Category: Books

Patreon Microfiction: Rationalization.

100WS-RationalizationDownload
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Yeah, ‘Rationalization’ works as a title on several levels. You gotta feel at least a little bad for that entity, though. The situation is obviously not optimal, only nobody involved and making dumb decisions particularly wants it fixed. They just want somebody to blame. We’ve all been there.

09/27/2024 Snippet, DEAD LEEMAH.

I’m actually going to keep this one to three thousand words this time. It doesn’t need to be elaborate; it just needs to establish the characters. This should be doable.

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“So, why are you traveling light?” Nat asked as they made a kind of camp. They’d been in luck; they’d found one of the fabled metal pavilions that the Old Americans used to drag behind their equally fabled cars. It even had a giant spider denning in it, which was a piece of luck, since you didn’t have to cook those. They hadn’t seen any more hodag spawn, but a fire seemed like a bad idea right now to the two of them.

Nat swallowed another mouthful of spider sushi (calling it that helped) and went on. “Solo scout or not, you’d need more stuff to tackle the Marcher country, especially this close to the Nogozone or Unholy Toledo. And we’re still going towards Dead Leemah, which we wouldn’t be doing if you had better options. So what happened?”

Oxman shrugged. “I started off with more stuff, too, but I ran into a Toledo slaver party. Five of the bastards, carting along a dozen captures. After I got ‘em loose, one of the slaves told me there’d be another ten slavers coming along to find out what happened. I knew they were gonna be useless otherwise, so I told ‘em to get their asses east while I got the slavers’ attention.”

He leaned back. “Ain’t gonna lie. That was fun, getting them out into the wilderness and picking them off, one by one. Only problem was, the last three killed all their horses and wrecked all their gear when they realized they weren’t gonna be any luckier than the other seven.”

“Bastards,” sniffed Nat. Sincerely. “Ten to one was sporting odds, especially if they had horses and you didn’t. You lose that bet, your ghost’s got no right to complain. Besides, what did the horses ever do to them?”

Looks like I’ll be vending at Doxacon again.

They’re having Doxacon at the Catholic University of America this go round, November 1st and 2nd. I’m definitely going to catch Ken Hite’s talk on ‘Revealing the Numinous in TTRPGs,’ and hopefully Lia Lewis’s ‘The Incarnation: Humanity’s Next Chapter and The Children of Men,’ if there’s no scheduling conflict*. I’m also going to be selling my books there, as per usual for me these days with regard to conventions. If you’re in the area, come on by!

Moe Lane

Continue reading Looks like I’ll be vending at Doxacon again.

09/26/2024 Snippet, Shorter story.

I have decided that I hate THE LAST DAYS OF UNHOLY TOLEDO because I don’t know who the heck my heroes actually are. So I’m going to do a quick 3K word story that establishes them in my head. If nothing else, this will make me far less cranky about the situation.

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Dead Leemah
(Just outside of Lima, Ohio)

Nathaniel Smart-Mouth did not want to die. He certainly didn’t want to die in a monster-haunted dead city. Ruins were where stupid people died, starting with the ones foolish enough to go into ruins by themselves.

Unfortunately, he was not the only one with an opinion on the subject. The tribesmen who had chased him into Dead Leemah in particular had a burning desire to see his liver. He wasn’t entirely certain that they wouldn’t eat it after, either. The Ohio Marcher country was big enough to hide a lot of horror in the hard-to-find places.

A dumber man than Nat might have taken comfort in how the sounds of pursuit had been fading over the last fifteen minutes. A more optimistic one might have told himself that surely the tales of ‘Dead Leemah’ were exaggerated. Since he was neither, Nat instead kept moving, trying to stay alert but not anxious about whatever peril lurked ahead. Better the monsters ahead than the ones behind.

He hoped that wasn’t him being dumb and optimistic, either.

Moe Lane pontificates about self-publishing!

I feel the need to unpack this.

Continue reading Moe Lane pontificates about self-publishing!

Tweet of the Day, This Articulates One Of My Life Goals edition.

Some day, I hope to infuriate a reviewer one-half as much as these four men infuriated this nameless The People writer.

Also: I have to go look up Gregory Corso now. If he can be in this mighty company and not be ashamed, there must be something of his work worthy of note.

09/25/2024 Snippet, THE LAST DAYS OF UNHOLY TOLEDO.

Trying my best to reel this one in.

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The Monsignor pursed his lips, looking backward himself. After a moment, he shrugged. “There may be something back there, yes. As I have said, the spellcraft is weaker here than it should be. Perhaps some spirit has taken hold of frayed magic, and reweaved it into a form more pleasing to it.” He shrugged. “No matter, as long as it contents itself with easy prey.”

The Monsignor turned … only to find Maddox’s arm blocking his way. “Unholy Toledo had a name for showing contempt for the wits of others. Which is why there’s an army at its walls.” The Monsignor’s nostrils flared at the accurate accusation. “We may be underground even now, but I am no fungus, to be kept in the dark, and fed shit. What can we expect from the rest of these miserable chambers? For clearly you know.”“Oh, I do! My circle” — Nat’s eyes narrowed, for that was not a word one liked to hear a mage use to describe his associates — “long had the task of preserving these pleasure chambers. Ha!” he went on, seeing Maddox start slightly. “Not all tastes are as coarse as yours, fighting-man. Those of us with more rarified psyches require subtler delights. But it is fair that you know what you face.”