Here it is. The final story spotlight. Angela Brown is here to tell you about how her story "A Diver's Ball" came to be.
* * *
My contribution to this year's IWSG
Anthology almost didn't exist. I sat on the story idea - inspired by Ready
Player One - until about nine days to the deadline.
While work demanded too much of my time and my daughter deserved way more of my
time, I carved moments in between those two important forces in my life to
write, revise, and haphazardly edit my short story, sliding it in on the day of
deadline.
Yeah, I cut it close.
And I'm so glad I shared this story.
Being a part of this anthology is such an honor. Sharing the tale of a young
girl's brush with love in the online world of Cumulus is timely. We can be
anything and anyone we want to be in the masquerade this is the online world,
from keyboard smacktalkers to word vixens with an extra-sassy-sauce-twist. With
role play games (RPG) and virtural reality (VR) diving growing more fantastic,
who knows if a real life Cumulus will evolve into being, where daily life, and
love, are all characters of the masquerade.
Here's a little about my story, A
Diver's Ball:
What’s a gamer girl to do when her first
chance at love collides with a once in a lifetime quest?
You can be anything you want in the
online world of Cumulus. A human. An elf. A powerful beast mutation from your
wildest imagination. But can you be in love?
Sixteen-year-old Alyssa hopes so.
Alyssa is stoked she's finally of age to
attend the granddaddy of online parties: the Diver's Ball. And wonder of all
wonders, her online gamer crush - erm - bud, Irv, asked her to
go with him...as his date!
Before her avatar can don the perfect
corset and dress in honor of the ball's Steampunk theme, a once-in-a-lifetime
quest barges in on her plans. Then the sudden onset of parental controls
threaten to ruin everything.
Faced with these dilemmas, Alyssa makes
a decision that impacts not just her online, but her real world life as well.
And oh the consequences...
Here's a
short blurb:
After the
greeting, the black screen behind Alyssa’s avatar transformed into a
three-dimensional blue sky. Fluffy clouds moved gingerly above, below, and
around her, as if she stood in the sky itself. Had she donned her full-body
haptic suit, the gentle breeze spurring the clouds along would cool her skin
with a grazing kiss and sweep through the locks of her hair. Only her haptic
gloves were allowed for this dive. She held her hands toward a cloud, giggling
at the cool, wet sensation that lingered on her fingers.
“This
never gets old,” she said aloud.
“You have
returned. So glad you are back.” This voice differed, understandably more purr
to the words. Alyssa designed her simulated assistant, or SA, as a lithe black
cat with piercing green eyes. It hopped from one cloud to the next until
landing on her shoulder. Every Cumulus user had a SA assigned as a method of
making interaction with the system more personable. She’d always loved things
that went unloved or misunderstood. A black cat fit her.
“Yes, Baxter.
You know what day it is?” Alyssa all but sang the last few words. She could
finally attend the Diver’s Ball, the granddaddy of all online parties. This
year’s theme: Steampunk Masquerade.
“Of
course, I do.” He licked his paw and groomed his whiskers. “You are of age now
and can go to the Yudarian-verse for the Selection. Finally, a winged Traveler
all your own.”
“That’s
right. I’ve got my corset and…wait, what? Oh no. The Selection? Today? No, no,
no. Baxter, home.”
And make
sure you go out and order your copy of Masquerade: Oddly Suited today!
Haunt us @
Purchase
your anthology @ one of these universal links:
Find
love at the ball…
Can a fake
dating game show lead to love? Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince?
Can a softball pitcher and a baseball catcher work together? Is there a vampire
living in Paradise, Newfoundland? What’s more important—a virtual Traveler or a
virtual date to the ball?
Ten
authors explore young love in all its facets, from heartbreak to budding
passion. Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Jennifer Lane, C.D.
Gallant-King, Elizabeth Mueller, Angela Brown, Myles Christensen, Deborah
Solice, Carrie-Anne Brownian, Anstice Brown, and Chelsea Marie Ballard.
Hand-picked
by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will mystify and surprise
even as they touch your heart. Don your mask and join the party…
Angela is
a gladiator-in-business-casual battling giants in the world of IT by day and
mom to a teen and a tiny fur baby 24/7. A devourer of books, chocolate, and Hot
Tamales, Angela uses words to build bridges for readers to escape, to feel, to
explore, and to know they are not alone. In the Masquerade: Oddly
Suited IWSG Anthology, she is the author of A Diver's Ball.
* * *
And now, before you leave, I'd like to let everyone know that the Masquerade Ball Bloghop kicks off tomorrow!
Each day leading up to release day, excluding Sundays, each of the ten authors featured in Masquerade: Oddly Suited will host a masked guest. This guest is a character from one of the stories in the anthology, though you will not know which one. You will also be treated to a small scene that relates to but does not appear in the story. Remember, the mystery is part of the fun! It is a masquerade, after all.
Return to each post on April 30th (release day) to learn who each character is and where they come from!
SCHEDULE
Thur. April 18th:
L.G. Keltner https://lgkeltner.blogspot.com/
Fri. April 19th:
Jennifer Lane http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.com
Sat. April 20th:
Deborah Solice https://thefabulistdotblog.wordpress.com/
Mon. April 22nd:
CD Gallant-King http://www.cdgallantking.ca/
Tues. April 23rd:
Elizabeth Mueller https://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com/
Wed. April 24th:
Chelsea Marie Ballard https://www.facebook.com/masqueradeoddlysuited
Thurs. April 25th:
Carrie-Ann Brownian http://carrieannebrownian.wordpress.com
Fri. April 26th:
Myles Christensen www.myleschristensen.com
Sat. April 27th: Anstice
Brown https://dustingthesoul.com
Mon. April 29th:
Angela Brown http://publishness.blogspot.com/
Tues.
Apr 30th: Book Release and The Unmasking (Just follow links above)!
3 comments:
It's a good thing you made time to write it.
I also submitted close to the deadline, Angela. I enjoyed the excerpt. I'd love to have a black cat as my SA.
I totally thought of Ready Player One once I started reading your story, Angela! Baxter is the bomb. It's a wonderful story.
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