The T.E.M.P Agency Novel/Novella
"Sounds like a great story, honey"-- My mom
"How long is this thing again?"-- An old RPG buddy
"You're doing what??"-- My wife
Yes, the reviews are in and it's the story everyone's talking about....my NaNoWriMo project from 2010...a story of time travel and malfunctioning robots....that's right...The T.E.M.P Agency.
Let's sit back and watch a clip (or read an excerpt...whichever)
An ordinary, almost obsolete, Temporal Enforcement Mobile Patrol bot is sent from the far flung future to the 1930s. Programmed with one mission and one mission only.......which he has totally forgotten. His programming wiped, he does his best to blend in by becoming a 'gumshoe' while he can figure out a way to return to his time period or retrieve his lost programming. Taking the name Templeton Bohlts, he opens The Temp Agency, specializing in the 'odd' and 'strange'. With the aid of Lady Vadoma, an honest to gosh gypsy fortune teller, and Frank Flouers, an ex-boxer with an ear to the streets, there's no case too strange for....The T.E.M.P. Agency!
This was a fun story to write and I, sort of, dived into the deep end of the NaNo pool by "pantsing" it the whole way. While I managed to "win" NaNo, it's not a method I'd advocate using. Good in a pinch, but very unorganized.
This little tale still needs an ending and then some hard...and I mean diamond quality hard....edits before it'll be ready to go to the next step.
Whatever that may be.
A work in progress and a first, real, attempt at the mystery genre. Written (I hope) in the "fair play" style of an Ellery Queen novel, the clues should be evident and the reader should have the basic foundation for which to help solve the crime.
The backdrop is the world of Lucha Libre, Masked Mexican wrestling.
Some of the characters include....
El Ojo (The Eye): A world famous private eye who also happens to be a luchador. Never without his mask and has every Sherlock Holmes novel on his phone.
El Medico: A PHD who decided the life of the masked wrestler was his true calling. Makes extra money as a 'locker room doctor' when not wrestling.
La Amazona: 'The Amazon'. An extremely popular luchadora, known for her very fit figure, love of exotic snakes, and strict training regimen.
Princess Precioso: A skilled, yet spoiled luchadora...her father owns the prestigious Lucha Extreme Wrestling Federation.
El Negro Mascara: 'The Black Mask'. A rudo...or villain...wrestler. A bad guy in the ring, but a pretty nice guy outside of the squared circle. Active in charity work, etc.
The Conquistador: An old ring veteran. Very traditional and protective of the ways of the luchador. Doesn't get along very well with the 'younger generation' of wrestlers.
A short story, for now, but it might blossom into something more. Stay tuned.
"Last Chance" Novel
Legend tells of a town in the Wyoming badlands. A town for those seeking redemption. A town that, seemingly, sprang out of nowhere for people needing to go somewhere. How do you find this town, you ask?
You don't.
It finds you.
Five people looking for answers. Each endowed with a special ability. Each harboring fear. Each looking to make things right.
The Mayor, Elias Reynolds. Since the time of the Atlanteans, his people have harnessed magic to keep this world safe. As Mayor, Reynolds must not only keep the peace, but also keep his secret that, if revealed, would have him at the end of a hangman's noose.
The Sheriff, Albert Moore. A stranger in a strange land, Albert does what he can to blend in with these Yanks. His quick wit, background in prestidigitation, and expertise in the new and mysterious "Steam Tek" make him quite the handy fellow to have around.
The Shopkeep, Rebecca Carter. Life is tough in the West if you're a woman. Especially if you're a widow. It doesn't hurt that she can do most things in the blink of an eye. Most everything, except.....save her husband and daughter from death.
The Renegade, William Ironhorse. Lakota by birth, protector by nature, loner by choice. The spirits and totems are his to command and even his own tribe doesn't understand what he believes his purpose to be. All he knows is that Mother Nature talks to him.....and he obeys.
The Outsider, Daniel Chance. A mean draw with an attitude to match, it's Daniel's destiny to become something he's always despised.
A hero.
When a menace of Biblical proportions threatens the strange,small town of Last Chance, Wyoming, a band of 'unique' individuals rise up to protect not only their homes, but the entire planet.
For some, it's a shot at redemption for everyone else......it's their Last Chance.
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