Super Thoughts

This week's exercise to write a superhero's interior monologue. Through this monologue, the writer should be able to convey the superhero's thoughts, powers or adventures. Here's what I did:


That was close.

Blondie Moño had been up to his usual tricks. I’ve always known that his sudden resignation as a graphic artist from that TriRise outsourcing firm wasn’t just a simple career move. Sure, he had been an anti-GMA advocate but I know a clever cover when I see one. He was always more than what he appeared to be. But I got my sights on him. That’s why Agent Donita assigned me to work undercover in that same firm. So that I could keep an eye on him.

He thought I wouldn’t anticipate his terrorist deeds. I was there to foil his Operation Lason, a devious plan to intoxicate all burger stands in Cebu. But my investigative skills and cunning stealth had allowed me to infiltrate Burger Machine without detection just in time to thwart his evil plan. With my green jacket of invisibility, I tricked his guards into thinking I was just a gust of wind. But alas! Kevin seemed to have spotted me but that can’t be — my powers were infallible! It was just my mind playing tricks on me. There’s no way he could have spotted me when I was that good. Besides, my green jacket of invisibility has never failed me yet.

But I needed to be sure! That was why I decided to become invisible for the remainder of my days in the office! They don’t know I’ve been watching them all this time.

But the scheming Blondie Moño had set his plans to blow up E-Mall! I had to be quick and clever this time. I managed to reach the whistle bomb just in time. I disabled it with just 3 seconds remaining in its timer. Another close call. I should have been more vigilant. Wait! Was that Nina? What was she doing there? Was she in league with Blondie Moño? So many questions, no easy answers. But I need to know. I need to be sure.

I have decided on a plan. I need to impersonate Emmanuel to get close to Nina. It’s the only way.

It could be dangerous. Hell, it could be fatal. But nobody can do this except me. I am not afraid. I am ready.

For I am … Nowhere Man.

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We Got Back

This week’s exercise is writing copy for a novel’s back cover in less than 200 words. Titles to choose from include:

- The Last Outrage
- Strangers in Paradise
- The Year of Yes
- The Devil in the White City
- A Life in Two Genders
- Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café
- Sleeping with the Fishes

I chose the last option. Here’s what I did:

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER
____________________________


“A masterpiece of contemporary fiction.”
- Village Voice

Fleeing from a messy breakup, struggling songwriter Amber Jones decides to take an extended vacation in London, particularly in the town of Bromley. In a local pub, she develops a fast friendship with a young Irish immigrant named Akron Fish and his teenage sister, Zadie. This friendship would soon blossom into something else as she finds herself drawn into the sensual and colorful world of the mysterious Akron while trying to deal with the ambiguous advances of Zadie whose conflicted sexuality might possibly mirror her own.

“In Sleeping with the Fishes, author Lee Stailey brings a new maturity to her spare but unusually beautiful prose and delivers a work that truly astounds.”
- Time Magazine

“A new voice in modern literature has emerged. Stailey deftly reveals the distinct nuances and flaws of her characters whilst never neglecting to provide subtle but contemplative explorations on sexuality and human nature in general.”
- Los Angeles Times

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The End Is The New Beginning

This week's exercise is to supply an alternate ending to Neil Gaiman's short story Babycakes. The alternate ending should be more than 150 words. Here's what I did (in italics):


Alternate Ending

With the animals gone, what else could we do?

Some people complained, of course. But then, they always do.

And everything went back to normal.

But then the animals came back. All of them.

Dogs, cats, cows, birds, bears, snakes, fishes, lizards. All of them.

There was something different about them. They don’t scratch themselves. They looked clean. They don’t bark, purr, howl, hiss, croak or play chase. They made noises to each other as if they were saying things among themselves. And they walked upright.

They stared at us humans all day. They pointed at us with their paws, hooves and claws.

We didn’t know what to do.

A few of us locked ourselves inside our houses. Some of us shut our windows to avoid their stares. Many called the local veterinarian to do something. Anything.

Others got out with their shotguns to get rid of them beasts. They shot at the animals and burned their carcasses. They trampled on the little ones and built fences to ward off the large ones.

But the animals kept staring.

Autumn came. Golden leaves fell to the ground. Northern winds breathed a cold gale. The mist and fog pervaded the air.

Then the first of us began to disappear.

- END -

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