One Million Project Magazine by One Million Project

December 2016 I

One Million Project

Magazine

Contributors

Jason Greenfield

Thomas Cardin

Author & Founder

Artist

Sheena Macleod

Victoria Stoyanova

Author & Promotions Manager

Guest Artist

Kate McGinn

Cassandra DenHartog

Author

Michelle Kidd

Douglas Debelak

Author

Geraldine Renton

Sharon Rhoads

Blogger

Editor

Lincoln Cole

Lora Tabakova

Author

Publishing Manager

Greg Meritt

Rachel Wollaston

Author

(cover)

Paul Skelton

Author

THOSE WHO WOULD RESIST MY RULE Story by Jason Greenfield. Art by Thomas Cardin

Chapter One: Thoughts of a Tyrant, as dictated to Central Comp

I am Darkikonn, Lord of all Quarr and Liege Lord of the Seven Quadrants. My rule extends to the edge of known space and a trillion trillion trillion sentients quake under my booted heel. I am Darkikonn! Is that a suitable opening I wonder? I find a melodramatic statement, firm and unyielding in its intent to be best. The usual form if you will, simplistic in its straightforward but bombastic language, accurate in content but perhaps somewhat … cliché? I think so anyway but my thoughts remain my own and of course nobody would dare to unintentionally agree with those thoughts unprompted ~ Computer records a heavy sigh ~ it would mean their life of course and one must preserve form. I am as much a slave to form and function as all others are slaves to my despotic whim. If I DIDN T order the occasional random execution among my lackeys on a flimsy pretext or even none at all, everyone would be so disappointed.

I may be merciful of course but even then I must do it in a studied, coolly calculated manner and if my rare displays of mercy were even more chilling than one of my equally unpredictable rants or random punishments, then so much the better. I may act unconventionally but within the expected parameters and if I did not … well where would it all end? The decay of Society I suppose. My Society! … Hmmm, a notion worth exploring. There are those who resist of course. There always are … Rebels … how I envy them their bloody minded single headedness

the blacks

and whites through which they view the universe. I am evil; therefore I must be removed so that good can prevail. ~Computer records a hollow laugh~ Children. Children who cannot conceive that there are consequences bound in consequence and every action has an equal and mostly negative reaction. Yes, they are simplistic fools who live in today with little regard to yesterday or tomorrow except how the latter pertains to their own limited world view. How I envy them. This current group of rebels are not the first nor sadly shall they be the last. In X years of rule almost a dozen rebellions have sparked, flared and been extinguished. I know how they think you see, because once … once I was one of them!

Oh yes, it s true. Darkikonn is my chosen name of course (Did you really think my birth mother would saddle an innocent babe with such an appellation?) and chosen carefully at that. Somewhat hokey and melodramatic, it nonetheless inspires a certain symbolic grandeur.

Dark Icon â&#x20AC;Ś Well, I thought it was clever anyway. End recording.

‚Those Who Would Resist My Rule‚ Review by Kate McGinn

Politics has been in the news a lot lately. As

I headed to California to see my son before he

Americans head to the streets to protest the

went out to sea with his squadron, and to as-

recent election, we have yet to determine

sist his new bride with moving to LA. I finally

whether the results will be for the collective

turned off the TV after November 8th and

good or not. Divisive rhetoric and a country

picked up Jason Greenfield s story, Those Who

torn in half by opposing beliefs became the

Would Resist My Rule , and began to read.

talk of the political pundits on the cable news networks in the US. For weeks before the election, the rest of the world held their breath to see who would be leading the government for the next four years.

pleased to see his tale was set in outer space. I had grown up watching Star Trek in the 60 s, Star Wars in my teens, and I looked forward to getting lost in Greenfield's ‚Space Opera.‛

I became entrenched in the election coverage over the past year and a half. I ll be the first to admit it -- I m a political junkie. Every four years, I overdose on fact-checking, reading news articles and flipping the channels from one political panel to another weighing each side s arguments against my own personal beliefs; and even I couldn t wait for this year s news cycle to end.

As I became involved in the story, I was

It had all my favorite elements of a good sci-fi story. Bad, bad villain

check. Handsome

prince striving for peace interest

check. Sassy love

check. But, my checklist ended

when I began to see this short story was more than a simple exercise in escapism. Its meanings ran much deeper below the surface, and I found two questions about humanity within the storyteller s threads as he wove his interstellar tale.

The first premise explores whether youthful

The protagonist in the story reflects on his

ideals are destroyed with the passage of time

continuing use of brutality, reasoning that it

and exposure to humanity s flaws. Do all

is a performance which the citizenry has

adults become more cynical with the passage

grown to expect. It is a show of power de-

of time? Do we cave to the philosophy of ‚If

signed to intimidate and bring order. He

you can t beat them, join them‛ as we age? Or

confesses feeling trapped into maintaining

does repeated exposure to corruption, greed,

this role for the good of all. With the passage

and war deaden our need to condemn such

of many decades, he doesn t recognize his

practices?

errors in judgment until it is too late. The ad-

Interesting questions to ponder. I would like to believe we can retain our youthful wonder and optimism; although, I have also encountered the increased cynicism in many people over time. In Those Who Would Resist My Rule, we see how new generations believe they can right the wrongs inflicted upon them by the current political bureaucracy. We continue reading only to find those same idealistic revolutionaries falling into the same mind

visors he has relied upon over the years encourage his oppressive acts. He surrounds himself only with people who agree with him and destroys anyone who protests his actions. And he doesn t have a Twitter account! Unbelievable!) Strangely, he chooses a wife who rebels against the dictatorial side of the man she married forcing him to show the prince he s carefully hidden from view so that he can win her heart.

set, as they become enmeshed in the day-today tasks involved with governing.

The second premise is that history will repeat itself. It can, but it doesn t necessarily have to if we reflect and learn from our mistakes. We can avoid this supposed inevitability if we recognize the signs showing us we may be headed in the same disastrous direction. Great societies throughout history have risen to glory and power before falling into ruin. Wars continue to use up the lifeblood of our youth and tap our resources. Sometimes the battles are fought in the name of religion. More often than not, the reasons are simple greed and the siren s song of power. Jason Greenfield wrote about these fictional characters long before this last political cycle began. His enjoyable tale, set in a distant galaxy, gives us a few poignant messages about human frailty which we would be wise to heed in the days ahead.

A&Q

Thomas Cardin Who are you and what do you do?

What’s your background?

My name is Thomas Cardin and I ve been a pro-

Growing up with a mother who is a master

fessional artist for most of my life. I ve always

at painting in oils and water colors. Having

been a creative, losing myself in other worlds, what ifs, and whimsical explorations. For the last

a father who was a professional photographer. Having an uncle who wore a fifty year

several years I ve also turned to words to create,

pin as a Disney animator. They didn t give

growing myself into an author as well as artist.

me my skills, but they taught me I could do anything if I worked for it. Can t is a very

Why did you join One Million Project and what inspired you to do

bad four-letter-word for an artist.

so?

What’s your strongest memory of

I heard about the One Million Project through

your childhood?

Jason Greenfield on WriteOn. We connected there by reading each other s work.

My father reading to me before bed. He didn t read Dr. Seuss, he read Edgar Rice Burroughs. I went to sleep with Tarzan

Why do you do what you do? I think visually, so images are constantly appearing in my head like there s a projection screen behind my eyes. It s always been natural to use

swinging through the trees in my mind and John Carter cutting a swath across the surface of Barsoom to rescue the incomparable Dejah Thoris.

my hands to draw and shape the things my imagination sees.

What’s your most embarrassing moment? Most?!

How do you work? I visualize, I sketch, I refine. If I look for the ener-

Something tells me it s still ahead of me. One day I ll turn a corner in front of a pa-

gy and dynamics of a piece first and I succeed in

rade and my pants will fall down around

translating that through whatever medium I am

my ankles. I live in constant fear of that.

using, I m invariably more satisfied.

What jobs have you done other than

Name something you don’t love,

being an artist?

and why.

I ve been a security guard, worked in a photo lab,

Any ugly thought or speech aimed toward an-

been an assistant to a metal sculptor, clerked a

other person. When will people realize that it

liquor store, clerked a gift store. I ve also been

doesn t build themselves up to put another

hired to phone a list of a several hundred people

person down? When it s aimed toward women,

inviting them to a private party. I was just a kid at

a race, or a religion, you re identifying yourself

the time and I would lose myself imagining just

as someone who needs to be removed from

what kind of party it was.

the gene pool.

What makes you angry?

Favourite or most inspirational place

What day of the week is it? Oh, today I m angered

(in Devon)?

by people who see me for just who I am on the

My favourite place is a state of mind. That right

outside and don t bother getting to know me for who I am on the inside.

-brained state where creativity just flows and there s no sense of time. I have another favourite place to be, but that s not very appropriate

What superpower would you have and why?

here. I ve travelled across the United States several times and I always find beautiful and peaceful places. One favourite is a natural

I have more fun with this topic than you can imagine. It really boils down to how I am feeling at the time. Sometimes I want invisibility so I can do crazy and impulsive things without anyone ever knowing. Sometimes I want to be a hyper-intellect so I can amass knowledge and solve problems which

spring in Yosemite, it s shaded by trees all around and the little pool that s formed is always in a state of motion on the surface as water continuously rises - oh, and the taste of it, so pure.

would push our world further along and get us all past these frightening times and into space so we

What’s the best piece of advice

can be frightened by entirely different things.

you’ve been given?

Throw mindreading and empathy into that mix,

Tell yourself to learn something new everyday.

then give me something for healing, because I am

My father gave me that one when I was a

all kinds of messed up physically.

youngster and it still sticks with me. Every time I start a new piece of art or writing, I try to improve. I try to tackle something that will make me learn a bit more. There s a lot of positivity to be gained by telling yourself to learn, it becomes a mantra for improvement.

What has been a seminal experi-

Describe a real-life situation that

ence? What to choose?

inspired you?

When I was a teenager I traveled cross country three years in a row from the west coast to

I was in a game store when I was probably only seventeen or so. A woman brought her

the east coast. Each of those years I took a

young son into the store waving a Dungeons

weeklong cruise on a tall ship off the coast of

and Dragons book at the proprietor. She de-

Maine, a windjammer schooner cruise. We

manded to know if he had sold her child the

helped sail and every morning we hoisted the

book. He said he did, though he announced

largest mainsail in the world on the Adventure

this with great reservation. She turned around

- the vessel now lives in the Smithsonian Mar-

and thanked him. She said her son had been

itime Museum. The experience is still inde-

doing incredibly better in school, he d been inspired to read and think creatively. I d al-

scribable. I never knew I could fall in love with a ship. After those three voyages, there s

ready been playing for years at that point and

nothing I wouldn t have done for her.

it really hit home how mentally stimulating role playing was for me.

What work do you most enjoying doing? Creating. Words or art, creating is king for me.

Why art? Art is all around us, it s in clouds that puff and flow through the sky. It s in the wind that flutters through the leaves on trees to orches-

What themes do you pursue?

trate shows of light and sound. It s in the

One of my strongest themes is self-

curves of the female figure and the giggle of

determination. In writing, I love for my charac-

an infant. Art is sensory pleasure in any form.

ters to grow until they are the master of their

Of course I want to take part!

own destiny. In my art I want my pieces to be able to speak for themselves and draw viewers into my imagination.

Name something you love, and why.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your favourite art work?

Illumination. Not only do I have a great love

Too many to name. Anything that blows my

it s bursting off the canvas, I am completely

mind. When I look at a piece and my jaw drops because I have no idea how the artist

of light, when I see it in a painting as though enamoured.

created the effect or imagined the scene, or composed the colors, it becomes a new favorite piece.

What memorable responses have

What do you like about your work?

you had to your work?

I like when I succeed in creating that line of

There was one time we were building a video

energy that I originally envisaged. It s so easy

roulette game. We came up against a patent

to lose it as a piece gets polished and refined.

that a competitor held and the whole team of

When I can maintain it throughout, I am hap-

us, engineers and artists, thought we d have to

piest.

give up, losing the thousands of man-hours that we d already invested in the project. Then I

What research do you do?

thought of a way around the patent, a way we could solve it with artwork alone. Everyone

searching images to find just the right angle

Everything. If it s the human form, I am

looked at me like I had solved the riddle of the

or bend of the elbow. Even if I am creating

sphinx. Artwork is problem solving, people, but

something from pure imagination, that mental

it s awfully rewarding to have a room full of

image is built up from something, either

people look at you with such appreciation.

words of an author or images from a movie or

Having the game go on to become one of the

even a previous piece of my own.

companies all time bestsellers is even better.

What is your dream project? What food, drink, song inspires you? I love music. I found a huge interest in music with the alternative sounds of the late seventies and early eighties. For me the music of XTC always draws out my emotions. The ephemeral music of the Cocteau Twins summons images of angels and the cadences of Dead Can Dance hold the anatomy of dragons within them.

I ve been lucky enough to work on many dream projects professionally. The trick is to make everything you do a dream project. An artist should have a love affair with each piece, you re not doing it proper justice otherwise. I think it would be awesome to work on the projection graphics that they employ on Dancing With the Stars or other live shows, they blow me away.

What do you dislike about your work? I m incredibly self-critical. It s never good enough. It never pleases me on all counts. There s always something wrong or something I could have done better.

Name three artists you’d like to be

What is an artistic outlook on life?

compared to.

Find the beauty in everything. Turn away from

Michael Whelan, Frank Frazetta, Chris Foss.

ugliness, whether it s in ugly speech or narrow

There s so many others I can name, I don t

minded prejudice.

paint or draw like any of them. I paint and draw like me, but it sure would be awesome to

What art do you most identify with?

be compared to them.

I see myself as a fantasy artist. I love to lose

Professionally, what’s your goal?

I met it. I put a roof over my family s head and

myself in the countless scales on a dragon s hide or the detailed lace of a fairy wing. I can look at that kind of artwork for days and days.

lived in a very affluent part of the country while I worked as a professional artist. It didn t last unfortunately. I had over twenty-five good years as a professional artist. I made a lot of

Is the artistic life lonely? What do you do to counteract it?

profits for my employers. Now my goal is to

Not necessarily lonely. I work alone now, but I

succeed just as well on my own. It s not hap-

have many fond memories of working collabo-

pening yet, but there s always the next story or

ratively with other artists. Nothing can be

next piece of art.

more challenging and fun than matching styles with another artist and producing a work that

What’s integral to the work of an

merges the efforts of two or more artists. I

artist?

love to bring people into what I am doing as I

Flexibility, taking criticism constructively, and

am doing it. I post my works in progress on

improving, always improving.

my Facebook page to get feedback all along the way.

What role does the artist have in society? We visualize dreams for people. We re responsible for every graceful curve and splash of color that catches the eye. If it s not us, it s mother nature herself.

What do you dislike about the art world? Having to sell yourself. I want my artwork and writing to sell itself, but it seems the world expects the artist to put themselves out there as well and shmooze. I don t want to do that. Notice my art first please, if you see me first, you may not be able to look past me to what I can create.

How has your practice changed over time? It s changed dramatically with different media, none more so than digital media. I can paint on the computer in ways that are impossible with traditional media. Learning how to embrace those new methods is key to growing as an artist.

Should art be funded? I m all for it. I m going to be making art anyway, but if I can be funded, that means someone out there likes my work that much and is willing to help me continue my journey and grow.

What role does arts funding have? For the artist it can mean the difference between working productively and working to survive. Right now, I m surviving, but it s not off my artwork or my writing, it s from a day job that literally anyone could do. It doesn t exercise my mind or my spirit in any way. I can t help but think that the artist who is funded, and is worth funding, is going to grow exponentially.

THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS TREE Story and Original Concept BY: Paul “Skelly” Skelton. Edited and Redrafted by Jason Greenfield

CHAPTER ONE: THIS WHOLE WORLD

Ey up Jack lad, yer Uncle Jim s nodded off,

Ah, yes, well you see them common trees,

he he he, laughed Dick

them shabby ones way over theer? (Jack was too small to see them), Well,

He has, he he, he has Granddad! Jack re-

they s near the end of this world and, fur-

plied, Granddad? Do you ever nod off?

thermore .., Dick continued importantly, ...it s about the same distance whichever

Nay lad, I have to keep alert, being the

direction you look.

biggest and oldest tree in this whole world.

WOW! exclaimed Jack excitedly How do you know that Granddad … coz we re,

Keep alert Granddad? What do you have

we re rooted aren t we? So, as we don t

to keep alert for?

move, how can we know over theer is the end of this whole world? Is it just coz we re

‚Well...er... just to look out for us all, ahem… yes, that s it. You know Jack lad, I make

intelligent?

sure we re all happy, and safe. Mm yes.

Oh yes we re Nordic pines, we ARE intelli-

Dick smiled benignly at his Grandson.

gent, as are the birds, to some extent. They fly about in all directions and bring us

I always feel happy and safe with you

information... Plus I was here at the

Grandad, and Uncle Jim, but, well, how big

beginning of time, just after this world was

is this whole world Granddad? asked Jack

formed and there were no other trees back

earnestly.

then and I could see in all directions Jack lad.

Granddad, if you were the first tree, where did you come from? The first seed, Jack lad. And where did the first seed come from Granddad? Well, that came from the first pine-cone, which fell from the sky. Gosh you must be very clever Granddad. Ho ho ho, laughed Dick Yer Uncle Jim doesn t always think so. As if he could sense he was being spoken of, Jim chose that moment to wake up with a massive tree creaking yawn.

The Little Christmas Tree Review by Xanxa Raggat I do t k o Paul Skelto at all, ut fro reading this story, I would imagine that he is a nature lover. Most of the story is written from the perspective of the three Nordic pine trees â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Dick the grandfather, Jim the uncle and little Jack. The story is told in a manner which will suit readers of all ages. The fake swear words make their meaning clear without being true profanities, so parents can quite happily let their children read it. I found this story amusing and entertaining. I love the idea of the trees having personalities. After all, ho do e k o that they do t? The trees o ersatio is espe ially ell done, with several references to the fact that trees are far more intelligent than humans. Nordi pi e isdo see s to e far superior to any other species of tree and i reasi g o e s pi e- o e ou t a d feeli g o forta le i their o ark appear to be a priority for these proud and noble trees. Also worthy of mention is the cheeky Mickey the Magpie. His banter is colourful and his personality reminds me a little of a slightly less than honest market trader or used car dealer. The trees are reliant on Mickey and the other birds for news of the world beyond their forest.

The story takes the reader through the seasons, guided along by the witty dialogue of the trees. Jim turns out to be the serial moaner and merchant of doom, while Dick has a more stoical demeanour. Both of them regale young Jack with their observations on life, i ludi g de igrati g the t o legs, o rai s hu a s a d o pari g the unfavourably to other animals, who at least use all four of their legs to walk on. The humans are cast as the villains of the story, intent on chopping down the trees for Christmas. However, it would seem that the trees are far from helpless in the battle which ensues. Most of the story relies on dialogue, only interspersed with a few narrative passages. However, it still reads more like a book than a play and it flows smoothly, giving the reader a different perspective on one of the most celebrated seasons of the year. Not everyone lives happily ever after, but the ending is well constructed and justice is served. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting a refreshing slice of arboreal and avian humour to brighten their day. I would definitely be interested in reading more of Paul s ork ased o this story.

A&Q

Paul Skelton What made you want to become a

Does your story have a lesson? a

writer?

moral?

Initially to help Jason with OMP. Then I decid-

No. It's written to entertain and amuse the

ed to develop my writing, and maybe it could

reader. However, it's nearly Christmas, so it

be an earner for me when I'm retired.

may affect your attitude to your Christmas tree this year. Ha Ha!

Have you written any other books that are not published?

What is your favourite part of the

I've just finished 'Little Christmas Tree 2', and

story?

a bunch of horror / thriller short stories.

The part where Mickey the Magpie moans

Might donate one to the next OMP book.

about having to build his own nest; he's

What is your writing style? Pen, type-writer, or computer, etc.? Bricklayer. I construct my stories from all sorts of what I call building blocks, like building a wall. Then I bash it out on a computer.

such a geezer!

If you could spend time with one character from your story, who would it be, and what would you do with them?

Do you write alone or in public? With or without music?

I'd go flying about with Mickey the Magpie, and 'plop' on people I don't like.

"My wife is usually nearby, at home. I listen to very loud Rock music . . . always."

What character in your story are you

What do you do for living?

least likely to get along with?

As little as possible! Actually I'm a school

Uncle Jim, he's a big strong pine tree that

caretaker, so I do a lot of mopping floors and

whinges all the time, he'd really get on my

fixing things. It's a wage.

nerves.

What are your favourite things to What do you read for pleasure?

do when you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t writing?

Classic Rock & 4x4 magazines, the daily newspaper, some Stephen King and Michael Crich-

Off-road driving, listening to rock music, going to rock concerts, crosswords, Sudoku, fish-

ton books.

ing and shopping with my wife. Every now and then I bash a story out.

Who are the authors/artists who inspire your work?

Do you have any plans to continue

None. I'm inspired by life, people I know and quirky BBC Radio Four plays from the seven-

writing in future?

ties.

unsigned right now, so open to offers . . any-

I sure do, and I hope to get published. I'm one?

What is your favourite book? Why? Catch 22, it's crazy, (a bit like me?), and it's title became an everyday catch phrase: How brilliant is that? Don't die until you've read it Lora!

Why did you decide to participate in the One Million Project? I wanted to help Jason out, and was curious to find out how my story would be viewed by others. Have you read it? What do you think?

Collision of Worlds By Lincoln Cole Shadows on the Horizon ‚Come out, come out, wherever you are!‛

After all, right now it wasn t only his life at stake his everlasting soul was as well.

Father Paladina knelt under the stairs, eyes closed and struggling to control his breath-

‚Are you in here?‛ the man

ing. Each gasp sounded like the cracking of a

man asked from somewhere upstairs. Fa-

tree branch and he couldn t contain the oc-

ther Paladina heard a squeaking sound as a

casional sob as terror coursed through his

door was opened. This was followed by si-

veins.

lence, and then another squeak as the door

‚I can smell you, priest. I know you are in

was closed.

here.‛

Footsteps creaked over his head, slowly

The voice was coming from upstairs in the kitchen. He hadn t had time to close the door to the basement when he came in, and he couldn t remember if it was open before or not. He should have been able to remember, but right now if felt like his mind would-

if he was still a

shifting from board to board across the kitchen floor. Niccolo Paladina felt his tense muscles throbbing in pain as he crouched down, aching and tight. It felt like he d been hiding forever, but it had been less than a minute.

n t work.

‚Maybe you re down here,‛ the man said,

He couldn t remember ever being so terrified in his entire life. He held his rosary be-

and the closeness of his voice nearly drew a

tween his fingers and pressed it against his

He was just overhead now, at the top of the

lips, praying as hard as he could for the

stairs. The man began humming to himself

strength. He knew he was going to die, and

as he took his first step down. Father Paladi-

the only thing he prayed for was the

na winced as dust fell down on his head.

strength to die well.

gasp from the hiding priest.

Another step, the sound of the boot on the stairs like a nail in the priest s coffin. He kept on coming, humming a tuneless hum, until the father could see the boots in front of his face. ‚Priest? I can feel you down here, priest. Why are you hiding? You know I ll find you.‛

Niccolo could feel himself trembling and he

A scar ran from his ear down his cheek to his

knew the man was right.

jawline. He had a scrabbly brown beard but it

He shouldn t have come out here alone. He shouldn t have left the car and Father Reynolds. It was the middle of the night, he was alone, and something was very, very wrong. It had stopped raining, but that was little consolation. At least the rain had dulled the sound and everything didn t sound so…crisp. His breathing, his slight movements, the way the rosary clipped against his teeth as it rattled. It was over. He was going to die. He should at least face it like a man.

hat and overalls, but that wasn t what caught the Priest s attention. He couldn t see past the man s eyes, the way they were dull and dead, empty. ‚There you are,‛ the man said, grinning and baring his teeth. He looked more feral than anything. ‚Ready to meet your maker?‛ Father Paladina opened his mouth to speak, to pray, but no sounds would come out. His voice had abandoned him, the words he d practiced for years caught in his throat.

A man of God. He forced his legs to move and stand up, stepping out from under the stairs to confront his pursuer. It was dark in the basement and everything was in shadows, but he could see the man s face.

didn t hit it at all. He was wearing a red trucker

‚What? Cat got your tongue?‛ the man asked, stepping closer to him and still grinning his insane grin. ‚Vile abomination, you don t belong here. By the power of Christ I compel you,‛ the priest muttered, taking a step back. He held up his rosary, hand still shaking. ‚In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.‛ The man stopped moving forward, his grin fading. ‚You compel me?‛

Father Paladina was emboldened, feeling the power of God coursing through him. It was having an effect, the power, the prayers, and his faith. They were holding the demon at bay. ‚You do not belong here. Return from whence you came. Through the power of Christ, I demand that you leave this place.‛ A long moment passed, the only sound the Priest s breathing. He held his rosary forth, hand unwavering and back tall. They stared at each other, locked in place as the seconds ticked by. ‚Silly priest,‛ the man said finally, his grin returning. ‚Don t you know you have no power here?‛ The man reached up and grabbed the rosary in Father Paladina s hand. There was a sizzling sound, as though something was burning, and the priest could feel it heating up. He watched in horror as the man stepped closer, pressing the cross to his forehead. It burned where it touched, and the man started laughing a wild and maniacal laugh. Father Paladina released his grip on the cross and jerked back in disgust and horror. The man let it fall to the floor, and there it lay. ‚How does it feel?‛ the man asked, stepping closer to Father Paladina. He was still grinning that sick and toothy grin. ‚How does it feel to know you are truly alone?‛ He reached forward, grabbing the priest

A&Q

Michelle Kidd Interview questions - Sheena Macleod December 2016

You recently won a Kindle Scout cam-

What made you decide to sub-

paign for Timeless Moments. Con-

mit Timeless Moments for Kindle Scout?

gratulations. What does this mean for you? Thank you! It still seems a bit surreal. It is a wonderful opportunity. Because I home-school my

Good question. There are so many opportunities for authors today. It isn t always easy to find the path that s a good fit for the writer and their

two sons, I am limited with the time I have to

book. Since TM was my first book, I didn t feel a

write and market. I m new to this world of pub-

traditional publisher would take a serious look at

lishing. Kindle Scout pushed me to get out of my

my manuscript. I wasn t comfortable going the

comfort zone. The KS program was a crash

indie route alone. When I learned of Kindle

course in many of the things necessary to pro-

Scout, it seemed like the middle of the road. On

mote my work and have it seen by readers and

my own, I doubt I would have had the courage to plunge ahead, but I loved my characters so

potential buyers. It has been an exciting time. I ve learned much and am grateful for the opportunity.

much. I wanted readers to have the opportunity to meet them. Kindle Scout gave me the exposure to get my book out there and into the hands of the public.

What was the inspiration behind Time-

What is your favourite part of Timeless

less Moments?

Moments?

A high school yearbook from the year 1915 in-

There are several sections of Timeless Moments I

spired me. One picture particularly held my atten-

enjoyed writing. Probably my favorite is when Ad-

tion. I found myself wondering what would happen if I could travel back in time to find out why

die, a cook/housemaid, must overcome her fears, putting her own life at risk , to help the main char-

such a striking young woman would look so sad. I

acter, Jewel. It was an intense scene to write, and I

combined that idea with my fascination of time

was quite eager to find out how Addie would re-

travel, and the story grew from there. Originally,

spond.

Timeless Moments was to be a series of short sto-

In life, we re often faced with those kinds of chal-

ries, but another friend encouraged me there was

lenges. We hope we will choose the moral-

much more to Jewel s story. I guess his enthusiasm

ly responsible thing, but when our own lives or

was contagious and led me to write a full-length

comfort is threatened, the decisive lines of morali-

book.

ty often become blurred. It was interesting to see how Addie responded.

Does Timeless Moments have a moral? The fundamental message for Timeless Mo-

ments would be love. Love conquers all. The story has three distinct timelines, but love is a central vehicle that drives the characters throughout the book.

I m also a big fan of history. I love how the past directly influences the present. Being able to combine the timelines and travel between the worlds was so a dream come true. I hope readers will find the transitions as enjoyable as I did writing them.

What is your favourite book? Why? It is hard to choose one. But the fictional book that inspired me the most was Charlotte s Web by E. B. White. From the moment I opened the pages of

Charlotte s Web, I knew I wanted to be a writer. Those first lines gripped me and pulled me into the Arable s kitchen. To my young mind, it was magic. Words have the power to connect us like nothing else. Mr. White had me at Fern s sopping sneakers.

Why did you decide to participate in

What advice would you give to

the One Million Project?

someone considering a Kindle

When first approached with the idea, I wasn t sure I would be able to contribute. But as I read about the organization and learned of the many talented participants working together to benefit charities, I wanted to add my support to such a worthwhile endeavour.

Scout campaign for their book? I would highly recommend the experience to anyone who wants to have their book published. The benefit of the Kindle Scout program does not come only from being selected (although that is a plus J ) It is so much more. It gives those who are thinking of go-

What do you do when you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t writ-

ing the indie route a taste of the work in-

ing?

volved in marketing their novel. You have the

I enjoy spending time with my family. Family is

added advantage of offering those who vot-

everything to me. It is why I chose to homeschool

ed for your book free copies to review prior

my two boys. When I m not working on lesson

to your launch. If you are not chosen, those

plans or tapping away at the keyboard, you ll find me curled up with a good book or quilting. I m very much a homebody.

who supported your campaign are notified when the book becomes available. They are given a direct link that allows them to purchase your product. Throughout the process, you develop a network of friends, other au-

What are you currently writing? I m very excited about my next project. It is another mystery about a young woman who finds

thors and valuable contacts that are necessary to market.

her mother murdered. All the evidence points to her. She finds herself in a race to unravel her mother s past to find the real killer.

One Million Project members

New Book Releases & Art Projects

Past in Shadows By Cassandra DenHartog

Love doesn t come easy. It doesn t come fast. It comes with everything that s made to destroy the heart and soul. Nikolai is a crippled PI suffering from fibromyalgia and a bad case of brokeitis. On the surface his crass disposition comes off rough, but deep down a loneliness eats at him Ada is hiding from her past, a victim of being pimped out at a young age. Her dream of becoming an artist is cut short by a boss with an evil agenda and creatures trying to attack her in the night. When Ada reaches out to Nikolai for help they soon realize neither of them will have answers if they can t address their own emotion turmoil. They are thrown into a dark world, but when her life is in danger it s the mysterious vampire named Steel who saves her. Together they can break a curse hundreds of years old and in the process might just find the love they have been yearning for. Together they make a love triangle between two people no one expected. The book is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Past-Shadows-Cassandra-DenHartog -ebook/dp/B01MD2DQBF/ref=sr_1_1? ie=UTF8&qid=1481982616&sr=81&keywords=Past+in+Shadows+By+Cassandra+DenHartog

The Involuntary Ghostwriter By

Douglas Debelak

In the beginning, questions and more questions: One of my favorite is, ‚What if God was one of us?‛ Which resonates through the lyrics of the song One of Us , written by Eric Brazilian, recorded by Joan Osborne, and later by Alanis Morrisette. What if, as the Christian Bible tells us we were created in the image of God? What if, rather than having existed forever, He had a beginning? What if, He was born and once lived a life much like our own. What if, He was once just a boy who took His parents literally when they told Him He could be anything He wanted to be? If so, how would He have become more than just a boy, more than just a man? How would He have transcended his mortality to become the Creator of our universe? Since the writers of our Holy Books have been men and women, weren t they ghostwriters for God? If they had no choice, but were compelled to write the words they did, weren t they Involuntary Ghostwriters? A financial boon gave Jonathon Fry the opportunity to fulfill a dream and write a novel. But, he was soon haunted by erotic dreams of a beautiful woman he had never met, and his mind flooded with memories The book is available on Amazon

that were not his own. Were the words he wrote his

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Involuntary-Ghostwriter-Word-BookBooks-ebook/dp/B01N7GGSU0/ref=sr_1_2? ie=UTF8&qid=1481982696&sr=82&keywords=The+Involuntary+Ghostwriter++By+Douglas+Debela k

own? Jonathon s wife was the beneficiary of his late-night arousals - until he d been stupid enough to answer her question honestly: What got his hormones in an uproar?

The Adoption:

A Psychological Thriller by Greg Meritt ALL THEY WANTED WAS A CHILD. THEY NEVER EXPECTED THIS. A childless couple. An adoption specialist. A little girl with a secret. A young boy with unimaginable powers. A scientist with an over-inflated ego. And an elderly psychic who knows the truth. In the fall of 2002, in Seattle, Claire and Logan Keller adopt five-year-old Samantha Jennings and welcome her into their home. But then strange, bizarre and incredible things begin to happen. The Kellers are unwittingly pulled into an unfathomable world of deception, power and suspense. They find themselves on the run from an unseen force, searching for The Adoptionâ&#x20AC;&#x203A; is a stunner! I was hooked from the first page and could not put the book down. Greg Meritt is a master storyteller, up there with the best of them! A psychological thriller of thoughtful and creative proportions. Not one boring page in the entire book. A definite A+ from me! Valerie Byron, author of No Ordinary Woman, The The books is available on Amazon

Man Who Lost His Genius, and The Man on the Train

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Adoption-Psychological-Thriller-GregMeritt-ebook/dp/B01N56RWEE/ref=sr_1_2? ie=UTF8&qid=1481982763&sr=8-2&keywords=the+adoption

Raven's Peak & Raven s Fall By Lincoln Cole

A quiet little mountain town is hiding a big problem. When the townsfolk of Raven's Peak start acting crazy, Abigail Dressler is called upon to discover the root of the evil affecting people. She uncovers a demonic threat unlike any she's ever faced and finds herself in a fight just to stay alive. Abigail rescues Haatim Arison from a terrifying fate and discovers that he has a family legacy in the supernatural that he knows nothing about. Now she's forced to protect him, which is easy, but also to trust him if she wants to save the townsfolk of Raven's Peak. Trust, however, is something hard to have for someone who grew up living on the knife's edge of danger. Can they discover the cause of the town's insanity and put a stop to it before it is too late?

‚QUALITY OF WRITING: Absorbing. Excellent. The author writes with confidence and there are no wasted words. Every sentence is there for a reason and adds to or carries the story along. ‚ - Ben (Amazon Reader)

The book is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01M3VE04E/ref=series_rw_dp_sw

https://www.lincolncole.net/

Timeless Moments by Michelle Kidd

Kindle Scout Winner - Jack Vines has the Victorian home of his dreams--or so it seems until he discovers an intriguing beauty lurking in the shadows. Stunned, he finds they share the house but live a century apart. The realization leads him to questions so disturbing it changes both their lives forever. She is a prisoner of the past, shrouded in a world of dark mysteries. He holds the keys that will protect their future. But first, he must solve the mystery concealed for nearly a hundred years.

‚As an insatiable reader, I've learned that not all books are that sought after/ but seldom found "great book! So, when I find one, I treasure it. This book reads almost like poetry. The story is unique, with time travel at its' centre. The characters come to life, even at 100 years apart. This is not a weird sci-fi story. It is totally believable. his is one of the very best I've ever read. I can't recommend it highly enough! ‚ - By nanajanrog (Amazon Reader) The book is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Timeless-Moments-Michelle-Kidd-ebook/ dp/B01LWLCARU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digitaltext&ie=UTF8&qid=1480259637&sr=1-1

Bite Size Stories V3 by Jason Greenfield Bite Size Stories is the book for people too busy to read. Sections One and Two present tiny stories that can be read in just a few minutes, averaging 500-1200 words. Read them on the train or during a 15 minute break. Perfect for airports and waiting for buses.

‚It could take 10 minutes of your time during the rush hour or 2 hours before bed. Smart idea!‛ - Amazon Reader

The book is available on Amazon https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bite-Size-Stories-Jason-Greenfieldebook/dp/B01LWR2TXA/ref=sr_1_8?s=digitaltext&ie=UTF8&qid=1480260329&sr=18&keywords=jason+greenfield

Victoria Stoyanova Art

Guest Victoria Stoyanova

She is a Bulgarian artist born in 1968 in Sofia. Her love for painting becomes a personal philosophy and lifestyle in 1997 after a very successful career as a fashion designer. In the short time of 18 years Victoria realized 36 solo exhibitions in Bulgaria, France, Italy, England and Greece. Won second place in the prestigious competition of Oxford International Art Competition "Tears of Happiness", Oxford 2013 and first place in the International Competition contemporary Artists "Step to success 2013" Moscow. Owner is EDO ART Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria. Victoria Stoyanova s painting is music in color. Colourful, exuberant and very emotional in their stories. In her paintings light and darkness dance drama dance. You'll know in images and emotions. Victoria is the sister of the wind, equally delicate and bold, multifaceted, fast and exciting.

Favorite great thought is: "If ever I am visited, the muse will find me working!" Picasso

Victoria Stoyanova House of Lego In verse Bobby Kasteels 50cm x 70cm

Victoria Stoyanova White Silence

50cm x 70cm

Victoria Stoyanova Dream of Lotus 50cm x 70cm

Who is the voice behind ‚It s me Ethan!‛ By Lora Tabakova

The mother and fighter behind the best new blog of 2016 by the IBA—Geraldine Renton. When I was looking for a guest for our One Million

Project Magazine, I decided that the best person for would be Geraldine. I have been following her blog for one and a half years and I do admire her efforts and positivism. I asked Geraldine for a short interview a few months ago when it occurred to me that I am not the right person to ask questions nor anybody else for that matter

when trying to understand what is

Hunter Syndrome and how it affects everyone and everything around.

http://geraldinerenton.com/ @ItsMe Ethan

Here is how Geraldine asked & answered the questions herself.

Geraldine Renton Often Vs Never

What is Hunter Syndrome?

Each child is given Enzyme Replacement

Hunter syndrome is a rare genetic, life limiting

therapy (ERT) once a week, with the hope

illness. An enzyme which helps break down

of slowing the progression of the syn-

waste material in the body, is missing or in mild-

drome down; in layman's terms this treat-

er cases of the syndrome, this enzyme is partially

ment buys families, like mine, time.

missing. Because this tiny enzyme is damaged or missing,

What does life limiting mean?

the waste materials build up in the body , as there is no other place for this waste to go but to stay in the body, slowly building up over time.

Life limiting is a nicer way to say terminal, when referring to Hunter Syndrome. It is a progressive syndrome, which means the boy who once learned to walk, talk, cycle,

This build-up of waste causes damage to every

use the toilet, feed himself will lose all

single part of the body and brain; every single

those skills in time.

part of the body- from fingers right to hair! This syndrome normally affects boys only but

Why do you write about Hunter

there are two girls in the world with the syn-

Syndrome?

drome. It is genetic and normally passed from

For awareness. When my son was diag-

mother to son; but often it can occur in the

nosed there was nothing out on the inter-

womb with no family history.

net only medical journals telling me my

There are roughly 2000 boys worldwide living with the syndrome.

son was dying. I wanted to show the world and more importantly, newly diagnosed families with any special needs; that there

With severe cases; these boys tend to die during

is a life to be lived with my son, that it is

their teenage years.

not always sad. I wanted people to understand our life and to therefore understand on some level , what it is like to be that parent of the child with special needs. I write for me. I write so I can look back and remembering the good, bad, sad, funny life we have with Ethan.

Do you write about anything

How old is Ethan, tell me about

other than Ethan?

him?

Absolutely ! I love to write. I write poetry. I

Ethan is 14. He is funny, caring and very

write about my Irish childhood and I have

charming. His favourite thing to do cur-

written a few short fictional stories.

rently (as this changes due to the progression of his syndrome and his level of un-

Does your government help you

derstanding) is flick switches while dancing

with the life you have to live?

to Mickey Mouse clubhouse theme

That's a difficult question. Yes and No. Ethan needs care 24/7 and as he ages his needs will become more intense. I gave up my job to be Ethan's carer. The government pays me a small wage but have been cutting it for years. Now, when it comes to the budget of our small island. Carers like me can t protest so we are easy targets when it comes to taking financial help

tune...it is a talent! Ethan loves to be loved and gives love so freely. He is innocent and always will be. Ethan can make you laugh without even trying to; once he laughs even the coldest heart would find it hard not to laugh along with him, he is the definition of a child with an infectious hearty laugh. It is the most beautiful sound in my world.

away from a group of people. We fight for everything Ethan needs such as therapies, medical help, medical equip-

What are your hopes and dreams?

ment and schooling. Ethan has a medical

hope one day soon, that a cure for all MPS

card, which covers almost all his medical

and related disease can be found. I hope to

expenses, which I am eternally grateful for

see Ethan become an adult. I hope his

as the ERT- Ethan receives currently, is the

brothers get to have some more quality

second most expensive drug in the world.

time with him and us, so we have the op-

That's a hard one. On a personal level, I

portunity to make some great memories.

What could the government do,

I hope all my boys know that I love them

to make your life and that of

equally.

Ethan's a little bit easier?

On a more professional level, I hope to

They could roll out a plan for Carers like me, who are still quiet young and know that their days of being a career will end

write a book or two! My dream is to become a published writer who people enjoy reading.

faster than most; due to the fact that their child has a terminal condition. They could reduce the amount of letters they demand when apply for help with the financially side of Ethan's care; it is soul destroying having to ask for a letter over and over stating that your child is dying.

‚There are a few different competitions out there for earning a publishing contract, but none quite like Kindle Scout.‛ By Lincoln Cole

One Million Project

‚The light won't go out, is a collection of short stories and poems ….‛

By Cassandra DenHartog

‚Sitting around the fire with the others, Janie Mackay looked up at the star -filled sky……‛

Kindle Scout By Lincoln Cole There are a few different competitions out there

Campaigning:

for earning a publishing contract, but none quite

Once you have a landing page, you will direct

like Kindle Scout. This is Amazon s version of reader powered publishing where anyone can submit a book, fans vote and then Amazon pub-

people to it. Friends, family, enemies and anyone you can reach should be directed

lishes the books that are the most popular.

here, and ideally they will read the content you wrote and nominate. The first 10% of your

Except, that isn t quite how it works.

book will be available along with all of the oth-

Basically, the reward of the program is a contract with Amazon , (and a fairly good one at that) where you split royalties, can still sell your

er details , and it will also be promoted and available on the Kindle Scout website for people just browsing.

own paperback, and they help to perfect and

There is a Hot & Trending list and countdown

promote. The selection process is determined

lists so you know when campaigns will end.

partly by reader votes , (called nominations) ,

They allow you to see details like how many

but the final decision is purely internal and

hours you spend Hot & Trending and the page

made by their editorial team. They have selected

views, as well as how many were from people

books with almost no nominations and turned

browsing their website and how many you

down books with thousands.

sent in through your campaign.

Signing up:

Selection:

You need a 50,000+ word novel that isn t pub-

If you are selected for publication, then you

lished or released anywhere else, a cover and

will receive a $1,500 upfront advance , (which

some other minor details. You agree to a forty-

will be paid back from your first sales) , and

five day exclusivity deal (meaning you won t

they will contact you directly for further details

send it to agents or publishers for a month and

about the process.

a half) , and then they build a landing page. You agree upfront that if they do select you, you will

They orchestrate at least one promotion every three months for the first year , (though many

automatically be enrolled in the final contract,

books get considerably more than this, espe-

so make sure you understand and agree to

cially in the first months). Many selected books

those terms BEFORE you submit.

have sold thousands of copies in the first weeks or gone on to be bestsellers and Amazon itself gives priority consideration to their own imprints for recommendations and sales.

Further Information: In general, if a book is amazing it will get picked no matter how many views/nominations it gets, and if a book is terrible it won t get picked even if it spent the entire thirty-day campaign on the Hot & Trending list. The program has been out for a couple of years, but many books are still performing incredibly well and show no signs of slowing down. Kindle Scout limits the details they give authors and prefer for their system to be a black box of information, but there are benchmarks and ways for people to fully understand how well they are doing. If you are interested in giving the program a try, then you might consider checking out my Kindle Scout Guide where I go into extreme depth about the program and tips and tricks to increase your odds of getting picked. It is a great place for new authors to start, and they might submit four or five times before finally getting accepted, but it is certainly worthwhile to win a contract.

Guide to inserting pictures By Lincoln Cole If you have ever scrolled through an interactive

That s it. When you upload your Word document,

Kindle E-Book you know the value of pictures.

the Amazon system translates the file into HTML

They can convey an idea that might take you

code, which looks something like this:

several paragraphs to explain, or even display a book cover that you would never be able to <a height=‛150px‛ width=‛150px‛ src=https://

properly describe.

example.com> The best part of this is that adding images to your call to action is incredibly simple and can

<img>https://

be done very quickly. This guide assumes you

www.theLocationOfTheImage.com</img>

are building your document in Word and in-

</a>

tending to add a ‚call to action‛ page at the back of your book. If you aren t sure what a ‚call to action‛ is, a quick internet search can clarify it for you, as well as the benefits you gain

This is how Amazon actually embeds the image and makes it clickable. One important thing is that

from it.

Amazon will actually read the above link tag and re-translate it for their own system, which means that on different devices your image will be sized

Step 1: Copy and paste your image into your ‚call to action‛ page. You will need to right

differently. This is because a phone image size

click and change the size, though when you up-

honestly if they didn t resize, or if you declared

load your book to Amazon they will handle au-

sizes specifically in a file and forced the upload, it

tomatic resizing based on their templates.

could result in a very bad user experience for

Step 2: Immediately after the image, put the text

readers.

shouldn t be the same as a Kindle image, and

of your ‚call to action‛ so that it wraps from the bottom to below the image. Make sure the image is aligned where you want it on the screen, often on the left-hand side. Step 3: Hover over the image and select the tight format for text with images. This will pull the text up to alongside the image, and you can play with the formatting to make it look how you want.

A few extra notes:

When you are using a hyperlink, be careful that you DO NOT put in Amazon Associate links. Your book is considered offline, and Associate links are not allowed to be included offline. For this reason, it is often best to build a landing page on your website for the book you are promoting and direct all traffic to it, and then from there direct back to the book on Amazon with Affiliate tags.

If you are attempting to generate email subscribers, then often a very good way to do this is to either offer a free book or a free sample of a book. The best way to do this is through Instafreebie. You can integrate with Mailchimp and force signups (though with a small monthly fee). In general, people are more likely to subscribe with a tangible benefit promised instead of an eventual contact from you through a simple signup field on a web page.

Amazon has begun updating their system to strip out links but leave images. This isn t necessarily a bad thing and only applies to certain formats of devices (for example, if you include an image with a link halfway through the book, there is a very good chance that Amazon will remove the link but leave the image). This creates a better reader experience, so you should leave your links in the back of your book. You can, however, include images or promotion things throughout to hopefully drive increased awareness of your books and covers.

The Light Won t Go Out Cassandra DenHartog

The Light Won't Go Out, is a collection of short stories and poems from several authors wanting to make a difference. Each story was written and donated to help promote a sense of hope for anyone under any circumstances. This book will be raising money to donate to the charity the Light Won't Go Out which supports children with cancer and helps their families get through tough times while they deal with the financial burden.

Publishing Managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Note

The book was published on 15 of December 2016 on Amazon. https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1541025873/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1? s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481835232&sr=1-1fkmr0&keywords=the+light+on+go+out+cassandra

CHRISTMAS CARDS By Sheena Macleod Snow-filled clouds gathered outside the high-

Ten years ago, when she turned sixteen, a

rise flats. Inside, in a small sitting room on the

social worker had brought her and her mea-

ninth floor, Janie MacKay s gaze drifted back to

gre possessions to this flat. A sitting area,

the official-looking envelope on the mantel-

bedroom, kitchen and bathroom within the

piece. Sitting beside the letter, a clock mocked

large multi-story complex soon became her

her as it ticked off the minutes until the con-

home. She had been taught to cook, shop

tents came into force. Many others throughout

and clean. No sooner had she stepped

Scotland would have received the same stand-

through the door that first day, when a large

ard letter. The only difference would be the

van arrived with the new white goods and

name and address on it, she thought.

household basics that she was entitled to

Chewing on a fingernail, she wondered what to do. She had grown up in the care system and learned early to let other people make decisions for her. Her mother had died when Janie was two-years-old, and she had no idea who her father was. Having been moved about between foster homes, she had grown up feeling on the periphery of life. Though she was

from the Council; a fridge-freezer, washing machine, cooker, bed, chairs, and more. She had stroked it all, unable to believe her eyes. Every week she received unemployment benefit and, by setting some aside, had saved enough for a second-hand multimedia screen with a built-in social network box.

made welcome in these people s homes, she had no recollection of what it felt like to be a real member of a family.

Janie looked over at the media screen. She

These people had seemed real to her then; they

recalled the soaps she used to watch, the dra-

had been the centre of her life. She had been

mas and sitcoms. She missed them all. Her

delighted by each of the virtual birthday and

electricity had been cut off over three months

Christmas cards they had sent her. In her mind,

ago. Sometimes she replayed her favourite

she had visualised their hands passing their

media programmes in her head.

cards to her in friendship. With no real-time

Janie s attention returned to the mock-

social outlets, they had made life liveable. Apart

mantelpiece, and a distant memory of a similar

from food shopping, she rarely ventured out-

one filled with Christmas cards flashed before

side.

her eyes. Unable to help herself, she lifted the

Truth hit her like a punch in the chest; she

letter down and re-read it. Tomorrow, the 14th

was isolated and lonely, and had been since

December 2036 she would receive her last

she moved here. People surrounded her in the

phased payment of unemployment benefit.

numerous flats throughout the complex, but

The government no longer had the funds to pay benefits of any kind. Arrangements had

she had never spoken to one of them. Like her,

been put in place to drop off a food parcel to

and when they did they kept their heads

her twice a week. She could remain in her flat,

bowed low.

but no services or repairs would be provided. Janie s low mood deepened. She had been

they were unemployed and rarely ventured out,

Sighing, Janie pulled on a warm coat and made her way outside. It was late and starting to get

blighted by depression for years; unable to

dark. She needed to think, plan what to do.

work she had found ways to exist on her own.

While she walked around the multi- story

Though she had had lots of virtual people she

building, she picked up an armful of twigs. Re-

chatted to on her social network box, she had

turning to the front entrance, she sat down and

no real-time friends who could help her now.

scrunched the letter in her hands. Using a twig,

With no electricity, she had been unable to log

she dug a small hole and placed the letter into

in. She missed her friends from the therapy

the stony ground. She flicked her lighter and lit

group, the members of the exercise class, her

the paper. Then, she settled twigs on top.

chat site buddies . At the flick of a switch they had been removed from her life. The pain she felt had been no less acute than if they had all suddenly died. She had grieved for each and every one of them.

Sitting cross-legged in front of the fire, she

As Janie glanced around the smiling faces

started to sing. Gently at first, then her voice

surrounding her, she realised that these peo-

rose as it did when she sang along to the so-

ple had become her real-time friends. She

cial media church. Soon, other people from

could hardly remember any of the virtual

the complex gathered beside her and joined

people she used to speak to on her social

in the song. Most brought wood for the fire.

network box. They had been no more real

As their voices filled the air, Janie felt a sense

than the virtual Christmas cards they had

of exhilaration she had never felt before. It

sent her. Thinking of this made her recall the

was as if her spirit had been set free.

pens and paper she had in a drawer. She

The following evening, they gathered around the fire again and told each other stories; some dramatic, some funny. When soft flurries of snow started to fall, Janie looked up and let the flakes glide onto her face. She

hoped she had enough sheets of paper to make each of her new friends a real Christmas card. She would start making them tomorrow.

couldn t remember the last time it had

On Christmas morning, Janie found an envelope that had been pushed under her door.

snowed in December. She wondered if it was

Brushing back a tear, she opened it and

a sign; an omen.

placed her Christmas card onto the mantel-

Evening after evening, Janie joined the others who gathered around the fire outside their building. Within a week, they had started to meet during the day. Together, they pooled their resources and provided for each other. A group soon formed to carry out household

piece. When she joined the others around the fire, she handed out her home-made cards. Later, someone dragged out a fake Christmas tree, and the children decorated it with ribbons made from strips cut from an old sheet.

repairs. Another group set up to alter, refash-

Sitting around the fire with the others, Janie

ion or repair clothes. Janie joined a group who

Mackay looked up at the star-filled sky; a sky

looked after the children so their parents

filled with hope. A few weeks ago she had

could work in a particular group. Someone

grieved for the loss of her virtual friends;

even suggested pooling a small sum of mon-

never again would she see their light shine.

ey to buy seeds to plant in the spring.

Today, she knew this star would never go out. She recalled what she had read about her ancestors being cleared from their homes and sent to live on the barren cliffedges in the remote highlands of Scotland. They had survived losing their homes and became stronger in the process, and so would she.

One Million Project Publishing Team

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www.theonemillionprojectcom.wordpress.com

@JayGreenfield