But since last week's snippet was "the last" (for now) from Death Brings Victory, I'm moving along to one of my short stories. So, I now present a snippet from my short story "A Thankful Heart" (as featured in my collection Dead or Alive). In this one, Aston has just stumbled into a bar where the locals are having a little party. Knowing Aston, he wishes he was anywhere else...
“Come, join our celebration.”
I laughed under my breath and said, “No, thanks. I’m not in the mood.”
“But it’s the Festival of Giving Thanks. Surely you have something to be thankful for.” He raised a large mug of golden liquid. In the dimmest of lights, and most desperate of times, perhaps it could pass for Vladirian liquor. Wishful thinking on my part. There was going to be only one way of getting these people off my back.
“I guess I’m thankful I’m not dead or in prison.”
If you enjoyed this, check out the full story in my Dead or Alive collection!
Great humorous snippet. I really love the character Aston. I also love the skill you have writing dialogue. It comes across naturally and also communicates information about the character. Great snippet!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your book. Hope it sells well!
Good things to be thankful for, LOL.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nicole...I tend to get that a lot, about the dialogue. Sometimes, though, I worry if the narrative tends to suffer as a result...
ReplyDeleteMisa, Aston should be thankful for those...he's run across several instances where he should have experienced one or the other. :-P
Thanks for stopping by!
See? There's always something for which to be thankful!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy reading about Aston, and this snippet is no exception. Great stuff!
Ah Aston, always finding the silver (or golden alcohol) lining! Great work. Grats on the book release!
ReplyDeletePatrick, whether Aston admits it or not, he finds plenty to be thankful for in this story...originally intended to be a Thanksgiving piece for an online magazine.
ReplyDeleteCassandra, Aston is probably more an optimist than he'd like to admit. ;-)
Thanks for stopping by!
Oh, yet another Aston West tale to read!! Great snippet, and again: Poor Aston...I get the feeling he's not going to be too thankful very soon.
ReplyDeleteHe may not think so, but he *does* find out otherwise... ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
:-) Those are good things to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteIn Aston's case, definitely!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, Angelia!
Don't tell me he's actually going to wind up thankful--though those are definitely things to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteWell, whether or not he wants to be thankful, he does end up admitting as such (for various things) throughout the story... ;-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by!
"In the dimmest of lights, and most desperate of times," Great line (and snippet).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cary! Yup, Aston seemed to be waxing poetic there for a moment... ;-)
ReplyDeleteMaybe someone will break out the Vladirian Liquor!
ReplyDeleteAston, always enjoyable.
Maybe Aston should stock more on his ship? :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by, everyone!
Seems plenty to be thankful for. :)
ReplyDeleteI love Aston's view on life, the universe, and everything. I love the dialog. Hemingway sometimes relied on dialog over narrative for storytelling. If it works, go with it!
ReplyDeleteHow did I miss Pippa's comment earlier? Weird...but thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteJC, it definitely seems to work for me, at least I'd like to think so. :-)