Rainbow Snippets “Fireworks In Hudson City.” From Jeff Baker, July 27, 2024.

Posted on July 27, 2024 by jeffbaker307

Every week we post six lines from a work of ours, a work-in-progress or published or a recommendation of someone else’s work with at least one LGBT character. Posted at Rainbow Snippets here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974

We’re late with this Fourth Of July story (celebrated in the US with barbecues and fireworks.) I posted a snippet of the romantic beginning of this story a couple of years ago Kip Starkwell has reason to duck out on his boyfriend in “Fireworks in Hudson City.” https://authorjeffbaker.com/2022/07/08/fireworks-in-hudson-city-friday-flash-fics-for-july-8-a-few-days-late-2022-from-jeff-baker/ with news of a fire in the city…

“Hey, Tommy, hold my sparkler, okay?” Kip handed the nearly burned down sparkler to Tommy and rushed off, yelling over his shoulder. “I gotta go take a leak.”

Tommy stared. “Shoulda done that before you left the house,” he muttered.

Okay, just a bit more

Kip ducked between two of the tall old apartment buildings and darted into the alley behind them, quickly shucking off his duster, t-shirt, shoes and jeans, pulling a pair of welder’s goggles out of the duster pocket, wadded the clothes up and tossed them behind a dumpster as he muttered

“Fire, fire, blazing way

Carry me to the sky today”

In an instant, his skin radiated heat, then fire, then a sheen like molten rock, rippled with streaks of flame. In another moment, a twister of fire surrounded Kip and he swiftly rose into the sky, what was left of the clothes he’d been wearing reduced to cinders.

Maybe more than six lines but it’s a superhero transformation and takeoff. Gotta have that! I’ve written a few stories about the superheroes (and villains) in Hudson City and this may be my favorite. Next week, more snippets.—jeff

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The Chicken Queen Hits Gotha…I Mean Goat’s Town. Friday Flash Fics from Jeff Baker. July 26, 2024.

Posted on July 26, 2024 by jeffbaker307

The Chicken’s Big Cluck/Flat Out Of Luck

by Jeff Baker

The dead of night at Liverwurst Labs at the edge of Goat’s Town. Home to the nation’s preeminent scientists and their cutting edge discoveries. But what’s this? Two familiar figures skulking about in the dark?

“Golly Captain Ecology!” Compost Boy whispered. “Why are we staking out the Labs on tonight of all nights?”

“My sources tell me that The Chicken Queen has been nesting in Goat’s Town, and with his vast intellect and thirst for power the labs are his most likely target.” Captain Ecology said. “Why their work on computers alone could…Compost Boy are you all right?”

“Uh, yeah, Cap. It’s just that…well I guess…”

“There you are, caped do-gooders!” came the familiar, nasal voice, a voice somehow tinged with a leer. Captain Ecology thought it sounded like the actor who was in the center of that tick-tack-toe game show. “I’ve got the plans for the technology that will revolutionize storing information right here in my grubby hand!”

He was wearing a dark blue suit, a thin mask over his eyes and a shirt emblazoned with a yellow chicken emblem. He laughed evilly and nasally as he waved a sheaf of papers.

“And I’ll destroy it all unless you give me what I want!” The Chicken Queen laughed again. Again evilly and nasally.

“What could we possibly give a megalomaniac like you?” Captain Ecology said through grit teeth.

“Him, that’s what!” said the super villain, pointing at Compost Boy.

“Me? Golly!” Compost Boy said, a shocked look on his masked face.

“You fiend!” Captain Ecology said, striding up to the villain, fists upraised. “How dare you endanger an innocent lad with your…”

“Uh, hold it Captain.” Compost Boy said raising a hand. “Um, everything’s fine. I don’t think those are the plans of anything.”

“What?” Captain Ecology said.

“Remember that long phone call I made this afternoon? That was, uh, with him.” Compost Boy pointed at the Chicken Queen. “We kind of set this up.”

“Set this up?” Captain Ecology said.

“We used to date,” the Chicken Queen said with a shrug.

“Date?!” Captain Ecology said, floored. “I know he plays around but I will not let you soil the innocence of…”

“Hey, I’m twenty-five years old, remember?” Compost Boy said. “And I just work with you, you don’t plan my social life.”

“But this criminal broke in here…” Captain Ecology started to say.

“Not exactly broke in,” Compost Boy said. “He works here.”

“I have a key,” the Chicken Queen said with another shrug.

“Um, so you take the Ecolo-Car back and I’ll call a cab,” Compost Boy said grinning at the Chicken Queen. “Later!”

The Captain gave a halfhearted wave as Compost Boy walked over to the Chicken Queen.

“Hey, you’re not gonna tie me up again are you?” Compost Boy asked.

“Heavens no!” The Chicken Queen said. “A little dinner, some wine, some dancing and then…”

Captain Ecology waved again as the pair walked out of sight. The Nineteen-Seventies were getting weird.

—end—

NOTE: The Chicken Queen character was from an idea by the late Darryl Thompson. Thanks.

—–jeff

Posted in Captain Ecology and Compost Boy, Fiction, Friday Flash Fics, Friday Flash Fictions, LGBT, Science Fiction, Short-Stories | Leave a comment

When I’m Sixty-Four by Jeff Baker. July 21, 2024.

Posted on July 21, 2024 by jeffbaker307

I turned 64 on Saturday July 20th, 2024! Celebrated with some good friends (like kitty above!) and grilled burgers and ate too much cake.

The night sky was cloudy or I would have gone out Moon-watching. The near-full Moon on my birthday is also on the anniversary of the July 20, 1969 arrival of astronauts on the Moon. Literally the first Moonwalk! And I watched it on our old black-and-white TV on our back patio (extension cord) keeping an eye on the Moon in the evening sky above me as history played out on the screen. Fifty-Five years ago.

Lots of history. What will the next year bring?

Posted in Essay, Moon | 2 Comments

Rainbow Snippets At The Continental Divide. (Sounds like a Fellini Western!) from Jeff Baker. July 19th, 2024.

Posted on July 19, 2024 by jeffbaker307

Every week we post six lines from a work of ours, a work-in-progress or published or a recommendation of someone else’s work with at least one LGBT character. Posted at Rainbow Snippets here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974

The prompt pic (above) was one I took in New Mexico on my recent travels. The Continental Divide is the elevated point where water drains toward the Atlantic on one side and the Pacific on the other. The marker was too good not to use for a story.

As for whether my characters are LGBT, I think they probably would have a much different definition of gender. Of course I called my story “Continental Divide” https://authorjeffbaker.com/2024/06/21/continental-divide-welcome-back-friday-flash-fics-for-june-21st-2024-by-jeff-baker/ but the title has more than the geographical meaning.

“Over here,” Dad/Mom said, actually walking on the road. “Just a short ways.”

I followed him/her, breathing in uncycled air and feeling the flat, hard road under my shoes.

“Right here,” Dad/Mom said. There was a large sign, almost as tall as Dad/Mom and taller than me just off the road. It was some kind of sturdy board. “Do you read Murcan?”

“Of course,” I said. “I did my Languology last year.” I stared at the board. “But this is Ancient Languology. Old Murcan.”

A little more than six lines, but too good not to use. Here’s more.

I studied the words. The Ancient words were slightly different but not that hard to read.

Continental Divide

Elevation 7,295 feet

Rainfall divides at this point

To the West it drains

Into the Pacific Ocean

And the remaining words were worn away. Maybe by the curious feeling antiquity with their fingers.

And we leave it there. Next week, we celebrate a holiday a bit late in Hudson City. —jeff

Posted in Fiction, LGBT, Rainbow Snippets, Science Fiction | 2 Comments

Progress Report For June/July 2024 from Jeff Baker. (July 19th, 2024)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by jeffbaker307

Progress Report; June/July 2024 from Jeff Baker

Really not a lot of progress to report this month. Maybe I was coming down from driving 4,000 miles last month.

I did the usual Friday Flash Fiction stories and wrote the Flash Fiction Draw Challenge story. Also did a couple of the columns for Queer Sci Fi, including one about going to Sacramento and finally meeting J. Scott Coatsworth. A delight to meet, a delight to write!

Also finished reading through an anthology that will be the QSF column for Halloween.

I sort of did some writing. Read through the longer story that I am going to finish soon and did a little research (and even some tweaking) on some stories I have in the pipe. Started a story and an essay that I will finish. And I wrote and revised at least two poems.

Plus, I scoped-out markets for some of my stories.

I have only really kicked it back into high gear in the last week or so.

So, that’s about it for now! (And tomorrow I turn 64!)

—-jeff baker, July 19th, 2024

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Reading Report; June/July 2024 from Jeff Baker. (July 19th, 2024)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by jeffbaker307

Reading Report June/July 2024 from Jeff Baker

Not a lot of actual reading done this period. Maybe I was coming down from the long car trip.

Read my usual online delights: Kaje Harper’s weekly story and J. Scott Coatsworth’s serial novel-in-progress (“Down The River”) which is updated weekly. (See previous Reading Reports for links; both author’s works are highly recommended!)

Started reading “We Mostly Come Out At Night,” a YA anthology edited by Rob Costello. Bummed through it and used it to write a column.

Speaking of Rob Costello; I read a fine story of his, “The Hole Of Dark Kill Hollow” in a Y.A. anthology called “Rural Voices.”

Read the graphic novel “Nightwing; Get Grayson.”

And read more of Scotty Bowers’ book “Full Service.” (Took me a bit to get the double meaning of the title!)

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“Spare Tire Blues.” Friday Flash Fics by Jeff Baker. (July 19, 2024.)

Posted on July 19, 2024 by jeffbaker307

Spare Tire Blues

by Jeff Baker

“You’re kidding!” Jasper Wheeler said gawking at the old heap parked in the garage. “Old Man Kingston left you that?”

“Yeah!” Eddie Shooter said. “Isn’t it great?”

“Maybe about 1956 it would’ve been great, but now…” Jasper’s voice trailed off. He stared at the ancient garage, really a carport on the side of the old garage separate from Eddie’s parent’s house on the edge of town. The house had been rebuilt and refurbished, the garage just shored up. The carport looked like a lean-to.

The car wasn’t in much better shape. Rust seemed to be its best feature. Seats covered by towels, worn interior, dashboard looked okay at least.

“How’d you get this here anyway?” Jasper asked.

“Drove it,” Eddie said. “Well, kind of. Towed it last night but the engine works enough that it kinda helped to get the car right in here. It was Old Man Kingston’s son’s big project.”

Jasper nodded. Kingston’s son had died before either of the twenty somethings had been born.

“He rebuilt some of it, I know that,” Eddie said. “And he was working on the engine. I have a box of parts, and…” Eddie waved a roll of paper in the air. “…plans he wrote out!”

“It’s why his Dad never got rid of the car,” Jasper said.”

“Yeah.” Eddie said. “Look, I figure it’ll take a few months to actually get this in working order again. The wheels and all are okay…”

“Amazingly enough.” Jasper said.

“Look, when I get it running again, I want you to be my first official passenger. After the inspection and the licensing that is.” Eddie took Jasper’s hand and looked into his eyes. “There’s a big question I want to ask you. But not now.”

Eddie grinned. This was like the night they’d first kissed four years ago when they were both going to school and working and grabbing every moment together. He was sure what his answer was going to be.

—end—

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Melodramatic Slides And Teepees. Flash Fiction Draw Challenge Results for July 2024. (Mike Mayak, July 15, 2024.)

Posted on July 15, 2024 by jeffbaker307
Photo by Chait Goli on Pexels.com

Happy Heatwave, Everybody!

I’m Mike, AKA Jeff Baker

The draws for the July 2024 Flash Fiction Draw Challenge were;

A Melodrama

Set in A Giant Teepee

Involving a Slippery Slide

E. H. Timms wrote “Threefold Summons.” https://thinkingthinking123.blogspot.com/2024/07/flash-fic-challenge-threefold-summons.html

And I wrote “The Teepee and the Torpor.” https://authorjeffbaker.com/2024/07/10/flash-fiction-draw-challenge-story-for-july-2024-sliding-into-melodrama-in-a-teepee-from-jeff-baker-july-10-2024/

Remember, it’s never too late to write a story of your own, post it in the comments and join in the fun! We’ll be back with more draws on Monday, August 5th, 2024

(And for the record, “Teepee” is a Dakota and Lakota that is also spelled “Tipi” or “Tepee.”)

—mike. July 15, 2024

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Rainbow Snippets: “To Warm Their Fellows…” from Jeff Baker. July 15th, 2024.

Posted on July 15, 2024 by jeffbaker307

(Photo by Kenny Blasco.)

Every week we post six lines from a work of ours, a work-in-progress or published or a recommendation of someone else’s work with at least one LGBT character. Posted at Rainbow Snippets here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/963484217054974

Here’s the sequel (sort of) to last week’s story that I mentioned; On my World Of Three Moons, we meet Tarloc and his teen-age son Tarlos. https://authorjeffbaker.com/2024/05/24/to-warm-their-fellows-in-the-night-friday-flash-fiction-anniversary-story-by-jeff-baker-may-24th-2024/ Tarlos has checked the horses in the horse barn and found something unusual. The two men are sitting in their living room talking…

“Have you borrowed a horse or two for some purpose?” Tarlos asked. It was not too unusual during planting season for farmers to loan out a horse to help a neighbor pull a plow but this was not planting season. “I counted eight, and I thought we had only six. I know I have only started doing this and I am away all day at school but…”

“Eight horses?” Taroc asked, staring at his son and setting the scroll down. “You’re sure you counted eight?”

We follow Taroc and his son in the dark to the horse barn to count the horses for snippet two…

Taroc paused at the barn door, putting a finger to his lips indicating quiet. He cautiously opened the barn door and entered, Tarlos right behind him as Taroc pulled out his light sphere and looked around.

“Six,” he said. “There are six.” He turned the light sphere off.

“Father, I was sure that I…” Tarlos said. But his father was not listening.

“Zavid and Zannic,” Taroc breathed to the open air. He turned around to face his son, his own face showing awe. “You have seen a rare and wondrous thing tonight. Come back to the house.”

One last snippet to wrap things up…

Seated in the living room, small cups of broth at the ready Taroc explained.

“You know the legend of Zavid and Zannic?” Taroc began.

“The patrons of slaves and horses?” Tarlos said. “Everybody does. It’s just a bedtime story from the ancient days, isn’t it?”

“More than that,” Taroc said. “Zavid and Zannic were slaves who cared for their master’s horses. They loved each other but their masters were going to separate them. The Horse Lords took pity on the two young men and transformed them into horses who would always run free together.

“To Warm Their Fellows In The Night” was posted as my eighth (!!!) anniversary story for the near-weekly flash fictions and it was a lot of fun to write! Maybe longer than six lines apiece, but since when does that stop me?

Next week, something I picked up on my recent travels. Till then, take care! —-jeff

Posted in LGBT, Rainbow Snippets, World of Three Moons | 3 Comments

Drink from the Fontaine Di Roma. Friday Flash Fics by Jeff Baker. July 12th, 2024.

Posted on July 12, 2024 by jeffbaker307

Fontane Di Roma

by Jeff Baker

I stood and stared out the window at the small garden with the trickling stone fountain in the middle like a birdbath.

“You’re not seriously telling me you think you’ve got the Fountain of Youth out there are you?” I said.

“That’s what the Realtor said,” Giles said. “It all belonged to the couple who used to live here.”

“Okay, but why would somebody who has the Fountain of Youth in their backyard sell it?” I asked. “Don’t tell me it’s because they were going to retire? I mean, why retire if you can stay young?”

“Stay young and stay in the workforce forever,” Giles said. “You hit on it. They didn’t want to do that. Besides, they were way past retirement age.”

“How way past?” I asked.

“Well, he was born in the 1890s and she, well…” Giles said. “I didn’t ask.”

“Have you used that thing?” I asked pointing at the fountain.

“No, and I don’t think I’m going to.” Giles said. “Too many drawbacks.”

“Drawbacks?” I said. “Like what?”

“Well, if you aren’t rich you’ll have to work to pay several centuries worth of bills to say nothing of taxes.”

“You’d have the Fountain of Youth.” I said. “You could charge people to drink from it. Even at a couple of bucks a glass, this could…”

“We try to keep this low-key,” Giles said. “Too many people find out about this, the neighborhood would be overrun by a mob. All kinds of things could happen.”

“Does this thing cure disease?” I asked.

“Not really,” Giles said. “Just keeps you young. Which is a nice benefit.”

“Have you tried it?” I asked.

“Not really,” he said. “Just a sip.”

I stared out the window at the fountain.

“What do you have available in a nice condo?” I asked.

—end—

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