Curious Stories
By Gregory Eaves
Book Description:
If
you like mysteries with a surprise twist at the end, then Curious Stories is
for you. This is a small diverse collection of mystery short stories, ranging
from the noir detective story to supernatural suspense. Neurotic characters and
strange turns populate the pages of this quick and entertaining read.
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EXCERPT
THE
EDITOR IS ALWAYS RIGHT
Marchand
sat down and stared dumbly at his computer screen, not knowing where to begin.
He had tried creating outlines and character profiles, but no ideas surfaced.
He took his hands and buried his face in them. They moved up to his forehead
and slowly began a descent over the mounds of his closed, bulging eyelids, then
over his bulbous nose and rough, reddened cheeks. He shifted his oversize torso
in the direction of a buzzing noise; his body felt heavy, leaden with humidity
and the salty crust of baked-on sweat. With uncharacteristic speed and violence
he smashed a fly with his flyswatter, then turned his attention back to the
screen.
He
made a few tentative stabs at the keyboard, trying to grease the wheels.
Nothing. Then he noticed the smell again, the same stench from yesterday that
hovered somewhere between sweet and putrid. It irritated him not knowing what
it was. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Marchand got up and
crisscrossed the room several times, sniffing the air, trying to home in on a
location. The dusty books were possibilities; he walked slowly past them,
examining the gold-striped and leather bound volumes the same suspicious way a
Nazi commandant would inspect prisoners-of-war. Some of the books were very
old, with yellowed pages and stitched bindings that disintegrated when handled.
They were musty with age and produced a very intense odor, to be sure, but that
wasn’t it. He stood over a bologna sandwich, considered it, but rejected that
as the source of the smell.
About the Author
Gregory
Eaves was born October 18, 1950, in Indianapolis, Indiana. He attended Speedway
High School and Indiana University. In his twenties, he traveled extensively
throughout the United States, with an eight year stay in San Diego, California,
where he studied and practiced meditation.
Gregory
moved to Florida and completed a master’s degree in Library and Information
Science from the University of South Florida.
Library
school rekindled his interest in reading, which had been his favorite activity
as a child growing up. Mysteries had been his first love, and he devoured his
first mystery books with singular passion and zeal. Nothing else seemed to hit
the sweet spot like reading The Hardy Boys, Sherlock Holmes, and Poirot. He
later enjoyed authors like Raymond Chandler, John D. McDonald, Graham Greene,
Patricia Highsmith, and others.
SCHISM
is Gregory’s first novel. His prior
experience with writing included poetry and short stories. One of his
short-shorts won runner-up in a contest in Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine.
He
now lives on the east coast of Florida, and when he isn’t writing, he enjoys
playing guitar and collecting vintage stereo gear and vinyl records. He is a
member of American Mensa.
Author Links:
***GIVEAWAY***
$15 Amazon/B&N Gift Card.
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Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteGreat excerpt!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it, Angela. That's one of my favorite stories.
DeleteThanks for having my book on your blog today. I'll check back later to answer any questions readers might have.
ReplyDelete