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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Fairy Tales & Fantasy
- Subject: Creatures & Monsters
- Published: 02/26/2018
The Flying Werewolf
“If I have to hear it one more time, I’m going to rip someone’s throat out.”
“First off, you’re not hearing it. You’re reading it in the rejection letters they send you.”
“Yeah, I know, but it feels as if they’re telling me to my face. I’m sorry, but no one is going to believe that a werewolf can also be a fairy and have wings.”
“See, that’s what I love about your writing. You paint in such grand strokes. My stories are just about ordinary people standing around in their living rooms, talking.”
“Yeah, but at least you’ve been published.”
“Yes, in tiny, obscure, literary magazines. But don’t worry, one day you’ll get accepted, and then you’ll be able to thumb your nose at all those people who said no one would want to read your stories.”
“I hope it’s soon. I’m about ready to quit.”
“Oh, you can’t quit now! Look at what happened to J. K. Rowling. How many publishers turned down her first book?”
“Twelve.”
“Yeah, twelve. That was twelve people who were supposed to be experts. And then on the thirteenth, her book was accepted and went on to become a massive success, spawning an entire entertainment empire. So you see, you still have a chance.”
All the way home from the shop where she worked, Allison thought about what her friend had said. Yeah, I know I shouldn’t quit, she admonished herself, but it’s been so damn frustrating!
After she arrived home, she made herself some supper then sat down to watch a re-run of Supernatural. Just as she found it getting interesting, her phone rang. She thought it might be Jason from the shop calling to see if she wanted to go out and howl at the moon. Of course that meant they’d have to have several drinks first. But when she put the phone to her ear, she didn’t recognize the voice on the other end.
“Ms. Kane?” inquired a deep male voice. “My name is Joseph Ashton and . . .” Thinking he was from an outfit that wanted her to sign up for some expensive program, she was about to hang up when she heard him say, “I’m calling from Nightwing Publishers; I want to talk to you about a query you sent me.”
She froze. Nightwing! Her query! Oh, my God! Pressing the phone closer to her ear, she prompted, “Yes, yes, what about it?”
“I was intrigued by what you sent me. It sounds exactly like the type of story I’ve been looking for. Could you send me the entire manuscript—if it’s finished, of course? I’d like to read it, and if it qualifies, I’d like to get it into production right away.”
The shivers of excitement were shooting up and down her entire frame. “Yes, it’s finished and I can get it to you in no time.”
“Excellent! I’ll look forward to reading it.” And then he hung up.
With her excitement acting like rocket fuel, Allison shot to her feet and howled at the ceiling. Then she called Jason and told him what had just happened.
“See, I told you not to think about quitting. So where do you want to go to celebrate?”
“How about The Full Moon Bar And Grill?”
“Perfect! I’ll meet you there.”
The next evening when Joseph Ashton arrived at his publishing company, he found a large box wrapped in brown paper leaning against the front door. Across the front of the box was scrawled: “Requested Material.” Retiring to his inner sanctum, he ripped open the box and began to read what was inside.
The following evening, Allison received an excited phone call.
“Absolutely perfect!” said the familiar deep male voice on the other end. “With just the tiniest bit of editing, I think we can get it on the shelves in about a month!”
Allison frowned at her phone. Then putting it back against her ear said, “I’ve never heard of a book being published that fast unless it was self-published.”
She could hear the humor in his voice. “Our staff is very efficient, Ms. Kane.”
For the next month, Allison felt as if she was walking on pins and needles. Then on the evening of the launch party, more than one revelation came to light.
“Now I can see how you came up with the idea,” Joseph Ashton said to Allison as he studied her wolf-like form. “Were you born with those wings, or did they develop later?”
Allison smiled, and with no hint of being insulted, replied, “Well, you see, my father was a werewolf while my mother was a fairy. I just came out this way.” Ashton nodded.
Then glancing at his pale complexion, Allison commented, “And I guess you’re a vampire and . . .” Staring at his symbol encrusted robe and pointed hat, “a wizard?”
Ashton nodded. “Precisely!”
This was when Jason approached them and stood in front of Allison. She introduced him to Ashton. “And this here is my friend and colleague, Jason.”
“Why where do you two work?”
“Zombie Auto Repair,” replied Jason.
“And are both of you from the same wolf clan?”
Jason shook his large wolf-shaped head. “Not the same clan, but from the same vicinity.”
“Well,” smiled Ashton, draping a protective arm around Alison’s shoulders. “If our winged gal here can continue to pump out stories as good as this one, we’ll be able to make her as famous as—”
“J. K. Rowling?” interrupted Jason.
Ashton cleared his throat. “Well, maybe not quite that famous, but pretty darn close.”
Then all three clinked their glasses together before taking a sip. “Excellent vintage!” replied Jason, after wiping his snout across his hairy arm and leaving just the barest hint of red on his fur.
Ashton beamed. “I’m glad you like it. I mix all the libations myself.”
And with that, they joined the others in celebration.
The Flying Werewolf(Tom Di Roma)
The Flying Werewolf
“If I have to hear it one more time, I’m going to rip someone’s throat out.”
“First off, you’re not hearing it. You’re reading it in the rejection letters they send you.”
“Yeah, I know, but it feels as if they’re telling me to my face. I’m sorry, but no one is going to believe that a werewolf can also be a fairy and have wings.”
“See, that’s what I love about your writing. You paint in such grand strokes. My stories are just about ordinary people standing around in their living rooms, talking.”
“Yeah, but at least you’ve been published.”
“Yes, in tiny, obscure, literary magazines. But don’t worry, one day you’ll get accepted, and then you’ll be able to thumb your nose at all those people who said no one would want to read your stories.”
“I hope it’s soon. I’m about ready to quit.”
“Oh, you can’t quit now! Look at what happened to J. K. Rowling. How many publishers turned down her first book?”
“Twelve.”
“Yeah, twelve. That was twelve people who were supposed to be experts. And then on the thirteenth, her book was accepted and went on to become a massive success, spawning an entire entertainment empire. So you see, you still have a chance.”
All the way home from the shop where she worked, Allison thought about what her friend had said. Yeah, I know I shouldn’t quit, she admonished herself, but it’s been so damn frustrating!
After she arrived home, she made herself some supper then sat down to watch a re-run of Supernatural. Just as she found it getting interesting, her phone rang. She thought it might be Jason from the shop calling to see if she wanted to go out and howl at the moon. Of course that meant they’d have to have several drinks first. But when she put the phone to her ear, she didn’t recognize the voice on the other end.
“Ms. Kane?” inquired a deep male voice. “My name is Joseph Ashton and . . .” Thinking he was from an outfit that wanted her to sign up for some expensive program, she was about to hang up when she heard him say, “I’m calling from Nightwing Publishers; I want to talk to you about a query you sent me.”
She froze. Nightwing! Her query! Oh, my God! Pressing the phone closer to her ear, she prompted, “Yes, yes, what about it?”
“I was intrigued by what you sent me. It sounds exactly like the type of story I’ve been looking for. Could you send me the entire manuscript—if it’s finished, of course? I’d like to read it, and if it qualifies, I’d like to get it into production right away.”
The shivers of excitement were shooting up and down her entire frame. “Yes, it’s finished and I can get it to you in no time.”
“Excellent! I’ll look forward to reading it.” And then he hung up.
With her excitement acting like rocket fuel, Allison shot to her feet and howled at the ceiling. Then she called Jason and told him what had just happened.
“See, I told you not to think about quitting. So where do you want to go to celebrate?”
“How about The Full Moon Bar And Grill?”
“Perfect! I’ll meet you there.”
The next evening when Joseph Ashton arrived at his publishing company, he found a large box wrapped in brown paper leaning against the front door. Across the front of the box was scrawled: “Requested Material.” Retiring to his inner sanctum, he ripped open the box and began to read what was inside.
The following evening, Allison received an excited phone call.
“Absolutely perfect!” said the familiar deep male voice on the other end. “With just the tiniest bit of editing, I think we can get it on the shelves in about a month!”
Allison frowned at her phone. Then putting it back against her ear said, “I’ve never heard of a book being published that fast unless it was self-published.”
She could hear the humor in his voice. “Our staff is very efficient, Ms. Kane.”
For the next month, Allison felt as if she was walking on pins and needles. Then on the evening of the launch party, more than one revelation came to light.
“Now I can see how you came up with the idea,” Joseph Ashton said to Allison as he studied her wolf-like form. “Were you born with those wings, or did they develop later?”
Allison smiled, and with no hint of being insulted, replied, “Well, you see, my father was a werewolf while my mother was a fairy. I just came out this way.” Ashton nodded.
Then glancing at his pale complexion, Allison commented, “And I guess you’re a vampire and . . .” Staring at his symbol encrusted robe and pointed hat, “a wizard?”
Ashton nodded. “Precisely!”
This was when Jason approached them and stood in front of Allison. She introduced him to Ashton. “And this here is my friend and colleague, Jason.”
“Why where do you two work?”
“Zombie Auto Repair,” replied Jason.
“And are both of you from the same wolf clan?”
Jason shook his large wolf-shaped head. “Not the same clan, but from the same vicinity.”
“Well,” smiled Ashton, draping a protective arm around Alison’s shoulders. “If our winged gal here can continue to pump out stories as good as this one, we’ll be able to make her as famous as—”
“J. K. Rowling?” interrupted Jason.
Ashton cleared his throat. “Well, maybe not quite that famous, but pretty darn close.”
Then all three clinked their glasses together before taking a sip. “Excellent vintage!” replied Jason, after wiping his snout across his hairy arm and leaving just the barest hint of red on his fur.
Ashton beamed. “I’m glad you like it. I mix all the libations myself.”
And with that, they joined the others in celebration.
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