats, and steals from multiple people including those closest to him in order to obtain some rare, magical objects.  This story was written with the question of what would someone sacrifice to gain material wealth and is it worth it in the end?  I myself am guilty of always desiring to have a full set of something, whether I need a set or not, whether it’s a set of coins, an evolutionary line of Pocket Monsters, or rare cards that were in limited print.  I may never use these things, but in my mind the value is greater when you have it all… But I would not condone what the man in this story does.
 
The short narrative poem “Last Wish” is dedicated to one of my best friends.  I basically wrote a conversation we had about what his dying wish would be and what lengths I might go through to fulfill it.  As crazy as this piece might sound, it kind of makes you wonder how far a friend would go to honor you, dead or alive.  In the end, this poem is about leaving behind your past sorrows and moving forward with life no matter where you find yourself.
 
“The Standout” is probably a story that we’ve heard or seen too many times… But you know what?  I WROTE IT ANYWAY! Pretty much every story is about a protagonist who lives a simple life by society’s rules only to receive a call to action or just wake up and make a decision to be great, no matter the consequences.  That is really all this story is.  So, accept the call to action, and be great!
 
“Evolution” is probably one of the oddest stories in the book, but I thought it was worth including because it was written with the idea of the creator’s relationship with the creation.  It’s about a son’s acceptance of who he is, but also aspiring to be like his father and understand him, just as humans possess curiosity about our existence and the desire to be greater.  The story is about passing on a torch, from teacher to student.  It is also modeled after God and Jesus… obviously.
 
“Roadtrip” is another cautionary tale about how the benefits of technology can also be dangerous.  While machines are manmade there are some things in the universe, such as time and space, people shouldn’t tamper with.  I explicitly state in the story how our culture has become more interested in instant gratification, but I also imply in the end how accidents can reveal opportunity.  (SPOILER /MAN-SPLAINER ALERT: If it is not clear, in the end the elderly people see an opportunity to stop their own aging process so that they can essentially live forever.)

And that wraps up this bit!  Only 6 more stories to cover and more fun to be had in my reflecting on this first book of mine.  Check it out here and come back for more ramblings, because of course there is always more to come!

​Back again for another installment in the Freaky and Fantastical 500 blog series.  While there are roughly only about 2 or 3 more of these to go following this, I admit that reflecting on the stories has probably been a greater exercise than actually writing them, but I can appreciate the stories more as a result.  So let’s get into it.
 
“Beast of Corruption” is a story that I had rattling in my head for a while and even parodied in a one-page comic titled “The Devil Made Me Do It” (finished, but not a priority on my publishing list).  This is a story about an interdimensional monster that is only able to speak to, but not physically affect living beings.  When the people of one world are able to finally bind this beast, they blame it for every evil action committed by mankind and proceed to torture it.  This is a very dark story, but it is intended to put a mirror up to humanity, and show how easily we villainize others before taking responsibility for our own sins.
 
The next story, “The Tortoise and the Hare”, is a sci-fi/fantasy sport retelling of the old fable.  I think I did well enough in conveying the original moral --“Slow and steady wins the race”-- and it was fun playing with the names of the characters.  Personally, I’ve never been interested in racing, but I’ve always enjoyed combat racing video games such as Mario Kart and Twisted Metal (even though there is no racing really involved in this one), and Aesop’s “The Tortoise and the Hare” is a fable that always stuck with me.
 
“Warm Heart, Cold Feet” is a sci-fi love story that I am particularly proud of and hope to retell in other forms of media in the near future.  As the title suggests, it is about the fear of commitment and the desire to be with someone you love despite that fear.  In this story, the featured alien race literally gives their crystal heart to their spouse-to-be, which can ultimately lead to a lethal and literal “heartbreak” if the recipient cannot endure the secret memories and emotions of the heart they receive.  Because of these deadly consequences, it is even more understandable why someone would be afraid to jump the broom.  This story demonstrates the uncertainty and the sacrifice that I believe a lot of people face prior to getting married.  While it may take some people years or decades to fully understand their spouse, the beings in this story instantly understand the best and worst of their significant other in the exchange of the hearts, and though receiving an actual part of someone and risking your life to be with them could cause cold feet, it ultimately works out… for some.
 
“Sleepwalkers” is a concept I developed for a larger story, but I thought it was fun to use on a smaller scale here.  In this story, a detective attempts to piece together a case involving multiple people demonstrating acts of vigilantism while they sleep with no recollection of their actions and no knowledge of the people they deliver justice to.  While I don’t provide answers to the overall question in this story, just think of Freddy Krueger as a superhero and you could probably understand how this could develop further.
 
Finally, “Beauty or Beast” is a story of a witchy woman scorned and a womanizer who gets his comeuppance.  It is about perception of ourselves and others and how we treat others based on physical attraction alone.  It’s also kind of a women’s empowerment story for any ladies out there who have been heartbroken by a player…
 
And that is it for this five-parter!  Check out the Freaky and Fantastic 500 (Words or Less) anthology now if you haven’t already or at least leave a review, whether you liked it or not!  And check back here for the last few posts I have in this review series!  There is always more to come.
 

​Still nearing the end of the Freaky and Fantastical 500 (Words or Less) review journey!  Time to jump into the next five-parter.
 
“So Ordinary” is a story about appreciating who you are and what you have, because despite how mundane or meaningless things seem to you, it may be fascinating and valuable to others.  It is about an “undesirable” finding purpose and acceptance in a place he never intended to be.  And that is often how life works out!
 
“Shirts and Skins” is a fantastical story about finding opportunities.  Every business is meant to provide a service or product that people want or need.  In this story, one woman seizes the opportunity to create the perfect line of protective wear and establish a lucrative business, however the clothing still possesses a life of its own.  I could probably go further with this idea, but there is already a funny anime called “Kill La Kill” that has done something similar.  We will see if this is something worth revisiting at a later time, though.
 
“Selling Dreams” is another fantastical story inspired that weird kid you probably avoided in grade school who grew up to be a success and those annoying infomercials you are used to seeing, especially on late-night T.V.  This story points out our aversion to things that we think of as weird or different, even if it is designed for our specific needs.  So often people hold to the belief that they understand something/someone and are unwilling to attempt learn more about the thing or person, possibly due to fear of being proven wrong or any number of things.  However, sometimes people need to connect with the thing they try to avoid in order to resolve their immediate problem.
 
“Rooted” is a body horror story inspired by the fungi of the Orphiocordycep genus (I hope I spelled that correctly) which inspired the video game “The Last of Us”, which I’ve never played, but heard great things about.  The fact that there are already things in nature that can turn other beings to real zombies is scary and exciting.  In this story, the residents of a small town are put into some very uncomfortable and terrifying positions when they learn they’ve been affected by a cloud of spores that cause people to exhibit strange behaviors.  I also took inspiration from other zombie stories such as “World War Z”, but I highly recommend that people take the time to research the mind-controlling fungus.
 
Lastly, “Inheritance” is a funny little story about a man receiving his first pet, which turns out to be more than he wanted but just what he needed.  Kids might want a pet either because their friends all have one or they want the companionship of a new, living toy, but no kid will ask for the responsibility that comes with it.  The main character in this story actually gets a monster dog as his inheritance from his late father who denied him the chance of having a pet in his childhood, and despite his father’s original thoughts on having an animal around, there are other benefits found in having a fantastic beast in his charge.
 
That completes another round for this week!  There will be more to come  soon.