Expected Aberrations: Coming Soon: "Dreaming of Her and Other Stories"

By the end of this summer, I plan to release my first-ever anthology called Dreaming of Her and Other Stories. If you've been reading this blog for a while, and you remember my announcement about the anthology called Expected Aberrations, well, this is that. Just all grown up and way cooler. :)

Everything has been written; all I have to do is revise, make a cover, put everything together and put it up on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (and possibly other places that I haven't looked into quite yet).

Concept art for the cover

Since every good 'coming soon' announcement includes some hype, here's some hype:

"Forsooth, what skillful use of English here!"

William Shakespeare

"Thea has this way of, like, making things, like, awesome."

Some Random Teenager

"I loved it so much that I lost track of my towel."

Arthur Dent

Okay, I'll stop indulging myself and give you some more serious information. :)

The anthology will include selected stories from Written Arpeggios (revised and polished to make them even more glorious), other, longer stories that aren't available anywhere on the web, and a fistful of poetry which has been my labour of love for many years.

The original version of my poem "Hope" brought a man to tears. When he read it to our church, several people responded with a standing ovation.

What readers have said about "Who Is the River?":

"poetic, beautifully written and profound"

Lewinna Solwing

"I love, love, love the story! ... the imagery... is so unique."

Taryn Hunchak

But I haven't given you guys enough cool stuff to think about. If you've read anything on Arpeggios, you've had a chance to check out my prose, but have you ever read my poetry?

Here, for the first time anywhere, is the final version of my poem "Pandora", based off of the myth about Pandora's box, as it will appear in the anthology:

Pandora

Never open it;

I will do as bade.

But O!

Desire burns my fingertips.

It is such a small thing;

What could possibly happen?

The contents must be important.

But why give them

Only to say

They must never be seen?

Surely one raised corner

Can do no harm.

Is it not like

Tasting

And eating:

Similar, but different?

The smallest glance,

The tiniest of glimpses;

So brief

It is barely mortal.

A corner, then:

The closest.

Careful!

These hands tremble.

There.

Now,

What is this secret?

No!

Fling it away!

Horror paralyzes motion.

I stand

Still, watching

As out comes:

Death and disease

Anger and jealousy

Hate

War that, once born,

Begets itself,

And
Every poison of the soul.

What have I done?

Pale, limp

Breath shocked into silence

My eyes staring into black

As out

Emerges

Hope.

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