Wednesday, March 8, 2017

From the Shadows!

Remember when I said I'd be posting an update or two? Well here's the first one.

I little while back I submitted a short story for an anthology It was about superheroes. The story was accepted. Now I have the pleasure of officially revealing it here!



The Crossover Alliance is a bit of an oddity, which is why I submitted to them in the first place. Though they are a Christian publisher, they do not publish "Christian Fiction" as such. Being as unfamiliar with that whole market as I am, I mainly submitted because of their adherence to storytelling with a purpose beyond preaching or subverting norms. They were looking for stories about finding light in the dark. I couldn't resist that.

Though I am a Christian, I did not grow up as one. This is why my tolerance for message fiction, even of what I believe, is not very high. However, the Crossover Alliance is dedicated to stories above all. They accepted my tale despite no message smacking you in the face.

The story I wrote is entitled Someone is Aiming For You and is about a superhero called "The Seeker." He operates in the fictional city of Summerside. The Seeker is a myth in the city due operating in the shadows and for the impossibility of his abilities. What can he do? With a touch he can see into his target's past, and can transform his appearance into whoever he likes. Having one power is rare enough in this world, but having two is impossible.

But this ability has a side effect. When he uses his touch, ghosts appear out of the darkness of night to meet his target. The Seeker pries into the past of his victims, but part of that past comes out of them in the process. These visions confront the targets with memories that refuse to stay buried. Or maybe they're actually something else? But the Seeker cannot see these visions his victims see. He can only use it as a tool in his quest.

In this world superheroes and magic are two separate and deadly forces, but the latter is hidden from sight. The Seeker is a crusader (an illegal hero) who hunts this dark magic and exterminates it. In a world where official heroes battle with villains, he deals with something entirely different. The Seeker is a myth that battles with myths.

Those who know me probably understand where this character came from. The Seeker is a response, of sorts, to a handful of different heroes. He is a mirror of the Shadow who can cloud men's minds; The Seeker reveals truths that men hide even from themselves. He is a reflection of the Question who seeks answers; The Seeker knows far too many answers and holds onto the truth. He is an echo of Daredevil who traverses a world on fire; The Seeker is always just outside unable to see what he unleashes. There are many differences between these heroes, but their similarities are what drew me to each of them. As a fan of all three, the Seeker was a pleasure to work with.

But don't take my word for it. Read the story yourself. It will be out when the anthology launches at the end of the month. Clear your schedule and give it a shot. It's sure to be a great time.

The anthology officially comes out on March 28th and will be available in kindle and paperback. You can preorder it on kindle on their website now for a slight discount before release.

Until next time!

2 comments:

  1. This sounds good, I'm putting on my to-get list.

    I loved Knights of the End btw, I need to write a review.

    ReplyDelete