After totally forgetting about it, I managed to get Steven George and the Terror up and released this morning. It is still morning here in Las Vegas. I'm eating my porkchop and a fried egg.
For those with a strictly prurient interest in SOL, this story has no sex in it. Don't waste your time.
But to all others, in the words of C.S. Lewis: "One day you will be old enough to enjoy fairy tales again."
If you have reached that magical age, come and join Steven George the Dragonslayer as he starts a new quest to find and conquer the Terror of Rich Reach--a terror that no one knows the exact shape of, but everyone is terrified of. It's almost as if this fairy tale kingdom has FOX News.
As Steven sets out to find and master the Terror, he encounters unique individuals, each with a story to tell. He exchanges "Once Upon a Time" stories with them and each story leads him a step closer to his Terror. He soon realizes that all roads lead to the Terror.
Steven encounters his lover Selah, a Sergeant, a King, a Weaver, a Fisherman, a Sorceress, a Gravedigger, a Thief, and a Prince. And, of course, the Terror. Conquering it proves easier than convincing people the Terror is past.
"We must have a Terror that you have conquered. Let me see. A monster that you have slain, perhaps? No, no, he would have to bring back the head or ears or some proof if he had slain a monster. A being of the spirit world, then? Or a witch that dissolved in a puddle of water? Dust! That is it! A corpse that turned to dust when the dragonslayer slew it! Again. There are so many possible terrors. What do you think?" asked the prince.
"Now if we were to collect enough dust for it to be plausible that it was a corpse, we could dole it out gradually to the souvenir vendors who could sell it at a handsome price. Whenever people begin to doubt themselves, we could put a little more Terror Dust on the market and there would be a revival. We must make people believe there was a real, monstrous Terror; they were right to be afraid; and we have a true hero in our midst who has saved us from said Terror."
Steven is certainly not the only one who makes up stories on the fly.
Which reminds me of a story...
Back in the summer of 1969, I decided to try out my storytelling prowess. There was no convenient venue for me to establish myself, so I mounted my five-speed Schwinn Collegiate, loaded a pack with a change of clothes, a coffeepot, and a few essentials, and with $5 in my pocket, set out cross-country.
I made my way for nearly three months by stopping on street corners, playing my baritone ukelele, and telling stories. I returned home twelve weeks later with $3 still in my pocket and an adventure that I will always treasure.
I guess in some ways, I identify with Steven on his quest. I hope you enjoy the tale.
Steven George and the Terror is now released as a serial on SOL, an eBook on Bookapy, and a paperback from popular vendors. This is the sequel to Steven George and The Dragon, released in 2011, but the stories are independent of each other.