Meet Steven LaVey, Author

Steven LaVey is a writer from Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. He writes autobiographical novels and surreal short stories. He has written three books: Three Leaves, Shorts, and The Ugly Spirit.

To learn more about Steven and his work, check out www.stevenlavey.com and visit his author page on Facebook.

1. Why did you choose autobiographical fiction rather than memoir in writing Three Leaves?

I've chosen to write autobiographical fiction over writing memoirs because I feel that the writing process of autobiographical fiction allows me to have more creativity over the structure, events, and characters involved. By that, I mean that instead of aiming for a direct, linear version of events, I can meld, merge, and amalgamate the timeline, characters, and scenes. It also allows me to exaggerate, and even make things up, if I feel that by doing so it will potentially improve the story.

2. Who are some authors of the past and present day whose work inspires you? Alan Bennett came to mind for me because of his autobiographical work in different genres, but it seems like your work has more of an edge to it. 

While there are many influences on my writing, the main influence, both philosophically and stylistically, would be Henry Miller. What Miller did was to make art out of his own life, to bend it, manipulate it, and turn it into a tall, amusing, sexual, and philosophical tale. However, it is not just the content or philosophy of Miller’s writing that I love; it is the rhythm, poetry, and language, which he uses to express his ideas. While he dips in and out of the Miller "voice," in my opinion he only really nails it consistently in his first published novel, Tropic of Cancer. What I love about TOC is the immediacy of the language Miller uses; it is the rawness, and the almost spiritual excitement at the situations he finds himself in. Coming back to the first question, I would add that the immediacy of Miller's work inspired me to write autobiographical fiction. It is why I wrote Three Leaves in such a way, transferring myself back into my nineteen (to twenty-three) year old frame of mind, and writing as if I were telling the narrative as it happened, instead of in a retrospective memoir.

3. In writing with so much honesty, do you ever come up against things you have to really fight to get onto the page? 

Absolutely, but not so much for the actions or words of my own character, but for anyone else who I have fictionalized. As I am attempting to use real individuals (albeit with fake names) as the basis for my characters, my concerns are that should any of those individuals read my work and discover that they are involved, they may think that I have not portrayed them correctly. This is a particular concern when it comes to family members.

4. What motivates you to keep writing? Do you maintain a schedule or do anything else that keeps you focused on your work?

For me, writing is like breathing, eating, or sleeping; it's natural and something I've always done. There is no motivation--I either write or die. However, when I plan to write something of a certain length, like I did with Three Leaves and The Ugly Spirit, I plan my work out scene-by-scene and then write the novel from the notes. Presently, I am working to a slightly different method (which I'm keeping secret) for my next book, which I hope to publish in late 2018 or early 2019.

5. What would you like readers to know about your latest book?

I felt like I went through an enormous metamorphosis while writing Three Leaves. The process of digging about in my brain to remember all the things that happened ultimately got me thinking (a lot more than usual) about my behavior at the time. What I would like anyone thinking of reading Three Leaves to know is that it is about a real individual; someone who is idiotic, insecure, hopeless, embarrassing, angry, sad, depressed, lost, addicted, manic, loving, kind, spiritual, honest, violent, and all the other endless traits that make people what they are; whole, complex, and not mere stereotypes of "good" and "evil."

Thanks, Steven!

Meet Steven Burton, Author

Steven Burton describes himself as a part-time author, chef, old soldier, little league football Coach, and best buddy of Jack Kitty. He writes about everyday people and real-life experiences. Later this year, he'll be releasing a book called Midlife Man in Crisis. You can read excerpts from that book and many other selections of his work on http://beneaththerainbow.com. And find him on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/beneaththerainbow/.

1. What inspires you to sit down and write about something?

My inspirations come from the world around me. I was in the U.S. Army for 20 years, and along the way I have lived all over the world, experienced many different cultures, and talked to people from all walks of life. Watching how other people interact with each other and listening to their stories has become a kind of hobby of mine.

Pop culture bombards us with tales of the rich and famous, but I think most people have great stories to tell regardless of their social or economic standing which is why I started the Beneath The Rainbow short story site. When you drill down in to the events of most people's lives, you will find heroes, villains, and protagonists worthy of a Shakespearean drama.

2. Would you tell us a little bit more about your forthcoming book?

Midlife Man in Crisis chronicles some of the defining events men (and some women) go through when they hit that period of life the dictionary defines as middle age. I try to approach the subject with a touch of humor although there are moments when some of the events can be described as drama, or so my beta readers tell me.

Tackling issues involved with the loss of youth, no longer being a parent of young children, and even the oft maligned "midlife crisis girl" event wasn't as easy as I thought it would be, although it has been fun. The events described in the book have either happened to me or someone I was close to, with maybe a slight bit of exaggeration in the telling. After all I am in old soldier, and we are supposed to add a little hyperbole to our stories.

3. Why do you think that our culture talks so much about the idea of the midlife crisis, and what does "midlife crisis" mean to you?

There are roughly 82 million people in the United States between the ages of 45 and 65 (27% of the population), so put into perspective that is more people in that demographic in the United states then there are people living in Germany, France, or any western European country. You could multiply the population of Canada two times and still not have as many people as the United States has in middle age category. A big reason we talk about it so much is there is a lot of us.

In my own experience, midlife crisis is what happened when I slowed down enough to realize how much the world had changed around me. Empty nest had hit, the kids had all moved out, my wife was now an ex wife, and even worse when cute college girls talked to me, they used the tone and demeanor reserved for friends of their parents and grandparents, not the flirty banter that always been our form of communication before. When you're a middle-aged man at a restaurant, and the 20-something girl who is your waitress says, "Thank you, sir".......she really means SIR.

4. You post original work on your website on quite a regular basis. What are some of the best responses you've received from readers?

I have received some great comments and words of encouragement since I put up Beneath The Rainbow, but my absolute favorite was when a guy I hadn't seen since boot camp posted, "I always wondered what happened to my buddy" under a short story I'd written about joining the Army. Prior to his comment, I hadn't seen or heard from him since 1981. We didn't have cell phones, computers, etc back then, and snail mail could take two to three weeks to travel one way overseas, so you couldn't really keep in touch with all the friends you made through out your military career. To hear from someone I hadn't talked to in 20+ years, that was a real treat.

5. What else would you like readers to know about you and your writing?

I have a kind of a sardonic sense of humor, and there are times people don't understand when I am laughing at myself, and I do laugh at myself a lot. My hope is that anyone reading my writing gets that aspect of my work.

Prior to this book, my writing has been confined to blog posts and ghost writing for others who have tailored my work to fit their own style. I am anxious, and I admit a bit scared to put out an entire book with my own name on it.

Thanks for spending time with me, Mandy.

Thanks, Steven!

Meet Colleen Nye, Author

Colleen Nye is an author who enjoys writing in various styles and genres: novels, short stories, poetry, romantic comedies, suspense thrillers, drama, and more. In 2012, she published first book in The Unattainable Series: When in Maui, her first solo novel and a romantic comedy. In 2015, When in Maui moved to Blue Deco Publishing with her second novel, Immersion, a dystopian tech thriller. In January of 2016, Colleen presented the first books in an anthology series named The Lunch Time Anthologies.

Learn more about Colleen by visiting www.colleennye.com, and follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

1. Why do you think you've always been drawn toward being a writer?

I have always had an overactive imagination, and writing my stories into actual books to share is rather therapeutic for me. Plus, I just love hearing when something I've written has brought happiness, comfort, or excitement in someone's life.

2. What is The Unattainable Series about?

The Unattainable Series is about two best friends, Alice and Vivianne, who find love in a place we all only imagine about... from their celebrity crushes. A change of a lifetime, right? But there's just one thing... one of them runs towards love while the other runs from it. It's a comedic look at how realistic characters would react to something so regularly unattainable. When in Maui is book one. Book two, When in Doubt, comes out this spring.

3. Would you tell us about Immersion?

Immersion is a dystopian tech thriller. It's a story about a small group of people in a world not unlike our own, but the economy is worse while crime is up, and a virtual gaming device called B.I.G.S. is adding to the chaos. These people know what the world is being lied to about... the B.I.G.S. is dangerous. The more you use it, the less likely you are to come out of it. Can they stop this corporation before they bring the world to its knees?

4. Would you tell us more about your Lunchtime Anthologies series? It seems like a very unique idea to me!

TLTA is kind of a brain child of mine while working outside of the home. I saw myself and so many others reading while on lunch breaks and wishing they didn't have to stop in the middle of a "good part" to go back to work. So I figured why not make a full novel with short stories and bits throughout it? Other authors write these short stories or bits that are their own stand-alone pieces yet fit into a larger picture storyline, creating a full novel with stopping points! Gable Heights is the first book, having been released Jan 2016 through Blue Deco Publishing. It's a crime drama. The second book will be out later in 2016. Each book is its own storyline, but they all have that same concept. It's a lot of fun putting these books together.

5. What are your plans for the rest of 2016--and what else would you like readers to know about you and your work?

2016 is VERY exciting! I am releasing When in Doubt in Spring, The Long Summer (a coming of age story) later this year, and possibly another book later in 2016, a sci-fi story. The working title on that is The Push. I'm also a part of and co-leading a five-book anthology release called The Debut Collective, and I have a short story in all five books. Plus, there will be the release of the second TLTA book! I'll also have a convention and signing tour this year. Among others, I'll be signing at:

Festival of the Arts – Authorpalooza at the Gate – Big Rapids, MI – Feb 20th
Women's Expo – Grand Rapids, MI – March 11th - 13th
Barnes & Noble – Lansing, MI – May 7th
UtopiaCon – Nashville, TN – June 23rd - 25th
Tulip City Author Event – Holland, MI – July 9th
Indies in NYC – New York City – August 6th
Penned Con – St. Louis, MO – September 23rd - 24th

Thanks, Colleen!

Meet J. New, Author

British author J. New writes crime thrillers with a dark side, short stories, and flash fiction with a twist. She draws on her interests in psychology, spirituality, and the metaphysical to weave tales that explore the darker side of human nature. Her writing is a mix of crime, thriller, murder-mystery, and suspense with a touch of the supernatural.

Her first novel, due out summer 2015, A Poisoned Mind, features protagonist Dr. Mary Gray, a criminal profiler and poisons expert with a secret past and an eerie gift. A child prodigy with an unhealthy upbringing, followed by an event in her twenties that would have catastrophic repercussions, Gray teeters on the brink of a mental breakdown whilst hunting a serial killer.

J. New's writer influences include Dean Koontz, Stephen King, Arthur Conan Doyle, Agatha Christie, and Clive Barker. A staunch supporter of Indie-authors, she loves scouring bookstores, both physical and virtual for her next favorite writer. She currently lives with her partner and three rescue dogs, where she drinks too much coffee and is a slave to her keyboard.

Find J. New's Predator or Prey – Short Tales With A Twist, on Amazon and on Kobo

1. How did you first become interested in writing thrillers?

As a reader, I've always been interested in mysteries and thrillers, and probably half of my bookshelf is made up of that particular genre. When I made the decision to begin writing full-time, it was natural for me to create something that I loved and wanted to read myself. Writing something you are passionate about translates into much better words on the page, and consequently the readers and fans of your work have a much better experience.

That said, I'm not a great fan of pigeonholing an author's work into a particular genre. My work includes elements of suspense, drama, mystery, crime, psychology, and the supernatural, so trying to fit it into a particular box is almost impossible.

I've also penned a short story entitled "The Yellow Cottage" which is available FREE on my website for those who would like to become part of my reader group, and that isn't a thriller at all, but as with everything I write, it has a great twist. I've had some wonderful correspondence from readers about that one.

As an author, whilst I write because I love to, and have an almost visceral need to create, at the back of my mind, always, is the fact that I'm writing for my readers. Without my fans, (those that buy or download free everything I produce), I wouldn't be able to continue. So my responsibility and promise to them is to produce the best and highest quality work I can.

2. What do you most enjoy about the genre of flash fiction, and when writing the pieces in your recent collection, did you limit yourself to a specific number of words per story?

I absolutely love writing flash fiction. It's an incredibly disciplined way of working, and I love the challenge. It's also a great tool to help with the self-editing process for longer works. Surplus words have no place in this style of writing, so you have to make every word count. You'd be surprised how many ways there are of saying the same thing. Flash fiction is an art in itself, and requires you to produce a very short, but complete story in around 500 to 1000 words. Whilst it may sound simple, it's actually more difficult than you would think.

I also like to include twists in every story I write, regardless of length. With flash fiction you have room for just one, so you have to make it count. Many of those who have written to me after reading my latest collection have said they were wowed by the twists and didn't see them coming. That's the best feeling in the world for a writer, knowing that your work has achieved exactly what you wanted it to: that your reader has become emotionally involved in the story.

My latest collection Predator or Prey – Short Tales With A Twist, is a combination of flash fiction and short stories, with the shortest being 560 words and the longest around 1,600. It wasn't a conscious decision to limit myself in terms of words for each piece. I wrote what was best for each story, eliminating words I didn't need, and increasing the pace and suspense, so that the reader experience was the best it could be, and the integrity of story wasn't compromised.

3. Why did you choose to publish your work independently?

It's all about retaining artistic control. Contrary to what a lot of people think, being an independent author does not mean being an amateur. It means being a professional, who prefers to retain control of their work, in order to provide the highest quality for their readers. With the advent of self-publishing in recent years, it's become much easier to get your work into the marketplace, and many well-known, traditionally published authors are now choosing to independently publish their work, in order to reach and grow their audience. With e-readers and Kindles it now takes seconds for a customer to purchase and begin reading your book. That's incredibly exciting for authors and readers alike. And of course, one thing which is important to me is that retaining control means I have a direct link to my readers, which I love.

4. What are you working on now, and what future projects do you have planned?

I'm currently working on my debut novel, A Poisoned Mind, which is a murder-mystery thriller. When a young college student is found murdered in bizarre circumstances, Dr. Mary Gray, criminal profiler and poisons expert, is called in to consult on the case. It soon becomes apparent that this is not a one-off crime; there is a serial killer on the loose. When a second body is uncovered, it becomes a race against time to find the perpetrator before he strikes again. As the clock ticks down and her "gift" kicks in, Mary Gray teeters on the brink of a mental breakdown as the past she has tried to conceal collides with her present in spectacular fashion. It's based in the UK and is a pure joy to work on. I'm planning on releasing it in the summer this year.

Alongside that I'm currently planning out the first of a new series. It's a murder-mystery collection based in Victorian England, so sort of a Conan-Doyle meets steampunk, but with a thriller edge to it.

5. I like that your website includes a Writer Toolbox, resources for other Indie-authors. What are some of the resources that have been most important to you in your journey from writing to publishing?

I'm a huge advocate of indie-authors, and over the last couple of years I've been publishing, have learned a huge amount. It's important for me to be able to share with others what I've learned, especially those who are just starting out. Indie-authors aren't in competition for readers, the way it used to be in the traditionally published world. It's so much easier for people to get their hands on books now, and they are reading more than ever before.

In terms of resources I use and learn from regularly, the blog and training of author Nick Stephenson is one of the best. Another is the website of Joanna Penn, an author, speaker, and entrepreneur. Both Nick and Joanna are incredibly successful within their fields, and continue to provide up-to-date and immensely useful information about the industry.

For setting up your writer platform, then you need look no further than the site of Kimberley Grabas. Simply called Your Writer Platform, it provides everything you need to get up and running. Two of the most well-known indie-authors are Johnny B Truant and Sean Platt, and they produce the popular Self-Publishing Pod-cast, and are also the authors of Write, Publish, Repeat, one of the best writing craft books there is. There's much more on my website.

If you are a writer, then sign up for my Readers Group email--you'll get my free short story "The Yellow Cottage," and just drop me a line and let me know you're a writer. I periodically send resources and information which I find to be invaluable, covering everything from starting out, writing courses, marketing, software, and anything else I think will be useful to you in order to make your writing life easier.

If you sign up as a reader, then I'll send news of my releases, book recommendations, competitions, and freebies I've found. I only send it once or twice a month, but it's packed with great stuff for book lovers.

You can sign up for J. New's Readers Group and receive your FREE short story by clicking here. You can also connect with her on social media: Twitter, Pinterest, and Goodreads.

Meet Peter W. Collier, Author and Publisher

A Canadian author with stories and style deserving attention, Peter W. Collier began with writing free-rhyming prose stories for his own children. His stories are both a delight to read and to hear.

It wasn't until recently that the e-book format provided a conduit for sharing his quirky free-rhyming story style to a broader international readership. Peter's Canadian homegrown originality has been well-received, with new myths like the Snow Alligators, The Immovable Rock, or The Very Last Apple poised to become creative milestones.

Currently, readers will find 20 stories available in e-book form, some including illustrations, as bedtime reading for children of several age categories. See also this recent post on With Five Questions which features an excerpt from one of Peter's stories.

1. How many years have you been writing and sharing stories for children, and what motivates you to continue writing and publishing your work?

I began in 1986 writing a few stories for my own sons. At that time, there was little to nothing that we found was fun to read or interesting for bedtime, except Dr. Seuss, Mercer Mayer, Beatrix Potter, and some random stories like Maurice Sendak's Where The Wild Things Are and E.B. White's Charlotte's Web. Bedtime is important. Reading as a ritual is important. Dreams are important. There were many commercial children stories cashing in on the popularity of media, like Disney characters. Back then the whole world seemed to revolve around writers who thought their stories about loveable dinosaurs where innovative and cute; today, it's all about vampires, werewolves, and magicians.

The real motivation back then was not to become bored stiff while reading to my own children, and the writing aspect was both fun and a challenge.

The style I use is somewhere between "Prose Poetry" and "Free Verse Poetry." I call it FREE-RHYMING PROSE. It's one thing to write a story or even prose, but it's another to write a story in free-rhyming prose. Truly it's uncommon and much more challenging than a simple "Dick and Jane" type children story.

2. Tell us more about the illustrations for your children's stories: who are some of the artists you've collaborated with, and do you do some of your own illustrations as well?

The artists and each artist's style are as important and specific to each story, as is the story itself. I view student artists no differently than seasoned artists. The ideas are original and provide inspiration for the artists, but the visualization is always a challenge. I view my illustrators as friends, associates, and collaborators. Any success will be shared, and they know I continue to struggle with general recognition of the unique nature of free-rhyming prose children bedtime stories.

At the heart of art is the heart of the artist. What I am saying is that for art to survive it is best that it appeal and have something more. The best art has a story and heart, something beyond the visual and technical creativity.

Not including aesthetic comprehension and dictum of style, it's not even about two types of art: academic art or commercial art. No matter what the artist intends, all art is commercial. No art can survive without being sold. To be sold it needs exposure and something more. It needs a heart. The heart can be the story of the artist, the story of our shared humanity, the writer's vision, etc., but ALL successful art has a story, has a heart.

Technically, there are some exceptional artists, but I'm not one of them. I illustrated some of the stories, but only with the help of the reader's imagination are these considered adequate.

For the children, to better comprehend a story, artwork has increased value. When artists take time to provide reasonably competent illustrations for a good story, based on their talent and skill-level, it certainly adds dimension and depth to the art and to the story. The proper elements put together can be magical.

Only a few illustrations seeded into the story will enhance it greatly. My stories constitute several conceptual elements to motivate reading and precipitate a positive reading development. With all stories, some illustrations are an expanding element and necessary for a clear understanding of the story.

3. Why did you decide to publish your stories in e-book form?

It was really the only way to get the stories out there, with international exposure, and targeted to the method and medium available to me.

I was quite surprised by the simplicity of the process. I have given my works over to Amazon-Kindle exclusively. The results still aren't impressive, but that's also why we're doing this interview. The stories need exposure.

4. What makes your stories different, unique, or special, when compared with the myriad of other children's story books that fill the proverbial cyber bookshelves?

My stories are designed for both the reader and the listener.

Children will request parents to re-read, over and over again, a story that has caught their imagination. If not written in free-rhyme, many of these stories can quickly become dull and a burden to read.

When written in unrestricted free-rhyming prose, a story is both a delight to read and to hear. The reader feels accomplished when reading my stories and, in the act of storytelling, begins exaggerating tone, inflection, and mood.

When constructed in free-rhyming prose, while reading along, children quickly begin to retain portions of each story.

Once the child begins reading independently, these stories act as memory assisting templates, to guide the beginning reader through their first reading selections. The reading successes of a child will fuel additional comprehension activities and help to jump start reading skills that greatly motivate the young reader.

For the adult reader these stories are always a treat. I understand the necessity to include a reader's interests and needs as part of the story telling activities.

The length of these stories is designed to be between 10 to 15 minutes, to act as a short break or bedtime activity. Unlike Dr. Seuss, I have avoided making up new nouns and adjectives for purposes of rhyme, other than some tintinnabulation (words designed to give greater description of sounds), finding that teachers do not appreciate this activity of making up words.

I also find that by identifying children by full name, as the story characters, adds a sense of character reality and identity. The children accept the diversity of people, which opens their imaginations to accepting limitless fictional situations and opportunities.

5. How have various readers (children, parents, and teachers, for instance) responded to your stories?

After writing a few stories, I was asked to do readings at several schools and libraries, precipitated by my sons and their peers.I received hundreds of enthusiastic children's letters, then decided to share some of my stories with a larger audience.

I can't say that I understand or believe in social media, but I do need some real exposure. I have no doubts that my unique stories will find success and recognition, given time. What does concern me is the lack of reviews for some stories that I think are simply magical bedtime stories, with or without illustrations. Stories like The Very Last Apple, The Immovable Rock, Foggy Daze, The Fishing Derby, and my latest, What Was That, could be great fun for parents and children. Sure, they're not all for the 3-5 year olds, but 6-9 year old children should find them fun. Some other stories are also fully illustrated but have few reviews; therefore, no exposure, even though they are unique, fun and great for bedtime reading.

I always have a story in-the-works. It takes a clean spirit and mind to write these unique and original stories.

I try to reach all readers and sell the stories at the lowest price point that Amazon-Kindle allows. This is to attract as many readers as possible and have the stories reviewed by as many parents as possible.

Being stories sold at 99 cents, this doesn't mean they have lesser content, value, or quality reading. It only means they are a bargain.

I guess the best indicators come from the parents reading the stories. Below are some of the reviews I have received on Amazon-Kindle, the majority being VERY positive and supportive. There are too many to share, but here below is a sampling. Personally, I have been very bolstered by the responses.

*

I THINK IT'S A ROCK (Written by Peter W. Collier and Illustrated by Cam Craig)

review by Faye Tipton

I enjoy this book as much as my four year old son does. The great illustrations are cute and fit the story perfectly. The rhymes have a fun way of building up to a climax and my son joins in with " ...but maybe not". Highly recommended.

review by M. Jackson

This book is really cute. Even if you are not a child, it will still make you smile. Seems all children loved Dr. Seuss books, and this book also rhymes--but on a much different level than Dr. Seuss. I like this kind better. Children everywhere are sure to love it.

MONSTERS I KNOW (Written and Illustrated by Peter W. Collier)

review by MRubio

Monsters I Know is a big hit in our family. Our kids loved it! The illustrations are strange and unusual but really good. By strange and unusual I mean they really grabbed our kids' attention. They kept flipping back and forth to see the illustrations. Great stories and a lot of fun. I highly recommend this book to anyone with small kids.

PRESSED IT TO TEST IT (Written by Peter W. Collier and Illustrated by Katie Balfe)

review by Peggy A - TOP 1000 REVIEWER

A lot of children's games encourage button-pressing, and the things that happen are fun and/or entertaining. Consequently, it's no wonder curious children want to press buttons to find out what will happen.

As adults, we know that buttons shouldn't be pressed automatically. But kids need to learn this. The examples used in the story are common, everyday occurrences that children can relate to. Reading about the consequences of pushing the wrong buttons allow children to understand the harm that can be done without the pain of real-life learning. "Pressed It to Test It" is a cute story that does a great job of teaching children without becoming preachy.

KIDS I KNOW (Written and Illustrated by Peter W. Collier)

review by V.A. Roncelli

Really liked this book, easy and fast paced for kids. This book is one of the little treasures in our library. Thanks so much for the giggles.

Editor's Note: Follow Peter's Facebook page for free e-book downloads, and keep up with his latest publications on Amazon.

Thanks, Peter!

Excerpt from a Story for Children by Peter W. Collier

Peter W. Collier has lived in Port Coquitlam (KO-KUIT-LAM), B.C., Canada for almost 35 years. Peter is married with two grown sons. At first he wrote to entertain his own children, and then he began reading his stories to their classmates. Teachers were pleased that his rhyming stories were not filled with made-up words and objects.

He was approached by colleagues, schools, and libraries wanting more readings and more stories. Over the years, Peter received hundreds of enthusiastic letters from children and was continually asked to give readings. He never seriously pursued publication, several of his stories having been written 25 years ago, but he has now decided to share some of his stories with a larger audience.

Every day, Peter shares a free ebook for children via this Facebook page. For more samples and images of Peter's work, visit his Reading to Children site. He also has a wide selection of work available for download on Amazon Kindle.

The length of these stories is designed to be between 10 to 15 minutes, to act as a short break or bedtime activity. The stories are meant to encourage children's reading development, and because of Peter's use of rhyme, children are able to retain portions of each story, which helps to jump start reading skills that greatly motivate the young reader.

Below is an excerpt from a story called "Cross Your Fingers."

*

Hubert Connors put horseshoes above all of his doors;
"It will certainly bring luck," the neighbour said;
Hubert awoke in a hospital bed;
One of the horseshoes had fallen on his head;

The neighbour told Hubert, "The horseshoes are all upside down, all the luck is pouring out."
So, Hubert fixed the horseshoes, by turning them all about;

Then his barn burned down;
He went swimming and almost drowned;
He even caught the flu that wasn’t going around;

The neighbour gave an opinion -- again, "Horseshoes are better than lucky charms on a chain;
Horseshoes are better that any four leaf clovers; so, let me explain;
The problem is that the nails just aren’t right;
The ones you used are much too tight,
The nails to choose must be those for a horse's hooves."

So, Hubert changed all the nails;
The next day his corn was all pelted by hail;
His cherry tree was blown down, by a sudden gale;

The neighbour had little to say by then;
It seemed like Hubert's troubles had no end;

To make the luck work, was way too risky;
The next thing to happen, Hubert lost his cat "Frisky";

By the end of the week, there were no crops to reap;
All he had left was one of his sheep;

This superstition the neighbour believes completely;
He bought, what was left of Hubert’s farm, very cheaply.

Excerpt from Me & Tuffy by Robbie Dillon

Robbie Dillon is a Montreal-based writer, lyricist, scenarist, and dramaturge who has worked with Cirque du Soleil and Vice Magazine. He has recently written articles for askmen.com and streetcarnage.com.

Robbie is currently working on Me & Tuffy, a piece of fiction about the meaning of friendship which he plans to publish as a collection of short stories or possibly as a novella or set of interconnected pieces. So far, he has posted three excerpts of this piece on his website. The selection which appears below is from part one; visit Robbie's site to read the complete text of part one.

***

It was a sweltering hot July afternoon. It was so hot that sometimes you'd see the air shimmer over the asphalt at the end of the street--it felt like God was flicking through the channels on his giant TV set. You could picture him sitting around with Jesus and the Holy Ghost, checking up on people all over the world. The only problem was you never knew whether he was watching your channel or clicking over to someone else's.

The heat settled onto our neighbourhood like a thick, soggy blanket, pushing everyone who couldn't afford an air conditioner--which was pretty much everyone--out of their apartments. Old people sat on their stoops and balconies fanning themselves, or cruised the frosty aisles of the supermarket down the street. Everyone else headed for the pool.

By noon, every precious inch of the concrete deck had been staked out by hundreds of brightly colored beach towels. A soothing cacophony of shrieks and splashing and laughter wafted out to the street as bodies of every shape and size were corralled into the shallow end. Swimming underwater was like getting lost in a forest of pasty arms and legs. Tuffy and I weren't old enough to go off the diving boards, but one of the big kids said the line-ups were so long you could catch sunstroke and die before you got your turn.

Lifeguards in red speedo bathing suits patrolled the sides of the pool like prison guards, doing their best to make sure that no one had any fun. No running. No roughhousing. No diving into the shallow end. Everyone knew the rules but broke them anyway. When the lifeguards blew their whistles and pointed at you, you stopped whatever you were doing, waited until their heads were turned, and went right back to doing it.

Tuffy and I were walking along the edge of the pool, looking for a good spot to jump.

***

"You know what we should do? We should come back tonight when the pool is closed and throw paint in the water. The janitor in my building has like, ten cans stored down in the basement. We can throw them over the fence and then no one will want to come to their stupid pool anymore and they'll all get fired."

I realized that Tuffy would just keep on talking. Maybe forever. I had to say something, if only to keep him from getting us into even deeper shit.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Tuffy? Are you an idiot? Why do you always have to go and ruin everything?"

He stopped and turned to face me. I could see tears welling up in the corners of his eyes. His lower lip was quivering. I looked around to make sure that no one was watching us--the last thing I needed was to be seen with a crybaby.

He swallowed hard and blinked a few times, trying to suck it up. I was backing nervously away when he reached out and grabbed my arm. "Mikey," he said, staring gravely into my eyes, "you're my best friend. And best friends stick together. No matter what."

I'd never had a best friend before and I wasn't sure I wanted one. To be honest, I was still wondering whether the lifeguards would believe me if I told them that I didn't even know who Tuffy was. I thought that maybe, if I could convince them he was some sort of deranged imbecile, and that he had only pushed the lifeguard because he was having a brain seizure, I might be able to get myself, or even both of us--but mostly myself--back into the pool.

Now that Tuffy had gone out on a limb like that, it didn't seem right to ask whether I had any say in the matter, or to point out that sticking together meant we'd probably be finished high school before we could go swimming again.

"With friends like you..." I muttered under my breath.

"What?"

"Ah, forget it."