20 Comments
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Jim J Wilsky's avatar

I know you might not answer, but I don't really care. Read this anyway and take it to heart. Your fiction is too damn good to give up on. Don't do it. Not trying to be a hard ass here, just saying that as an admirer of your writing. - Jim

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Sean Thomas McDonnell's avatar

This is one of my favorite stories of yours, Ken. Stoked I was one of the first readers!

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Yeah… it was tough to let it go!

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Jim J Wilsky's avatar

This story right here is why so many people, including myself, wanted you to continue. So glad you are and will be. - Jim

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Onward. Expect me to come by while I find some words again! And thank you. Really.

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Jim J Wilsky's avatar

You bet. I’m the one that’s thankful, for the decision you made.

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Liz Zimmers's avatar

Dark birds! Can’t wait.

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

AND echoes from a well. And Trails, of course. Think metal band.

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

I'm a shit reader then because I enjoy your writing 🤣 Don't listen to them. That wasn't professional, by the sounds of it.

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Oh, it wasn’t. It’ll wake me up from time to time. But I’m still here, that’s all that matters. And thank you. I do what I can!

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Hanna Delaney's avatar

Keep writing. And listen to Jim!

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

Will do! He and Bill have been great during all this. Some sleep, some distance, and I’ll get back to it. Can’t let Liz down. She’ll miss the (almost) daily fix!

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A.C. Cargill, All-Human Author's avatar

Never let the naysayers get you down. I suspect that person was jealous of your writing. Keep going!

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

I will. Thanks AC! Some sleep, some distance, then I'm back at it.

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A.C. Cargill, All-Human Author's avatar

I go through the same process. So I stopped submitting to lit mags and anthologies and found a good publisher for my story collections.

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

I stopped for a good while, too. Started thinking things might be different this time around. Stupid, really. I'm happy here. Why push it?

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Tracy's avatar

Why are you giving them so much power over who you are and what you write?

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J William Browne's avatar

Keep writing, Ken. Use the phantom who wrote that letter to fuel your imagination and your writing.

As the fictional Geoffrey Chaucer says in A Knight's Tale: "I will eviscerate you in fiction. Every pimple, every character flaw. I was naked for a day; you will be naked for eternity."

Enjoyed this piece.

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Liz Zimmers's avatar

This! Oh, man! This was fantastic and the ending was absolutely perfect. I’m hopping up and down with glee. So glad you’re ripping it up!

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Ken Flyingheart's avatar

So glad it worked, Liz! I had an absolute blast with this one. Expect more birds this month because that’s the thing that connects this with “Lucky”. Not everything will be as good as this one, but I think some themes might help keep it level. Oh, and the eponymous tale is coming, too. Finally.

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