The A to Z Challenge! M is for Multi-Mart

"Welcome to Wal-Mart.  How may I help you?"

How many times have you walked into a Wal-Mart and had a greeter welcome you to the store? What about the check stands? The isles of merchandise? The stockmen grabbing carts from the snow? These are all experiences that we are very used to in the early part of the 21st century. It's the new town hall, where neighbors, friends, coworkers and family meet and greet while browsing the current DVDs or picking up their milk.

I'm not saying I'm Wal-Mart's #1 fan. I realise they creep into towns, shut down the local businesses and set up mini-monopolies in every American town. But regardless of whether they are "good" or "bad" or somewhere in the middle, Wal-Mart is part of our culture.

So I go there every week. It's the only game in town and the city is 45 minutes away. I used to work for them as a stockman. I know them pretty well and you're suppose to write what you know.

Meanwhile, I've always been obsessed with alternate Earths. String Theory says that there could be billions of alternate worlds out there. Worlds where you might have turned left instead of right. Worlds where America lost the war of independence, Hitler won World War Two, dinosaurs still roam the earth or JFK was never shot.

I love the possibilities, understand the mechanics and thrill to the stories. It's all thanks to DC Comics and their many adventures with Earths 1,2, 3, X and S. Two Supermen or Wonder Women in an adventure, alternate Flashes and Green Lanterns, so many similarities and yet differences.

It didn't take long for these ideas to shape in my mind while strolling the isles of Wal-Mart. What of there was a store that set in-between ALL universes, where any number of characters could cross paths with each other? And if there is a place that touches all universes, who would see it as a perfect beachhead for multiversal domination?

These are the concepts in one of my favorite stories. It's half finished and I can't wait to return to it.
M is for Multi-Mart.
Multi-Mart stars Kyle Jordan as a kid thrown into the store whom has to escape with a Stockbot into the multiverse to get help before a tyrant takes over the store. It features Kelli the vampire girl from NIGHT CHILDREN: DARK THREATS and Bril the elf and younger brother to Eli from Farnalla.

Now as you ponder these concepts, here are some pics of alternate Earths...

Bite of Story Thursday

Night Children: Dark Threats

Chapter Eight : Present Day

Despite her better judgment, Annabelle sped towards Kelli.  Just as she stopped beside the girl, something heavy swung down from the broken ceiling and kicked her through a wall.  Pain lashed her back as plaster and brick tore her pale skin.

An eight-foot tall gorilla-like man in a tattered suit and top hat swung in front of her.  The large man had a gold D embroidered on his lapel, the symbol of his rank as Dominic’s chief enforcer and one of the Seven Tyrant Lords.  He smelled of alcohol and cheap cigars.  Mister Hyde dropped to his oversized feet and leaped towards her with a large leer plastered across his shaggy squat face.  “I jus’ don’t understand how you remain alive when you fall for the oldest trick in th’ book.”

She moved out of his path, sped behind him and ripped at his left ear.  His foul, tainted blood gushed as he let out a painful howl.  She knew he’d heal when he reverted back to Jekyll, but it was worth it.

Her skin had already healed from the earlier blow, but her clothing was torn in several places.  He was four times her size, and deadly.  She swallowed her fear.

Annabelle taunted him while speeding around his bulk.  “And I don’t understand why you still go around with that ridiculous hat.”  She dodged his massive trunk-like arms.  “It’s the twenty-first century.  You’re so out-dated.”

“I’m younger than you, brat!”  He bent down and ripped up three floorboards.  They cracked at his strength.  “If you were a proper vampire like the Master, you wouldn’t get caught like this.” 

He swung them at her, smashing the wood into a wall.  Splinters flew everywhere.  She dodged the impact but wood chips gave her new cuts.

“Oh but Edward, I am a proper vampire.”  She focused inwardly, just like Grandmother Laila taught her, and allowed her body to soften into a thick crimson mist. 

“Never call me that!”  He threw wood and brick through her form but nothing connected.  She focused on her true shape, mentally pulling her wispy body back together as the objects tried to dissipate her form.

He shouted obscenities at her with his thick, cockney accent.  “The name Hyde is feared around the world, brat.  Use it with respect.”

She laughed at him.  “I’ll call you by your first name, Edward, because bullies deserve no respect.” 

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For more check out Dark Threats at your local online store. Links to Dark Threats on the web can be found on the Store Page on this blog or you could just go here, Dark Threats on Amazon.

Multi-Mart is coming along

"Wait," you say. "I thought he was working on Myths?"

Well true, I was. And I will be again. But for a while I'd have a lot of false starts on the project. Sure, I feel the tale and want to tell it, but something was blocking me from getting fully motivated.

So last week I decided to reread the beginning work I had on Multi-Mart. I found myself editing what I had done and then plowing through with more stuff. I'm on a Multi-Mart high. I've flushed out more of the outline, created most of the cast and finished more chapters.

Blame it on the fact that I'm watching Sliders on Netflicks. Blame it on the huge desire to write this book that I've kept in check for a long time. Whatever it is, I'm back on the saddle again and it feels wonderful!

Multi-Mart is the story of Kyle Jordan, a kid who winds up at a store that sits in between all alternate universes.  The store caters to a wide variety of customers from many alternate Earths. When it gets taken over thanks to a greedy assistant manager, it's up to Kyle to find help among the many worlds.

It stars Kelli, the kid vampire from NIGHT CHILDREN: DARK THREATS, and Bril, Eli's younger brother from MYTHS. It also stars James from Tyme Travels. Together, these unlikely heroes must use their separate strengths to help liberate the Multi-Mart from the clutches of the Warlord Oskar and his chief assassin, Gerwulf.

It's a middle grade novel and fun to write. I hope it'll be just as fun to read.

I will return to Myths as well as editing Book Two of Night Children. Watch this space for further developments.