A Season of Drake - the only vampire tale I have ever written. Yet, I have started a new one, a series no less. I have found it gratifying, exciting, and I am sure many of you will enjoy the adventures of Drake. He is powerful, and has compassion. Look forward in the future for more of Drake, for more is yet to come. And don't forget about his partner in crime, Thad. This will prove to be tales not to be forgotten. Take heed, for Drake will once again gain the advantage over the hunters, so powerful is he. Look for it in the future.....
DR/MS

Here I am once again. My opinions, my insights, my writing. I still work with David, especially after what happened to him which could have cause death. Now, he is struggling to finish several books, and he has allowed me to include some work of my own. 
David has always been a gracious person in that respect. I hope soon to collaborate with Paul DeThroe with a totally horrific tale. Between the two of us we can create something sinister. And so, I hope Paul reads this, for we shall create something all will love. Hang in there, for this soon will pass.....
MS

The Art of Selling other People's Work

Has this ever happened to you? You put  your trust in someone, send the something to read, and they turn around and sell it. Now, they are putting themselves at risk, since I own the copyright on everything I publish. 
So now, do I not have trust in relationships, I do not have trust in people. Period. Maybe some you can understand me. Trust is hard to come by, hard to give away. Once again, I gave my trust to someone, and they betrayed me. 
Most of you know who I am, and that's fine with me - I have some many good friends here. 
But I have to say, be careful of whom you put your trust into, because in the long run...well.
Ok, this is a negative blog, But I am going to speak my mind, blast it. 
You all know what I am talking about, so no more talk.
I am simply angry, but not at you.

Just some thoughts on writing..

Hello, Michael Shorde here. I must say, I am quite pleased David has decided to include me in his next anthology with The Lost Book. It is an honor, especially coming from a teacher like David Rhodes. He has a lot say when it comes to writing, too much to include all of it here. 
You know, I was supposed to be teaching him, yet he has turned the tables on me. Even his first draft work amazes me, but when he gets down to brass tacks it is a totally different story. For one, he likes to let the characters dictate what and how something is going to happen. Fictional characters telling the story.
Of course, I know many writers do this, but he takes it one step farther. Now, you must realize, as his best friend, I cannot reveal all his secrets. I can say this - his imagination has run wild. He has so many scattered tales, he oftentimes does not know where to turn first. 
I urged him to turn to revising and editing before he had too much to handle (which he already does.) Thank goodness he took my advice, but it was not just me - suddenly, he met someone who creates the most fantastic covers, and that, I think really urged him on. 
He has been working himself to the bone to finish a lot of work, and we all owe him cheers for that. When he decided to make A Season of Drake into a series, I was taken aback. A very good decision, if I must say so. And he will do it, too. I know he has already been working with his proofreader, Cindy, on an excellent location for this next story.
As you may know, this is the one and only vampire tale David has ever written. It may just turn out to be much more, yes, much more. However, I must mention that this was Dominic Drake's idea - after all, he is the one living the story. Again the character dictates to the writer what is going to happen. This is just the tip of the iceberg. 
So please, as I have been teaching David, he is suddenly teaching me and many others. He is a good writer to listen to, a good one to follow. I can say no more at this time, but bear in mind, there is a lot more going on inside that brain of his than we know.
Listen, and pay attention to your dreams.....

The Lost Book - Parts nine and ten

I took close care of David for a week – bringing him broth and liquids to bring him back. I was only the last night we spent in front of the fire that I learned all.

“Michael, I didn’t kill the nurse in the asylum,” he said. “ It was Cthulhu – I escaped into the being before anything could be done.”

“How? How did you manage to get the book in my hands?”

“I escaped long enough to give him the manuscript. I told him only one copy was needed. I paid him well – in the ensuing days, I didn’t know what would happen.”

“What happened?” I trembled as I spoke. I dropped my drink onto the carpet. “What is happening to me?” I implored David.

“I am not sure, but it’s my turn to take care of you. Off we go.”

David, under his guiding hand, his insufferable charm, cared for me for several weeks as the wound on my arm grew more pronounced. The doctors who visited had no clue, and just what were we supposed to tell them? I am growing dim now, so I cannot complete this narrative. It is up to one person…

10

David Rhodes

Michael has now taken a turn for the worse – his skin turned a beige-green, and he responded to no food or water.

Yet, he still spoke.

“You must do it now, David. End it,” he crackled.

“I can’t, Michael – there must be some other solution!”

I threw the sheets away from him. The appendices were pierced through his skin in every imaginable form, writhing, almost crawling. As his head and body grew smaller, he once last time implored me. “David, it must be now. Now, I say! Hurry!”

I ran downstairs to the kitchen and chose the largest knife I could before hastening back into Michael’s bedroom. His eyes were blackening, and more were forming on his forehead.

“You must do it now!” he exclaimed.

He took his right arm and placed it on his forehead.

The appendices thrust from his body, ruffled the blankets. I raised the tool of death or mercy (whichever you want to call it), and brought it downwards….

Michael Shorde's The Lost Book - Part Eight

I immediately heard the snarling of the dogs behind me, and I turned, holding up the book as my only weapon. They came swiftly, tentacles reaching out for prey. I held up the book, and a white light engulfed them. They fell dead in their tracks. I recalled what the Others said: the chain of life must take its proper course.

They were not violent, but we were. Our violence would lead to peace one day. The dogs lie dead, and I did not care – I started down the path of the main cavern, or part of a living being as I was told. A one eyed beast appeared, and then another. The first tried to snatch the book from my hand, and in my anger I snatched the knife and thrust it into its eye. It grabbed at its wound and fell trembling to the ground. More appeared, and I was in such a state that I worried not about the book, only my savage instincts. They came at me and I pushed the knife into the closest one. It bent its head to look at its wound, and I stabbed directly into its face. It barely had time to look at me before it fell dead. The others fled as I stood there in defiance.

I had not time – this I knew, for time here was different. I swiftly entered a large cavern infested by the spiders. I then turned my attention to the book. I held it before me, and saw a shadow far into the cavern. I do not know if it was David or apparition, yet I realized it was one of the older ones. The shadow held its arms up; I knew what it was trying to tell me.

I snatched the book up, held it aloft as the creatures came at me. They were everywhere, crawling along the sides of the cavern, and it was then I saw a figure I thought I would never see again.

It was David!

He was trapped against the pink, fleshy wall, hardly able to move, for he looked at me with sickening terror I have never seen before; he tried to speak, but I had no time. I didn’t know if destroying the spiders would also destroy him.

I quickly retreated as they followed – a swarm of them, I tell you, everywhere. I raised the book and took my stance. Flames shot up from everywhere, scorching my skin. Yet, I held my stance. I did not expect the circumstance – on of the bastards got through somehow and bit me on the arm. I had no alternative.

I struggled for my knife and stabbed it deeply into the center of the predator and into my own arm. Blood was flowing from my wound as the thing released its grasped and fell dead to the cavern floor. I had no choice – I continued forward, and heard a great roar from within the huge cavern. I knew what it was, and I was determined to show it the power of humanity or die trying.

There it was – Cthulhu. Huge and resolute in destroying me, this I knew. I held the book up once again and forced all my energy at the thing. Its huge tentacles rose to the top of the cavern, coming alive with light. It forced upon me a power I have never felt before; and I was already weakened by my wound. The tentacles, they were everywhere, surrounding me, burning me as I had burned it. They surrounded me an embraced me so tightly, I knew not what to do.

I saw the sad figure of David on the wall, and at the same time saw the gigantic maw of Cthulhu open – I didn’t know what to do, and then I heard a voice…

Into its mouth! Now!

I thrust the only tool I had powerful enough to defeat it into the black throat in front of me – the book.

“DIE!” I screamed, and it released me. It thrust itself back, releasing me; I lost my senses for a time, but I felt the thing dragging me along. I was helpless.

I saw the strange shadow appear again, and I could tell it was smiling. I took my knife from my belt and buried deep into the beast’s head. It released me and retreated to an one known place. I quickly ran up to David and used my knife to carve him from his prison.

He had no injuries I could find, only weakness. He could barely walk; I had to nearly carry him out of this prison of disgust and ungodly creatures. The book was gone. It had served its purpose.  We finally made it to the verges of the cavern, and he tried to speak, but I stopped him. And then we were standing in a light snow flurry – we both looked at the cavern as it vanished. I dragged him inside…