The Old Salt Mine...A Short Story

Weekly Writing Prompt!

It's time again for a little story, or a short story if you prefer. This week we've got two photos to help inspire those creative juices. We'll see how many stories spring forth.

And, as always, if you'd like to participate in the writing prompt and add your story to the others, here are the rules:

1) Use the above two photos in your story.

2) Keep your word count 500 or less (or a few more words if they're needed...).

3) You have until next Tuesday night to link up your story.

4) Use the Blue Link to add your story at Leanne's, or Tena's websites and follow the instructions.

5) Have fun, don't stress, and let those creative juices flow!

So, here you go!

The Old Salt Mine

"Sea Salt?!" Craig Waterton said to his daughter as the two shopped at the local grocer. "Why in the world are you buying sea salt? Looks like that $25K I'm spending each year for you to go to college would be better spent on that no-good brother of yours."

Shelley Waterton knew something was bothering her father ever since she returned on spring break from Cornell, but the two had been practically strangers for years. They were as close to each other thousands of miles away as they were in the same room. Shelley thought spending her break back home in Utah with her widowed father might help bridge the gap that existed between them, but since she returned all her father did was complain.

"I just thought it would be fun," Shelley said discouraged. "Something different." She left her father and the nearly empty shopping cart alone in the aisle as she walked away.

"Where are you going?" Craig said, the gruffness in his voice communicating well the disgust he was feeling.

"I'll be in the truck," she said as she turned the corner and disappeared. The lonely man stood and looked at the various types of salt sitting defiantly on the grocery store shelves.

"Oh, how I hate him sometimes," Shelley muttered as she slammed shut the old Ford's passenger-side door. "He never changes, never!" And since arriving only the day before, she wondered yet again if her decision had been a colossal mistake. A few minutes later the automatic doors of the building opened and her father emerged carrying two brown paper bags. Shelley didn't look at the man as he stowed the bags in the bed of the truck, climbed inside, shut the door and gunned the engine.

"Dad, I'm sorry. I'm just so tired. Tired of fighting, tired of trying to please you. Tired of...everything. I think once we get home I'll get my things and catch the first plane to New York. This isn't working out. I shouldn't have come."

Shelley looked at the man she so loved and hated at the same time. "I'm sorry."

Craig only looked straight ahead as he navigated the truck out of the parking lot and onto the road that led to their ranch house, but instead of driving to their home, he took a side road to where Shelley and her brother used to ride horses when they were younger.

The two rode in silence until Craig stopped the truck and killed the engine. "What're we doing here, dad?"

"Just up the trail," Shelley followed her father's gaze. "There's an old salt mine, remember?"

"Yes," she said, the memories flooding back. "That's where Peter and I used to play. I loved it up there."

"So did I. When your mother and I were dating, she and I used to go up there. Places like that old salt mine is where I fell in love with her. And in the store, the salt reminded me of her."

He turned and looked at his daughter. "I miss her so much and when I look at you, you remind me of her, too. You're so beautiful--just like her."

Shelley saw a single tear fall down the old man's wrinkled face. She reached over and held his hand and didn't say a word. 

Word Count: 557

This Month's FanX Panel Schedule...

First, I'd just like to say that I am honored to be a featured guest at this month's Comic Con FanX. If you've followed this blog since September 2013, you know I've been lucky enough to be part of each Salt Lake Comic Con. There's been three so far.

I was blown away when my friend Blake asked me if I wanted to help out with the first Comic Con. I jumped at the chance, but when the doors opened, I had NO IDEA what I was doing. Fortunately, I made some friends that first day who had done conventions in the past. They helped me out a lot and I ended up having a great time. As I did with the next one and the next.

But, this is the first time my picture has been included with so many great talents. Hence, the honored part.

We got our schedules yesterday so I'm letting you know, that if you're coming and you'd like to see, here's the details.

Looks like I need to brush up on Harry Potter. You can also go to the FanX website to find out who else will be on these and all the panels. I'm going to be with some good friends on some panels and hopefully make new friends and contacts on the others. 

In a few weeks we'll meet and have a good time. I'll also have a booth with other local Xchyler authors. I'll have details on that on an upcoming blog post. Please come by and say "HI!" I'd love to see you there.

Xchyler Publishing's "The Toll Of Another Bell Anthology"...Is Coming!

At the end of this month, Xchyler Publishing's latest anthology will be released to the world. The Toll of Another Bell is slated to arrived January 31, 2015. It will be added to an already stellar collection of amazing Xchyler anthologies. 

And I'm not just saying that because I have stories in a few of them...

Many of my friends write in the fantasy genre. Like most of them I think it was the first genre that I fell in love with as a kid. The '70s were a great time for all things fantasy. Piers Anthony, JRR Tolkien, Stephen R Donaldson, Anne McCaffrey, Terry Brooks, Lloyd Alexander--I read everything. And, my friends and I were some of the first (relatively...) to play Dungeons and Dragons. We were cutting edge.

Maybe it's because it was my first love that I haven't tried to write a lot of fantasy. I did submit a story story to a Xchyler Publishing fantasy anthology last year. It wasn't chosen and for good reason--it wasn't all that good. Maybe this year I'll try again. I had fun writing the last one.

So, if you're into fantasy and you'd like to try some short stories, get ready for this new collection that'll be here in just a few short weeks.

You can also see the cool promotional video HERE. And check out Xchyler's website: HERE for information on all of their books and future anthology submission contests.

No Pony In This Race...

*

When it comes to sports, I usually root for the underdog. But since my favorite sports team (my alma mater...) is no longer considered an underdog most of the time in both football and basketball, I still root for the boys in crimson and white. As of late, I really don't have a favorite NFL team.

That's why I'm not too thrilled about this year's potential Superbowl teams, from a "root for the underdog" standpoint. Last weekend there were four games and even though I didn't have a favorite team for which I rooted, I basically went 0-4 on the teams I wanted to win. Personally, I would like to see a team win the whole thing that has never won a Superbowl before.

In many ways, the results of last week can be a good thing for me. Since I'm not really a fan of any of the remaining four teams, I don't have to get emotionally involved in the games. And, since the remaining teams are arguably four the of the best teams in the entire league, these should be good games.

I guess we'll find out this weekend.

Yes, whoever wins will be able to add to their trophy room collection of Superbowl wins. I just hope when it's all said and done, the best thing about the big game won't be the advertisements.

*

* Photos used without permission from: http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/

To Gym Or Not To Gym...That Is The Question

I've worked in the same building, off-and-on, for over seventeen years. And for almost all that time, there's been a little gymnasium on the first floor. Each year the "fitness room committee" tries to recruit us non-members to join the fun and enjoy the benefits of the gym.

I might have joined for part of a year once. It's been so long I don't remember. Today I'm considering joining again.

Really, there are few downsides to this arrangement. I should have gotten a picture of the layout while I checked out the facilities today. It's a very well-stocked gym. They have treadmills, elliptical machines, free weights, and every Wednesday from 11am to 12 noon there's yoga with a certified instructor. I actually joined the yoga class today and I was impressed. I've never tried yoga before.

And the best part of gym membership is it only costs $35/year. I really have no excuse not to join. My employer gives me an hour a week--on the clock--to work. And, it's just two floors down. So maybe next week at this time my joints will ache and my muscles will scream due to overdoing it at the gym. As long as they don't ask me to serve on that fitness room committee. That could be a deal-breaker.

J. Scott Savage's "Making The Team,"...Book 2 Of The Case File 13 Series

*

Something about J. Scott Savage's Case File 13 series takes me back to my Jr. High School Days.

And that's not necessarily a good thing.

But, it's not bad either. What I mean is, Savage understands his audience. I won't go so far as to say that his mind thinks like a middle grader, but I have conversed with the author several times and...well, let's just leave it at that.

Making The Team is the second book in the Case File 13 series. In the first book (my review of that book can be found: HERE), we are introduced to a trio of gore-loving, mystery-solving, horror-investigating friends as they battle bullies, avoid girls and learn more than they ever wanted to know about zombies.

This time, the stakes are higher, so much so, they team up with a trio of...(gasp) girls in order to solve the mystery. Savage's characters are pretty fearless, if you think about kids breaking into schools and confronting the undead. The story follows a predictable pattern but, like the first, it's fun and safe for middle grade readers as well as their parents. I think this would be a fun book to read to your kids.

There's a third book in the series and hopefully I'll be getting to that soon. Earlier I kidded about J. Scott Savage's state of mind. If you've meet him, you'll understand. He has a kind of energy, especially when he talks about his books. Writing in this genre fits him like a glove.

* Photo used without permission from: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17349145-case-file-13-2?from_search=true

"Did You Know Your Taillight's Out...?"

I passed the two cops parked at the bottom of the hill, one with lights flashing, the other not. I really didn't think much of it. I mean, I pass cops all the time. So, it was all the more surprising when I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw it ablaze in bright lights.

Crap, I thought, Instantly I recalled the last third of a mile I traveled since I passed the cops. Did I run a stop light? I don't think so. I know the registration sticker is current. Did I speed as I drove up the hill? Probably, but not excessively--not like I used to...

Ah, yes...like I used to. 

Back in the day I had what you'd call a "lead foot." I partially blame the Danes. You see, back in high school when I first learned to drive, I drove an old VW bug (about which I've blogged many times...). The thing did not move, almost to the point where I almost got tickets for driving too slow. I always wanted to make a parody music video of I Can't Drive 55 with my car.

Then, I moved to Denmark for a couple of years and had access to a car for part of that time. I know that Utahns get knocked quite a bit for their driving skills, or the lack thereof. Let's just say the same cannot be said for Europeans. Those people know how to drive. And lucky for them, the cars they sell and drive in Europe are made to be driven, and driven quickly.

So, I feel I learned to drive in Denmark with the Danes. This turned out to be a problem for me once I returned home, and I HATED driving at home. The people were too slow and they NEVER got out of the fast lane. I drove bugs and VS Rabbits at the time, the Rabbits were a tad quicker. And I was a jerk behind the wheel. My attitude translated to several tickets.

Fast forward almost thirty years and things have changed. I even surprise myself by how differently I drive now. Then again, when you're driving a minivan, there's just no way to look cool. And I'm okay with that. Plus, know I'm a safer driver which is better for me, my family and everyone else on the road.

"I'm sorry, Officer," I said as I dug into my glove box and fished out the proper paperwork. "Is there a problem?" My mind still searched for any reason to be stopped.

"I pulled you over to let you know your taillight's out, so you need to get that taken care of."

"You bet, officer. Thanks for letting me know."

Whew!