tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65773692024-03-14T01:50:28.501-04:00Fairy Tales, Fables, and Offbeat IdeasA blog by Troy MorashTroy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-37623103782265993002015-03-17T15:40:00.002-04:002018-04-11T15:36:55.400-04:00Space Case by Stuart Gibbs<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zeblwO5fFTM/VQhr4qr3rMI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/t8CbSiQ_l4Q/s1600/Space%2BCase%2Bby%2BStuart%2BGibbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zeblwO5fFTM/VQhr4qr3rMI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/t8CbSiQ_l4Q/s1600/Space%2BCase%2Bby%2BStuart%2BGibbs.jpg" /></a></div>
<em>Space Case</em> is one of the nominations for this year's <a href="http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html" target="_blank">Edgar awards</a> in the juvenile category. As in previous years, I decided to read the nominations and make a prediction as to which one could win. In previous years I have been more right than wrong. There are no major or even minor spoilers in this review.<br />
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I grabbed a couple other nominations from this category and began reading the opening chapters of all of them one after the other, but by the next day this was the only one that I was still reading. What fascinated me the most about <em>Space Case</em>, at least in the beginning was the setting: The first Moon base. The science and logistics of low gravity living are great attention grabbers and the confined space from which there is no escape adds to the suspense and tension in the story.<br />
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Kids reading this book will learn a lot about what it would be like to live on the Moon. The information is accurate, too, as the author admits getting lots of help from real astronauts. However, the protagonist, Dashiell, a twelve year old, does not like it. His parents have jobs on the moon base and so his whole family lives there in a cramped room on a cramped base. The food is bad, going to the washroom is disturbing, he has few friends, and the other kids his own age there, are not ones he would hang out with on earth; in general, he feels like he is in a prison and there is nothing he can do about it. If he complains, he will get in trouble with NASA. <br />
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Dashiell is a great character, as are all the supporting characters in the story. Adults in the story think Dashiell has a bit of an attitude problem but that is understandable considering the circumstances. It is stressful enough growing up on earth, let alone on the Moon, but he tries hard to put a positive spin on it all. He is witty, brave and observant. His humor colors the overall tone, which leaps off the page and adds to the fast pace, making this a real page turner.<br />
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After a scientist dies, he suspects it is murder, but no one believes him and NASA does not want to pursue his suspicions, because that would taint the image the world has of the first Moon base. Dashiell is told to forget about the mysterious death, but when one adult has the same suspicions, he helps her and continues his investigation- under the radar. There are no shortage of suspects, everyone is acting suspicious.There are plenty of clues and plenty of red herrings to untangle.<br />
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The climactic scene is a great action sequence when Dash goes on a moonwalk. The ending has a great twist no one could predict, despite the clues and the foreshadowing.<br />
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On the cover it states that this is a Moon Base Alpha novel, which suggests this could be part of a series in the making. I'm looking forward to reading others in the future, especially after the twist ending in this book. The storyline possibilities are endless.<br />
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Five out of five stars. Grab it!Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-51907500193509939632013-04-17T14:38:00.000-04:002013-04-17T14:38:00.300-04:00The Goose and Springtime<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XOKvAKbzk1c/UW7oRbsnPnI/AAAAAAAAAHs/Or7xhsHBIh0/s1600/goose_cartoon_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="164" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XOKvAKbzk1c/UW7oRbsnPnI/AAAAAAAAAHs/Or7xhsHBIh0/s200/goose_cartoon_1.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<i>Spring is late. Winter rages and all the forest animals are freezing and starving to death, so one goose takes it upon itself to travel to the land of Winter and plead with it to end, only to learn that Spring, a young rascal, is late in coming because it's out having fun. The only way to end the long cold winter means sacrifice, as the goose sets off to find Spring.</i><br />
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As the middle of April in Toronto has seen some nasty wintery weather,
this reminded me of this story written so long ago and so decided to
post it in a few places online.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6FGj6vXaCXQ/UW7lDJOgMoI/AAAAAAAAAHY/PBouIEAK768/s1600/taj7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6FGj6vXaCXQ/UW7lDJOgMoI/AAAAAAAAAHY/PBouIEAK768/s200/taj7.jpg" width="128" /></a><br />
This fable/fairy tale is now available to read at <a href="http://www.itellyouastory.com/fairy-tales-fables/fable-fairy-tales/1312-goose-springtime.html" target="_blank">I'll Tell you a Story</a>. This story first appeared in the Rose and Thorn and was later picked up in 2005 by the <a href="http://www.tajmahalreview.com/taj7.htm" target="_blank">Taj Mahal Review</a>. Despite the temptation to edit it, the story has been left in all its glory and with its editorial flaws intact.<br />
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<br />Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-32307994066521994122013-03-25T21:03:00.000-04:002013-03-26T12:29:25.907-04:00Stu and the Stupid Stew<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ijE_YHBtTjg/UVDyMUuxlrI/AAAAAAAAAGI/VeyWPrXWpbU/s1600/stew_cover_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ijE_YHBtTjg/UVDyMUuxlrI/AAAAAAAAAGI/VeyWPrXWpbU/s1600/stew_cover_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ijE_YHBtTjg/UVDyMUuxlrI/AAAAAAAAAGI/VeyWPrXWpbU/s320/stew_cover_2.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: #fdfdfd; color: #333333; display: inline !important; float: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span>Stuart, an inquisitive nine-year-old boy, lives in a village full of people so stupid that after falling in love with a delicious stew, the local philosophers come up with the Thought of thoughts: build a gigantic pot, fill it with stew, jump in and live happily ever after.<br />
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Only there's a problem: As the villagers stuff their faces, the stew becomes less. If they don’t escape, everyone will be trapped and burned at the bottom of the pot. Before long, the only way to the rim will be to build a human ladder. Stu sets out to warn everyone.<br />
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However there’s another problem: the villagers have forgotten they’re in a pot and demand proof - that Stu bring this so-called pot or mythical bottom to them. The philosophers force Stu to go to the bottom in a box where he meets a bizarre character called Archibald, Lord of Soup Sharks with 36 brains, who the philosophers have slanderously called the devil. However, a few begin to believe Stu's legend of the Bottom, calling him a prophet. Then a ridiculous war breaks out between the philosophers, and Stu wonders if they will ever escape in time.<br />
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This is an allegorical/satire middle grade silliness. Sample chapters available at <a href="http://authonomy.com/books/51584/stu-and-the-stupid-stew/" target="_blank">Authonomy</a>.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-54366552497313425132012-10-25T14:03:00.000-04:002012-11-09T12:18:36.486-05:00Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.itellyouastory.com/images/stories/stories/metal-bark-and-whispers-soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://www.itellyouastory.com/images/stories/stories/metal-bark-and-whispers-soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="189" src="http://www.itellyouastory.com/images/stories/stories/metal-bark-and-whispers-soup.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Stephen King was right when he said that an author is not always, if ever, a good judge of his or her work. <a href="http://www.itellyouastory.com/fairy-tales-fables/fable-fairy-tales/1242-metal-bark-and-whispers-soup.html">Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup</a> is probably my most successful story. Yet it's my opinion it's not my best work. For example, a personal favorite: <a href="http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk/story/view/the_peasant_who_annoyed_death/#axzz23lTtraIr">The Peasant who annoyed Death</a>, does not get much, if any, positive feedback, sometimes quite the opposite. And something like <a href="http://www.theglut.com/issue_9/morash_way.html">The Way of the Cow</a> is largely ignored. However, some of the absurdity in <i style="font-weight: bold;">Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup</i> is enjoyable, like: <i>..he ran so fast his chin was in his mouth...</i><br />
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<i><b>Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup</b></i> received an excellent edit by Meredith Morgenstern when it was first published by the Rose and Thorn back in 2003. It then was nominated for the Pushcart Prize that year and may (or may not) have been read on a New York radio station - on WBAR, a nonprofit station in 2004.<br />
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It was reprinted at Bewildering Stories where it was voted one of their top 13 stories in the 2nd quarter of 2011 (679 votes on 93 titles).<br />
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It is now available at <a href="http://www.itellyouastory.com/">I'll Tell you a Story</a>. There is only one small change: a semicolon was added. This site offers up fairy tales from all around the world. It is a fairly new site but may become a handy database in the future of fairy tales from all over the world. It is appropriate this story is made available there during the Halloween season this year, as the protagonist is a tiny witch.<br />
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Publishing history:<br />
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<a href="http://www.itellyouastory.com/fairy-tales-fables/fable-fairy-tales/1242-metal-bark-and-whispers-soup.html">Metal, Bark and Whispers / I'll Tell You a Story / October 2012</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue424/metal_soup.html">Metal, Bark and Whispers / BEWILDERING STORIES / Spring 2011</a><br />
Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup / THE ROSE AND THORN / Fall 2003Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-1799614764193987392012-09-25T01:16:00.001-04:002012-11-09T12:19:46.172-05:00How the Dead Die<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwDoRtLO59o/UGE9g5OtmNI/AAAAAAAAAE8/ONVnV_8bthI/s1600/assault-argonne-klein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwDoRtLO59o/UGE9g5OtmNI/AAAAAAAAAE8/ONVnV_8bthI/s1600/assault-argonne-klein.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwDoRtLO59o/UGE9g5OtmNI/AAAAAAAAAE8/ONVnV_8bthI/s200/assault-argonne-klein.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<b>How the Dead Die</b> is now available at <a href="http://hogglepot.com/reading.php?date=20120902&vol=2012vol3">Hogglepot</a>.
The story is set during World War 1 at the height of the stalemate, when neither side was gaining ground yet many men were dying for what looked like no reason at all.
This story has a slight Twilight Zone feel to it, mixed with the old stories from the Weird War Tales comic which is one of my favorite comics.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-22190935361570323852012-08-16T22:11:00.000-04:002012-08-16T22:11:31.089-04:00The Peasant who annoyed Death<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89EXJz0aaOA/UC2oMLWJUPI/AAAAAAAAAEc/IpEghWhn8vc/s1600/peasants_breaking_bread.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="128" width="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-89EXJz0aaOA/UC2oMLWJUPI/AAAAAAAAAEc/IpEghWhn8vc/s200/peasants_breaking_bread.jpg" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk/story/view/the_peasant_who_annoyed_death/#axzz23lTtraIr"> The Peasant who annoyed Death</a> is now available at Shortbread Stories. A slightly humorous fable in which Death is kind of like the good guy, giving advice to a peasant too lazy to keep Death away.
Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-7201850651656666382012-06-27T12:33:00.003-04:002012-06-27T13:28:07.085-04:00What the Fisherman did not see<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nq9AVCezdbw/T-tCdCee9VI/AAAAAAAAAEM/YNxKyar_Lu8/s1600/walking%2Bfish%2Bcartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="109" width="170" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nq9AVCezdbw/T-tCdCee9VI/AAAAAAAAAEM/YNxKyar_Lu8/s320/walking%2Bfish%2Bcartoon.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk/story/view/what_the_fisherman_did_not_see/#axzz1z0moAdXX">What the Fisherman did not see</a> is now available and <a href="http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk">Shortbread Stories</a>. This story originally appeared several years ago in the last issue of Writer's Hood. This version has been revised and shortened.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-67245176897213618692012-04-19T00:52:00.007-04:002012-04-19T01:36:49.519-04:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Edgar Nominees for 2011 </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gruyN5x74jM/T4-aNFLav5I/AAAAAAAAADw/KkJrXlzcBXk/s1600/coversnovel12.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 89px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gruyN5x74jM/T4-aNFLav5I/AAAAAAAAADw/KkJrXlzcBXk/s320/coversnovel12.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732970400184975250" /></a><br /><br />Next week the winner of the 2012 Edgar award will be announced so now is the time -- beforehand -- to add my two cents as to which book, in my humble opinion, should win the prestigious award.<br /><br />It didn't take long to read them all. This is my reading order, if that means anything: Field Gray, The Devotion of Suspect X, 1222, Gone and The Ranger. They are all great books but in my mind the winner is obvious.<br /><br />To begin with, after reading <span style="font-style:italic;">Field Gray</span> by Philip Kerr, it was my opinion that this would win. It is a great book. The setting, spanning a couple decades after World War Two, in which a German police officer is caught up in the intrigues and chaos after the war, is my cup of tea. The film noir feel to it and the funny imagery, metaphors and similes were original. There are plenty of twists and turns to leave the reader wondering over several things before they all weave into a satisfying conclusion. Definitely looking forward to more from this series.<br /><br />However, nothing could prepare me for <span style="font-style:italic;">The Devotion of Suspect X</span> by Keigo Higashino. As a mystery story, it is unusual, in that we know at the beginning who committed the crime and why. The reader begins by observing the police investigate and yet the closer they come to solving the crime, the more confused the reader gets, being left to puzzle over suspect X's methods and motivation for covering up the crime.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">1222 </span>is by Anne Holt, a Norwegian writer. Scandinavian mysteries have a special place in my heart. It probably has something to do with the setting. And this one does not disappoint. The murderer, suspects, victims and detective are isolated in a hotel in the mountains, snowed in with no way to escape during a storm. There is an element of the locked room mystery, however, strictly as a locked room puzzle it disappoints, <span style="font-weight:bold;">if <span style="font-style:italic;"></span></span>you were expecting something not unlike John Dickson Carr. The weird thing about this one is that it is part of a series but this, which is not the first book, is the only one currently available in English. Nevertheless the main character of Hanne Wilhelmsen captivates.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Gone </span>by Mo Hayder reads like a thriller. It is fast paced, as the detectives race against the clock to find a kidnapped girl before she is murdered. It is an intense read, paced well and hard to put down and it wouldn't be surprising if this book won. Having a little girl abducted right in the first chapter is a hook most readers can't resist and you find yourself rooting for her as if she's someone you know.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">The Ranger</span> by Ace Atkins establishes a sense of place and character, quickly and effectively. Maybe that has something to do with the fact this is a series as are all the books nominated except for <span style="font-style:italic;">The Devotion of Suspect X</span>. The ranger from which the title comes, is filled with all the usual angst and troubled past that makes for lots of conflict. Atkins's style is crisp and to the point, which makes for a fast paced mystery.<br /><br />In the end, my vote goes to <span style="font-style:italic;">The Devotion of Suspect X</span>. It is a fast paced story, with mystery and emotion, and with an ending that will leave you stunned and spellbound.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-88308271987187470482012-03-29T14:49:00.006-04:002012-03-29T15:01:33.433-04:00Here is a shorter version of <a href="http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk/story/view/the_old_muds">Old Muds</a> that was entered into a contest at <a href="http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk">Shortbread </a>last month for Valentin's Day. In order to qualify the story had to be cut down to 500 words or less, which was a fun exercise in brevity and didn't take long; only one or two tough decisions needed to be made in regards to what could stay and what had to go. It came fourth out of about 25 stories, which is respectable.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-77928483191592270372011-04-01T22:06:00.002-04:002011-04-01T22:08:51.102-04:00It is now possible to read <a href="http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue424/metal_soup.html">Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup</a> at <a href="http://www.bewilderingstories.com/">Bewildering Stories</a>. This story was originally published at the Rose and Thorn and was nominated for the Pushcart prize that year (2003).Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-110279765751304882011-02-01T12:01:00.008-05:002011-02-02T18:55:12.409-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TUg-RFB-LwI/AAAAAAAAADU/QvzC3zIP3fs/s1600/women32.gif"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 194px; height: 213px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TUg-RFB-LwI/AAAAAAAAADU/QvzC3zIP3fs/s320/women32.gif" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568769402372763394" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.cabinetdesfees.com/2011/mrs-mud%E2%80%99s-brush-with-death-by-troy-morash/">Mrs. Mud’s brush with Death by Troy Morash</a> is now available at Cabinet des Fées. This story continues the adventures of Mrs. Mud and her husband. The character first appeared in the story <a href="http://www.paramotors.info/spring02/muds.html">The Old Muds</a> in Fables back in Spring 2002. The second story: <a href="http://www.summersetreview.org/04winter/mrsmud.htm">Mrs. Mud and her Basket of Apples</a> can be read in <a href="http://www.summersetreview.org/04winter/mrsmud.htm">The Summerset Review</a> and was published in winter 2003.<br /><br />Mrs. Mud’s brush with Death was first titled Mrs. Mud's First Death. The reason being that there are other times that she dies and has experiences of the afterlife. The character is the epitome of exaggeration not unlike Lewis Carrol's Queen of Hearts. Mrs. Mud lives in an extreme state and experiences extreme emotions which are not to her advantage.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-1130430213653244722011-01-29T20:06:00.004-05:002011-01-29T20:12:30.209-05:00<a href="http://hazardcat.blogspot.com/2011/01/two-cats-and-river-by-troy-morash.html">The Two Cats and a River</a> was written a few years ago. It has now been posted at <a href="http://hazardcat.blogspot.com">Hazard Cat</a>. This story is dedicated to Sabrina: 2001-2008, one weird and cool cat.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TUS6DgMpYaI/AAAAAAAAADM/o3NI3VYnECs/s1600/sabrina.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 307px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TUS6DgMpYaI/AAAAAAAAADM/o3NI3VYnECs/s320/sabrina.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5567779608682127778" /></a>Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-69989367943407976272010-12-17T10:30:00.007-05:002010-12-17T10:54:10.646-05:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Peasant who annoyed Death</span><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TQuD6VoL9VI/AAAAAAAAADA/DQ79Ao6j9DM/s1600/peasant%2Bwedding.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 224px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TQuD6VoL9VI/AAAAAAAAADA/DQ79Ao6j9DM/s320/peasant%2Bwedding.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5551676003925620050" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Another story of mine has been published at <a href="http://moondrenchedfables.wordpress.com">Moon Drenched Fables</a> called <a href="http://moondrenchedfables.wordpress.com/short-fiction/the-peasant-who-annoyed-death-by-troy-morash/">The Peasant who annoyed Death</a>. This is a slightly humorous fable in which Death is kind of like the good guy.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-25840078760550425932010-12-16T22:44:00.004-05:002011-02-02T11:50:13.816-05:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TUmLLRYZaLI/AAAAAAAAADc/GP6F62XZGhQ/s1600/1162472_orig.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TUmLLRYZaLI/AAAAAAAAADc/GP6F62XZGhQ/s320/1162472_orig.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569135439980882098" /></a><a href="http://www.pillhillpress.com/books.html">Daily Flash 2011</a><br />Cover Price $24.99<br />Published by Daily Flash Publications, an Imprint of Pill Hill Press<br />ISBN-13: 978-1617060106<br /><br /><a href="http://www.pillhillpress.com/shoppe-dailyflashpub.html">DAILY FLASH 2011: 365 DAYS OF FLASH FICTION</a> is a 2011 flash fiction calendar anthology, with a 500 word or less short story featured for every day of the calendar year. Filled with 365 short stories, this is a fun and practical anthology designed for busy readers.<br /><br />One of my story's has been published in this neat anthology. It is called "The Danger of Not being Oneself"Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-14771441032372786252010-11-11T22:56:00.008-05:002010-12-16T22:55:44.714-05:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Exitism</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TNy7FRlomdI/AAAAAAAAAC4/Ob4bNtl4dPY/s1600/bg_content2.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TNy7FRlomdI/AAAAAAAAAC4/Ob4bNtl4dPY/s320/bg_content2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5538507341053860306" /></a> This is an <a href="http://vyh.od.ua/">art cafe</a> that opened (with my help) in Odessa, Ukraine around the time of the Orange Revolution. The club is called Exit or Vikhod in Russian. The idea was to formulate a new mental direction or attitude in regards to art. One of the things we were planning were some unusual exhibitions, that never happened. My notebook is full of ideas, some of them, probably quite impossible to realize, like wind sculptures. Their purpose was to illustrate the philosophy that the group of artists, myself included, were aiming for. This new "art movement" consisted of "laws" that governed how a piece of art was created by governing the artist's internal state when creating it. <br /><br />In addition to the "laws" there was also a history that needed to be created. It is my wish to someday post some of it here.<br /><br />For now, here are some laws:<br /><br />29. A state that precedes an object or act; is independent of the object or act and yet defines the object or act.<br /><br />41. To be aware of that part of oneself which does not react to the world around us.<br /><br />42. Any aspect of reality that one could just as easily dream but not an aspect of a dream that could just as well be reality.<br /><br />49. A piece of art that is independent of thought and emotion, that is thoughtless and emotionless yet triggers thoughts and emotions which lead the viewer to an exit from thinking and feeling.<br /><br />50. The understanding that one cannot understand what one sees or hears or thinks from what one sees or hears or thinks. (What is considered real is actually the most unreal part of the real thing.) <br /><br />51. Understanding that one does not understand what one thought one had understood.<br /><br />52. To become aware of what is unnecessary to be aware of for the daily necessity of living but not to become unaware of what is necessary to be aware of for the daily necessity of living.<br /><br />54. A piece of art that is independent from the source (that is independent of the artist who created the piece and whatever influenced the artist) yet clearly shows, reveals and admits the source from which it sprang.<br /><br />56. (v.) To finish before one comes to the end. This refers to the rare two-death existence of mankind.<br /><br />From here on the rest refer to what is not Exitism...<br /><br />105. The act of not understanding something (whether consciously or unconsciously) when one thinks that one is actually trying to understand something by either trying to attach words to the thought or not.<br /><br />107. The misguided belief that one’s self is the source of all that one is.<br /><br />108. A piece of art that is dependent on its subject matter to transmit to the receiver an impression that does not actually represent the subject matter as it is interpreted by the receiver.<br /><br />143. A piece of art that is admired only because of the instruments that were used in creating it.<br /><br />144. The act of doing something in order to no longer be what one was before one started to do something.<br /><br />etc, etc...<br /><br />UPDATE: The cafe is closing...Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-65640209807896969972010-11-09T20:21:00.007-05:002012-10-30T15:19:36.158-04:00Chechen Fairy Tale<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TNn0LttnJ8I/AAAAAAAAACw/4SFAdD8deTE/s1600/timthumb.php" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537725698915379138" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TNn0LttnJ8I/AAAAAAAAACw/4SFAdD8deTE/s320/timthumb.php" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 150px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 150px;" /></a><br />
After translating <a href="http://www.waynakh.com/eng/2010/07/three-brothers-qo-vasa/">Three Brothers - (Qo Vaša)</a> it is now available together with the original Chechen language version. The site has a wealth of information about Chechen culture.<br />
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In case anyone is interested another translation of mine for the story Timor is available in this book: <a href="http://www.c-s-p.org/flyers/978-1-4438-0011-2-sample.pdf">The Shamanic Themes in Chechen Folktales</a>.<br />
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Interesting as well, there is what looks like a Spanish translation of Timor <a href="http://www.revistaseda.com.ar/articulos/cuento-checheno.php">here</a> that was taken from one of my stories that was once published at Fables.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-1196204361033399422010-10-10T20:16:00.007-04:002010-10-10T20:39:15.930-04:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Juggler and the Bet</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TLJZWIrTeII/AAAAAAAAACo/qGGrKSPdsuY/s1600/Egyptian_juggler.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 206px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TLJZWIrTeII/AAAAAAAAACo/qGGrKSPdsuY/s320/Egyptian_juggler.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526577929558128770" /></a><br /><br />The Juggler and the Bet is now available at <a href="http://www.anthologybuilder.com/viewstory.php?story_id=1583">Anthology Builder</a>. The story originally appeared at Sun Oasis in 2003 and was written in the mid 1990's.<br /><br />Teaser:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">When a poor young man suddenly becomes successful juggling, it goes to his head in the worst possible way. He begins treating those that love him horribly until his wife makes a bet with him, one that he would be crazy to accept and crazy to refuse, for if he wins the bet he will become the most powerful man on earth.</span></span>Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-23082767716862021822010-09-29T23:09:00.004-04:002010-09-29T23:17:37.090-04:00Been really busy the last while, working on two different books. So there hasn't been much time for much else. A new story came out at <a href="http://mirrordancefantasy.blogspot.com">Mirror Dance </a>called the <a href="http://mirrordancefantasy.blogspot.com/2010/09/picky-dragon.html">Picky Dragon</a> at the beginning of September. A nice journal of fantasy stories, worth checking out.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-80800571998530512332010-06-16T14:07:00.020-04:002012-10-30T15:18:28.704-04:00The Witch and the Devil<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TBkf8_Y_jZI/AAAAAAAAACY/7PVc1753gnU/s1600/wtichdevil1.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483449153969163666" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TBkf8_Y_jZI/AAAAAAAAACY/7PVc1753gnU/s320/wtichdevil1.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: left; height: 320px; margin: 0 10px 10px 0; width: 177px;" /></a><a href="http://www.yesteryearfiction.com/2010_06_15_archive.html">The Witch and the Devil</a> is a VERY simplistic fable that illustrates how evil and good are interchangeable terms. The story further demonstrates how the devil might be willing to do good (<span style="font-style: italic;">can do good</span>) in the name of evil. That is, that no matter what evil a person does, they are committing it because it will do some good to themselves or those they love. Why shouldn't that include the devil?<br />
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This brings us to the question: Are good and evil relative? Can an argument be made that Good and Evil are simply mental concepts, mental constructions and have little value in an objective and external, non-mental reality? Are they subjective? If so, then everything outside of the mind is perfect at being what it is. If this is the case then it might be our interpretation of events based on a limited awareness of said events that determines good or evil. And of course, how much we suffer.<br />
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However this does not really have too much to do with the above story, published by <a href="http://www.yesteryearfiction.com/">Yesteryear </a>a relatively new (October 2009) online journal. It showcases a new story every day.<br />
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The story itself was written in the year 2000, Odessa, Ukraine. One of only two stories written that year. The other is called the "Trumpet and the Oboe". However giving the witch a name was a recent addition.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-57633486567128096532010-06-11T14:47:00.011-04:002010-06-16T14:04:12.575-04:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Shoe (The Relics of Things to Come)</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TBKMF-kgjtI/AAAAAAAAACI/8mJ82lnau2U/s1600/uncle_lenin_with_flag.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 249px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TBKMF-kgjtI/AAAAAAAAACI/8mJ82lnau2U/s320/uncle_lenin_with_flag.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481597730786676434" /></a><a href="http://everydayweirdness.com/e/20100612">The Shoe</a> can be found at <a href="http://everydayweirdness.com">Everyday Weirdness </a>. This story was taken from a Soviet joke, as were many of the stories written under the collective title <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20071201104635/www.geocities.com/troys_tales/relics.html">The Relics of Things to Come</a>. Though this story is technically a part of the collection entitled <span style="font-weight:bold;">The Leftovers of Things to Come</span>.<br /><br />It's interesting that this story (The Shoe) should be published at the same time the findings of this <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_shoe"> Armenian shoe</a> were made public. Found in a cave, it is reputed to be 5,500 years old. This would make it the oldest shoe in the world. <br /><br />So it is indeed a miracle to find a shoe.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-15071354521382115632010-06-08T18:59:00.006-04:002012-10-30T15:20:06.327-04:00Three Fairy TalesThree stories have been posted at Fiction Press. They are all reprints that had been at one place or another in the past. You can find them here: <a href="http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2813323/1/The_Peacock_and_the_Pig">The Peacock and the Pig</a>, <a href="http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2813991/1/The_Way_of_the_Cow">The Way of the Cow</a>, and <a href="http://www.fictionpress.com/s/2815353/1/The_Pot_of_Stew">The Pot of Stew</a>.<br />
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As well, <span style="font-weight: bold;">The Man who loved his Cow more than his Wife<span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span> can be seen at <a href="http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk/">Short Bread</a>. <br />
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Here is a blurb for "The man who loved his cow...":<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">The tale of a man who loves his cow more than his wife, so much so that his only wish is to become like a cow so he can understand it. His wife naturally grows jealous and begins thinking evil thoughts like taking the cow to the butcher's. Can the farmer learn to love his wife again or is the cow to pay the ultimate price?</span>Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-81282609467348348692010-05-28T15:31:00.012-04:002010-06-16T13:58:18.646-04:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Fairy Tales from the Former Soviet Union</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TAAhUfOwdcI/AAAAAAAAABM/863Nc3I3LM4/s1600/36820421_PLASTUNUY.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 245px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/TAAhUfOwdcI/AAAAAAAAABM/863Nc3I3LM4/s320/36820421_PLASTUNUY.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476413782747018690" /></a>While living in Khabarovsk, there was a minor effort made to gather several collections of fairy tales. Unfortunately the books got left behind in Ukraine, though in good hands. At the time there didn't seem like there were many tales that were available online and certainly not in English. But much of this obscure material is slowly making its way online. <br /><br />This site <a href="http://arxim.ru/">http://arxim.ru</a> has fairy tales and fables from several ethnic groups that were a part of the former Soviet Union and although by no means a complete list, it does offer an interesting glimpse into the traditions of different peoples that once made up the Soviet Union. The problem for English speakers is that it's only in Russian language. However there are several tales worth translating, depending on how much free time there is my schedule. The aim is to try and translate one tale a week.<br /><br />As well as a few Chechen fairy tales there are also Chukchi, Nenets, Buryat, Altay, Ossetic, Kabardian, Nanaian and others. Chechen titles include:<br /><br />*Three Brothers, Three Clouds, Three Magic Horses and Three Princely Daughters<br />*The Wolf and the Ram<br />*The Evil Woman and the Monster<br />*The Mouse's Girlfriend<br />*Thanks, said the Wind<br />*Three Pearls<br />*The Sleeping <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dzhigit">Dzhigit</a><br /><br />They are such simple stories and it is for that reason, amongst others, that they are so beautiful. Several Chechen tales were translated a few years ago but they got lost between computers. So now it's time to begin again. As they are translated, they will be posted here on the blog and with an update on the <a href="http://troymorash.blogspot.com/p/chechen-fairy-tales.html">Chechen fairy tale page.</a> Or maybe it will be necessary to add pages, for example a Chukchi page. Or maybe it'll be better to make one sprawling page for tales from all over the former Soviet Union.<br /><br />Here is the beginning of: <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Three Brothers, Three Clouds, Three Magic Horses and Three Princely Daughters</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">In an old saklia there lived a poor man. He had three sons. Together they went to the mountains and brought down wood for the prince. One day the old man caught a cold and took to bed. Feeling that he would rise no more, he called his sons, had them sit before him and said, ‘It has come time for us to part. Don’t grieve because of me. Live amicably. And let everyone remember: It is easy to be bad, difficult to be good. And on my tomb put a big salt stone. And yes, do not forget to visit the tomb.’ <br /><br />Then the father died. The sons buried him with honors, got a block of salt, squared it and put it on the tomb. Every day one of the three visited their father’s tomb. Soon the brothers began to notice, that the block of salt, day by day, became ever less and less.</span><br /><br />More to come.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-25365676480608897202010-05-27T14:19:00.012-04:002010-06-16T14:00:56.502-04:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">The Way of the Cow</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/S_668jgFsiI/AAAAAAAAAA4/OznQ2KlOrWM/s1600/way_of_cow.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_JD00EyreXaE/S_668jgFsiI/AAAAAAAAAA4/OznQ2KlOrWM/s320/way_of_cow.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5476019746413851170" /></a>So, it came to my attention that a story published at the Glut in 2004, <a href="http://www.theglut.com/issue_9/morash_way.html">The Way of the Cow</a> has been hacked up by Russian businessmen. Why Russian? They left some clues. Clues like: a Russian CD link next to my byline (blasphemy!). Then they desecrated my bio which opens with an ad: <span style="font-style:italic;">Moscow travel company Vodohod suggested russian river cruises to see all the sights of Moscow</span> - followed by my humble bio and ending with a link to a hotel in Moldova. They probably advertised here because of the fact that the bio states the author was living in Odessa, Ukraine. Oh, well. An author should be flattered that they thought they could generate business by hacking into his story. Too bad nobody reads it. Ha-ha! The joke is on them. <br /><br />The story is weird enough without the bad, cheap, glaring Russian ads hacked into it. From comments received and there were not many (Two. Okay that might be a slight exaggeration) there seems to be some confusion in regards to what the story is trying to say. <br /><br />So allow me to elaborate in a rambling and vague manner.<br /><br />It has always fascinated how people can get overly emotional about eating. Sure, we all feel better when eating but there are some of us that aren't, well, normal when it comes to eating. They hum and haw whenever the very subject comes up and their eyes fill up with water. If only they could harness that energy for something other than eating! Add to that the almost religious fervor society today invests in food. Massive supermarkets, free sampling, web sites, web blogs, books, seminars, restaurants, cafes, and finally advertising, which seems silly really. Really, we have to eat, it's not like people need to be sold on the idea of eating. <br /><br />On the surface it seems that it is the only thing that matters. If we aren't eating then we are talking about food or thinking about food. The only time we give food a break is when we are full, which never lasts long enough. Soon we are hungry again and stuffing our faces. When we aren't eating or are hungry we grow irritable and when we are stuffing our faces we feel good. Food is mood.<br /><br />Hence the story: The Way of the Cow, and the proverb at the end: "A steak is tasty and fun to eat, but to force an entire cow down your throat will surely kill you."<br /><br />But don't take my word for it.Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-18301188050522729202010-05-18T13:57:00.011-04:002012-10-25T14:06:17.344-04:00<span style="font-weight: bold;">A Ukrainian Carol</span><br />
By Troy Morash<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7--JQWba810/UIl_MrHIJXI/AAAAAAAAAFM/yGFsiHWj-Xw/s1600/kuchma2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7--JQWba810/UIl_MrHIJXI/AAAAAAAAAFM/yGFsiHWj-Xw/s320/kuchma2.jpg" width="222" /></a></div>
<span style="font-style: italic;">This was written several years ago when Kuchma was still the President of Ukraine. There were a few feeble attempts to publish it but unless you have lived in Ukraine (and especially during this time) it probably won't make much sense so the only alternative was to post it here.</span><br />
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It was August 23rd; Independence Day Eve and Leonid Kuchma, the President of Ukraine was sitting in his office, making deals. Suddenly he got a phone call from the rotating President of the European Union who invited Ukraine to begin talks on becoming a partner and member of the European Union.<br />
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‘But there will be many things you’ll have to do, like improve roads, tax systems, human rights, health codes, fight crime and promote freedom of speech.’<br />
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‘Bah! We don’t need the European Union that bad. What do you think I am anyway, a philanthropist?’ cried the President and hung up the phone.<br />
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Shortly afterwords he received another phone call from the President of the Ukrainian dynasty in Canada.<br />
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‘We would like it very much to have the opportunity that in Ukraine citizens can have two passports like in Russia and other countries.’<br />
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‘Humbug! What for, so you can come here and make Ukraine like every other country? You abandoned us, so you can very well stay where you are for all I care.’<br />
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Later some people came from a charitable organization asking the President to create better social services for the poor.<br />
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He sighed. ‘What poor! Look around you. Look at this office for example, there is nothing like it even in the West. Go to my house, you will not see anything better. You will never see such success stories in America of a man from a poor village becoming the President and amassing great wealth. Go visit my friends. Everywhere I go in Ukraine the roads are paved and the buildings look nice. You are exaggerating; get out of my office.’<br />
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Then came members of the Party ‘Our Ukraine’, petitioning the President for honest and open elections.<br />
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‘But of course,’ he smiled.<br />
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That evening Leonid was sitting at home when suddenly a ghost appeared before him.<br />
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‘What the hell is this?’ thought the President.<br />
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‘I am Lazarenko, the good part that died long ago which is forced to wear these chains and automobile parts around my neck for the sins my bad half has committed, the part that only thinks about itself and money. But I am here to help you. You have a chance to escape my terrible fate. Tonight three ghosts will visit you,’ and with that the ghost of the good side of Lazarenko vanished.<br />
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Leonid went to bed and fell asleep. But during the night he was awoken. An old man dressed in a dress from the Elizabethan age appeared before him.<br />
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‘I am the ghost of Independence Day Past,’ shrilled the gay ghost.<br />
<br />
The jovial ghost took Leonid back to the first fight for independence of Ukraine and the President was forced to watch nationalists die at the hands of the Bolsheviks. Then he was taken to 1932-33 to witness millions of Ukrainians starve to death. Then he was taken to the Chernobyl disaster and forced to watch as people slowly died from radiation exposure. He was forced to witness Vladimir Shcherbitsky, the Communist hardliner in the 70’s and 80’s suppress Ukrainian nationalism. Leonid watched as dissidents were arrested and treated harshly. He watched as Shcherbitsky fought against the use of the Ukrainian language.<br />
<br />
‘Stop! Stop! Show me no more, I beg you,’ whimpered Kuchma. The gay ghost, who couldn’t stop laughing, brought the weeping President back to his mansion. The president fell into a deep and blissful slumber. But soon afterwords he was awoken again.<br />
<br />
‘I am the Ghost of Independence Day Present, I think.’ The ghost was in fact drunk to the ankles and drooling all over himself.<br />
<br />
He took Kuchma to Odessa, Ukraine. There he witnessed a family without electricity, without water, and the telephone wasn’t working and police were banging on their door obviously looking for the wrong person. Then the ghost took the President to an office where some policemen were torturing a detainee with an electric stun gun, pressuring him to confess to a murder he hadn’t committed. He watched as people were stopped in the streets for no reason and forced to show their documents and if they didn’t have their documents, he watched them pay money to avoid the police station. Leonid was forced to watch Ukrainian TV and the boring programs of ‘Santa Barbara’ reruns. He was forced to ride the crowded trolleybus and had his wallet stolen. He watched as police vandalized a store only to return the next morning offering the owners their services as guards and then watched after they had been hired as night guards come and steal everything. He watched doctors extort money from unsuspecting patients and treating people for illnesses they didn’t even have. He watched children pay bribes to their teachers for better marks. <br />
<br />
Kuchma felt sad and cried. ‘But there is nothing I can do about it,’ he whimpered.<br />
<br />
But the drunk ghost was just getting started, for the ghost of the Present was the cruelest of all.<br />
<br />
He took Kuchma to the market and they watched how people bought spoiled food and drank dirty water. He was forced to witness hungry children begging in the streets and then smoking cigarettes and sniffing glue. He was forced to ride the worst roads in all the cities, all of which he had never been down. He was made to watch an operation in a hospital while the cleaners were cleaning the floor and repainting the walls.<br />
<br />
‘Can’t we do something to help these people,’ Kuchma asked.<br />
<br />
Soon Kuchma was home again, and in bed. He cuddled up to his wife for fear that he would be dragged away by the third ghost.<br />
<br />
But soon enough, the third ghost appeared.<br />
<br />
‘Are you the ghost of Independence Day Future,’ Kuchma stammered in fear.<br />
<br />
The ghost did not answer. It was dressed in a black cloak and shivered. They visited scenes of the future. Economic embargoes, attacks from all sides, famine, disease, dead people littering the streets, revolution and finally historians hundreds of months in the future talking about the similarities between Stalin and Kuchma.<br />
<br />
‘That’s not fair!’ cried Leonid. ‘I’m nothing like Stalin. Don’t people realize how hard it is? But can’t things be different? It doesn’t have to be this way, does it?’<br />
<br />
The next morning Leonid opened the window to his mansion and yelled at a boy below, ‘What day is it?’<br />
<br />
‘Why, sir it is Ukraine’s Independence Day,’ replied the young boy.<br />
<br />
The President was elated. He gave the boy money to buy the biggest Ukrainian flag he could find. Then he ran to his office and lowered taxes, especially the import and export taxes. He fired thousands of corrupt officials, almost everyone in fact, and made a law for all Ukrainians to have double citizenship publicly begging everyone who had left to return and build a new Ukraine. He gave millions to charities. He called the European Union and said that he would do everything they wanted. He fixed the roads and paid the police normal salaries, halving corruption in a day. He allowed UN observers to help teach the police how to be good, he allowed freedom of speech, and always enjoyed reading the newspapers about himself, especially whenever there were unpleasant things about him, because now he was eager to learn to know himself, just as Socrates had. <br />
<br />
Soon Ukraine was the richest, freest, cleanest and happiest country in the whole world. And whenever anyone talked about Kuchma, they all said that that was a man, who knew how to lead his country and every country in the world envied Ukraine, and said, ‘If we only had a man like Kuchma for our President!’Troy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6577369.post-38779620233091777142010-04-29T16:02:00.011-04:002010-06-11T15:50:53.578-04:00Well, this post isn't very weird though it is weird to be posting again after so many years. The aim was to add little tidbits of ideas that were interesting or queer but didn't seem to fit into any story ideas. Lists were one such thing, especially about Ukraine. However many things have changed, for one Ukraine is no longer my home and new projects got started and this blog got left to the way side without really developing as originally planned. Now it seems time to try and contribute to it on a regular basis, mentioning anything new happening in my writing and posting little odd things that come to mind which just wouldn't fit anywhere else. <br /><br />Since the last post, there have been a few changes, as mentioned above. The biggest of which was that a lot of the sites where you could read my work are no longer up. Fables was the biggest tragedy. It was sad to see that one go. Megan Miller was the only editor who never sent me a rejection letter, publishing a total of 8 stories with them. As well, there was tons of great work by other imaginative authors. The old version of the Rose and Thorn is also no longer available and so goes 'Metal, Bark and Whispers Soup' into oblivion, the one story that was nominated for the Pushcart Prize. It would also be nice to see 'What the Fisher did not see' up again. That is one of my personal favorites. It was briefly available at the Writer's Hood before they went down. <br /><br />The reason that the Internet seemed at first to be such a great medium in which to publish was that work would always be available to those who sought it, but that isn't always the case. Any site can disappear and with it lots of great stories. All that would remain of them would be the few copies, if any, that were printed out or saved to a hard drive somewhere.<br /><br />Then Geocities closed. After that my site with links to stories and translations was lost but thankfully most of the site was preserved at <a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20041213160151/www.geocities.com/troys_tales/">web rings</a>.<br /><br />Now the focus is on getting those stories that were previously published in places like Fables, and which are no longer available, made available again. The easiest way to do that would be to put them here but as no one reads this blog as yet, the tales would be better served if they were placed somewhere with more traffic. As new homes are found for them updates will be made. <br /><br />As far as my writing goes, it's been mostly work on novel length stories, some of which are based on fairy tales that were written in the past. However, within the last couple of weeks, a lot of time has been spent reviewing my fairy tales stories. There are literally hundreds of tales written over a span of almost 20 years. It would be nice to go through them all, do some editing and rewriting and then send them out there so people can read them. <br /><br />Anyway, If anyone out there does read this: well...thanks for taking the time.<br /><br />TroyTroy Morashhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00390303160174747341noreply@blogger.com0