It’s been over a year since my short story “Choke the Chicken” appeared in the pages of The Exile Book of New Canadian Noir. That means all rights have reverted to me. So, rather than let it languish forever as a memory in an increasingly distant collection, I’ve decided to toss it up on Amazon as its own mini eBook. This can be considered as part of my trial-balloon series that began with “The Red Baron: An Ace for the Ages” and “Carrion Luggage.” These trials are leading to bigger and better things I need to ramp up to – announcements and cover art pending. Soon!

But for now, the released material is coming in convenient bite-sized chunks. For a mere 99 cents, you can snag a copy of one of my recent favourites that embraces some of my favourite themes, such as dark humour, troubled children, not-so-cuddly animals and, of course, carnies. Yes, “Choke the Chicken” has a degenerate carnival con man in it. I’ve written about them here before. Part of me wishes I’d run away to join a circus sideshow years ago and become one. It would make for steadier work than screenwriting. And I’d get to hang out every day in a hideous, tacky world of unsafe rides, cacophonous bells and whistles, and unwinnable games of chance and questionable skill.

Come to think of it, that sounds exactly like the film and television industry. I guess I already got my wish.