First contact flash fiction from 1979

cromag · 06-13-2012, 04:00 AM

Wa-aaa-ay back in the 1970s I was picking up dead deer for the state of NJ, drinking beer at a local bar, and dreaming of being a writer. An actual, published (and paid!) writer.

It took a while, but after many rejection slips I finally got a couple stories published. Now, I'm putting them up as ebooks -- and trying my hand at writing some new ones.

My first published story is now available at Smashwords. I'm lousy at names, so don't let that stop you from downloading The Star Creature.

It's approx. 750 words (today it would be called Flash Fiction) and was first published in the Winter, 1979, issue of Unearth Magazine. It's a first contact science fiction story, told from a different viewpoint. It's a free download, or read online. I hope you enjoy it.

kennyc · 06-13-2012, 08:00 AM

Good for you! Not that many people have picked up dead deer on the highway, there's a story in that.

Good Luck!

And Thank you! Just downloaded!

Good story! Thanks for sharing!

cromag · 06-13-2012, 01:45 PM

Thanks, Kenny. Picking up dead deer figured prominently in the other story I had published back then. It should be up soon.

cromag · 12-08-2012, 12:22 AM

The Star Creature is now up to two 5-Star reviews at Smashwords, and a 4-Star review at Barnes & Noble.

It's free, as always!

(My Mom is so proud!

)

kennyc · 12-08-2012, 07:16 AM

Thanks for the reminder man. I remember reading this (just read it again) well done!

cromag · 12-08-2012, 04:21 PM

Thanks!

cromag · 12-26-2012, 09:58 PM

The Star Creature just got its third 5-Star review at Smashwords! (Yeah, I'm just a little excited!

)

kennyc · 12-26-2012, 10:30 PM

Cool!

Stephen_Melling · 12-27-2012, 11:43 AM

Nice piece of Flash Fiction. All the best with your writing!

cromag · 12-27-2012, 02:42 PM

Thanks!

cromag · 02-27-2013, 04:45 PM

The Star Creature has gotten three 5 star reviews at Smashwords, a 4 star review at Barnes & Noble, and a 5 star review at Goodreads so far. I've finally gotten it up at Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Star-Creat...+star+creature

IMPORTANT! The Star Creature is free at Smashwords, including the .mobi format for Kindles, but I wasn't able to find a way to list it for free at Amazon -- the lowest price I could use was $0.99. I would really like this story to remain free, and I'm not interested in profiteering on Kindle users who only buy through Amazon, so if anyone knows an easy way to price stories for free at Amazon, please let me know. Otherwise, I've already used the "Report a lower price" link on their page to report it being free at Barnes & Noble, and I'd invite others to do the same.

And then please consider downloading the story!

Thanks!

cromag · 07-20-2013, 03:05 AM

The Star Creature now has five reviews at Smashwords -- all 5-star reviews.

The really nice thing about putting a story up on the internet is world-wide availability. When it was first published, in 1979, it was in Unearth magazine -- I'm not even sure it was well distributed in the US. Now, two of the reviews on Smashwords are from the UK and two are from Canada. It's an ego-boost.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171483

crich70 · 07-20-2013, 04:53 AM

Congrats Cromag. I think that's one of the great things about the ebook revolution. It allows texts to be distributed anywhere there is a computer terminal or ebook device. I remember hearing about the old fanzines that were printed up for conventions of Sci Fi and such. Many lasted just a few issues (if that) then vanished. I can't help but think they would have lasted longer if the ebook tech. had been around.

cromag · 07-20-2013, 05:52 AM

Thanks, crich70!

When I got started the primary fanzine medium was mimeograph. And there was still a significant "start-up" cost, in spite of the poor quality of the print outs.

Things really have changed a lot.

crich70 · 07-20-2013, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cromag

Thanks, crich70!

When I got started the primary fanzine medium was mimeograph. And there was still a significant "start-up" cost, in spite of the poor quality of the print outs.

Things really have changed a lot.

Sounds like it must have been tough to even break even back then.

06-13-2012, 04:00 AM	#1
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	First contact flash fiction from 1979 Wa-aaa-ay back in the 1970s I was picking up dead deer for the state of NJ, drinking beer at a local bar, and dreaming of being a writer. An actual, published (and paid!) writer. It took a while, but after many rejection slips I finally got a couple stories published. Now, I'm putting them up as ebooks -- and trying my hand at writing some new ones. My first published story is now available at Smashwords. I'm lousy at names, so don't let that stop you from downloading The Star Creature. It's approx. 750 words (today it would be called Flash Fiction) and was first published in the Winter, 1979, issue of Unearth Magazine. It's a first contact science fiction story, told from a different viewpoint. It's a free download, or read online. I hope you enjoy it.

06-13-2012, 08:00 AM	#2
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Good for you! Not that many people have picked up dead deer on the highway, there's a story in that. Good Luck! And Thank you! Just downloaded! Good story! Thanks for sharing! Last edited by kennyc; 06-13-2012 at 08:05 AM.

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06-13-2012, 01:45 PM	#3
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Thanks, Kenny. Picking up dead deer figured prominently in the other story I had published back then. It should be up soon.

12-08-2012, 12:22 AM	#4
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	The Star Creature is now up to two 5-Star reviews at Smashwords, and a 4-Star review at Barnes & Noble. It's free, as always! (My Mom is so proud! )

12-08-2012, 07:16 AM	#5
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Thanks for the reminder man. I remember reading this (just read it again) well done!

12-08-2012, 04:21 PM	#6
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Thanks!

12-26-2012, 09:58 PM	#7
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	The Star Creature just got its third 5-Star review at Smashwords! (Yeah, I'm just a little excited! )

12-26-2012, 10:30 PM	#8
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Cool!

12-27-2012, 11:43 AM	#9
Stephen_Melling Stephen_Melling Posts: 133 Karma: 479422 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Preston, Lancashire Device: kindle	Nice piece of Flash Fiction. All the best with your writing!

12-27-2012, 02:42 PM	#10
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Thanks!

02-27-2013, 04:45 PM	#11
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	The Star Creature has gotten three 5 star reviews at Smashwords, a 4 star review at Barnes & Noble, and a 5 star review at Goodreads so far. I've finally gotten it up at Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/The-Star-Creat...+star+creature IMPORTANT! The Star Creature is free at Smashwords, including the .mobi format for Kindles, but I wasn't able to find a way to list it for free at Amazon -- the lowest price I could use was $0.99. I would really like this story to remain free, and I'm not interested in profiteering on Kindle users who only buy through Amazon, so if anyone knows an easy way to price stories for free at Amazon, please let me know. Otherwise, I've already used the "Report a lower price" link on their page to report it being free at Barnes & Noble, and I'd invite others to do the same. And then please consider downloading the story! Thanks!

07-20-2013, 03:05 AM	#12
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	The Star Creature now has five reviews at Smashwords -- all 5-star reviews. The really nice thing about putting a story up on the internet is world-wide availability. When it was first published, in 1979, it was in Unearth magazine -- I'm not even sure it was well distributed in the US. Now, two of the reviews on Smashwords are from the UK and two are from Canada. It's an ego-boost. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171483

07-20-2013, 04:53 AM	#13
crich70 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 11,305 Karma: 43993832 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Monroe Wisconsin Device: K3, Kindle Paperwhite, Calibre, and Mobipocket for Pc (netbook)	Congrats Cromag. I think that's one of the great things about the ebook revolution. It allows texts to be distributed anywhere there is a computer terminal or ebook device. I remember hearing about the old fanzines that were printed up for conventions of Sci Fi and such. Many lasted just a few issues (if that) then vanished. I can't help but think they would have lasted longer if the ebook tech. had been around.

07-20-2013, 05:52 AM	#14
cromag Surfin the alpha waves ~~ Posts: 24,276 Karma: 459220161 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: New Jersey Device: Jetbook Lite & Mini, Nook STR, Kobo, Hanvon N516, Kindle 2, Androids	Thanks, crich70! When I got started the primary fanzine medium was mimeograph. And there was still a significant "start-up" cost, in spite of the poor quality of the print outs. Things really have changed a lot.