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Black Friday?
On this Black Friday, I’d like to simply remind you that Bookshop.org is a fine way to buy books while supporting local bookstores. If that’s something you’d be interested in doing.
Interview with Morty Grindle
[I sat down with Morty Grindle a few months ago, just before the events of Dead of Night. Fictional characters often have a uniquie perspective on life, and Morty was no different. Here’s what he had to say.]
Darrell Pursiful: You’ve lived in Louisville for a while now.
Morty Grindle: That’s right, about six or seven years. Before that, I was in Saint Louis. And before that… well, a lot of places.
DP: Do you like it there?
MG: The people are nice. The pollen’s kinda rough in the spring. <laughs> With a nose like this, you think about things like that!
DP: I can imagine. So what do you do for fun?
MG: It’s fun enough meeting people, trying to make sure they have a nice stay. I work at the Brown Hotel, you know? Folks come through there from all over the world. You never know who’s gonna want something special—the name of a chiropractor who makes house calls, a table at Jeff Ruby’s. That kind of thing.
DP: And you can help them with that?
MG: If there’s one thing better than meeting people, it’s connecting the ones who need something with the ones who can give it to ‘em.
DP: So who’s the most interesting person you’ve helped?
MP: <straightens up> Listen, Mr. P., you want to talk about me, we’ll talk. Just don’t ask me about my clients, okay?
DP: I’m sorry, I just thought—
MG: ‘Cause that’s kinda sacred, if you know what I mean. They trust me to take care of ‘em. They don’t need anybody else up in their business. Got it?
DP: Absolutely. Please forgive me.
MG: Just so long as we understand each other.
DP: Of course. <flips through notes> You don’t live at the Brown.
MG: Nah. I got a place over in Underborough. It’s kinda small, but it suits me fine. The rent is cheap. Plus, there’s always lots going on in Underborough. Lots of merchandise goes through there, you know? The kind of stuff you don’t usually see on this side of the Mere. The other day I picked up a shamlee cap, and all I had to do was give a guy the number of a good lawyer that don’t ask too many questions.
DP: A shamlee cap?
MG: You put it on, and it makes you look human.
DP: Wow. I’d love to see something like that.
MG: I already traded it to a troll that lives under the Kennedy Bridge.
DP: Ah. I guess I assumed—
MG: That I’d keep it for myself? Why would I want to do that?
DP: What was I thinking?
MG: Now don’t get me wrong. I take care of my clients for a reason. I do ‘em favors, eventually I’m gonna call in a favor from them. That’s the way these things work. But I figure, wait till I need something big, you know? Until then, keep the deals in motion. That’s how you build trust.
DP: I don’t see how your system would work without trust.
MG: I know, right? A deal’s a deal. That’s what I always say. If you can’t live up to your end of it, then what kinda man are you?
DP: You seem pretty definite about that.
MG: Yeah, well. Not everybody treats it that way. Something I learned the hard way a few years back.
DP: Somebody went back on a deal?
MG: <eyes flashing> Somebody stabbed me in the sarding back, if you’ll pardon my language. <fists clenching> Jonbo Loudy. By the depths, if I ever see that bob-washer again…
DP: I didn’t mean to upset you.
MG: What? Oh, it wasn’t you. It just gets me kinda worked up, you know? Some folks think a promise still means something. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that not everybody sees it that way.
DP: That was a long time ago, wasn’t it?
MG: <shrugs> Don’t change nothing. Sure, I was just a kid back then. But there’s right and then there’s wrong, is all I’m saying.
DP: I see.
MG: And nobody—and I mean nobody—gets between me and my clients. That’s what Loudy taught me. I don’t need to learn it twice.
DP: You’ve lived in the Fallow for going on thirty years now. What do you appreciate most about it?
MG: What’s not to like? The music is great. Oh, and the food? Have you ever tried Thai food?
DP: Yes, it’s one of my favorites.
MG: Me too! I tell you, we didn’t have anything like that back in Cuttywatty. I still miss a good merrybrew, though, especially in the summer.
DP: I’m not familiar with that drink.
MG: It’s kind of traditional around the holidays. Gamaufry’s makes a pretty good brew, but it’s never as good as homemade. The secret’s in the berries. If you like, I can hook you up with a bottle or two. Just say the word.
DP: Thanks. I think I’ll pass.
MG: Your loss. If you ain’t looking for brew, how about a new suit? I know a guy in Saint Matthews—
DP: Maybe next time. Thanks for chatting with me today.
MG: My pleasure, Mr. P. Don’t be a stranger.
You can read Morty’s story in Dead of Night.
The night gets darker on July 1.
Happy Small Business Week!
For no particular reason, I thought I’d remind y’all that Shadow of the King is available through Bookshop.org, in case there were, hypothetically, a large business you’d rather avoid doing business with.
Dead of Night Interior Signed Off!
Ask me a question, and I’ll answer it in an upcoming post.
The night gets darker on July 1.
Sunday Inspiration: Caring
Do what you can to show you care about other people, and you will make our world a better place.
—Rosalynn Carter
Thank you, Therese J. Davis
…for your kind review on Goodreads of Shadow of the King—especially that intriguing note at the end!
I got drawn in immediately. Rune is totally relatable. He takes you on a really harrowing journey that keeps you fully entry. I had a hard time putting it down and when I got to the end I wasn’t ready for it to end. Of course I had to verify where Colonel Sanders is buried!
“The Next Great Fantasy Series!”???
Thank you, Steven A. Guglich, for your amazing review of Shadow of the King. I’m a bit stunned.
Darrell writes in such a way that he sucks the reader in. The prose is fresh and fun. The characters are likeable and worthy. Rune, the main character, is especially appealing because he is filled with such wonder for the world that we take for granted, yet he has this edgy angst about him that makes you want to jump into the pages and help the down on his luck elf.
The story, though it takes place in the modern world, is very original. Darrell takes familiar tropes, myths, and legends, and turns them on their heads, offering a fresh and fun perspective on childhood tales.
Is Steven over-selling? YOU DECIDE.
Some North American Fate Monsters
Professor Dungeon Master of the Dungeon Craft YouTube channel has suggested that July be Independent TTRPG Month. “Independent” is loosely defined as “not the extremely popular game currently published by Hasbro.”
To celebrate, I thought I’d share a few monsters that get screen time (or at least a mention) in Shadow of the King and its sequel, Dead of Night (both in production), statted out for Fate Accelerated Edition. Feel free to steal, adapt, etc. for your gaming needs.
Note: “Threat Level” is a rough quantification of how challenging a creature is. Use it as a modifier for to-hit or defend rolls, etc., as you see fit.
BLEMMYE [Threat Level: Superb (+5)]
Aspects: Headless Giant; Limited Peripheral Vision; It Just Looks Wrong; Fiercely Territorial
Armor-2 (tough hide) Weapon-2 (fists) or 3 (club)
Stress ☐☐☐☐☐ + mild consequence
Stunts:
• Crushing Blow. If you fail on your combat roll, the blemmye inflicts WR+1 stress and places a situational aspect such as Staggered, Knocked Silly, etc. on your character.
• Terrifying. When it first appears in a scene, a threatening blemmye places the aspect Terrified on everyone in its zone. PCs and named NPCs defend with Clever.
In the Ho-Chunk language, these creatures are called Chearppeshaux but most refer to them by their classical name. Blemmyes mainly inhabit the prairie plains west of the Mother of Rivers, though they can be found as well in the desert Southwest. They stand eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and coarse fur. They have long, powerful arms and move with a stooped, knuckle-walking gait.
The blemmye’s most distinctive feature, however, is a flattened head set deep in the thorax so that its shoulders come up to the ears. This gives the appearance of a “headless” monster with wide-set eyes and a mouth where the collarbone ought to be. Though brutish in appearance, blemmyes have near-human intelligence.
Blemmyes are also a kind of game piece in king’s table, associated with the “southern” side of the board.
SHUCK HOUND [Threat Level: Great (+4)]
Aspects: Massive Bone-Crushing Dog; Hypercarnivorous Diet; Tough and Scrappy
Armor-1 (tough hide) Weapon-3 (bite)
Stress ☐☐☐☐ + mild consequence
Stunt:
• Latch On. If a shuck hound gets a boost in combat, it places the aspect Latched On to its target. It clamps down on its target and inflicts another 2 stress every exchange until removed.
Shuck hounds are large borophagine dogs with powerful jaws anchored to powerful neck and shoulder muscles, a short face, and a domed forehead. Among the Ioway people, they are called shunka warakin, literally “carries off dogs.” They usually have black or red fur. They can be domesticated, however, and are sometimes used as guard dogs, pack animals, and even mounts for small folk.
If there’s interest, I’ve got plenty more monsters to share. Enjoy!
Fell Beasts and Fair
Fell Beasts and Fair is an anthology of noblebright fantasy short stories from Spring Song Press. Here’s the blurb:
In this exciting collection of noblebright fantasy, fresh new fantasy voices and award-winning authors explore grief and hope, sacrifice and heroism. Rediscover the best aspect of classic fantasy – the noblebright ideals that made heroes heroic, even when the world grew dark around them.
Thieves, dragons, nightmares, fairy warriors, pookas, enchanted bear-men, and other magical creatures will delight you in these unique tales of possibility, courage, and hope.
This anthology features stories from:
Leslie J. Anderson, C.A. Barrett, Terri Bruce, Aaron DaMommio, M.C. Dwyer, Anthony Eichenlaub, Francesca Forrest, Chloe Garner, W.R. Gingell, Lora Gray, Kelly A. Harmon, Tom Howard, Rollin Jewett, Tom Jolly, Samuel Marzioli, Amanda Nargi, Aimee Ogden, Beth Powers, Darrell J. Pursiful, Charles D. Shell, April Steenburgh, Alena Sullivan, and Troy Tang.
Edited by Robert McCowen and C. J. Brightley.
I’m honored to have been chosen as a contributor. My story, “The Pooka’s Day,” describes how Danny and Claudia from my Into the Wonder series first met. You don’t need to know anything about Into the Wonder to follow the plot, though.
Honestly, every story is a winner. You probably know that isn’t always the case with an anthology! Thanks to C. J. Brightley (gotta love that name!) for seeing fit to include my little contribution.
Oathbreaker
Book 5: Oathbreaker
Words have power. Just ask Taylor Smart.
Her people can shape reality to their whim with a word. But this power comes at a price: a broken oath can tear the Wonder apart. And the Wonder tends to fight back.
Two and a half years ago, Taylor promised a favor to spare her friend Jill from the wrath of Mara Hellebore, the Chief Matron of the Winter Court. But now the brooding noblewoman of the daoine sídhe has returned to call in her debt, and the price she asks is more than Taylor is willing to pay.
In this heart-pounding conclusion to the Into The Wonder series, Taylor becomes an unwilling accomplice in Mara’s twisted plan. Accompanied by a band of supernatural mercenaries, Taylor has no choice but to obey…for now. Still, she’s keeping her eyes open for the chance to put her own plans in play and be rid of the House of Hellebore once and for all.
Darrell J. Pursiful 