A Thousand Words

I received word this weekend from Adam Bradley, Editor and Publisher of Morpheus Tales, that one of my stories has been accepted for a future issue of the magazine - probably # 18, which will be available in October 2012.

With me, as with most writers, story ideas come from all angles. An overheard conversation, an accidental turn of phrase, a dream. And, of course, pictures. I'm a very visual guy and that plays heavily into my "sense of creativity," whether the story spins off in a SF direction, horror, or somewhere between. The images are often the beginning of a great tale and often they are what stick with me long afterwards.

How many times have we been told not to judge a book by it's cover, though? We all still do, despite the best efforts of English teachers and well-meaning parents. Major corporations, movie producers and publishing houses spend tremendous amounts of money and time in research just so that they can package their product in just the right way.

Morpheus Tales, billing themselves as "The UK's Darkest and Most Controversial Magazine," doesn't skimp on making that first impression either. Take a peek at some of their truly intense covers if you're so inclined. Be warned, though. Some of them stick with you. That said, if a regular old, run-of-the-mill picture is worth a thousand words, how many words are those pictures worth?

The story accepted by Mr. Bradley, "Organ Grinder," was one of those stories that came at me as a flood of images. And now, even though the tale is told, I still don't feel it's done with me.